June 11, 2017

Sermon on the Mount

Salt, Light and the Fulfillment of the Law
Matthew 5:13-20

This week we’re continuing our series on “The Sermon on the Mount.”

A really incredible thing about the Sermon on the Mount is that Jesus didn't save his heavy hitting and culture shifting commands for a private setting, and he didn’t just save it for people whose hearts he had already won over…

Actually, The Sermon on the Mount wasn't even planned, when Jesus was surrounded by people who needed to hear the truth of who He was, He gathered them together on a hill and he shared the truth with them:

• loud and proud
• out in the open
• with nothing to hide

And that’s what we’re doing in this series… We’re meeting outside, in the open, unashamed of the truth of who God is - wanting desperately to soak up everything we can about who that man is: A God who isn't ashamed of the truth, who has nothing to hide, and who just wants to draw his people back to him.

Matthew 5:13-20

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. 17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Today we are going to be examining two distinct sections of the Sermon on the Mount, the first section is Jesus’ passage on Salt and Light, found in verses 13-16, and the second passage on His fulfillment of the Law, found in verses 17-20.

1. Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

Jesus begins the section immediately after the Beatitudes with two interesting metaphors which are indicators of the impact we as Christians should have upon the world.

1. Salt

   1. Ancient uses of salt (theologians)

      1. Preservative

         1. Indicator of the influence Christ and his disciples should have on the moral decay of a fallen world

      2. Seasoning

         1. Adding a kingdom minded seasoning to the world with their presence

      3. Fertilizer

         1. Jesus’ disciples will enhance the growth of God’s work in the world

      4. All of the above

         1. Our impact upon the world should be that of multifaceted influence. Christians should be sharing the Gospel and the work of Christ in their homes, schools, and workplace. This should impact culture, politics, and entertainment, etc.

   2. Christians should be different from the rest of society because we have experienced a transformation in our lives. Once you have experienced God how could you ever say that your life is the same?

   3. Loss of saltines?

      1. In these times salt was also found in other means:

         1. Salt formations- worthless rocks

         2. Impure salt- not useful for anything and thrown out as gravel

         3. Salt blocks used in ovens

            1. After a time of intense heat they crack and are thrown out

      2. Those that call themselves Christians cannot regain their “saltiness” if not used correctly, and in turn have no impact whatsoever on the world around them

2. Light

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

1. Easily understand, harder to carry out

   1. As Jesus’ followers we are called to be the light of the world.

   2. Light drives out darkness.

   3. Darkness is not the opposite of light, rather it is the absence of it!

   4. The Gospel provides not only hope, but literally gives a light at the end of the tunnel. It does not matter how dire or grave any situation can be, if you follow the light there will be an end.

2. Jesus is the Light of the World

   1. Further, Jesus states in John 8:12 that “I am the light of the world.Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

   2. If we are to emulate Christ and become more like him, then in turn we will begin to shine like Christ.

3. This is not meant to be a complicated metaphor! Jesus says this leaving no excuses, saying that if you are with me, you will shine.

2. Fulfillment of the Law

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

1. Jesus states what He is here for, he is the fulfillment of God’s promise.

   1. He explains with His opening statement, that He did not come to rewrite or go against what the Old Testament teaches, instead He is the one that they had been waiting for.

   2. Jesus not only fulfills the prophecy through his obedience, but he clarifies God’s intent for the role.

      1. For example, many thought that the savior would come as a conquering king, freeing them from the rule of the Romans. Instead, he came to serve others (Mark 10:45).

2. Further, Jesus expects his followers to live out his commands and not simply teach them.

3. Christ explains that one is cannot simply know God’s commands, they must be lived out. (James 1:22)

3. How To Save a Life

   1. When Jesus came to fulfill the Law, in doing so, He came to satisfy one purpose: to provide you a chance to be saved from your wrongdoing

      1. Jesus came to show God’s love for His creation by willingly taking the punishment that we deserve for our sins (John 3:16, Romans 6:23)

      2. In doing so, Jesus explains that He is the only way for one to gain entrance into Heaven. (John 14:6)

   2. This IS the fulfillment of the Law lived out!

   3. The question you need to ask yourself, is do you “know Jesus” or do you have a personal relationship with Him. This is what many in Jesus’ time did not understand.

      1. I can know cars, but I don’t own a Bugatti

      2. I can know a lot about LeBron James, but we aren’t going to be hanging out this weekend

      3. Simply knowing who Jesus is does not do anything, we have to have a personal relationship with Him, and in turn we gain admittance into eternity in heaven.

         1. It really is the most one sided relationship possible

            1. We have nothing to offer him

            2. He promises to give us something that we do not deserve

Communication Card

• I will choose to bring "kingdom seasoning" to my world this week.
• I will share my light this week with a friend, family member, or coworker.
• I want to know more about Jesus coming as our Savior.