There are some pretty famous sermons in history. The theological giant of the 1700’s, Jonathan Edwards, preached arguably the most famous sermon titled “Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God.” The prince of preachers, Charles Spurgeon, preached “The Immutability of God,” and “Christ Crucified” as some of his most memorable sermons. But even more famous than these is the most famous sermon in all of history: the one we know as The Sermon on the Mount, preached by our very own Savior Jesus Christ.
The Sermon on the Mount has so many teachings that persist as famous in the minds and mouths not only of believers, but the unbelievers as well. “You are the salt of the earth,” “You are the light of the world…let your light shine before others,” “I did not come to abolish the Law but fulfill it,” “turn the other cheek,” “love your enemies,” “Our Father, who art in heaven,” “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,” “You cannot serve two masters,” and “Do not worry.”
And then, quite possibly the most famous words in this most famous sermon, a kind of “holy of holies,” so to speak, are the words, “Blessed are those…” This set of blessings that open the sermon on the mount are known as the Beatitudes. Beatitude comes from a Latin word that means “blessedness,” or “supreme happiness.” That’s what the Greek word “blessed” means: happy. It also conveys the idea of prosperous and fortunate. The Greek version of the OT used this word in Psalm 1 when it opens with, “Blessed is the man whose delight is in the Law of the Lord…” It could easily read, “Happy and prosperous is the man who delights in the Law of the Lord.” The Beatitudes could read the same way: “Happy and prosperous are the poor in spirit…the meek…those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…etc”
But it sounds weird to hear Jesus say this. It sounds weird because it seems backwards. How can the poor in spirit, the meek, the grieving, the persecuted and so on be blessed? Be happy and prosperous? Those don’t necessarily seem like happy circumstances. But let me say two things:
First, if we’ve never felt the “upside-downness” of Jesus’ commands, and if we’ve never felt how “against our instincts” they are, we really need to do some self-examination. We really need to examine how much we actually know about what Jesus taught, and we really need to examine how submitted to Jesus we actually are. We tend to form our ideas about what a true disciple is but truly those ideas can be very different from what Jesus says. Jesus’ demands on His disciples are hard. We need to come to terms with the fact that in following Jesus we are operating on a completely different outlook than that of the world we live in. The teachings of Jesus challenge us to the core. They are hard. The only true way to follow them is the way he demands: deny yourself, take up your cross, and then follow me. But in following those hard teachings there is a blessedness that awaits us that cannot be found anywhere or anyway else in this life than when we obey Him.
Second, the key to understanding that no one is blessed automatically simply for being in hard circumstances is that they require faith. If you’re mourning, you have to trust God’s word that you will be comforted. If you’re meek, you do it because you know that you are going to inherit the earth. If you’re pure in heart, its because you believe God’s word that you will see God. If you are literally rejoicing and glad when people say evil things about you while you stand with Christ and maintain your faith, it is because you indeed trust Jesus’ words “great is your REWARD in heaven.” In other words, there is no other way to live out the beatitudes (or any command for that matter) than by faith. Or to say it another way: if we truly have faith in the words of Jesus it will be proven by how we live out His teachings. This is why the book of James was written: Faith without deeds is useless. Abraham’s faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.”
Let me say it this way: if we want to understand and experience the blessings here in this passage, we have to live out the righteousness seen in these commands. We don’t get the happiness spoken of here living life on our own terms. Even when we are deceived and we think that following Christ would rob us of our happiness, and following our own way would make us happy, we have to let faith be our anchor and decide to crucify our own deceiving desires in order to walk in the commands of Jesus. Jesus simply does not bless disobedience or disregard for his commands.
The beatitudes are found here in Matthew and also in Luke. But not in Mark or John. The fact that the Sermon on the Mount is early in Matthew’s gospel indicates Jesus taught it early in his ministry. Since the sermon is so comprehensive it is understood best as a foundational sermon where he would continue to teach various parts of it at other times in his ministry.
That’s not the only way it is understood. Apparently the Sermon on the Mount, including the beatitudes, is very controversial.
- Some people think that Jesus is teaching the way to be saved is through following these commands. Let’s just strike that from the list off the bat because the whole teaching of Scripture is that salvation is by faith, not by works.
- Other people think nothing in this sermon applies to the Church and only describes what the future ethic in Jesus’ kingdom will be like. Lets just strike that from the list too. “All scripture is profitable” Paul told Timothy – and that includes the Sermon on the Mount. Furthermore, commentators rightly point out that Jesus expected his disciples to apply these teachings, not merely describe the future kingdom existence. “Blessed are YOU” (v11) and “YOU are the light of the world” (14), and “YOU have heard it said…but I say to YOU” (21-22, 27-28, etc)
- The best way to understand the Sermon on the Mount involves two perspectives:
- First, that these are teachings that we ought to live out because Jesus said “Go therefore and make disciples teaching them to obey everything I have commanded.” If we are true disciples of Jesus then these teachings will describe our lives. We will be peacemakers, meek, hunger and thirst for righteousness, etc.
- Second, the other perspective is this: the Sermon on the Mount by Jesus opened up the heart behind the written Law. Or as A.W. Pink says, it was “a searching exposition of the spirituality of the Law and a refutation of the false teaching of the elders.” In other words, the Jews had the letter of the Law, and a lot of false teachings about the Law from the elders that accumulated over time, but Jesus, literally as the author of the Law, explained the heart of the written Law. This is the point of his phrase, “You have heard it said…But I tell you.” Jesus is pointing out the written law they’ve heard, but then he is taking them into the heart of each specific law. “You’ve heard it said, ‘Do not murder’ BUT I TELL YOU if you are angry with your brother you will be subject to judgment” (5:21-22). Or “You have heard it said, ‘do not commit adultery,’ but I tell you that anyone who has looked lustfully at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (5:27-28)
- First, that these are teachings that we ought to live out because Jesus said “Go therefore and make disciples teaching them to obey everything I have commanded.” If we are true disciples of Jesus then these teachings will describe our lives. We will be peacemakers, meek, hunger and thirst for righteousness, etc.
APPLICATION: All of God’s word speaks to our hearts. A disciple – a TRUE disciple – is a disciple from the heart. Jesus brought out the heart of the Mosaic Law in order to reach the hearts of the Jews with those commands. Even all the outward requirements are not to be merely understood as outward religious performance. We should understand any and all outward requirements as divine guidance for how to express our inward love for God and for others.
And I’ll stress this point here related to the heart of a disciple: it is utterly impossible to live out any command of God, and certainly nothing in the Sermon on the Mount or the Beatitudes, unless they are done from the heart. The commands are so fundamentally tied to the inner-person that it is impossible to actually be poor in spirit, meek, mourn, hunger and thirst for righteousness, be merciful, be pure in heart, be a peacemaker, and embrace persecution for Christ’s sake UNLESS your heart has first been surrendered to Christ and loves Him first and supremely.
JESUS SAW
Jesus saw. He saw the crowds. Verse 1 begins, “Now when Jesus saw the crowds…” We see over and over in the Scriptures that our Lord sees. He has eyes to see. Jesus saw the crowds following him and had compassion for them and so he fed them miraculously with just a few loaves of bread and fish. He saw the rich young man and it says “He looked at him and loved him.” He saw the disciples struggling in the boat in the middle of the night against the storm and came to them (Mk 6). He told Nathaniel “I saw you when you were still under the fig tree before Phillip came to get you” (John 1). He is the Good Shepherd who is not only known by His sheep, but He knows His sheep. “The hairs of your head are numbered,” Jesus said (Lk 12), and he says that the Father sees and cares for each sparrow that dies, and “you are worth more than many sparrows.” Jesus sees us. Knows us. Has compassion for us. Cares for and watches over us.
This means Hes not oblivious or indifferent or neglectful towards us. Hes attentive. Deism is false. Hired hands are not shepherds.
APPLICATION: So much of ministry is to make people see Jesus. Right now I want you to see that Jesus sees you! He sees you no matter where you are. That should be a comfort for some.
APPLICATION: That He sees should also make others afraid, and convicted. If our lives are not right before God we ought to be afraid and convicted, and then out of that fear and conviction we ought to repent and turn from those sins.
JESUS ON A MOUNTAIN
Jesus sees the people and then leads them up a mountain. I found myself latching onto that for some reason. Verse 1 says, “Now when Jesus saw the crowds he went up on a mountainside and sat down..” Here are things that come to my mind in noticing this
First, some of the most important teachings and events in Jesus’ life happened on a mountain. The most famous sermon was on a mountainside. The equally famous teaching of the Olivet Discourse, where He described the end of the age and His return to the earth, happened on the mount of Olives. His Transfiguration happened on a mountain. Numerous times He pulls his disciples away from the crowds to privately minister to them on mountainsides.
Second, historically, mountains were the place where big things happened. The giving of the 10 commandments and the law to Moses happened on a mountain.
Third, its quite symbolic really if you think about it: Jesus comes down to where the people are, and then to teach them he leads them UP a mountain. Maybe we can see in it that He is teaching them that to attain spiritual truth they will have to look and go higher than their worldly environment.
Fourth, there is an eschatological connection here. Isaiah 2 says that in the kingdom that is future, the nations will stream to a certain mountain. That mountain is Jerusalem, and they will come from all over the earth to that mountain to hear Jesus teach.
APPLICATION: Get up the mountain! Go to where God’s word is being taught!
JESUS SAT DOWN
Third we see Jesus sat down. Now when Jesus saw the crowds he went up on a mountainside and sat down.” We see Jesus sitting at weddings, in people’s homes, and around fires with his disciples throughout the gospels. Hebrews 1:3 says, “After he provided purification for sins he SAT DOWN at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” His sitting down conveys the completion of his work. It also conveys his divine co-reigning with the Father. Other times we see him sitting is him sitting as Judge at judgment, like Matthew 25 says, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, with all his angels, he will SIT on his glorious throne.”
But here, in our passage, his sitting has a sense of intimacy with the people, of inviting them close to Him, of wanting to “let them in” on the things of God and to teach them. (So we shouldn’t be too hard on preachers who sit while preaching and teaching!)
APPLICATION: Sit with Jesus. Be taught by Him. You may remember in Luke 10 that Jesus was at Martha and Mary’s house. As Martha prepared dinner, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet instead of helping. When Martha complained to Jesus, Jesus lovingly said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things. But few things are needed – indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken from her.” Choose what is better. Choose to come sit with Jesus and learn from Him.
Actually that brings up the last point:
JESUS TEACHES (1-2)
Jesus teaches. “WHen Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him and he began to teach them.” Some things to draw out here.
First, see his disciples COME TO him. That is the first of two most distinguishing marks of a disciple: they COME TO Jesus. A disciple is known for how they continually come to Jesus. Everything in their life is brought to Him. Going to Him is a sign of their desire for everything in their life to align with Him. Going to Him is a sign of their faith in Him with everything in their life. So coming to Jesus for salvation and everything else is the first distinguishing mark of a disciple.
The second most distinguishing mark is that after going to Him they GO FOR him. They go forward in their situation, their circumstance FOR him. What this means is that the proof that you have come TO Jesus is that you live your life FOR Jesus. Your life is characterized by the very commands and teachings of Jesus that you have come to Him to learn.
APPLICATION: Are you a disciple? Have you come to Jesus? Do you go forward with what He teaches you when you come to Him?
Second, see that when his disciples COME to Him He TEACHES them. He doesn’t teach those who DON’T come to Him. He teaches those who seek Him. He teaches those whose trust is in Him and who show their trust in Him by coming to Him for His words and by living out those words. Those who come to the light will receive light. Those who avoid and ignore the light will stay in the dark.
There is an interaction in John 14:22-24 if you’ll turn there with me.
APPLICATION: If you have never surrendered your life to Christ then today that is the first act of obedience you need to do. The bible says you are spiritually dead, and that God counts your sins against you, and that His wrath is hanging over you while I am speaking these words. But the good news is that God loves you, and He proved it by sending His Son Jesus into this world, and He was crucified for your sins. He willingly went to the cross, according to the plan God had from eternity past, and He went there to die for your sins. Because of Him, today you can be forgiven for all your sins, be given eternal life, and become a brand new person. All you have to do right now is believe in the name of Jesus Christ and call on Him to save you.
APPLICATION: We obey the teaching of Jesus to do Communion. We come to the table this morning because Jesus said to eat the bread and take the cup to remember Him.