Sermon Tone Analysis

Alêtheia Christian Fellowship – December 16, 2007

 

Jesus will *conclude His sermon*

 

       He has demonstrated that the *religion* based on the Old Testament is a *false understanding because it is     based on rules rather than relationship*.

*:Matthew 7:13&14 ~~* 13“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

14“For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

*What in the world is the narrow gate?*

* *

*The answer is verse 24a ~~* “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them,” i.e. the narrow gate is the instructions of Jesus we’ve been talking about for two months – *The Sermon on the Mount in actual practice*

 

Not just the hearing – not just the understanding – not just the accepting – *but the actual doing!*

 

Religious people are easy to spot – they are intolerant, self-righteous, hypocrites, double-minded.

What have we *discovered about His words?*

 

*:*

*1)* “Blessed are the *poor* in spirit,

 

Four Greek words, pe>nhv, very few possessions - penicro>v, nothing extra - ejndeh>v, lacking basic necessities – but our word here is ptwco>v, the most *dire and destitute*; without any provision.

Literally, the root means to crouch or *cower*.

It is the *comprehension of our own incapability* to be other than bankrupt!

We are completely destitute and have no means whatsoever so we rely totally on a handout

* *

*2)* “Blessed are those who *mourn*,

* *

This strong word for mourning often expressed the grief of one over the loss of a loved one penqe>w.

Repent means to turn, so there not only must there be an *admission* of sin, but a genuine sense of *remorse* over it.

*3) *“Blessed are the *gentle*,

 

Meekness often implied self-control; it was the gentleness of strength, prau`>v adjective of prau`>thv.

Meekness is prompted by an *awareness of our own sinfulness*.

And also *the strength we now have in God*.

*Servants don’t pass judgments; lords do*.

If we *see ourselves as servants*, we concern ourselves with *our* service, *not that of others*.

*4) *“Blessed are those who *hunger and thirst for righteousness*,

* *

*It begins with commitment to God’s will, *i.e.

OBEDIENCE FIRST AND FOREMOST – Look for a prophetic word…Read your Bible!

Obey what it says!

*Implied *in this beatitude is the assumption that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness recognize it is something which* they do not possess in themselves*.

It is rather something which they lack, but *desperately desire*.

*5) *“Blessed are the *merciful*,

 

Mercy ejleh>mwn - The merciful understand mercy for they know their own inadequacies, dependence, weaknesses and incompleteness.

And, when they receive gracious and merciful bounty from the King, they in turn know to show mercy to others.

People who know *more of God’s mercy will be merciful*.

*6) *“Blessed are the *pure in* *heart*,

 

Inward purity kaqaro>v, then outward - absolute sincerity and openness before God and men is not the work of man.

*7) *“Blessed are the peacemakers,

 

 eijrhnopoio>v, our *reconciliation with God, but it also involves the reconciliation of man with man*.

*We become shareholders in the family business when we evangelize* – when we bring God’s peace to others.

Poor = kingdom of heaven

Mourn = comforted

Gentle = inherit the earth

Hunger and thirst for righteousness = shall be satisfied

Merciful = receive mercy

Pure in heart = shall see God

Peacemakers = called sons of God – In the family business.

*:*

*1) Be Salt & Light \\ \\ *

*Salt* was a *preservative* and *necessity* of life in the 1st century as well as making a dried out *completely tasteless piece of meat palatable*.

You *don’t use salt preserving a fish and then scrape      it off and use it again!*

* \\ 2) Be Peaceable (Murder) \\  *

One cannot truly* worship God *while* harboring anger.*

Legalism looks to the *law to settle disputes*; our Lord says that *love should arbitrate our differences*.

* \\ 3) Be Self-controlled (Adultery) \\  *

Rip out your eye? *Avoid *the place of temptation.

* \\ 4) Be Honorable (Divorce)*

* *

Legalism looks only at the *rules*, Christian liberty at the reason behind the rules.

While the Law permitted divorce, God hates it, and we should avoid it at all costs.

* \\ 5) Be Honest (Oaths) \\ \\ *

There were *two* abuses of the oath, the *frivolous* and the *deceptive.

The oath does not bind you – your Christian character does!*

* \\ 6) Be Forgiving (Enemies) \\  *

Eye for an Eye ~~ Never intended as a *proof-text for revenge*, but as a *principle of justice*.

The *very purpose of this system was to avoid personal revenge* and vigilante law.

* \\ 7) Be Real (Alms, Prayer, Fasting) *

 

Most of this is about *manipulation*, either of God or man or both!

True giving, prayer and fasting is not a *technique* nor a *performance*, but a *relationship*.

*:** Treasure **F Worry **F **Judging** *

* *

*Help is only a prayer away (Ask, Seek & Knock)*

 

*:Matthew 7:15-20 ~~* 15“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

16“You will know them by their fruits.

Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?

17“So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.

18“A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

19“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20“So then, you will know them by their fruits.

If they wear sheep’s clothing you *can’t just look at the external!

*Jesus is trying to tell you the external is *masked* – it seems good.

What is fruit?

*Not external hints of the internal condition* - not so much mistakes, but the *character* of a person understood by the results of their ministry over some time.

What is the effect of this person’s ministry?

*:*

(A) Doctrine.

\\ 1- *Proclaim God’s Word*.

2- *Defend God’s Plan*.

3- *Tackle Tough Issues*.

4- *Permanent Solutions*.

5- *Fear God more than Man*.

6- *Affirm Christ’s Deity*.

7- *Grace over Works*.*

\\   \\ *(B) Effect of Teaching.

\\ 1-* More Honor for God*.

2- *More Honor for Jesus*.

3- *More Honor for the Bible*.

4- *More Honor for Each Other*.

5- *More Concern for the Lost*.

6- *More Spiritual Maturity*.

7- *More Actual Obedience*.* \\   \\ *(C) Personal Moral Character.

\\ 1- *Not Prideful~/Unapproachable*. 2- *Not Greedy*.

3- *Not Sexually Immoral*.

4- *Not Selfish*.

5- *Not Swindlers*.