The King’s Speech: Learning from the Greatest Sermon Ever Preached

“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.” (Psalm 19:7-10)

This is how much we should desire God’s Word, but we don’t desire it like we should

As we gather, God uses His Word to realign our hearts so that we want what He wants us to want

That’s what we pray happens in your heart and mine as we gather together today

In just a moment we’ll hear a reading from the text for today’s sermon beginning in Matthew 5. Turn there now.

While you’re turning, 4 quick announcements:

1) A word about PBC. We are disciples.

One of our ministries to help you grow are the people serving at the white/blue flags

Like firemen—they’re not always needed, but they’re ready for you

Blue flag—want more information about PBC or an event

White flag—want someone to pray with you or talk with you about something God is doing in your life

2) Tonight at 5:30—Final lesson in our teaching series, “Should A Woman Be a Deacon”

3) Trunk or Treat

10/31 at 5 PM—need your help with cars, candy, and communication

Pick up flyers to pass out at blue flag

4) Afghan Workshop

November 20 from 9-12, register online

Now look in your Bibles at Matthew 5:1-2 as Holly comes to read for us.

Scripture Reading (Matthew 5:1-2, 7:28-29)

Prayer of Praise (God is Spirit), Holly Boutot

Good and Gracious King

Come Thou Fount

Prayer of Confession (hard-heartedness), Joel Whitcomb

Is He Worthy

NCC#43

Catechism questions about different essential ingredients in the life of the church...

Talking to God in prayer

Listening to God in His Word

Seeing God in baptism and the Lord’s Supper

Perhaps you’ve wondered why...

What are the sacraments or ordinances?

The sacraments or ordinances given by God and instituted by Christ, namely baptism and the Lord’s Supper, are visible signs and seals that we are bound together as a community of faith by his death and resurrection. By our use of them the Holy Spirit more fully declares and seals the promises of the gospel to us.

PASTORAL PRAYER

Thanksgiving—authority of Scripture

Thank you that not one sentence of Scripture was the result of human ideas or opinions.

Your Word tells us that these human authors spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Thank you that the human authors of Scripture did not follow cleverly devised stories when they wrote about what Jesus said and did. They were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

Thank you that in the Scriptures we something even more reliable than what the disciples had when they heard You speak on the Mount of Transfiguration

Help us to pay attention to Your Word, to believe it is a light shining in a dark place until the day Jesus returns.

Prayer for PBC—deacons

Steve Collins, John Curlee, Ronnie Evans, Stuart Holdren, Todd Holdren, Al Koth, Chuck Quilhot, Jake Rogier, Bobby Watkins

Thank you for how these men have so faithfully served us in everything from setting up for communion to scheduling greeters and reviewing our property insurance policies

The faithful service of deacons allows elders to more faithfully shepherd the congregation and minister the Word of God and prayer

Thank you for our deacons, help them to gain a good standing for themselves and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus

May our conversations about deacons on Sunday nights lead to more light than heat. Give us unity and the willingness to defer to one another for the sake of your glory and the good of the church

Prayer for sister church—Petsworth Baptist Church

Pastor John Pouchot — thank you for his faithfulness to lead PBC!

Wisdom and fruitfulness in their church planting efforts

Bless their disciple-making and evangelistic efforts

Give them wisdom as they replace their student pastor

Give them unity!

Pray for US—against poverty

Some say as many as 38 million Americans live in poverty

Even if we define poverty differently than poorer nations, there are many here who are suffering and in serious need

Forgive us for cold and calloused hearts towards those in need

Grant our leaders wisdom to deal with the root causes of poverty

Help ministries in our area like Peninsula Rescue Mission and Thrive as they care for the poor in our area

Help us as a church to have a heart for the poor in our area

Especially the newly arriving refugees who have little access or knowledge to resources and programs that could help them

Prayer for the world—Burkina Faso [boor-keen-ah fah-sow]

Landlocked country in West Africa where over 21 million image-bearers live

President Roch Kabore [rock -kah-boor-ay] — justice for vulnerable, sanctity for unborn, flourishing for all

One of the world’s poorest nations, 77% unemployed, extremely high infant mortality, one of the lowest literacy rates in the world

Against the rise of radical jihadist Muslim groups

Some people say the population is “50% Muslim, 20% Christian, and 100% animist”!

Courageous pastors, healthy churches

Laborers

Pray for the sermon

SERMON

One of the most dreaded experiences in seminary is preaching class

You prepare a sermon, preach it before your professor and peers, then listen as they review your sermon

Since most of the guys in preaching class are just getting started learning how to preach, most of the comments were about things the preacher needed to do better

Don’t say “um”

Don’t speak in monotone

Make eye contact

Use more illustrations

Etc.

All this was hard to take, because usually you’d worked really hard!

One professor said doing sermon reviews in class was like “Getting paid to tell someone their baby is ugly.”

Today we’re going to do a sermon review. But not to critique the preacher, but so we can better understand His sermon and better apply it to our lives.

Turn to Matthew 5

Jesus has begun His ministry in northern Israel around the Sea of Galilee

He’s already called at least four of His disciples, probably more

He’s been healing people throughout the region leading to massive crowds showing up from all around to see Him

In chapters 5-7, Matthew records Jesus’ teaching, which has been called “the sermon on the mount.”

Next week we’ll begin zooming in on the details of this sermon, but today we’re going to take a birds-eye view so we can better understand and apply it to our lives.

Let’s examine FIVE COMPONENTS OF THE GREATEST SERMON EVER PREACHED:

1) The LOCATION

A few weeks ago, we talked about how Jesus’ story is a new story that connects to an old story and completes it.

Like The Force Awakens was a new story that connected to the older Star Wars universe

Sometimes Matthew explicitly tells you exactly how Jesus’ story is connected to the old story of God’s dealings with His covenant people, Israel.

Sometimes he just alludes to the OT story, and the discerning reader will pick up on the references

Just like the hard-core Star Wars nerds are going to find references that the average fan won’t recognize

As Matthew sets up Jesus’ sermon, He alludes to something that connects to the OT...

5:1—Seeing the crowds, [Jesus] went up on the mountain, and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him.

Why does Matthew tell us that Jesus preached this sermon on a mountain?

Simple answer: because Jesus did preach it on a mountain!

We’re not exactly sure where Jesus preached this sermon, but for at least 1600 years many Christians have taken this site to be the place

SHOW MT. BEATITUDES IMAGE

When I visited it a few years ago, I was told that various studies have demonstrated that the acoustics on Mount Eremos are so good it would’ve been easy for Jesus to preach to thousands without any need for amplification

But there’s another reason why Matthew mentions that Jesus preached this sermon on a mountain. After all, Matthew doesn’t record every possible detail. Why mention this?

Over 1000 years earlier, God’s people gathered to hear another preacher on a mountain.

Like Jesus, when this preacher was a baby he was forced in hiding to save his life from a bloodthirsty king.

Like Jesus, this preacher found refuge in Egypt.

Like Jesus, this preacher eventually left Egypt, went through the water and then into the wilderness

But unlike Jesus, this preacher wouldn’t pass the test in the wilderness

So God promised that one day another preacher would come

That preacher, Moses, said this to the people:

Deuteronomy 18:15, 18-19—“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen. . . . I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.”

By preaching on a mountain, Matthew is hinting that this sermon is a new and better law given from a new and better Moses.

Christ the true and better Moses Called to lead a people home Standing bold to earthly powers God's great glory to be known With his arms stretched wide to heaven See the waters part in two See the veil is torn forever Cleansed with blood we pass now through [1]

But what is better about the law that Christ lays down on this mountain? In Christ we’re not just given commands, but the power to obey them.

Run, John, run, the law commands But gives us neither feet nor hands,

Far better news the gospel brings: It bids us fly and gives us wings [2]

Let’s continue our sermon review and examine...

2) The AUDIENCE

I am among those who have been encouraged by the television show about Jesus’ disciples called, The Chosen. There is much I appreciate about the show, but of course we have to test everything by the Scriptures.

I was particularly disappointed by some aspects of the final episodes of season 2, which depicted Jesus preparing to preach this sermon on the mount. Some of it was probably me being nit-picky, but I do think one criticism is very important and actually affects our understanding of this sermon.

The show depicted Jesus working to get the words just right, due to the large crowds that were going to hear Him preach. But if you look carefully at the text, we’re told that Jesus’ primary audience isn’t the crowds at all:

5:1-2—Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And He opened his mouth and taught them, saying...

Jesus’ primary audience is His disciples, not the crowds

5:14-16—“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

It is believers who are called to let their light shine, not everybody

Of course the crowds are listening in, and we see their response at the end of the sermon...

7:28-29—And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.”

Jesus’ audience was much like the audiences in most Christian services every Sunday. There’s a number of committed followers of Jesus listening. The sermon is primarily aimed at them.

But there’s also people listening who are on the fence. They’re interested in Jesus, but they haven’t committed to follow Him.

Are you like the disciples or the crowd?

If you’re a follower of Jesus like the disciples, this message shows you what kingdom living looks like

Just like the Law wasn’t given from the mountain until God’s people were rescued, so too Jesus’ words from the mountain are given to you after you’ve been rescued.

Rescued people live differently.

If you’re like the crowd, this message shows you how much you need Jesus. You cannot live this way without the help of the Spirit.

Let’s continue our sermon review and examine...

3) The THEME

Have you ever heard a sermon that was all over the place? The preacher tried to talk about anything and everything?

Years ago I remember hearing my pastor preach a sermon about joy and one of the 11 or so points in his outline was SMILE AT A BABY

Sermon class: the sermon needs to be about one big idea

What’s the big idea of Jesus’ sermon?

He talks about murder, lust, divorce, lying, loving enemies, giving, praying, fasting, anxiety, judging, and more!

Does Jesus have a big idea? Is He an all-over-the-place sort of preacher?

Jesus’ sermon is about kingdom righteousness

It’s a sermon about righteousness...

Beatitudes

Three “blesseds” and then...

5:6—Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness...”

Then three more “blesseds” and then...

5:10—“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,...”

After talking about how He’s not going to abolish the law He says...

5:20—“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

This would’ve been an incredible shock!!!

He demonstrates the point of the OT law, not mere outward conformity but heart obedience

Murder begins in the heart

Adultery begins in the heart

5:48—“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

We need righteousness!!!

But it’s not enough to merely look righteous on the outside...

6:1—“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, … ”

How true righteousness changes how we give, fast, and pray

This is a sermon about righteousness. It’s a sermon about living rightly.

It’s also a sermon about the kingdom...

5:3—“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

5:10—“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

5:20—“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

6:10—“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

7:21—“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

Jesus’ teaches His followers how to live rightly as representatives of the kingdom of God. It’s a sermon about kingdom righteousness

6:33—“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

We’re living in a broken world in rebellion against the true King. It’s a world of sin and suffering.

Sin—we sin, others sin against us

Suffering—Covid-19, hurricanes, cancer, etc.

How are we supposed to live as citizens of God’s kingdom while we live in this kingdom? By seeking His kingdom first and living rightly now. And that’s what this sermon is all about.

Let’s continue our sermon review and examine...

4) The RESPONSE

Listening to a sermon: God speaks, we respond.

Obviously that includes the teaching of Jesus!

People have not always agreed on how we should respond to Jesus’ teaching in this sermon.

As many as twelve theories on how to interpret this sermon.

Let’s consider...

Four Common Interpretations:

A. A Blueprint for Utopia

Theological liberalism sees this sermon as a blueprint for reorganizing society and if we follow it we can bring utopia on earth.

5:38-39—“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”

“If we can just learn to love one another like Jesus teaches, we can bring world peace and the world will be a better place!”

That’s like saying, “If we can just figure out how to get money to grow on trees we can solve world poverty!”

Fallen man can’t live like this! It takes the new birth and the indwelling Spirit!

B. A Roadmap for Salvation

Some see this sermon is a blueprint, not for reorganizing society, but for individual salvation

It’s like a roadmap on how to be saved!

7:21—“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

“If you want to go to heaven...”

Stop lusting

Love your enemies

Pray the right prayers

Don’t judge other people

Trying to earn your way to heaven is like trying to build a bridge to the moon.

The longest bridge in the world is 100 miles long. The moon is 240,000 miles away.

EXPLAIN THE GOSPEL!!!

It’s true, we cannot enter the kingdom unless we obey the Father, but that obedience isn’t the root of our salvation it’s the fruit of our salvation

C. A Mirror to Expose Sin

A mirror can show you the lettuce in your teeth...

But you don’t pick your teeth with the mirror.

“The Sermon on the Mount isn’t telling us how to live at all. It shows us how much we fall short and how much we need Jesus.”

Popular among Lutherans (not necessarily Luther)

In one sense, this is right. In some places this sermon functions like a mirror to expose our sin...

5:21-22—“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”

5:27-28—“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

You have broken God’s law!!! Unless someone pays your penalty and earns righteousness on your behalf you’re going to hell!

But that’s not all this sermon does. It’s more than a mirror...

6:9-13—“Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

How would you apply this passage?

“Look how horrible we are at praying like this! Thankfully Jesus prayed like this in our place!”

No! You’d tell people to pray! You’d encourage them to pray like this!

D. A Manifesto for Kingdom Living

John Stott argues that the key to understanding the sermon is found in a simple phrase in Matthew 6:8 . . .

“Do not be like them”

This sermon is about how Christians—citizens of the kingdom of heaven—are supposed to live differently

John Stott—“There is no single paragraph of the Sermon on the Mount in which this contrast between Christian and non-Christian standards is not drawn. It is the underlying and uniting theme of the sermon; everything else is a variation of it. Sometimes it is the Gentiles or pagan nations with whom Jesus contrasts his followers. . . . At other times Jesus contrasts his disciples not with Gentiles but with Jews, not (that is) with heathen people but with religious people, in particular the ‘scribes and Pharisees’. . . . So the followers of Jesus are to be different—different from both the nominal church and the secular world, different from both the religious and the irreligious.” [3]

Simply put, in this sermon Jesus is showing us what a Christian looks like...

We follow a different pathway for happiness (5:3-12)

Use our influence for different purposes (5:13-16)

Have different standards for righteousness (5:17-37)

Treat our enemies differently (5:38-48)

Give differently (6:1-4)

Pray differently (6:5-17)

View our possessions differently (6:18-34)

Judge differently (7:1-6)

Seek after different things (7:7-12)

Live for different kingdoms (7:13-23)

All this because our lives are built on different foundations (7:24-27)

Notice how the people respond...

7:28-29—“And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.”

Mere astonishment is not enough.

Rescued people live differently!!!

What difference has Jesus made in your life?

No difference? Do you know Him?

7:19-20—“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”

Unbeliever: repent and believe!!!

Christian: Not talking about perfection, but direction.

Unsure? Talk to another Christian. It’s hard to recognize your own fruit!

This is why we need each other!!!

Let’s conclude our sermon review by examining..

5) The PREACHER

Kids telling me I’m trying to act cool in the pulpit

With God’s help I try to be the same man up here that I am down there. But I know I fail regularly.

Jesus never fails. The Jesus preaching this sermon is the same Jesus we saw last week...

4:24—“So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them.”

Jesus doesn’t recoil or stiff-arm the messiest, sickest, wickedest people!

He also doesn’t say “oh I’m not going to heal you, that guy is way sicker than you!”

Everyone who comes to the “king in need of nothing” humbly is pushed away

I’m afraid we sometimes think the Jesus that exists for us now is different from the Jesus that existed for them.

Now we have stern, serious, stiff Jesus. The one who pushes away the sick, the sinful, and the ashamed.

As we spend the next few months studying this sermon, let’s fight to remember that Jesus never changes.

I think it’s significant that on both sides of this magnificent sermon are stories of Jesus’ compassion for dirty, diseased people...

8:1-3—“When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”

If you come to Jesus humbly, seeking His cleansing touch, He will make you clean.

Unbeliever: do you see how far short you fallen from God’s standards of perfect righteousness? Come to the one who can make you clean! Repent and believe!

Christian: have you failed to live differently as Christ has called you? Confess your sin, and He is faithful and just to wash you clean again.

If you touch an unclean leper, it makes you unclean. When Jesus touches the unclean, it doesn’t corrupt Him it cleanses us!

THE GOSPEL!

There Is A Fountain

BENEDICTION

Colossians 3:16-17—Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

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