THE GOSPELS: LESSON 22: SERMON ON THE MOUNT, PART TWO

TEXT: MATT. 5: 11- 32

VERSES 11, 12: Suffering persecution.

Who is Jesus addressing in all these passages? Those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness – the faithful.

See also II Tim. 3: 12; Hebrews 11: 32 - 38

VERSES 13 - 16: Salt and light.

Uses of salt. To understand all that is implied in these verses, consider the many uses of salt.

Salt is used:

1. To give flavor to food.

2. To preserve food.

3. To condition hard water.

4. To kill germs.

5. To melt ice.

6. To process leather.

7. It is estimated that salt has more than 1400 uses in the home, in industry, and in farming and ranching.

Perhaps this metaphor of salt should cause us to ask: Are we living USEFUL lives for Christ?

Note: The salt used by the Jews came from the sea. When Ghandi marched to the sea to protest the Great Britian’s occupation of India, he made the statement, “Salt is life.” Indeed, without salt, life itself would cease to be.

To illustrate being a light, consider the following story.

REFLECTIONS

One summer, on the isle of Crete, a professor of history and humanities named Dr. Papaderous finished a seminar on the history of philosophy with his usual call, "Are there any further questions?"

The hour was late and he was eager to get home, so after no quick response, he was about to dismiss his students when a hand was raised. A diffident little man with a small, timid voice and a shy demeanor quietly asked the most profound of all questions, "Professor, what is the meaning of life?"

Dr. Papaderous did not laugh or disregard the question. Instead, he replied with a story.

"In the 1940's, when I was but a lad, our village was invaded by German soldiers. A number of us boys ran to the top of the hill yonder and watched the battle as it raged back and forth between the Nazis and our fathers, uncles, and older brothers. When the battle was over, we crept carefully back to see if we could claim some small souvenir of the hostilities we had witnessed. I found a broken mirror that had been knocked off a German motorcycle during the fighting. I grabbed the largest piece of the jagged glass and stuck it in my pocket."

"Every day I worked at grinding the jagged edges off the piece of looking-glass by rubbing it on a rock, until one day I had a smooth round mirror that I still carry in my pocket. It used to be one of my secret childhood pleasures to take that little mirror of mine and reflect the sun's rays into any and every dark corner I could find. I would delight in the various reactions that I would see on unsuspecting faces when they beheld dark, shadowy places mysteriously illuminated."

Holding up that 50-year-old piece of glass he proclaimed to his class, "This is the meaning of life!"

And so it is. We can either reflect the light of God's love and glory into the corners of this darkling world, or reflect the dimness of our own sinful, petty nature and so further aid the dying of the light. Are there not enough shadows in this old world and in the hidden, sinful places of man's imagination? What do you reflect? What is the meaning of your life?

(Adapted from the Focus on the Family radio broadcast of 11/10/96.)

VERSES 17 - 20: Fulfillment of the law.

Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and prophets – he was what they looked forward to.

Vs, 18: Until all is fulfilled – after Jesus’ death and resurrection. See Heb 9: 11 - 17.

See also Eph. 2: 11 - 16.

VERSES 21 - 24: Dealing with anger against a brother.

There are some who claim the altar mentioned here represents the Lord’s Supper. I don’t think so. There is NO altar in Christianity, for we now have direct access to God through His son Jesus. The altar was the place where the sacrifices of the Law were made by the priests, and so belongs to the Old Covenant, not the New. (See I Cor. 10: 18.) Christ was offered on the altar of the cross once for all time. (See Heb 13: 10ff.) There now remains no need for altars in Christianity.

VERSES 25, 26: Dealing with accusers.

In everything, try to live peaceably with the people of this world, without compromising your faith. As with a brother, never let things go so far that the consequences become unbearable.

VERSES 27, 28: Lust and adultery.

As in Exodus 20: 14. However, do not think that adultery and lust are ENTIRELY synonymous. They are not. There is no justification in this scripture to divorce your mate for “spiritual adultery.” Jesus makes it plain that actual physical adultery is the proper grounds for divorce, not just looking at another woman with lustful thoughts. Why then did he say this about committing adultery “in the heart?” To call us to a higher standard than that of the Old Law. NOW, we are taught to guard not just our actions, but also our thoughts, for the uncontrolled mind is the breeding place of sin. (See James 1: 13 - 15.)

VERSES 29, 30: Sinful members.

This is not license to cut off hands as the Muslims do, for here the cutting is entirely self-imposed, not carried out by someone else.

NOTE: Philippians 3: 2 talks of false circumcision, not cutting off an offending hand.

VERSES 31, 32: Divorce and adultery.

Who can divorce under the New Covenant? One whose mate has been unchaste; that is, one whose mate has had sexual relations with someone other than their spouse. (Adultery) See Matthew 19: 3 - 12 where Jesus repeats this simple and profound principle of marriage and divorce.