Sermon on the Mount - Part 1 — Duane Troyer

Hey man, thanks. Thanks for picking that song. I want to greet everybody in Jesus name and and express my Thankfulness for all of you and the ability to gather with you all. It's a blessing to have you here this morning Elmer like it always is when you can make it.

Yeah, I appreciate Appreciate the things you shared and Sometimes those those things that happen that experience you shared. And we just we have to leave things in the Lord's hand and don't know but sometimes they're for us, you know, sometimes Sometimes the Lord wants to show us that he hears us and answers our prayers.

And I Don't know if anybody else remembers but some years back Elmer was here and and and gave an opening and he encouraged us all to memorize John 17. Anyway, our family took it to heart that time and we memorized it but The children and my wife and I but it's been a while since we quoted it.

I think it's time to go back and refresh it and see if we can still We can still quote it. Let's stand for a word of prayer. Our Father in heaven holy is your name. Your kingdom come your will be done here on earth as it is in heaven.

We pray Lord for your blessing on this day for your presence we ask you to Just be with each one of us. Help us to trust and obey to walk in your ways. We Pray that your will and your word could be alive in us and active and Move us to to be your body your hands your feet your mouth here on earth and we just Just pray that your will would be done.

Help us as we look into your words and Give me a clear mind give us ears to hear And hearts to understand in Jesus name. Amen. What's the um. What's the most important Part of a building if if you're concerned about the longevity Of this building what's robert cain what's the most important part of it.

The foundation. The foundation it's it's air it's one area where you don't want to cut corners you don't want to skimp. You you want to get this part, right? If you want to cut corners do it somewhere else.

Don't do it on the foundation. Uh once heard the story of a of a of a A multi-story building and and after this building had been in use for Some years someone one day noticed On the 42nd floor of the building that there was a crack in the wall.

Just a little hairline crack and and he calls the uh, the managing director of that at that time and tells him hey I see a crack a small crack on the 42nd floor of this building and the managing Director immediately calls the architect.

He's alarmed and he says we got a problem. We have a crack a hairline crack on the 42nd floor of this building. And the architect has says he'll be over sometime later. The managing director gets word that the architect is here.

And he gets on the lift he goes up to the 42nd floor. He plans to meet the architect there and he waits and he waits and he waits and the architect doesn't come. And finally in his frustration he goes back down in his room and he just.

He he tells the janitor or somebody I don't know where this architect is. Let me know once you find him. And sometime later the the janitor tells him. The architect is here. He's down in the lowest basement.

And the the managing director goes down to the lowest basement of the building. And he says what are you doing down here? I told you we have a crack on the 42nd floor of the building. And and the architect said you may have a crack on the 42nd floor, but the problem's down here.

Christianity’s Foundation Is the Sermon on the Mount

The psalmist says if the foundations are destroyed what can the righteous do? And I want to I want to start a series of messages today about the foundation of christianity. Thankfully I don't have to wonder we don't have to wonder what the foundation of christianity is because jesus christ the the the the Central figure of christianity has told us what the foundation is.

Uh in in matthew five six and seven. We have this teaching called the sermon on the mount. It's the longest recorded set of teachings and instructions. And at the end jesus says. He that hears these sayings of mine and does them.

Builds on rock. And he that hears these sayings of mine and doesn't do them builds on sand. He has he has told us what is foundational. Uh I'm i'm I'd like to do a series and just just just really go through the sermon on the mount.

And I do not know how long this series will be or how many messages. We're we're barely going to make it into the sermon on the mount today um I I'd like to I'd like to talk about some things Concerning the sermon on the mount before we get into the actual words that jesus said after all.

Well, there's a lot of cracking going on In what's called christianity and it's not just on the 42nd floor and it's not just hairline cracks. It's sagging and crumbling and collapsing All all over this thing called christianity.

And more often than not we find that people never ever started on the foundation that christ laid. So here's a few of the overarching goals that I have as we as we're going to look into the teachings of jesus and one is Why the sermon on the mount is essential to christianity.

In other words, why why it is salvific or why it has the power to bring about salvation and redemption. Uh, if you ask most christians what the plan of salvation is. They never go to the sermon on the mount.

It comes from a wrong understanding of what salvation is. It comes from a wrong understanding of what What we are saved from and what we are saved into. I believe that the that within the sermon on the mount.

We get a very very detailed description of what the new birth is. If if you ask an evangelical christian What the new birth is or or how the new birth works they never go to the sermon on the mount. Um.

It's because they have a wrong understanding Of what a new creature in christ is. Um, and I I'm i'm almost sure that we know this we know what we if I use the term evangelical I think you guys know you brothers and sisters here know what i'm talking about.

Um. We're maybe more talking about like just protestant christianity. I remember one time. Because we want to be evangelical, right? We want to be evangelistic. Um, I remember one time holland green told me that he He met david keeling and david keeling was Did a lot of street preaching and and david keeling talked a lot about the problems with evangelical Christianity and to him david keeling was the most evangelical person he ever met.

Um, but anyway, that that's what typically what we're talking about um I believe that the sermon on the mount is a description of heaven. If you ask most christians What the kingdom of heaven is like they never go to the sermon on the mount.

It's because they have a wrong understanding of heaven of what the kingdom of heaven is. So that's that's my one overarching. Goal is why is the sermon on the mount essential? Why is it? Why is it foundational?

The Sermon on the Mount as the Fulfillment of the Old Covenant

Number two i'd like to i'd like to show how it is. It is both In word and type it is it is a fulfillment of old testament teachings. Um. It is the equivalent to the ten commandments. And and what happened at sinai if you could if you would take the sermon on the mount.

Out of christianity, it would be like taking everything that happened at sinai out of the old covenant. The prophets I believe spoke about it about the particular message that was preached on the mount.

Grace and Truth in Jesus’ Teachings

Number three one of the things I would like to hope hope to get across is is how and why the sermon on the mount is grace and truth. John says that the law was given through moses, but grace and truth were realized through jesus christ.

The things that jesus taught here are eternal and universal truths. Um, it is it is not uncommon when we're when we're in our evangelistic efforts when we quote uh a teaching from the sermon on the mount that that those of the false gospel or will say.

But but we're we're not under law we're under grace. This this comes from a wrong understanding of grace. Um. Some of today's leading men in the in the evangelical Church will will list and give you reasons why the sermon on the mount is not for today.

Why uh. Why it is for a different dispensation or why it is for the jews or. If they're not quite able to convince themselves of that. They'll say that the purpose of the sermon on the mount is to is to teach us that we are unable to live.

The way christ wants the way god wants us to live. To live up to god's standards. Now I think all of us would agree that jesus is the greatest teacher. Every christian would at least say That jesus was the greatest teacher that ever lived.

But don't you think that if. That if a teacher. If we had a teacher and he and he gave us a whole bunch of instructions and he told us plainly that To pass to get a passing score to pass this test. Hinges on your willingness to hear and obey the instructions I give you.

But then he but but his real purpose was was to let you know. You actually can't you actually can't do these things. Wouldn't we call that a poor teacher? That would be bad teaching. I don't think that's what jesus was doing so.

Radical Acceptance of the Kingdom’s Teachings

Finally number four. I hope to encourage us all to a more radical Accepting and embracing of of these teachings. I have heard the evangelicals say that every revival in history is hinged to people's returning back to the book of romans.

And I would like to suggest to you that every revival Of of people and groups of people returning to the gospel of the kingdom was a radical returning to the sermon on the mount. Hmm. Okay. So in this first message is more more of an introduction and I want to.

Moses and the Prophet Like Him

Let's look let's look a little bit at moses. He's he's the central figure of the old testament of the old covenant. He's the lawgiver and toward the end Toward the end of his life here in deuteronomy 18.

This is what moses says in verse 15. He says the lord your god will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren him you shall hear according to all you ask from the lord your god in horeb in the day of the assembly saying Let us not hear again the voice of the lord our god nor let us see this great fire and fire anymore lest we die.

Then the lord said to me What they have spoken is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you From among their brethren and I will put my word in his mouth. And he shall speak to them all I command him.

Therefore whatever man will not listen To whatever the prophet speaks in my name. I will require it of him. That's talking about jesus. I will put my word in his mouth. And he shall speak to them all that I command him.

The words of jesus are to be heeded. Um, he said god says here a prophet like Like you like moses out of your brethren. Now, let's consider a few things that are that that moses and jesus are alike on.

After they were born they were both sought for to be killed as babies and escaped the the the the death that was supposed to that was meant for them, um. They both came. Moses came up out of egypt. Jesus came up out of egypt.

Moses passed through the red sea the waters of the red sea. Jesus Passed through the waters of baptism from there. Moses went 40 years into the wilderness. After jesus's baptism, he went 40 days into the wilderness.

For both of them. It was a testing ground. Moses Went up on the mountain. And there he was given the law. Jesus went up on the mountain and there he gave the law of the new covenant. Um, the ten commandments are Like a constitution to the nation of israel.

The sermon on the mount is like a constitution to the new nation of god under king. Jesus. Now it's so easy for us to track israel's history. And to see that when they didn't follow this constitution they were cursed.

Um this this structure. Uh that that held them up as a nation that would show god to the heathens. That structure would start would start cracking that structure would start crumbling. They were defeated in battles.

Their fields were not fruitful. There was division from within. Instead of lending to many nations they borrowed from nations instead of the heathens trembling at them. They trembled about the heathens.

All these things happened. And and and it's not uh, it's not hard for us to connect the dots um and and and and see that. Look, you guys fell away. You fell away from this this this thing that you were given this constitution that you received and eventually Israel literally crumbled and collapsed into ruin and exile.

They had been told if you if you obey these things blessings will follow you. If you disobey these things curses will find you. But somehow we christians fail to connect the dots. When this happens within christianity.

And here i'm not i'm not talking about. The protestants and the catholics. Yes, they have problems for many of them as I had said they they never begin on the foundation but but even with us. Who have seen the error?

Of of of of of of a christianity trying to be. Of of people trying to build christianity without starting on the foundation even for us. Who who believe that grace? Uh the new birth being saved um. Being being in the kingdom of heaven that that all these things are are Found within the sermon on the mount even for us.

I would I am afraid that oftentimes we fail to connect the dots in our um. In in the results of what happens to our straying away. From what jesus taught us here. If we are defeated in our battles against sin if we are not being fruitful and multiplying.

If there's division within the church. If instead of controlling or converting the world the world is converting us. If we are afraid of the world instead of the world being afraid of us. I think I think it is safe for me to say that a hundred percent of the time.

We have not been heeding these precious words that jesus spoke on the mountain. These are the words that god the creator of heaven and earth said. I will put them into his mouth. And he shall speak them.

Isaiah’s Vision of the Mountain of the Lord

The prophet isaiah said something That as of as of late i've i've been Persuaded that he is specifically talking About the sermon on the mount. Let's let's look at isaiah 2. Just a couple verses here in isaiah 2 verses 2 and 4 2 3 and 4.

Now it shall come to pass in the last days. The mountain of the lord and the house of god shall be visible on the tops of the mountains and exalted above the hills. All the gentiles shall come to it. Many gentiles shall travel and say come.

And let us go up to the mountain of the lord to the house of the god of jacob. He will proclaim his way to us. And we shall walk in it for the law of the lord shall go forth from zion. And the word of the lord from jerusalem.

He shall judge between gentiles and rebuke many people. They shall beat their swords into plows and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations shall not lift up sword against nations. Neither shall they learn war anymore.

Now we certainly believe that this is a prophecy of jesus. But but there's a Just maybe within the last half year. I I have I have looked at that and I've thought like there's something about this this this specific prophecy that that It says come let us go up To the mountain of the lord for for there.

He will proclaim his ways. And and the gentiles will hear it. And and then he says what the results will be is we will beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks. And no longer learn war.

Uh now I I guess I suspect without it necessarily saying this for sure. I I suspect most of the people that went with jesus up on the mountain were jews um could have been a few gentiles, but I i'm guessing they were they were the majority jews and so Maybe we could say well that that part doesn't fit then.

Uh, but this message of jesus has been preserved. The sermon jesus gave is for all people. And many gentiles have found their way To this word of god that went forth from the mountain. And as we as we'll look at later in the message It it is a message of beating our sword in the plowshares of of of beating our destructive ways into into Into fruitful ways.

And people from all nations have heard this message and. And and if they received it They have laid down their arms. They have dropped out of warfare. They have become traitors to these nations of violence and have become a citizen In in in the nation of god the king of peace.

The Word, Light, and Life in John’s Gospel

So Now i'd like to look at a few things in john chapter one yet I know this is about the sermon on the mount we'll try to get there at the end, but but there I was we started reading through the gospel of john for family devotions and Just been really blessed and I I just want to look at uh, at a few verses here in the very beginning.

It says in the beginning john chapter one in the beginning was the word. And the word was with god. And the word was god. He was in the beginning with god all things came into being through him and apart from him.

Nothing came into being that has come into being. In him was life. And the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness. And the darkness did not comprehend it this wording. What what does it remind you of?

He starts he starts by saying in the beginning, okay, that's. That's how the book of genesis starts in the beginning. God created heaven and earth the earth. Earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

Okay, so you get this impression. I get this impression that in the beginning there was just there was just chaos and disorder. There were elements. Maybe particles of land particles of water air, but it was all in a in a chaotic disarray.

There was no order in it. And perhaps I I I get this picture and then god Speaks a word and there's light and he and he separates the light from the darkness. There's in in the beginning though, though it though it appears to me like there was these other things there was no light.

There was no life and there was no order. So god's god speaks and there was light. And he separated the light from the darkness. He speaks another word and there was a separation of land and water. He speaks another word and there's life.

Okay. So so in the beginning there was god. Then light and there was light. And and what is the connecting what is the connecting thing here between god and light? It's the word that he spoke the word that went forth from god was the connecting thing between god and light between god and life and between Between god and everything that became visible.

Each word that god spoke turned the chaos the the lightless lifeless Um chaos into a beautiful well-ordered fruitful and visible existence. Whenever he spoke a word That was the result. In other words the elements heard the word of god and obeyed.

And they became they became light and life and order. Um God god did not have to take his hands and force these elements into place. He didn't he didn't nod or wink or motion. He spoke. And these elements came into their order.

Jesus as the Word Made Flesh

Now now here john many many many years later John the apostle is writing his account of jesus. And and without a doubt he's he's trying to persuade the reader. Who jesus is it seems to be a major theme through his gospel?

And and somehow this is speculation, but I imagine I imagine john contemplating. How can I make my case? For who jesus is? And he and he unrolls the scroll of the first book of moses and he reads this creation account.

Um John is the beloved disciple. He's the one who leaned on the on the bosom of jesus and he has this very he has this very deep understanding of jesus. He knows that jesus Is the connection between god and man?

And he knows that with the coming of jesus There is a new creation. He knows that jesus is the true light and life for humanity. Things that happened at creation When he was born. In other words when jesus came into life.

Uh, the dark night lit up and there was light. When he died when he lost his life. The bright day dimmed down and it became dark. Now I think john using using creation as a metaphor. He begins making his case by saying these words in the beginning was the word.

And the word was with god and the word was god. He was in the beginning with god all things came into being through him and apart from him. Nothing came into being that was come into being in him was life.

And the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it. There came a man sent from god whose name was john. He came as a witness to testify about the light so that all men might believe through him.

He was not the light. But he came to testify about the light. There was the true light. Which coming into the world enlightens every man? He was in the world and the world was made through him and the world did not know him.

He came to his own. And those who were his own did not receive him. But as many as received him to them he gave the right To become children of god even to those who believe in his name. Who were born?

Not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of god. In verse 9 he says. There was the true light that enlightens men. And and and this light Speaking of jesus comes down to his own.

And his own didn't receive him, but those who did receive him He gave them the ability To what to be born? Again of god. He gave them those who received him. He gave them the ability to become a new creation.

These the the wording here really fascinates me. He says as many as receive him if if you look up that word receive it. It it um. It doesn't leave so much of the impression of something that was that was cast upon your lot as Or lap as as something you took a hold of something you take something you seize.

So so as many as take a hold of him as many as uh, um, um, uh As take him or seize him those He gave them the power or the right or the ability to become his children. To be born Again to be born of god.

When when they're in the beginning the elements heard and obeyed god. I don't think there were any elements who didn't that that didn't. I don't think there were any. I don't think there were any particles elements water land there that didn't obey god.

I think. All the all the sea the water of the seas gathered exactly where where god wanted them. Uh, all the rivers flowed through the valleys exactly where god wanted them. The clouds gathered. Uh, the light and the darkness stopped exactly where god told them to.

There was no. There was no portion Of creation that didn't by the speaking of his word um Do exactly what god told it to? Why. I don't think those things had any free will but when god made man He gave him this this will this ability to choose this ability to receive to like to like.

Think choose and take a hold of something. He gave him that ability. And so and so when he created man He gave them he gave him he gave him the ability to either remain a child of god Or become a child of the devil.

And we know the story thus thus we have sin um the curse the fall. But but in this new creation He that hears and receives Is given the ability To become a child of god all over again. Those who don't receive it those who don't take a hold of it Are not given that ability.

Grace, Truth, and the New Covenant

Okay, so let's keep reading here in john. A few more verses. 14. And the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we saw his glory. Glory as of the only begotten from the father full of grace and truth.

John testified about him cried testified about him and cried out saying This was he whom I said he who comes after me has a higher rank than I for he existed before me. For of his fullness we have all received grace.

Sorry, we have all received and grace upon grace. For the law was given through moses grace and truth were realized through jesus christ. No one has seen god at any time the only begotten god whom is in the bosom of the father.

He has explained him. So so here's this connecting link between between God and creation, which is the word here. He says the word Became flesh. The word became flesh this um, this is this is this is uh, somewhat mysterious.

And yet it's very fascinating so My words. What are they? Like they're they're my thoughts. They are my. They are my idea. They are my thought um. And if like they are they are me they are they are certainly a part of who I am.

Suppose we could visualize words suppose the words that i'm speaking right now would come out. As as something you can visualize something you'd see it come out. Um now now suppose. Because these words were in here before they came out.

Uh, let's suppose you could see them in me. We would we would totally recognize that these thoughts these ideas. These are all part of what makes me me um I would not be me without them. Okay now now as soon as I speak them and as soon as they come out.

They're still me but they're also apart from me. Um, and I I uh, uh I think that's partly how I can grasp. Um, Jesus Jesus being the word um. But okay, so so now we not only have Now we not only have the elements obeying the word And and in creation, but we have we have the word itself.

Uh becoming a tangible part of creation. So so the word becomes a visible fleshly Human being with all its ability to choose to move to think to act. This mystery is great and I I think I can say like it is it is not fully comprehensible by us.

I I believe that Jesus is Fully man, but he's not merely man. I believe he's fully god, but he's not merely god um I believe that he was With god and that he is god like it says there in in john um, can I Can I explain that that it makes a perfect sense.

No, but I I accept these things. Um, okay. So so here he says the word became flesh and dwelt among us. I didn't know this till till just the other day and This word dwelt if you look it up. It literally means to tent or to encamp.

Um, the the english writers use the word dwelt or or its forms dwell dwelling. Um, many many times but but Most of the time it doesn't come from this greek word this this greek word that's being used here Is only used here and several times in the revelation of john and it's always in the context of the tabernacle um.

The other times we always see it in the context of the tabernacle and so. And so jesus is the word made flesh who came into the tabernacle with us or encamped with us. Uh. So so the word of god became a human being.

And you know that glory that came down on the tabernacle like a cloud came down on the tabernacle. That was so so glorious and so full of glory that even moses couldn't enter the tabernacle at that time.

That that thing that glory. It became a human being. And it camped here with us. It lived right here. That's really special. This word this cloud. It came to us in the form of a human being and I think john does an excellent job in making his case for for who jesus is verses 16 and 17 he says uh for of his fullness.

We have all received in grace upon grace for the law was given through moses grace and truth was realized through jesus christ. The law came from moses and remember that it had a terrifying effect. Why.

Because the people had no heart for god. The the people the multitude Had no heart For god. And and and when this law came to them it it terrified them. I think I think that's what the law of god does.

I think it's why it's. I think it's or the word of god does. I think it is why so many people? When when you quote something? Um. Out of the sermon on the mount. They're terrified. And they say we're not under we're not under the law.

We're under grace. It comes from a wrong understanding of grace. Their heart is not toward god. Um, it is it is just like jude said that that the time will come when when they will turn the grace of god into lawlessness.

And and paul told us What the grace of god does in titus? He said the grace of god that brings salvation has appeared to all men and it teaches us. To deny ungodliness and to live righteously and soberly in this present age.

That is a work of grace. When when we are taught how to live right and and and we receive it that is a work of grace. Grace and truth are realized through jesus. Because those who receive him Are given a new heart they become a new creation.

The new covenant is not like the old one where he took them by the hand and he took them out. No, the new the new covenant is not like that at all. It is for those who are willing and they get the they get the law of god written into their hearts.

They find his words gracious. They find his words precious. They hunger for them. They knock for him. They seek for him. Okay, now let's finally get into matthew just a little bit so. If we look in in in matthew's account.

In chapter 3 and 4 jesus is baptized. He passes through the water from there. He goes into the wilderness for 40 days. And then he starts he comes down out of the wilderness. And he starts announcing something.

He starts announcing that the kingdom of heaven. Is what? At hand. Not coming sometime a thousand years later. He says the kingdom of heaven is at hand. He says repent change your way of thinking. The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

It's now here. The time is here for us to confront evil by laying the axe at the root of the tree. The time is here to restore god's reign this time. That you've all been Expecting or talking about it's it's now here.

And he chose some of his disciples and he healed some sick people and some multitudes started following him. And he begins creating a new family of god. And then we come to chapter 5. And he goes up on the mountain and he delivers his first message as the teacher.

His first message as the. Yet one more prophet. Will I raise and i'll put my word in his mouth? He he delivers his first message. As as that person. And I want you to notice the difference between here's here's one of these big differences between what happened at mount sinai.

And what happened here on the mountain where jesus gives this sermon in mount sinai. Moses goes up on the mountain. Where's the multitude. Down below. And god is giving moses this law. Because he because he wants to make a covenant with the descendants of abraham.

He promised he would do this here were the descendants of abraham. He wants to make a covenant with these people and so they're down here. And and moses is up here receiving the law. And what are they doing?

They're down there breaking the law and moses has to go down and straighten them up. And he takes these he takes this this word of god that was written in stones. And he smashes them down on the ground and breaks them.

It's because these descendants of abraham though they were blood descendants of abraham. They did not have the faith of abraham. They did not have the heart of abraham. They did not have the heart of god.

They had to be coerced out of egypt. How many times in their heart did they turn back to egypt? It's not so on the sermon on the mount. Jesus goes up on the mountain. His disciples and the people follow him up there.

They're eager their desire is to hear what he has to say. Grace and truth are realized through jesus. And he sat down. It says when jesus saw the crowds. He went up on the mountain. And after he sat down his disciples came to him.

I always find this Interesting that he sat down. Here's the greatest teacher. Giving the greatest sermon. And he sits down to give it um. He's not trying to put on a show of a trying he's not trying to make his words authoritative with with Bodily motion or or or having it over them in any way.