WEBVTT 00:00:05.766 --> 00:00:06.299 Thank you. 00:00:06.299 --> 00:00:06.633 Isaac. 00:00:06.633 --> 00:00:09.233 Good morning, Valley View. 00:00:09.233 --> 00:00:10.800 It's great to be with you all. 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:12.432 I had a few weeks off. 00:00:12.432 --> 00:00:17.399 Thank you for the number of those who came and helped preach during that time. 00:00:17.399 --> 00:00:23.865 It gave me some time to get a little downtime, but also to plan ahead to think about the coming months. 00:00:23.865 --> 00:00:34.265 We're heading into the fall, and our church is ramping back up on Wednesday nights, and so having some windows in the summer to plan ahead is is real valuable for us. 00:00:34.265 --> 00:00:37.799 In fact, we are now today going into a whole new series. 00:00:37.799 --> 00:00:41.832 We're going to work through the Sermon on the Mount in the coming months. 00:00:41.832 --> 00:00:45.832 And many people, thank you for the Sermon on the Mount. 00:00:45.832 --> 00:00:46.932 Some applause. 00:00:46.932 --> 00:00:48.633 It's a great passage of Scripture. 00:00:48.633 --> 00:00:54.932 In fact, it's probably about the longest section of direct teaching from Jesus. 00:00:55.033 --> 00:00:59.732 And so many people look at that and and see that it holds great value in weight. 00:00:59.732 --> 00:01:05.632 It's a great place to spend a lot of time processing, praying, studying. 00:01:05.632 --> 00:01:09.733 And so today we want to do a little bit of an introduction to the Sermon on the Mount. 00:01:09.733 --> 00:01:12.933 What is the Sermon on the Mount about? 00:01:13.733 --> 00:01:22.233 When I applied for my first job, I was 16 years old and I went through the application process. 00:01:22.233 --> 00:01:24.200 I waited for an interview, got an interview. 00:01:24.200 --> 00:01:25.533 Many of you have been through this. 00:01:25.533 --> 00:01:27.965 The waiting, the wondering, the worrying. 00:01:27.965 --> 00:01:34.533 Got another interview and finally they called and said, we would like to hire you as an employee at Melton's Food Mart. 00:01:34.533 --> 00:01:44.433 That was a small grocery chain out in Louisville at the time, and I was so excited to have a job to make some money to know that now I am an employee. 00:01:44.433 --> 00:01:47.433 You can call me an employee of Melton's. 00:01:47.533 --> 00:01:51.933 Even though I was an employee, though I didn't quite yet know what it meant to work for them. 00:01:51.933 --> 00:01:53.365 What is their culture like? 00:01:53.365 --> 00:01:57.332 What are the things that a Melton's employee does or does not do? 00:01:57.332 --> 00:01:59.533 And that took a lot of time to figure out. 00:01:59.533 --> 00:02:06.066 I remember some of the conversations the managers would have with me, hey, I'm not paying you to chat it up with the cashier. 00:02:07.033 --> 00:02:09.765 You're not here to build your relationship with them. 00:02:09.765 --> 00:02:12.032 I'm like, I'm not trying to connect with them. 00:02:12.032 --> 00:02:13.000 Oh no, no no no. 00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:16.000 Your focus is on the the customer. 00:02:16.466 --> 00:02:19.265 You talk to them, connect with them I don't care. 00:02:19.265 --> 00:02:26.832 Go do that on your own time or the times when they would say things like, look, don't ask, can I carry out your groceries? 00:02:26.832 --> 00:02:29.366 Here at Melton's, you carry out everyone's groceries. 00:02:29.366 --> 00:02:32.800 Unless they're ripping it out of your arms, you're taking it out for them. 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:35.199 That's what we do. That's who we are. 00:02:35.199 --> 00:02:36.866 It takes time to understand. 00:02:36.866 --> 00:02:38.000 Yeah, I'm an employee. 00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:40.765 But what does it mean to really work here? 00:02:40.765 --> 00:02:45.032 To be successful, to flourish, to know the culture? 00:02:45.165 --> 00:02:50.032 When we talk about the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is saying, yeah, you're in the kingdom. 00:02:50.032 --> 00:02:53.233 But what does it mean to flourish in the kingdom? 00:02:53.233 --> 00:02:55.765 To really know how to live in the kingdom of heaven? 00:02:55.765 --> 00:02:59.366 This is what he is addressing here in the Sermon on the Mount. 00:02:59.366 --> 00:03:01.599 And so today we're going to do an introduction. 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:07.599 We're just going to look at the first two verses of the Sermon on the Mount and some of the surrounding verses in the first couple of chapters. 00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:11.032 So if you have a Bible, go ahead and turn to Matthew chapter five. 00:03:11.032 --> 00:03:15.733 We're going to study the Sermon on the Mount, which is Matthew chapter five through seven. 00:03:15.733 --> 00:03:18.665 And we're just going to read the first two verses today if you would stand. 00:03:18.665 --> 00:03:19.932 You won't have to stand very long. 00:03:19.932 --> 00:03:20.966 It's just two verses. 00:03:20.966 --> 00:03:25.432 As we read the passage, we'll be studying as just a sign of respect for God's word. 00:03:25.432 --> 00:03:28.400 Matthew chapter five, verse one and two. 00:03:30.633 --> 00:03:31.800 Seeing the crowds. 00:03:31.800 --> 00:03:33.199 And this is speaking of Jesus. 00:03:33.199 --> 00:03:36.432 Jesus seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain. 00:03:36.432 --> 00:03:41.532 And when he sat down, his disciples came to him. 00:03:41.532 --> 00:03:43.599 And he opened his mouth. 00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:47.800 And he taught them, saying, we'll get into all that. 00:03:47.800 --> 00:03:50.866 He says, but you can go ahead and have a seat. 00:03:50.866 --> 00:03:53.165 Matthew chapter five, verses one and two. 00:03:53.165 --> 00:03:55.599 This is an introduction to the Sermon on the Mount. 00:03:55.599 --> 00:04:04.165 And as we unpack the Sermon on the Mount, we're going to use one word of introduction for understanding what is meant to be conveyed here. 00:04:04.165 --> 00:04:07.566 That word is going to serve as an acronym, but also the key idea. 00:04:07.566 --> 00:04:12.466 The Sermon on the Mount is all about just one word, the word life. 00:04:12.466 --> 00:04:15.000 That's the word you want to fill in in your outline. 00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:16.000 It's the word life. 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:18.399 We’ll unpack that word life a letter at a time. 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:27.665 What does it mean that the Sermon is life, meaning it gives life both in its teachings, but also it tells us how to experience life to its fullest. 00:04:27.665 --> 00:04:29.132 10 is about. 00:04:29.132 --> 00:04:40.565 We quote it here all the time Jesus came, he said, I came that they may have life and have it abundant, overflowing to the full, which is what everybody here wants. 00:04:40.565 --> 00:04:42.466 That's why you're here. 00:04:42.466 --> 00:04:45.466 Most of life is just lived, kind of existing. 00:04:45.466 --> 00:04:49.932 I'm alive sometimes, barely alive, just getting by. 00:04:49.932 --> 00:04:55.565 But we want life to the full and abundant, overflowing to its maximum. 00:04:55.766 --> 00:04:59.233 That's what the Sermon on the Mount is about. 00:04:59.233 --> 00:05:01.600 How do you get the most out of life? 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:08.800 Not just get by, but experience the kingdom of heaven on earth to its fullest. 00:05:10.065 --> 00:05:12.665 The instructions are here to be followed. 00:05:12.665 --> 00:05:23.932 How do we maximize this life? Now some have read the Sermon on the Mount and they've said, now look, really, this can't be for us today. 00:05:23.932 --> 00:05:26.833 These are pretty high and lofty standards. 00:05:26.833 --> 00:05:28.800 Who can really hold to this? 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:30.932 Can anyone really follow this? 00:05:30.932 --> 00:05:33.132 That can't be what it's about. 00:05:33.132 --> 00:05:36.065 But I think there's enough clues in here that tell us no. 00:05:36.065 --> 00:05:40.865 The Sermon on the Mount is for you today, and in it you can find life. 00:05:40.865 --> 00:05:43.766 And so to do that, we're going to start with the letter E. 00:05:43.766 --> 00:05:49.165 We're actually going to start with the letter E, not the letter L I know it's out of order. 00:05:49.165 --> 00:05:57.033 I apologize to the OCD folks or the some of you have said I'm more CDO because that's OCD in alphabetical order. 00:05:58.266 --> 00:05:59.733 We're going to start with the letter E. 00:05:59.733 --> 00:06:02.000 We'll make it through. It'll be okay. 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:08.033 I think when you read the Sermon on the Mount, the letter E, you see in it an eagerness. 00:06:08.966 --> 00:06:18.233 You see this urgency, this presentness to it, this idea that this is for today, this is for the here and now. 00:06:18.233 --> 00:06:20.432 This isn't just off in the future somewhere. 00:06:20.432 --> 00:06:24.800 And maybe a millennial reign of Jesus off at some point, maybe then we’ll obey it. 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:27.466 No. Everything about this says this is for today. 00:06:27.466 --> 00:06:28.733 This is for you today. 00:06:28.733 --> 00:06:32.632 In fact, Jesus's first Sermon that we have listed in 00:06:32.632 --> 00:06:36.766 17, Matthew chapter four. 00:06:36.766 --> 00:06:38.865 So he's gone. He's he's been born. 00:06:38.865 --> 00:06:40.333 He's been baptized. 00:06:40.333 --> 00:06:42.333 His ministry is being launched. 00:06:42.333 --> 00:06:46.899 And in chapter four it says this verse 17, here's his first Sermon. 00:06:46.899 --> 00:06:50.432 He says, from that time Jesus began to preach, saying, repent. 00:06:52.033 --> 00:06:53.132 That's his first Sermon. 00:06:53.132 --> 00:06:54.966 Repent. 00:06:54.966 --> 00:06:57.665 One word. Why? 00:06:57.665 --> 00:07:06.733 For the kingdom of heaven is at hand, not repent because it's coming, and it will come in its fullness, but it is at hand. 00:07:06.733 --> 00:07:08.000 The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:08.733 It is here. 00:07:08.733 --> 00:07:11.733 It is near. It is now. 00:07:12.033 --> 00:07:17.065 Now also, the Sermon on the Mount ends that way with chapter seven, verse 24. 00:07:17.065 --> 00:07:19.000 You may. You've probably heard of this. 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:21.365 The wise man built his house on the rock. 00:07:21.365 --> 00:07:23.165 Some of you are singing the song in your head. 00:07:23.165 --> 00:07:25.365 You remember from being in kid's church. 00:07:25.365 --> 00:07:27.966 If you went through that, the wise man built his house upon the rock. 00:07:27.966 --> 00:07:31.132 But the foolish man built his house on the sand. 00:07:31.132 --> 00:07:34.365 And the reason the person who built his house on the rock is wise. 00:07:34.365 --> 00:07:40.333 Because it says he hears my words and obeys them. 00:07:41.565 --> 00:07:46.199 These words in the Sermon on the Mount aren't just theoretical. 00:07:46.966 --> 00:07:48.565 They're meant to be heard. 00:07:48.565 --> 00:07:50.432 They're meant to be obeyed. 00:07:50.432 --> 00:08:00.199 Now, today, in this life, at this time, they’re for us now, they’re for today. 00:08:00.766 --> 00:08:09.833 Now, there's a lot of fascinating background to the Sermon on the Mount, what Jesus is trying to accomplish, where he's trying to center life. 00:08:09.833 --> 00:08:13.565 One of the things he is interacting with is their view. 00:08:13.565 --> 00:08:18.833 And this is letter L that we're going to unpack to set the context, is their view of the law. 00:08:20.333 --> 00:08:24.199 Jesus is trying to help them understand the role of the law in their life. 00:08:24.199 --> 00:08:42.633 Now that he is on the scene, and they have thought that the place where they found life up to this point is in the law, Jesus is going to help them understand that there's something else happening now. 00:08:42.633 --> 00:08:50.865 In fact, what we see as we look on the Sermon on the Mount, we see all kinds of comparisons between Jesus and Old Testament figures. 00:08:50.865 --> 00:08:57.166 You see comparisons, you see contrasts to help set up the stage for who he is and what he's trying to say. 00:08:57.166 --> 00:09:03.432 Even just this phrase in in verse one, seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain. 00:09:03.533 --> 00:09:13.332 That very first sentence, that very first verse is meant to call to mind someone else who went up on a mountain, the the language there, the Greek. 00:09:13.332 --> 00:09:15.633 It's very similar to the Hebrew. 00:09:15.633 --> 00:09:31.566 Old Testament was also translated into Greek, and the language is very similar in that Greek translation of Moses going up on the mountain three times in the Old Testament it says, Moses went up on the mountain, and each time it was to receive the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. 00:09:31.566 --> 00:09:36.932 And so the parallels here are clearly Moses went up on a mountain to get God's law. 00:09:36.932 --> 00:09:39.932 Jesus is now going up on a mountain. 00:09:40.432 --> 00:09:42.365 But there's a big difference. 00:09:42.365 --> 00:09:45.966 Moses went up on the mountain to receive God's law. 00:09:47.033 --> 00:09:51.666 Jesus is going up on the mountain to deliver truth. 00:09:51.666 --> 00:09:52.399 He's not. 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:54.066 He is the authority. 00:09:54.066 --> 00:09:56.466 Moses had to receive it from God. 00:09:56.466 --> 00:09:59.332 Jesus is going up as the authority. 00:09:59.332 --> 00:10:01.799 So there's comparisons, there's contrast. 00:10:01.799 --> 00:10:03.799 Moses was great. 00:10:03.799 --> 00:10:06.799 Here's something better. 00:10:06.932 --> 00:10:10.332 When we see the Sermon on the Mount, this is where life is going to be found. 00:10:10.332 --> 00:10:12.832 The law was good. The law directed us. 00:10:12.832 --> 00:10:14.432 But now there's something greater. 00:10:14.432 --> 00:10:16.332 So he's compared to Moses. 00:10:16.332 --> 00:10:20.865 We also see there's this comparison to the law itself. 00:10:21.133 --> 00:10:22.566 This is more subtle. 00:10:22.566 --> 00:10:30.765 And some say not sure if this is here or not, but I thought this was interesting that in the book of Matthew there's five key sections of teaching. 00:10:30.765 --> 00:10:47.200 There's more than that, but there's five big blocks of teaching, of sermons from Jesus, of teachings from Jesus, and each of those end with this same phrase of when he had finished these sayings, or when he had finished what he was saying, setting them apart as five blocks. 00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:54.566 And of course, the law, the Hebrews, especially the Jewish leaders, would have seen the law as the first five books of the Old Testament. 00:10:54.566 --> 00:10:55.765 They called it the Torah. 00:10:55.765 --> 00:10:57.365 And so you see this comparison. 00:10:57.365 --> 00:10:58.566 You have your law. 00:10:58.566 --> 00:11:00.232 I'm presenting a new law. 00:11:00.232 --> 00:11:08.232 There's not a direct comparison between each book, but the numerical aspect of it is saying, I am bringing a better law. 00:11:08.232 --> 00:11:10.533 I am bringing a new teaching. 00:11:11.832 --> 00:11:16.633 You also see that he's complemented even with the idea of fulfillment. 00:11:16.765 --> 00:11:28.865 All throughout this, we see that Jesus is spoken of as someone better than Moses, better than David, better than those who have gone before. 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:40.466 I think another thing, though, that Jesus is doing here, when he goes up on the mountain, he's looking for those who are really committed to following him. 00:11:40.466 --> 00:11:47.133 He always seems to be, you know, we're always trying to do all we can to attract people to come to church. 00:11:47.133 --> 00:11:50.932 Jesus seems to drive away as many people as he can. 00:11:51.932 --> 00:11:54.765 Who is really committed? 00:11:54.765 --> 00:11:57.732 When Moses went up on the mountain, the people said, you go for us. 00:11:57.732 --> 00:11:59.365 We don't want to go. 00:11:59.365 --> 00:12:00.332 It's too scary. 00:12:00.332 --> 00:12:03.466 You go, we don't want to try to get close to God. 00:12:03.466 --> 00:12:04.566 You go for us. 00:12:04.566 --> 00:12:07.566 And Jesus says, come with me. 00:12:08.066 --> 00:12:09.732 I'm going up on the mountain. 00:12:09.732 --> 00:12:10.799 Come with me. 00:12:12.765 --> 00:12:18.600 It's really easy to follow him down on the plain where it's nice and grassy, probably shade trees to hear the sermon. 00:12:18.600 --> 00:12:21.600 Probably a nice stream running by. 00:12:21.765 --> 00:12:26.033 But when we're going to go up on the mountain, that takes some effort. 00:12:26.033 --> 00:12:27.566 That takes some commitment. 00:12:27.566 --> 00:12:31.000 If you've climbed a big mountain, you know it's hard. 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:39.966 Last year I did a climb to Big Mountain with my son in Colorado, and we got to the top and I said, I do think that is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. 00:12:39.966 --> 00:12:42.133 I don't know how I survived it. 00:12:42.133 --> 00:12:43.232 He wasn't sure either. 00:12:43.232 --> 00:12:47.865 He wasn't sure I was going to, but we did. 00:12:47.865 --> 00:12:49.799 Who is committed? 00:12:49.799 --> 00:12:53.600 Who is going to follow me even to the hard places? 00:12:55.166 --> 00:13:05.932 It's fascinating to me and discouraging at times when I talk to friends who are struggling and they're trying to figure out how do I grow my church, how do I get people to come to my church? 00:13:05.932 --> 00:13:15.332 And it's crazy how often, in fact, I would just ask you to just go ahead and guess in your mind, what do you think the number one challenge they face is? 00:13:16.432 --> 00:13:17.765 Just just take a guess. 00:13:17.765 --> 00:13:18.166 Just think. 00:13:18.166 --> 00:13:22.865 If I could think of the number one challenge to people coming to church, what would it be? 00:13:22.865 --> 00:13:24.066 Over and over. 00:13:24.066 --> 00:13:29.133 And I'm not saying it's right, but this is what I hear from them over and over again. 00:13:29.133 --> 00:13:32.133 It's the parking. 00:13:35.966 --> 00:13:37.533 It's the parking. 00:13:37.533 --> 00:13:40.166 We chuckle. 00:13:40.166 --> 00:13:42.000 It's not lit well enough. 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:46.466 People can't get close enough to the building to be able to come in easily. 00:13:46.466 --> 00:13:50.232 They struggle to get the spot they want and so they just stay home. 00:13:53.566 --> 00:13:57.865 You know, when you're excited about something, parking doesn't matter. 00:13:57.865 --> 00:14:02.566 When your favorite band comes to town, you know you're going to have to hike miles to the Yum Center. 00:14:02.566 --> 00:14:04.399 You don't care. 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:11.533 I have walked many miles with some of you after hours of arriving early to a football game, and we didn't care. 00:14:11.533 --> 00:14:12.533 We were having a blast. 00:14:12.533 --> 00:14:13.200 It was great. 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:16.232 And by the way, there's nothing wrong with that. 00:14:16.232 --> 00:14:20.566 That's not wrong to be excited about a band or a football game or. 00:14:20.566 --> 00:14:23.566 But parking. 00:14:23.832 --> 00:14:27.633 You know, we rent out part of our parking lot to Ford. 00:14:27.633 --> 00:14:28.932 They parked their trucks on it. 00:14:28.932 --> 00:14:29.799 Pay us a little money. 00:14:29.799 --> 00:14:31.033 It helps out. 00:14:31.033 --> 00:14:33.466 We don't use that part. 00:14:33.466 --> 00:14:39.865 And I'll confess to you, I've thought, what if we rented out the whole thing to them? Just to all of it. 00:14:39.865 --> 00:14:41.932 Let them fill it up. 00:14:41.932 --> 00:14:45.533 What would people do and should show up Sunday? 00:14:45.533 --> 00:14:47.865 The whole parking lots fenced off. 00:14:47.865 --> 00:14:50.133 What would we do? 00:14:50.133 --> 00:14:51.966 I guess I'll go home. 00:14:51.966 --> 00:14:54.232 Or would we figure it out? 00:14:54.232 --> 00:14:58.166 Would we say I got to be there no matter what? 00:14:58.166 --> 00:15:01.765 I don't care where I have to park, I don't care how far I have to walk. 00:15:01.765 --> 00:15:03.600 And I know not everybody can walk. 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:08.466 And I know I probably, even though I'm pastor, would be very confused if the whole parking lot was closed off. 00:15:08.466 --> 00:15:09.633 But you see the point. 00:15:09.633 --> 00:15:13.000 That is our biggest challenge parking. 00:15:16.265 --> 00:15:18.200 Part of the problem is not commitment. 00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:21.200 It's that we are addicted to comfort. 00:15:22.133 --> 00:15:23.399 All of us. By the way. 00:15:23.399 --> 00:15:25.832 Look, this is I struggle with it too. 00:15:25.832 --> 00:15:27.066 We want everything easy. 00:15:27.066 --> 00:15:28.732 Make it as easy as possible. 00:15:28.732 --> 00:15:31.066 Make it as comfortable as possible for me. 00:15:31.066 --> 00:15:35.133 Don't present any possible obstacle that I might have to step over. 00:15:35.133 --> 00:15:38.732 This is part of being an American Christian, sadly. 00:15:38.732 --> 00:15:44.600 But Jesus is saying, I'm going up on the mountain and if you want to follow me, come along. 00:15:44.732 --> 00:15:47.399 It won't be easy, but come follow me. 00:15:47.399 --> 00:15:53.799 Come up on the mountain because you think life is in the law, but it's not. 00:15:53.799 --> 00:15:56.799 It's in me. 00:15:56.865 --> 00:16:01.232 In fact, here's where the Sermon on the Mount is going to turn the corner. 00:16:01.232 --> 00:16:04.365 We go from law external to law internal. 00:16:04.365 --> 00:16:09.232 This is letter I, law internal. 00:16:09.232 --> 00:16:13.666 This is the transition that has to take place. 00:16:13.666 --> 00:16:24.066 The law historically and the Old Testament was an external moral code for you to measure yourself up to, for you to follow, for you to be directed by. 00:16:24.066 --> 00:16:33.432 But what we want is for the spirit to be within us, directing and guiding us to not just be governed by an external law. 00:16:33.432 --> 00:16:40.966 We see hints of this in Matthew chapter two, Matthew one, Matthew two, Matthew three, Matthew four. 00:16:40.966 --> 00:16:48.533 These are all setting up the themes of the Sermon on the Mount, and in Matthew two you have Jesus. 00:16:48.533 --> 00:16:49.232 He's born. 00:16:49.232 --> 00:16:50.466 The wise men come. 00:16:50.466 --> 00:16:53.166 Herod finds out there's a future king. 00:16:53.166 --> 00:16:55.166 So they flee because they know. 00:16:55.166 --> 00:16:56.799 They're told Herod's going to try to kill you. 00:16:56.799 --> 00:17:02.200 And of course he comes through, kills all the children in that town under two years old. 00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:09.333 And then this happens here in chapter two, verse 17, it said, this happened for a reason. 00:17:09.333 --> 00:17:11.665 This happened to fulfill what was in the Old Testament. 00:17:11.665 --> 00:17:16.965 Look at verse 17, then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah. 00:17:17.465 --> 00:17:21.833 A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation. 00:17:21.833 --> 00:17:23.465 Rachel weeping for her children. 00:17:23.465 --> 00:17:28.000 She refused to be comforted because they are no more. 00:17:28.365 --> 00:17:31.865 Now that quote, just on its surface, probably feels a little obscure. 00:17:31.865 --> 00:17:32.732 But here's the point. 00:17:32.732 --> 00:17:34.633 The context of that. 00:17:34.633 --> 00:17:35.865 And you know how this works. 00:17:35.865 --> 00:17:43.799 When you quote something you're quoting often the broader idea, the bigger concept. 00:17:43.833 --> 00:17:46.232 15. 00:17:46.232 --> 00:17:51.532 And just following this is the promise of a New Covenant. 00:17:52.766 --> 00:17:59.833 And the New Covenant says, there'll be a day where I'll put my law within your heart. Says that in Jeremiah. 00:17:59.833 --> 00:18:01.432 Ezekiel says, I'll give you a new heart. 00:18:01.432 --> 00:18:02.766 I'll take out your heart of stone. 00:18:02.766 --> 00:18:04.865 I'll give you a heart of flesh. 00:18:04.865 --> 00:18:07.865 My law will be within you. 00:18:09.532 --> 00:18:12.566 This is all the difference between legalism. 00:18:12.566 --> 00:18:18.165 I'm going to follow an external code and try to please God by obeying it perfectly in life. 00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:22.799 When his law, when His Spirit is within you, guiding you. 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:23.932 In fact, there's a great quote. 00:18:23.932 --> 00:18:32.333 I've been reading a book by a Puritan, John Owen, and he was a well-known Puritan writer in the 1600s, and he wrote a book on the Holy Spirit. 00:18:32.333 --> 00:18:32.799 He runs. 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:33.965 He wrote tons of books. 00:18:33.965 --> 00:18:37.665 He was probably the most prolific Puritan writer of that time. 00:18:37.665 --> 00:18:43.200 But look at what he says about the difference between being driven by an external code and an internal code, he says. 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:44.200 And it's on the screen. 00:18:44.200 --> 00:18:45.732 If you don't have a copy of the notes. 00:18:45.732 --> 00:18:52.633 Mere outward morality is like a sailing ship dependent on outward winds to blow it along. 00:18:53.599 --> 00:19:01.400 But the person who has this ruling principle of holiness in him, and he called this the sanctified heart. 00:19:01.400 --> 00:19:10.465 The Holy Spirit presence in your heart is like a ship with its own inward power, moving independently of any winds that might or might not blow it along. 00:19:10.465 --> 00:19:12.032 Here's what's interesting about that quote. 00:19:12.032 --> 00:19:18.165 He he wrote that probably 150 years before the first self-powered ship. 00:19:18.165 --> 00:19:21.965 I mean, other than rowing, but steam powered. 00:19:21.965 --> 00:19:24.200 It was like 1809 before the first. 00:19:24.200 --> 00:19:25.833 He was already thinking about this. 00:19:25.833 --> 00:19:35.633 How amazing is the difference between a ship that can just drive itself and not be dependent on some outward force upon it? 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:40.365 And I remember and some of you will relate to this. 00:19:40.365 --> 00:19:46.766 I remember being in school and there's nothing I could stand less. 00:19:47.165 --> 00:19:50.965 There's nothing that bothered me more than people telling me what to do. 00:19:56.465 --> 00:20:01.333 It gave me a lot of troubles back then and maybe some now as well. 00:20:03.066 --> 00:20:05.599 People telling me what to do. 00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:07.266 Don't tell me what to do. 00:20:07.266 --> 00:20:10.599 Who are you to think you know how to tell me what to do? 00:20:10.599 --> 00:20:12.266 It gave me problems at school. 00:20:12.266 --> 00:20:14.665 It gave me problems at church. 00:20:14.665 --> 00:20:23.665 I remember being at a lock in when our recreation minister at the time was on crutches, and comes hobbling across the gym floor to get on me about something. 00:20:23.665 --> 00:20:24.932 I didn't even know what I'd done. 00:20:24.932 --> 00:20:33.000 I wasn't even sure why he was so upset, but I had done something against the rules and he was there to correct me. 00:20:33.000 --> 00:20:41.266 And looking back, I can see as much as I did not like that I desperately needed it because I didn't have self-regulation. 00:20:41.266 --> 00:20:43.133 I didn't have the rules within me. 00:20:43.133 --> 00:20:45.432 I didn't have the ability to control myself. 00:20:45.432 --> 00:20:49.432 I had to have adults to come alongside me and go, that's not right. 00:20:49.432 --> 00:20:50.766 There's a different way to act. 00:20:50.766 --> 00:20:52.365 You can't act that way. 00:20:52.365 --> 00:20:53.566 John, what's wrong with you? 00:20:53.566 --> 00:20:55.066 Have you gone crazy? 00:20:55.066 --> 00:20:56.432 Do you have any sense? 00:20:56.432 --> 00:20:58.599 You know, I heard it all sometimes. 00:20:58.599 --> 00:20:59.833 Still hear it here and there. 00:20:59.833 --> 00:21:03.066 But you see the difference. 00:21:04.133 --> 00:21:08.665 Do you want to live your life only governed by an external outward law? 00:21:08.766 --> 00:21:22.365 Or do you want the Holy Spirit living inside of you, working inside of you, internal to you, guiding, directing, recreating, making you new? 00:21:23.333 --> 00:21:26.333 That's where life is found. 00:21:26.732 --> 00:21:30.799 That's the new covenant, the promise of the New Covenant. 00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:31.865 Jesus is all about that. 00:21:31.865 --> 00:21:37.232 In fact, we'll see other hints of this in these first couple of chapters, right? 00:21:37.232 --> 00:21:39.200 Look back here. 00:21:39.200 --> 00:21:44.633 We get a glimpse of this in chapter one, verse one. 00:21:44.865 --> 00:21:49.932 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. 00:21:49.932 --> 00:21:58.266 That phrase, just the word book of genealogy, in the original language it was more like the book of beginnings, the book of. 00:21:58.266 --> 00:22:03.066 In fact, genealogy is the same word in Greek Genesis. 00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:06.266 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 00:22:06.266 --> 00:22:06.965 We memorized it. 00:22:06.965 --> 00:22:08.432 We've talked about it this morning. 00:22:08.432 --> 00:22:09.200 Jesus was there. 00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:12.000 The book of John says he was there at creation. 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:21.465 He was there creating in him all things are created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers, authorities. 00:22:21.465 --> 00:22:23.633 All things are created through him and for him. 00:22:25.633 --> 00:22:27.032 Jesus creates. 00:22:27.032 --> 00:22:29.732 He brings about new life. 00:22:29.732 --> 00:22:31.000 We get a glimpse of that there. 00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:32.732 We also get a glimpse at his baptism. 00:22:32.732 --> 00:22:34.465 Look at chapter three. 00:22:34.465 --> 00:22:37.465 This also relates to Genesis chapter one. 00:22:37.799 --> 00:22:41.266 At his baptism in verse 16, chapter three. 00:22:41.266 --> 00:22:46.365 When Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were open to him. 00:22:46.365 --> 00:22:52.633 And he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him. 00:22:52.833 --> 00:22:58.865 This image of the Holy Spirit coming upon him like a dove, connects back to creation. 00:22:58.865 --> 00:23:07.932 The Spirit of God hears the word for a bird fluttering over something, hovering over the waters, the spirit creating Jesus there at creating. 00:23:07.932 --> 00:23:10.932 He's all about making things new. 00:23:11.400 --> 00:23:12.432 That's why I've listed 00:23:12.432 --> 00:23:14.865 17 in your notes. 00:23:14.865 --> 00:23:18.932 If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 00:23:18.932 --> 00:23:22.599 The old has gone, the new has come. 00:23:24.833 --> 00:23:26.932 He is about making things new. 00:23:26.932 --> 00:23:29.232 And if you know him, he has made you new. 00:23:29.232 --> 00:23:31.200 He has changed your nature. 00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:32.766 He has transformed you. 00:23:32.766 --> 00:23:34.865 This is what the Sermon on the Mount is driving at. 00:23:34.865 --> 00:23:35.799 You want life. 00:23:35.799 --> 00:23:38.799 It comes by being made new in him. 00:23:41.665 --> 00:23:45.799 Ultimately, that's found that life is found in Jesus. 00:23:46.066 --> 00:23:54.133 That leads us to letter F, this idea of fulfillment, fulfillment. 00:23:54.133 --> 00:24:03.965 Jesus fulfills all that was in the Old Testament, all the promises that were made in the Old Testament. 00:24:03.965 --> 00:24:06.333 They're fulfilled in him. 00:24:06.333 --> 00:24:09.365 And we're going to see a number of comparisons here. 00:24:09.365 --> 00:24:13.266 I've listed some of them out in your notes. 00:24:14.333 --> 00:24:25.766 First chapter one, it says, and you remember back at Christmas, we spent some time looking at the genealogy and the focus on David and how David is repeated over and over again. 00:24:25.766 --> 00:24:31.133 And you have these three blocks of 14 in the name of David in Hebrew is the number 14. 00:24:31.133 --> 00:24:42.566 But he's even called in the very first verse back in chapter one, the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David. 00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:48.599 There was a promise given that after David would come, a king who would sit on the throne forever. 00:24:48.599 --> 00:24:52.833 And Matthew chapter one is saying, the one you've been looking for is here. 00:24:52.833 --> 00:24:54.000 David's here. 00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:56.599 He is the one. 00:24:56.599 --> 00:25:00.532 There's other comparisons as well in the notes he's compared to Israel. 00:25:00.532 --> 00:25:12.732 If you look back at chapter two, we saw that Jesus, when he was born, just like Israel, faced a murderous king who wanted to kill him off. 00:25:12.732 --> 00:25:15.665 He wanted to kill all the children of Israel, the Pharaoh. 00:25:15.665 --> 00:25:20.165 And of course, Herod wanted to kill all the children that might be Jesus. 00:25:20.165 --> 00:25:24.200 You see these comparisons between Jesus and Israel. 00:25:24.200 --> 00:25:27.465 But there's a big difference in chapter four. 00:25:27.465 --> 00:25:31.599 In chapter four, Jesus goes into the wilderness to face temptation. 00:25:31.599 --> 00:25:35.365 Israel went into the wilderness and faced temptation. 00:25:35.365 --> 00:25:38.532 Israel did not stand up to a temptation. 00:25:38.566 --> 00:25:40.000 They grumbled. 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:41.732 They chased idolatry. 00:25:41.732 --> 00:25:42.732 They ran from the Lord. 00:25:42.732 --> 00:25:47.365 But Jesus held up under all temptation. 00:25:48.932 --> 00:25:54.932 Where Israel failed, he was faithful. 00:25:54.965 --> 00:25:57.932 Jesus is better than Israel. 00:25:57.932 --> 00:26:00.200 He succeeded where Israel failed. 00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:04.032 He was faithful when Israel was unfaithful. 00:26:04.032 --> 00:26:06.133 So he's the one you've been looking for. 00:26:06.133 --> 00:26:10.365 And David, he's the one that fulfills what was pointed towards in Israel. 00:26:10.365 --> 00:26:18.766 Also, it says in Matthew ten different times this happened to fulfill the whole book is pointing towards fulfillment, fulfillment, fulfillment. 00:26:19.665 --> 00:26:27.232 And of course, we know the Jewish people were looking for a messiah, looking for a ruler to come and to lead them. 00:26:27.232 --> 00:26:35.799 But many had in mind a political ruler who would come and make things right, who would set them free from the Roman rule. 00:26:35.799 --> 00:26:42.000 I want you to see two words in here that tell us and help them see who Jesus is meant to be. 00:26:42.032 --> 00:26:46.232 What does he fulfill as Messiah is not a political Messiah. 00:26:46.266 --> 00:26:49.133 21. 00:26:52.232 --> 00:27:05.799 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people, not politically, not from an evil ruler. 00:27:05.865 --> 00:27:08.633 He will save them from their sins. 00:27:08.633 --> 00:27:11.633 He is Savior. 00:27:12.066 --> 00:27:14.833 What we need more than a perfect government. 00:27:14.833 --> 00:27:19.400 And by the way, do your best to vote the best you can to have the best government we can. 00:27:19.400 --> 00:27:21.333 We want to see our country flourish. 00:27:21.333 --> 00:27:23.365 We want to see people to be able to flourish. 00:27:23.365 --> 00:27:30.333 But what we need more than that is to be rescued from our own sin a million times more. 00:27:30.333 --> 00:27:32.865 Because it doesn't matter what government is at play. 00:27:32.865 --> 00:27:37.665 If we're not right with God, it doesn't matter. 00:27:37.732 --> 00:27:38.833 He is Savior. 00:27:38.833 --> 00:27:43.732 He will rescue people from their sins, he’s Savior. 00:27:43.732 --> 00:27:46.732 But also look at the other one, verse 23. 00:27:46.865 --> 00:27:56.400 The other thing that is said of him, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which means God with us. 00:27:56.566 --> 00:27:59.633 He is Savior, and he is Emmanuel. 00:27:59.865 --> 00:28:01.865 He is God. 00:28:04.365 --> 00:28:12.133 This fulfills what everything before him is before here has been pointing towards who is coming, who will save us? 00:28:12.133 --> 00:28:13.165 Who will rescue us? 00:28:13.165 --> 00:28:14.400 How can we find life? 00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:17.400 What does it mean to follow him? 00:28:17.732 --> 00:28:20.732 It's all about Jesus. 00:28:20.766 --> 00:28:23.133 Now let me make something clear though. 00:28:23.133 --> 00:28:30.232 When Jesus comes, he's not just coming to give us a slightly better version of the Ten Commandments. 00:28:30.232 --> 00:28:32.732 Moses brought the Ten Commandments and those were okay. 00:28:32.732 --> 00:28:38.599 Jesus is going to come and bring 11 or 12 just a little bit better. 00:28:39.365 --> 00:28:43.932 No, no, no, no. 00:28:43.932 --> 00:28:57.000 When Jesus comes, in fact, there's a really powerful passage in Matthew chapter 17 when he goes up on the mountain again at the Transfiguration, and he's there with Moses again in person with Moses. 00:28:57.000 --> 00:28:59.665 The disciples see he's there, Moses. 00:29:01.732 --> 00:29:04.932 God meets them there, and he issues a verbal command. 00:29:04.932 --> 00:29:09.266 Here's the command for you to follow, not ten. He gives them one. 00:29:09.266 --> 00:29:10.732 And it's just this simple. 00:29:10.732 --> 00:29:12.432 This is my son. 00:29:12.432 --> 00:29:17.865 Listen to him, listen to him. 00:29:17.865 --> 00:29:22.232 And so when it comes to finding life, we're studying the Sermon on the Mount. 00:29:22.232 --> 00:29:23.465 That's where we're finding life. 00:29:23.465 --> 00:29:27.000 But don't turn that into another list of external rules. 00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:31.066 The point of the Sermon on the Mount is to move towards Christ. 00:29:31.066 --> 00:29:37.465 In him is where we will find our life, not just in our ability to keep a new set of rules. 00:29:37.465 --> 00:29:44.599 It's in him, and he's going to help us understand how the law was meant to point toward him and how we follow it now. 00:29:47.200 --> 00:30:01.633 I did a Bible study on the Sermon on the Mount with some friends in a neighborhood we lived in when we lived in little Rock, Arkansas, and one of the guys that came to this group, he had grown up around the church, he had grown up Catholic, and he had was familiar with parts of the Bible. 00:30:03.599 --> 00:30:09.799 But he came to this group, and the first week we gathered, I told everyone hey, be reading on the Sermon on the Mount, on your on your own. 00:30:09.799 --> 00:30:12.500 Before we study it, be looking at it on your own. 00:30:12.500 --> 00:30:15.500 Get familiar with it. 00:30:15.500 --> 00:30:17.365 And he he showed up that morning. 00:30:17.365 --> 00:30:24.333 He got he said, guys, before we start, before anything else is said, I've got something to say. 00:30:24.333 --> 00:30:25.865 I thought, man, where is this going? 00:30:25.865 --> 00:30:30.266 Is he going to end the whole thing right here? 00:30:30.266 --> 00:30:39.333 He said, all my life, for my entire life, I have looked for something I have longed for, something to live by. 00:30:39.799 --> 00:30:43.032 And I gotta tell you right here, I've found it. 00:30:43.032 --> 00:30:45.200 This is it. 00:30:45.200 --> 00:30:48.200 And the room was silent. 00:30:48.266 --> 00:30:55.833 The joy that was in his voice, the hope that was in his voice you could hear. 00:30:55.833 --> 00:30:58.232 I've longed for life abundant. 00:30:58.232 --> 00:31:03.432 I've longed for real life, and I've found it in the words of Jesus. 00:31:04.266 --> 00:31:09.965 My prayer is that as we study the Sermon on the Mount, you would say the same. Let's pray. 00:31:16.200 --> 00:31:20.465 God, we're so grateful for your word that guides us. 00:31:21.266 --> 00:31:22.333 We know your Spirit. 00:31:22.333 --> 00:31:24.965 For those who know you, your Spirit is within us, guiding us. 00:31:24.965 --> 00:31:29.732 And thank you that you also give us your Word to help give us direction. 00:31:30.032 --> 00:31:32.066 Thank you for the community of believers here. 00:31:32.066 --> 00:31:35.032 We can lean on one another. 00:31:35.032 --> 00:31:39.599 God, I pray over the coming months as we meditate on your teaching. 00:31:39.599 --> 00:32:01.965 As we meditate on the Sermon on the Mount, that it would bring a fresh sense of life, a fresh sense of joy, a fresh sense of commitment to following you, that those who are feeling downcast and distant from you, even today, would have a renewed sense of hope that they can have the abundant life. 00:32:01.965 --> 00:32:03.400 Doesn't mean it's easy. 00:32:06.566 --> 00:32:08.566 Would you direct us towards life today? 00:32:08.566 --> 00:32:11.566 Help us to find our life in you in all that we do. 00:32:11.566 --> 00:32:13.865 We love you, Jesus. 00:32:13.865 --> 00:32:16.465 Amen.