New Creation in the Sermon on the Mount

Transcript

a few nights a few weeks ago when I uh x started thinking about the topic for x tonight's class x uh I looked at the readings x um because sometimes for me the hardest x thing is to pick a topic and if I say x well let's just see what the readings x are that data x um help spur some ideas x um I looked at the readings of Genesis 7 x and 8 and I remember that a few maybe a x year or so ago I did a class uh looking x at the creation imagery and and the x story of Noah x um and then when I so that was kind of x in my head when I previewed Matthew 6 I x started thinking about wow there's x actually New Creation here as well I x didn't like come there thinking about it x but it just kind of popped out at me and x and I began to see how the words of x Jesus and his teaching here were x designed to bring about transformation x of our hearts and to make us a new x spiritual creation x um so looking at the whole sermon on the x mountain again seeing these creation x Echoes and I decided to explore that x idea and so that was the Genesis of this x class if you excuse the pun x um x so x I want to begin with like thinking about x like this the beginning of both of the x natural creation and the the New x Creation in Jesus words here starting x with a seven word introduction now in x Genesis 1 1 x I don't expect everybody to read this x but x um we have seven Hebrew words uh Elohim x um that's a really really powerful words x that that begin the scriptures x in the beginning God created the heavens x and the Earth so those seven words are x an introduction to the seven days of x creation x well x The Sermon on the Mount x begins with Jesus words x foreign x blessed are the pure in heart x for theirs is the kingdom of heaven x seven words again now you don't have to x agree with me on this point because we x don't have a a like an inspired Hebrew x copy of the New Testament but x I don't know Greek so I can't really go x from Greek to Hebrew but I mean looking x at the English this this is a pretty x straightforward x um translation and I wouldn't be x surprised if these were the words uh x that Jesus spoke x seven words and I think it's just kind x of appropriate that the kicking off this x new creation x that comes about in Christ his message x begins uh with a seven word introduction x like Genesis 1 1 did x if we continue looking uh we could see x there's actually eight Beatitudes and x this is a point that uh brother Harry x Whitaker made x and and that I read that those eight x Beatitudes x um are very important because that x that's again a symbol of of New Creation x well how does the number eight uh relate x to New Creation if you think about it x you you go through the the seven days of x the week when you come to an eighth day x the cycle starts over again it's a new x beginning x so 8 is the number of New Creation like x the first day of the week and a new week x so it's appropriate that Jesus was x raised on the first day of a new week x which would be you know the Eighth Day x of the of the previous week x um John highlights the fact that when x when Jesus after he was raised appeared x to his disciples it happened eight days x later hinting at the new creation x um Peter x thinking about the new creation uh that x we begin in our baptism x um because goes back to to Noah and and x he highlights that on the ark there were x eight people who were saved again a new x creation number x um that brings together New Creation x baptism and and the story of Noah x um in a powerful way x so x there's a new creation Now the the seven x seven words begin the the eight x Beatitudes and and Jesus words are are x filled with power just like in the x natural creation it's really words that x begin the creation x we read let there be light x let there be an expanse let the waters x under the heaven be gathered together x uh and in the same way x well I should say that um though so x those words x are are there in the text it doesn't x say that you know God x created light it doesn't just state it x like that matter of factly instead it x says let there be light God spoke the x words and then it happened because God's x words have power x well in the same way in the new creation x Jesus words in this in this sermon are x so powerful they reach with power into x the hearts of his hearers and it results x in change and it results in new life x so there's words with power x um and and just like in the first x creation there's this powerful image of x light that that begins it always start x with darkness and then the creation x breaks through uh with light x so to uh in Jesus New Creation we have x light imagery let's let's let's think x back on on the the first creation for a x second first it began formless and void x Darkness was over the face of the deep x so imagine a complete absence of light x you know which stepping outside and at x night it's not quite that way because x there's often lights from from our x neighbors uh houses and stuff and where x there's stars in the sky x it's very very rare that we get in x complete darkness just imagine complete x thick Darkness x and then two words are spoken by God he x or let there be light x and light splits the darkness x okay x yet uh unlike this picture the light oh x no you got to leave that on sorry x um unlike this this picture x um the light wasn't from the Sun x um God revealed his light upon the x creation because the sun wasn't created x for another couple days so x it was light that came I believe from x God himself and he God Reveals His light x to the creation it cuts through the x darkness and God's light shines x well in the same way spiritually Matthew x points out that Jesus is performing the x same function when he describes the x beginning of Jesus ministry Matthew says x Jesus went and lived in Capernaum which x he noted was the area in zebulun and x Napoli which he saw as fulfilling the x prophecy from Isaiah the land of zebulun x the land of naftali the way of the sea x beyond the Jordan Galley of the Gentiles x the people dwelling in darkness have x seen a great light those dwelling in the x region in the shadow of death on them a x light is dawned from that time Jesus x began to preach saying repent for the x Kingdom of Heaven is at hand x so just as the new creation began with x the darkness split open by light brought x into being by the word of God here in x the new creation x the word becomes flesh and Jesus is the x light that splits the spiritual darkness x that was upon the land x not only do we have the light of the new x creation but he brings not only so not x only we have Jesus I'm sorry as Jesus is x the light of the new creation but he x brings this light imagery Into The x Sermon on the Mount and some of the x famous words like you are the light of x the world x his followers having seen the light that x Jesus brought into the darkness of their x lives are to turn and reflect and shine x that light for others to see x um so let's let's read from chapter five x uh of Matthew verses 14 to 16. you are x the light of the world a city on a hill x cannot be hidden neither do people light x a lamp and put it under a bowl instead x they put it on a stand and it gives x light to everyone in the house x in the same way let your light shine x before men so that they may see your x good deeds and praise your father in x Heaven x so we're to be that that light on a x stand we're to be that city on a hill x visible from afar Shining Light and x calling out to those who see who then go x turn to praise our heavenly father x Jesus imagines Jesus image here of a x city on a hill I believe points Back to x Eden x um and I didn't maybe realize it until x fairly recently x um x that you know Eden is really pictured as x being on a hill or a mountain x um the garden x was the headwaters for four major rivers x that that spread out and the headwaters x for rivers start in The High Ground x um so Eden would have been placed x um on a Mountaintop I believe x and Jesus I think by talking about his x creation of being a city on a hill means x that they're being brought back to Eden x through Jesus through his sacrifice we x are going back to that intimacy with god x um in in a small foretaste now but even x more x um you know completely fulfillment in x the kingdom of God of course x so Jesus pictures us as being a city on x a hill he's echoing back uh to Eden and x probably probably to Isaiah 2 as well x were called back to that close x fellowship with god x um x and and the words come let us go up to x the mountain of the house of the Lord x that he may teach us his ways then we we x may walk in its paths people want to go x up to that mountain to learn from God x and as a result the praise our Father in x heaven with their lives because they see x the light shining on the hill come let x us walk in the light of the Lord x so x um let's look at another image so we got x that image of light x um there's some other lessons that I x think we can come from x um and see from from Genesis 1 we'll go x back and back and forth just a little x bit more between the two uh between x Matthew and Genesis this this lesson I x think came from David x um David you can correct me if I'm wrong x but I I believe I got this from you x first x um x that there's a number of pairings in x Genesis 1. we see Darkness paired with x light we see Waters below paired with x Waters above we see seas and land we see x less the Lesser light and the greater x light we see Fish we see birds we see x land creatures and we see mankind x um x if you look at those pairings the the x first and the second if you think about x what would uh x commonality be for the ones on the left x and the commonality for the ones on the x right we gave them some titles perhaps x it would be the common or the lower x things on the left and the Holier x elevated things on the right x so the lesson beyond the first creation x to the new creation I believe is that x God is calling us upward x he's calling us to be a holy people in x His image that's what he created man to x be and and that kind of contrast to the x land creatures to mankind who he set up x to rule over them x spiritually could teach us in the new x creation that we should be ruling over x our animal nature we should be x called to something higher x all right the lamp was put on a stand x the city was lift was built you know x things of the that were in that City had x to be lifted up to be built on top of x that mountain to a higher place so our x lives should be elevated to reaching x beyond the dust of our of our human x nature to the higher things of the x spirit x and in doing so we will witness uh we'll x be a witness as a transformed people as x a new creation in Christ x if we go back to Matthew we see that x Jesus teaches about this higher calling x this higher way of life in the second x half of well he teaches about it all x throughout but I want to highlight x um where he does that in in the second x half of Matthew five yeah there's just x so much in Sermon on the Mount it's you x could pick a little section of it and do x a whole class on it I'm apologize I'm x going to be kind of hitting some high x points x um to look at connections and to x Creation but there's obviously way more x than I can than I can fit in here but in x the second half of Matthew 5 x um three times we hear Jesus say you x have heard it was said x Jesus is calling us to something higher x um do not murder x do not commit adultery so you've heard x it said do not murder you've heard it x said do not commit adultery you've heard x it set an eye for an eye a tooth or a x tooth love your neighbor and hate your x enemy x but Jesus was calling them x to something higher in each of those x cases you you continues but I tell you x that I tell you you've heard it was said x one thing but I'm telling you to go x higher to go beyond that there's x instruction to not just avoid murder x but stop the anger that leads to murder x and broken relationships x not just avoid adultery but x not just avoid the act of adultery but x stop lustfully looking which leads to x improper thoughts x don't just x um x seek Retribution eye for an eye 232s but x fight evil with radical actions like x going an extra mile like turning the x other cheek that make the perpetrator x really stop and think x and perhaps change x to not hate our enemies but to rise to a x higher level x to mirror our heavenly father who shows x kindness to the unrighteous x the higher calling goes beyond the x righteousness of the Pharisees Jesus x said you your righteousness must exceed x the righteousness of the Pharisees x Beyond The ritualistic Obedience with an x unchanged heart x to instead rise to something higher to x be perfect therefore as your heavenly x father is perfect x were called to something higher a new x way to be human x and it transforms relationships too x instead of grudges holding grudges when x we recognize there's something amiss in x our relationship with someone else x um where Jesus says if you're offering x your gift at the altar and you remember x your brother has something against you x leave your gift there before the Altar x and go first be reconciled to them x then come and offer your gift x we're called to something Higher by by x being humans in a new way it's going to x change our lives and it's going to x change our relationships x so going back to to Genesis 1 to our x list again for a minute x um x you could look at this list and think of x it as like a series of steps in creation x that that kind of culminate on day six x with the creation of man x but also x if you if you look at the letters on the x on the side here we could think about it x as x um x working towards a focus in the middle x Hebrew chiasms often x are draw your attention to the thing x that's in the middle and there's x actually a pair that I left out there x um x that came in between the Seas and the x land and the Lesser light and the x greater light and that is the plants and x the trees x so if that's indeed at the middle of the x chiastic structure and one way of x meditating on this brings our minds to x that in focus x what is it about the plant life x well consider x the the you have the seed bearing x um plants that are low to the ground x the grasses and herbs and stuff but then x in contrast with that the pear whether x they're paired with that we have the x trees x that reach up toward the sky toward the x light x being energized by the light from above x and they take that energy and they x produce fruit and Seed x which brings about x um you know x um replication which brings about x multiplication x so Jesus example of his life and Jesus x teachings x I think are the tools that God you know x among the tools that God uses to x transform Our Lives to change us to be x more tree-like x The Sermon on the Mount is one of the x most powerful examples of Jesus teaching x which can transform our lives change our x hearts cause us to reach up to God to x reach out to God to receive from God his x light and his energy that can transform x our lives and allow us to bear fruit x um so and in Genesis 1 we have this x image of trees that I think is a is x there to be a spiritual lesson for us x and x um but trees can are not always so good x at bearing fruit x um and we go back to Matthew and and I x think we we touched on some of these I'm x not going to at all of them but x there's a number of things in in the x baptism of Jesus uh when John the x Baptist in his speech that x that point us back to to Genesis 1 and x 2. Jesus I'm sorry John says of the x Pharisees and the Sadducees some of them x that were coming to him you brood of x vipers who warned you to flee from the x Wrath to come bear fruit in keeping with x repentance x so John x thought of people x the trees being a good image for people x um that that you need to Bear good fruit x and if you're not if you're not then x you're not really in keeping with x repentance you're not you don't really x have a repentant heart if it's not x coming forth in the in the fruit of your x life x Jesus in The Sermon on the Mount x continues the uh the the tree object x lesson when he warns about false x prophets the wolves and sheep's clothing x he says you will recognize them by their x fruits are grapes gathered from Thorn x bushes or figs from thistles x so every healthy tree Bears good fruit x but the disease tree Bears Bad fruit a x healthy tree x cannot bear good sorry a healthy tree x cannot bear bad fruit nor can a disease x tree bear good fruit every tree that x does not bear good fruit is cut down and x thrown into the fire thus you will x recognize them by their fruits x so people who've been truly impacted by x Jesus will have lives that produce good x fruit that will be visible to those x around us x those are the those are the teachers x that Jesus says you you'll recognize now x they're not the wolves in sheep's x clothing they're not going to have good x fruit x Jesus and John the Baptist I think both x were you know thinking back they gain x this image of of people being like trees x from from places in the Old Testament x that that made that same point uh in the x scriptures like in Psalm 1 x um Jesus words Echo back to this other x New Creation passage um in the Hebrew x Bible which by the way begins with a x seven word uh phrase x um in Hebrew blessed is the man who x walks not in the Council of the wicked x it turns out to be seven letters and he x or seven sorry seven words in Hebrew x the characteristics of these blessed x ones these happy ones are like Jesus x Beatitudes x um actually the same word as we have in x the modern Hebrew translation of of x Matthew 5. x um x so this this characteristics that the x psalmist speaks of or they don't stand x in the way of Sinners nor sit in the x seat of scoffers but his Delight is in x the law of the Lord on his law he x meditates day and night x he's like a tree planted by streams of x water that yields its fruit and season x and its Leaf does not Wither in all that x he does he prospers x so we see this uh like Genesis 1 and 2 x imagery here in the psalm as well taking x the images that were there x seeing seeing the spiritual lesson and x recognizing that people are like trees x so not to be influenced by the ways of x the wicked but instead soaking up the x teaching the instruction of the Lord x to be like the tree that receives light x and takes that again energized by that x light is able to bear fruit x like Jesus Jesus calls us to be x not influenced by by other people on a x similar lesson that we see in Jesus x teaching is that x don't be looking for a ward on how we x look to others but instead turn our x Reliance uh upon God look to God for our x Rewards x um so the new creation x is about our hearts being changed x changed by the instruction of God so x that we may bear fruit x the New Covenant uh x of the New Creation in Christ was x prophesied by Jeremiah where in Jeremiah x 31 we read for this is the Covenant that x I will make with the house of Israel x after those days declares the Lord I x will put my law within them I will write x it on their hearts and I will be their x God and they will be my people in x fulfillment of the promises to Abraham x so God is changing our hearts by by x actually writing his law his instruction x on our hearts through the work of Christ x Jesus teaching reached out to do just x that x and as I said it he's telling us not to x be influenced by by people but instead x to be seeking seeking God x in looking uh into into Matthew 6 now x um in the second chapter The Sermon on x the Mount x um a few highlights there's some x warnings beware of practicing your x righteousness before other people in x order to be seen by them x for you then you will have no reward x from your fathers who's in heaven x he repeats a similar warning when you x pray you must not be like the Hypocrites x for they love to stand and pray in the x synagogues at the street corners that x they may be seen by others truly I say x to you they've received their reward x and in verse 16 when you fast do not x look gloomy like the Hypocrites for they x just figure their faces so that they're x fasting may be seen by others x truly I say to you they have received x their reward so either These Warnings to x to look at our motivations x don't let our motivations be what people x around us see x instead Jesus says x instead of being praised by others and x receiving our award now he's saying give x when we give don't let our left hand x know what our right hand is doing do it x in secret x that you're giving may be in secret than x your father who sees in secret will x reward you x Jesus is calling us to x consider instead of a visible reward of x our standing among men seek the Unseen x reward x that Jesus that that God is giving us x um in Christ of the hope and and the x kingdom x that unseen reward makes me think of x Hebrews 11 now Faith is the Assurance of x things hoped for the conviction of x Things Not Seen x what's what's in faith what x God's reward be our uh your motivation x rather than the way that we look before x uh for people but it's so natural and x um to fall into that trap to x to forget that our heavenly father is x watching and and to be focused on the x fact that how do we appear to people x around us x um our friends our family Society x but Jesus is calling us to live lives of x faith x where our father's presence is x constantly remembered x to be motivated from our reward from our x father not how we look to others x and to have hearts that are more x concerned about their connection to x their father x than what we look like to others x Jesus in The Sermon on the Mount again x and again is calling us to have hearts x that are reliant upon God that are not x only aware of God's presence but aware x of God's care aware of how much we need x him x it could be encapsulated in the opening x of The Lord's Prayer Our Father x in heaven x as children we rely x on our father x Auntie Wright said that we could suggest x that the title for the whole Sermon on x the Mount might be what it means to go x to call god father again and again the x the message is x recognize remember x that our God is our father and we are x reliant upon him x that Reliance is seen in the Lord's x Prayer in another way give us this day x our daily bread and forgive us our debts x as we have forgiven our debtors and lead x us not into temptation but Deliver Us x from Evil x we are reliant on him for our daily x needs we're Reliant upon him for x forgiveness we're relying on him for x guidance and direction in life x uh continuing in in chapter 6 to verse x 25 x we read therefore I tell you do not be x anxious about your life what you will x eat or what you will drink nor about x your body what you will put on x verse 26 look at the birds of the air x they neither sow nor reap nor gather x into barns your heavenly father feeds x them x are you not more valued than they x um Jesus is is well and consider the x lilies of the field he says as well why x are you anxious about your clothing they x need their toil nor spin Jesus is x teaching us to to consider those natural x lessons of of birds and the flowers that x God cares for x let those images and truths sink into x our hearts to change our thinking and to x melt away our anxiety x therefore do not be anxious in verse 31 x what shall we eat what shall we drink or x what shall we wear for the Gentiles seek x after all those things these things and x your heavenly father knows that you need x them all x but seek first the kingdom of God and x his righteousness and all these things x will be added to you x people who remember the father's care no x longer need to worry or be anxious about x these things x so we need to have hearts that are x reliant upon God that's what Jesus keeps x drawing us to uh in his message x going back to verse 22 x uh we read that the eye is the lamp of x the body so if the eye is if your eye is x healthy your whole body will be full of x light but if your eye is bad your whole x body will be full of Darkness x if then the darkness if then the light x in you is Darkness How great is the x darkness x foreign x over over my life but and I still don't x complain claim to have any kind of x complete understanding of them but one x thing that I did notice x um is you have a note in my margin that x that reminds me that the context really x is the key look at the verses before and x after x um this verse about the I is the lamp of x the body in verse 19 do not lay up for x yourselves Treasures on Earth where moth x and rust destroy and we're thieves break x in and steal but lay up for yourselves x Treasures in Heaven we're neither moth x nor rust destroys and where thieves do x not break in and steal for where your x treasure is there your heart will be x also x and down in verse 24 no one can serve x two masters for either he will either x either he will hate the one and love the x other who will be devoted to the one and x then despise the other you cannot serve x God and money x and that's the the lead end to therefore x I tell you do not be anxious about your x life x so if you look at the immediate context x before and after of this somewhat x puzzling eye is the lamp of the body x Passage x I think you can see in the context of x the the treasures on Earth and and the x God versus Mammon that that the i in the x middle of this is really talking about x um spiritual blindness when we're when x we're focused in our our eyes are x focused on the things of this world and x and and x material riches that that greed that it x can easily lead to leads to spiritual x blindness x there's so many x so much evil that is done in the world x um all around us throughout history x um especially people with power that x that have the capability of grasping and x and doing things to uh the grasp and x hold on to and accumulate more wealth x there's just there's so many evil things x that are done it's it's it's x when our eyes are focused on those x things x it's it just leads to the darkness in x our whole body x but if we recognize x like the the the of the tree we x reach out with our hands outstretched to x receive or our branches outstretched and x our leaves x soaking in the light receiving the light x if our eye is the lamp of the body and x and it's full of light because we're x focused on our heavenly father x we see that our father cares for our x needs and wants to give us a treasure x far greater worth than this world's x Goods x then we remember the lesson that all x these things will be given to us as well x our needs will be met when we seek first x our father's Kingdom and his x righteousness x so it's again recognizing that we're x Reliant upon God x and our Reliance upon God knowing that x he will meet our needs x uh there's more reminders in chapter 7 x of our father's care and and to rely on x him when Jesus says ask and will be x given to you seek and you will find x knock and it'll be open to you for x everyone x who asks receives and the one who seeks x fines the one who knocks it will be x opened to the one who it knocks it will x be opened in which one of you if your x son asks him for bread we'll give him a x stone or if he asks for a fish we'll x give him a serpent x if you then x who are evil know how to give good gifts x to your children how much more will your x father who's in heaven give good gifts x to those who ask him x now again a context thing x so in verse 12 whatever you wish that x others would do to you do also to them x for this is the law and the prophets x the Golden Rule Springs from a x recognition of what God does for us x we recognize God's willingness to give x good gifts so we should reflect God's x generous goodness x as we do for others and and become x lights to the world x so I've highlighted a a few things to x hopefully show how the The Sermon on the x Mount is is filled with a call x to be a new creation to change our lives x from being empty x desolate and void and instead x to be what God's real desire was for his x creation to be filled to be Lush and x verdant with life and Light x that's what his new creation that's his x intention for his new creation as well x I x um and that Star Wars movie I can't help x but remember that the dramatic shift of x of imagery x um in the cinematography when you go x from x the the desert planet to x um the Lush verdant place and and Rey's x response was that I never knew there was x this much green in the whole galaxy x I think that's what the the kind of the x contrast that would have been x um when God take took and filled this x world x um with light and life compared to what x it was like before x it went from being a a formless and void x Planet which is covered in water to x being one that was structured and filled x that was filled with Abundant Life x and just like creation went from empty x to filled with new life Jesus transforms x us and replaces the emptiness that just x living for ourselves and and living for x riches x those kinds of things just in the end x leave us empty instead he wants to fill x us with love and joy and peace and and x to change the darkness to light x so x just as God's words bring about the x natural Creation in Genesis 1. x I hope you can see here that that Jesus x words in the beginning of his ministry x the teaching of our masters goes out x and like God's word does not go out and x return to a void you know it x accomplishes the purpose Jesus words x also accomplish a purpose in our hearts x and lives to bring about a new creation x to transform us to fill us with light x and life x Paul says if anyone is in Christ he is a x new creation x um x but I'll say that that if you look at x that passage in the King James x um x which again I recognize there's there's x strengths of the King James x um x there's things in parentheses that kind x of give us a clue that that's just kind x of words that are filled in there to x help bring it into English x the the word he is is in italics x um in the King James so the Greek really x is if anyone in Christ x New Creation x and just anyone's in Christ x New Creation there's there's a work x being done in our hearts and Minds x because of Jesus teachings because of x Jesus life because of his sacrifice his x death and his resurrection and the fact x that he is involved with us now and x helping x helping train us up to be new people to x live x a different kind of life to see a new x way of Being Human x and this all x um x hinges on one important thing though x Jesus closes his x um x message x with the following words therefore x everyone who hears these words of mine x and puts them into practice is like a x wise man who built his house on the rock x the rain came down the streams Rose the x winds blew and beat against that house x yet it did not fall because it had its x foundation on the rock x but everyone who hears these words of x mine and does not put them into practice x is like a foolish man who built his x house on the sand the rain came down the x streams Rose the winds blew and beat x against that house and it fell with a x great crash x house can be built on a stable or an x unstable Foundation x we need to let Jesus words like the x words of this Sermon on the Mount change x our lives our actions our way of being x and this happens not just by hearing the x words but hearing them and putting them x into practice to become x a new creation