THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. Matt. 5, 6, 7 (41)

January 5, 2019

6-11-18

Key: SCHAFF: “When the Lord open his mouth, we should open our ears and hearts” 

ADMONITION AGAINST CARE ABOUT THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE, Matt. 6:25-34…4

“You have greater and better things to take thought about, the life of your soul, your eternal happiness that is the one thing needful Lk. 10:42, about which you should empty your thoughts, and which is commonly neglected in those hearts wherein worldly care have the ascendant. …Thoughtfulness for our souls is the most effectual cure of thoughtfulness for the world.” Mathew Henry.

  1. Matt. 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
    1. Our Lord commanded us to avoid worldly anxiety, he also gave us the positive means of achieving this. Phil. 4:6 “In nothing be anxious, but in everything…let your request be made known to God”
    2. Similarly, ‘first seek the kingdom of God’. The kingdom here means as in Matt. 3:2; 6:10, the Messianic kingdom or reign.
      1. To endeavor to be admitted into it, and share the privileges and duties of its subjects. In the beatitudes, He has already told us how to seek or be admitted into the kingdom, ‘the poor in the spirit’, here it means spiritual destitution, and a long for a better spiritual state. Elsewhere a broken heart Is. 66:2,, Ps. 51:17, Is. 57:16, Mat. 11:28-30 , examples Lk. 19:1-10, Josh. 2:1, 10-13, Matt. 8:8.
    3. “…And his righteousness” as he said in Matt. 5:6, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Ps. 42:1-3, Jn. 7:37-39. To hunger and thirst after righteouness is to feel of the most intense desire to obtain it under Judaism or any other religion, such a desire could not be satisfied until Christ’s work of redemption is completed and the claim of justice has been met Jn. 4:9-26. Let us see Jn. 3:1-15. It therefore means:
      1. To seek to be made righteous by God, by having our sin placed on Christ and judged in Him. Is. 53:6, 12, 2Cor. 5:21, Gal. 1:4, 1Cor. 15:3.
      2. Justified together with Him in the spirit. 1Tim. 3:16.
      3. Our nakedness removed from us. Act. 12:8, Zech. 3:3-5, Rev. 3:18.
      4. Becoming God’s righteouness. Ro. 3:24-26; 4:25.
      5. We now have righteousness as an armour. Is. 11:5, Job. 29:14, Is. 61:10, 2Cor. 6:7.
      6. No question to answer before God, and no accusation against us.. Rom. 8:1.
      7. Our fellowhip, access and peace with God now restored. Is. 57:20-21, Rom. 5:1-2.
    4. Eph. 2:10. “We are now the work of God’s hand created in Christ unto good work…” We now put on the new man. Eph. 4:24-32.