The Grudge: A Call to Reconciliation

The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached Part XI

Reflections on the Sermon on the Mount
Matthew 5-7

(Commentary by Guy Glass and Scott Hescht)

Matthew 5:21-26 ²¹ "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' ²²But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire.²³ So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵ Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. ²⁶Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

Scott: At one time I prided myself in the idea that I had no personal enemies that I knew of. I tried to get along with everyone that I knew. It is interesting how things can change. Some have distanced themselves because of the gospel, and Jesus promised us that would happen if we follow Him (John 15:20). Unfortunately with others I cannot use that excuse. Although I would not call them enemies, let's just say that there are those who would rather not call me a friend. It really is unfortunate. What makes matters worse is that the division involves fellow believers.

Anger destroys and that is why Jesus put it up there with murder. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus doesn't just deal with the action, but goes straight to the root. Murder comes from a heart of anger. Now there is a Godly anger, but when Christians divide, God is far from it. Though there may be things that we would and wouldn't do differently if given a second chance, I think our sin nature attempts to place blame rather than to realize that damage has been done and as a result people have been hurt.

So, my brother has something against me. What shall I do? Jesus says don't come before God with your offering (worship) if you have not attempted to reconcile with that person. This is not something to take lightly because we can bring judgment upon ourselves by not carefully observing this command. Oh, how this ate at me!

What if they won't reconcile? Well, that isn't up to us. We have to do our part. The Apostle Paul declared, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all" (Romans 12:18). Drop the pride and make peace. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:9). As far as it depends on you. That isn't ignoring the situation and declaring that you hold no grudges. It is facing the issue head on and attempting to reconcile. Attempt... that is all you can do. Approach them with a sincere heart. It isn't about being right. If they won't make peace, you did all you could. You love your brother or sister, your conscience is clear and you once again can approach the throne of God with confidence. I'm so glad I obeyed this command. You will be too.

When the Going gets Tough...

The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached Part VIII
Reflections on the Sermon on the Mount
Matthew 5-7

(Commentary by Guy Glass and Scott Hescht)

Matthew 5:10-12 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Guy: In the upper room, on the last night of His life, Jesus sat with His disciples and gave them His last words. He had instituted the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, so that His disciples would remember His body which was broken and His blood which was shed. He had washed their feet and demonstrated to them how they should serve one another. He also told them, recorded in John 15:20, these sobering words, “Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”

He had begun His ministry three years earlier with the same words; those recorded from the Sermon on the Mount as verses ten through twelve of Matthew chapter five. Let’s attempt to stand among those hungry souls on that mountain side in Judea. Remember, it was His disciples, in verse one that came to Him. It was people who were followers of Christ for whom He opened his mouth and taught; to whom He gave such promises.

Let’s stand among them, gazing up at the man who is seated, not on a throne where He belongs, but on a craggy slope. His still small voice we are straining to hear above the whipping wind and shuffling crowds, and whose appearance lacks something to be desired, whose visage seems too average to be a king. We are following this man without the blessing of our religious leaders. We know that they have set themselves against Him. But, He speaks as one having authority. No one has ever spoken like this man.

We have forsaken and sacrificed much in order to follow this man. Some of us have had friends turn their backs on us. Some of us have had our families disown us. We have been expelled from the Temple, the center of our religion, by the Sanhedrin because we have refused to renounce Jesus. We are reviled, persecuted and have had evil lies spread about us, all because we are following this man of sorrows who also is well acquainted with grief being reviled, persecuted and rejected, without so much as a place to lay His head.

He’s telling us that we are blessed. He tells us to be happy about it. He says we should rejoice and be glad. Why should these people be glad about their persecution? How can they rejoice in it? Today, in our current century and culture, as Jesus’ disciples, should we expect persecution also? If so, can we rejoice and be glad in persecution? Paul wrote to Timothy, in 2 Timothy 3:12, “Indeed, all who desire to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” So, yes, if we are living a Christian life we will definitely suffer persecution.

So many people come to Jesus for the wrong reasons. They have been led to believe that Jesus will give them the desires of their heart if only they will give Him a chance. They are told that their problems will fade away and they will be bubbling with joy and happiness. They can have health, wealth and prosperity if they will invite Him into their heart and when life is over they get to go to heaven. This is biblically inaccurate and it produces false converts.

We should run to Jesus when we discover:

1. We are in bondage to our sin.
2. We are enemies of God and we will experience His fierce wrath for eternity because of our sin.
3. God loved us enough to make a way of escape if we will trust in His Son’s atoning sacrifice for us and ask Him to save us.

The Bible teaches that people love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. So Christ’s disciples will be persecuted as He was because we have become children of light. We, as His sermon will later state, are the light of the world. If we are making the stand for Christ that we are called to make and shine the light that Jesus has commanded us to shine, those who are in love with their own sins will reject that light.

We are reminded in verse twelve that the prophets were persecuted in the same way. We know that our Lord and Savior was persecuted. We are not alone in this. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, of all the precious saints who have lived before us. 1 Peter 4:16 says, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.” If you have experienced persecution for loving Jesus, don’t feel ashamed. It is the lot of those who have gone before you. Do what they did, glorify God for it.

In Romans 8:17, Paul reminds of another benefit to persecution. He says, “If we are children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Paul is telling us that our suffering on account of Christ is evidence that we are God’s children and heirs with Jesus. It reassures us that we will be glorified with Him.

If we are going to carry the banner of ‘Christian’ and reign with Him in His everlasting kingdom then we must embrace Philippians 1:29 which states, “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake.” With believing on Jesus for salvation comes suffering for His sake.

2 Corinthians 1:5 says, “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” Paul tells the Philippian Church of his desire to know the Lord more intimately: to share in the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. There is a certain comfort in knowing that the Lord and Savior, in whom we are being persecuted on account of, became a man and suffered the same persecutions, heartaches, trials and temptations that we suffer; yet without sin.

We can have fellowship with our Friend and Treasure, Jesus, when we are reviled and rejected by unrepentant men. When we are hated (not us but when the Spirit of Jesus within us is hated) we can feel a little of what He felt. We can experience a little of what He experienced when He was walking this earth as we are now 2000 years later.

What joys are found in seeking the approval of God rather than the approval of men. What peace we find in the comforting embrace of our Lord as He hides us in the cleft of the rock and gives us relief from the struggles of this world. This life is but a vapor. Compared to history, our life span barley makes a blip on the radar. Compared to eternity future, so much hangs in the balance of this short life. There is a great reward in heaven awaiting those of us who will just be faithful. The Lord is asking us the same question He did His disciples in Matthew 26:40, “Can you watch with Me for one hour?”

Are You Hungry?

The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached Part IV

Reflections on the Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5-7

(Commentary by Guy Glass and Scott Hescht)

Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."

Scott: Understand that the Sermon on the Mount is just that; a sermon. Though it may seem at first glance to be a collection of various wise proverbs and commandments, it is much more that, centering around a central idea as does any other speech given by an intelligent man or woman purposefully conveying a message. What is this message? As one reads through the Sermon on the Mount, it becomes clear that Jesus is calling those who would follow Him to a higher standard.

Barack Obama recognized this in referring to Christ’s teaching as “radical”; and the truth is, they are radical in comparison to the social norm. Not much has changed in the nature of man. There is a part of mankind that recognizes some good, but screams, “Now wait a minute!” when challenged to love like Jesus loved. Some read the Sermon on the Mount and eventually walk away disappointed much like the rich young ruler did when Jesus beckoned him to a higher calling (Mark 10:17-22). There was a part of the young man who wanted to follow the Messiah, but in seeking his own righteousness he came up short.

Before judging the poor lad for walking away, we must first look at ourselves. Do you seek after righteousness? If the answer is yes then ask yourself from where this righteousness comes? If it is found in an attempt to follow the rules without the Author of them, then you too will sadly be disappointed and eventually find yourself unable to do so, walking away as did the rich young man. Even in an attempt to layout the Sermon on the Mount before us as a blue print to satisfaction, we will be empty. This too is self righteousness, and truth be know, there is no such thing as self righteousness. We will waste away in our own futile attempts to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect.

So is the Sermon on the Mount a wash, or on the other hand, is it an attempt to show us the impossibility of following the Son of God? Absolutely not. Remember that those whom Jesus spoke to were those to whom the Kingdom of God had come. They are those who were the poor in spirit and had placed their faith in the living Christ; Jesus the Righteous One. They knew they lacked and that is exactly why they sought the mercy of the living God. It is His righteousness that they hungered for. Those who hunger for His righteousness will be satisfied.

Therefore the Sermon on the Mount is not an outline to righteousness. It is the fruit of an individual living in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. This most famous sermon can be summed up as “The life in Christ”. Those who are “born again” in His righteousness will be satisfied. Not only does His grace cover where we have fallen short, but He gives us a new heart that desires righteousness. These commands of his become less radical and more of an outflow of our love for God and our love for people through the power of Jesus Christ. He makes the impossible possible. So hunger and you will be fed. Thirst and you will be refreshed. He makes all things new; and all things He will set right. In Him alone we are satisfied.

To the self righteous, this sermon will indeed be out of the realm of possibility. Many will be turned away. Others will be turned off. To those who have placed their trust in the Righteous One, they will receive His teaching and high calling of love for God and other people with joy and thanksgiving.