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Matthew 5:1-2 (Crowds and Disciples)

INTRODUCTION: Today we begin a new series on the Sermon on the Mount. Last time we saw how Jesus began his public ministry in Galilee – teaching, preaching, and healing. (Matthew 4:23) Now here in the Sermon on the Mount we get an example of the type of teaching Jesus did early in his ministry. Today we are going to introduce the Sermon and answer some basic questions about it, and then next week we will get into the actual Sermon itself. So let’s begin with Matthew 5:1-2: “Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.” (Read and pray.)

What do you think about when you hear the word “sermon”? Is it a positive or a negative word for you? Have you ever looked at Webster’s definition of a sermon? According to Webster, a sermon is “a speech on religion or morals, esp. by a clergyman; any serious talk on behavior, duty, etc., esp. a tedious one.” Well, that’s not fair! That sets up the sermon as something dull and tedious to begin with! Perhaps a better definition than Webster’s might simply be “a message from God or God’s Word.” That’s a whole lot better. But even though we pastors can sometimes be dull or tedious with our sermons, let me assure you there is nothing dull or tedious about Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.

What A. M. Hunter wrote back in 1965 is still true today: “After nineteen hundred years the Sermon on the Mount still haunts men. They may praise it as Mahatma Gandhi did; or like Nietzsche, they may curse it. They cannot ignore it.”

The Sermon on the Mount is found in Matthew 5-7 and is the first of five teaching sections found in the Gospel of Matthew. St. Augustine was the first person to refer to it as the Sermon on the Mount, and I guess the phrase stuck because that’s what we still call it today.

Daniel Doriani notes that “Among Jesus’ teachings, the Sermon on the Mount is perhaps the most beloved, the best known, the least understood, and the hardest to obey.” That’s quite a description, so let’s get started!

I. A famous section of Scripture

The first thing to say about the Sermon on the Mount is that it is one of the most famous portions of Scripture in the whole Bible.

   A. One of the most written about portions of Scripture

It is certainly one of the most written about portions of Scripture. All the great Christian writers over the centuries have studied and written about the Sermon on the Mount – from the early church fathers in the second century A.D., to St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin, Martin Luther, and so on.

   B. Longest teaching of Jesus recorded in Scripture

It is also the longest teaching of Jesus recorded in Scripture. Now that does not mean that it is the longest Jesus ever taught. Jesus sometimes taught the people all day long. But this is the longest passage of Jesus’ teaching that was written down and preserved. The very heart of Jesus’ teaching is recorded for us here

There are more commentaries and journal articles written about this Sermon than you or I could ever read on our own. But the best thing is simply to dive into this portion of Scripture and read Jesus’ words for yourself. All Scripture comes from God, but the Sermon on the Mount speaks to us and our lives in a way that is especially intimate and personal and life-changing.

II. A misunderstood section of Scripture

The Sermon on the Mount is not only a famous section of Scripture. It is also a greatly misunderstood section of Scripture. It is famous but not necessarily well-known. According to one Gallup poll only one-third of American adults were able to identify Jesus as the speaker of this sermon. Many people thought it was a message preached by Billy Graham!

And even among those who have read and studied the Sermon on the Mount, it can still be misunderstood. Let me share with you some wrong interpretations of the Sermon, and then we will look at the true interpretation.

   A. Wrong interpretations:

      1) plan of salvation

One way that people misunderstand the Sermon on the Mount is to view it as a plan of salvation. They think the way to salvation in the Old Testament was to obey the Ten Commandments, and now the way to salvation in the New Testament is to obey the Sermon on the Mount. But the Sermon on the Mount is not a way to get saved anymore than the Ten Commandments were a way to get saved. Nobody ever got saved by trying to obey the Sermon on the Mount or the Ten Commandments. The only way to get saved is through faith in Jesus.

      2) charter for world peace

A second way that some people have misunderstood the Sermon on the Mount is by viewing it as a charter for world peace. They think that the Sermon is meant as some sort of treaty for all the nations to sign. But although the world would be a much better place if we all followed the principles Jesus gives us in this Sermon, the Sermon on the Mount was never meant as a treaty for the nations. In fact if the nations were to sign a treaty based on the Sermon on the Mount, it would be the quickest treaty ever broken, for as we shall see, no one can keep the Sermon on the Mount without the help of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

      3) future application only

And then a third way that people have misunderstood the Sermon on the Mount is by thinking that it has future application only. They look at the impossible demands of the Sermon and think that it could not possibly apply to us today but must be meant for the future kingdom of God. And although many of these things will be true of God’s kingdom in the future, that does not mean that they are not applicable to us today as well.

   B. True interpretation:

So those are some wrong interpretations. What is the true interpretation of this important section of Scripture?

      1) the good news of the kingdom

Well first of all, the Sermon must be viewed within the context of the good news of the kingdom. The Sermon on the Mount shows us what life looks like in the kingdom of God. Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” The Sermon on the Mount shows us what it looks like when we repent and when we submit our lives to God and his kingdom.

      2) true righteousness is a matter of the heart

Secondly, the sermon teaches us that true righteousness is a matter of the heart. It’s not that our outward actions don’t matter; they do! But here in the Sermon Jesus explains to the believer what true righteousness is all about. It is not all about rules and regulations. It’s not merely a series of do’s and don’ts, but rather true righteousness is a matter of the heart. True righteousness flows out of a heart that is right with God. This is the righteousness, as Jesus says, that exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees.

      3) this is how a disciple of Jesus Christ lives

Basically the Sermon on the Mount is saying “this is how a disciple of Jesus Christ lives.” The Sermon on the Mount is not a special charter meant for a select few in God’s kingdom – the few, the proud, the elite. No, it is for all of Jesus’ disciples. Jesus said, “Follow me,” and the Sermon on the Mount shows you what it looks like when you follow Jesus and the Holy Spirit transforms you to become more like Christ. Charles Quarles puts it this way. The Sermon on the Mount shows you “the importance of seeking to live according to God’s character, and not merely His commands.”

The Sermon on the Mount is part of the good news of the kingdom. It teaches us that true righteousness is a matter of the heart. And it shows us this is how a disciple of Jesus Christ lives.

III. Law versus gospel

When we study the Sermon on the Mount we must also be careful to distinguish between law and gospel in God’s Word. The law and gospel are two very different things. The law tells you what you must do. The gospel tells you what God has done. And although there are plenty of commands in the Sermon on the Mount, we must view them all within the context of the gospel. James Boice writes: “In dealing with the Sermon on the Mount we are dealing with the need for a new life rather than with a legalistic system of morality.” The gospel is good news, not good advice. We must never lose sight of the good news found within the Sermon as we also study its commands.

   A. Parallels between Jesus and Moses

We often relate the law to Moses and the gospel to Jesus, and in this regard it is interesting to note some of the parallels we find between Jesus and Moses in the New Testament. God told Moses back in the Old Testament that he would raise up a prophet like him for the people of Israel. Deuteronomy 18:18: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.” (Deuteronomy 18:18) Isn’t that exactly what Jesus is doing in the Sermon on the Mount?

The New Testament makes it clear that Jesus was the fulfillment of this prophet like Moses. Even Jesus’ name is a subtle hint. The name “Jesus” is the same as the Hebrew name “Joshua,” and Joshua was Moses’ successor in the Old Testament. In fact the New Testament teaches us that Jesus is not only like Moses, but he is one even greater than Moses. (see Hebrews 3:1-6)

Now we have already seen a number of parallels between the life of Jesus and the life of Moses in the gospel of Matthew. Both Jesus and Moses escaped a slaughter of infants when they were babies. Both Jesus and Moses were called out of Egypt. Moses along with the people of Israel came through the waters of the Red Sea, underwent forty years of testing in the wilderness, and then the people went into the Promised Land. Jesus came through the waters of baptism, underwent forty days of testing in the wilderness, and then went into Galilee.

Now we find a further parallel here in the Sermon on the Mount. Moses went up on the mountainside to receive the Ten Commandments. Jesus went up on the mountainside to give the Sermon on the Mount. The words, “He went up on a mountainside” in Matthew 5:1, are an exact verbal parallel to the words describing Moses in the book of Exodus.

   B. Differences between Jesus and Moses

So there are some neat parallels between Jesus and Moses in this scene, but there are also some significant differences. When Moses went up on Mount Sinai to receive the law, God descended on the mountain with fire and smoke, with thunder and lightning. It was a picture of God’s fearful judgment and wrath on those who disobey the law. But what a different scene here! All is peaceful and quiet as Jesus sits down to teach the people on the mountain.

At Mount Sinai no one could come near the mountain except Moses. Anyone who even touched the mountain would be put to death. They even put fences up to keep the people away. But here at the Sermon on the Mount all the people may come freely to Jesus to hear his teaching.

And then perhaps the most striking difference of all: at Mount Sinai Moses begins with a series of commandments, while here at the Sermon on the Mount Jesus begins with a series of blessings.

   C. Grace and forgiveness

And this tells us right from the very start, that the Sermon on the Mount is a very different type of communication. You see, at the heart of the gospel is God’s grace and forgiveness. The law brings condemnation to us because of our sin, but Jesus brings grace and forgiveness to us despite our sin.

The standards set forth in the Sermon on the Mount are still far beyond anything we can accomplish on our own. In fact as we shall see, they are even harder to keep than the Ten Commandments! Anyone who says they can follow the commands of the Sermon on the Mount is either a liar or they haven’t really read them. Matthew 5:48 by itself should be enough to put us in our place where Jesus says, “Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matt 5:48)

So there is a paradox here. We are called to live out the Sermon on the Mount, but we can’t do it on our own. God knows that, and that’s why the Sermon on the Mount also contains petitions for forgiveness. That’s why the Sermon on the Mount begins with a blessing on those who are poor in spirit. That’s why the Sermon on the Mount comes to us in the context of the gospel and God’s grace and forgiveness. As D. Martyn Lloyd Jones wrote: “No man can live the Sermon on the Mount in and of himself, and unaided …There is nothing that so leads to the gospel and its grace as the Sermon on the Mount.”

John Stott writes: “The standards of the Sermon on the Mount are neither readily attainable by every man, nor totally unattainable by any man. To put them beyond anybody’s reach is to ignore the purpose of Christ’s Sermon; to put them within everybody’s is to ignore the reality of man’s sin. They are attainable all right, but only by those who have experienced the new birth.”

In short, you cannot live the Sermon on the Mount without Jesus. And you cannot survive the Sermon on the Mount without God’s grace and forgiveness.

IV. Crowds and disciples

   A. Crowds and disciples both present

Another thing we should notice about these opening verses is the crowds and disciples.
The crowds and the disciples are both present for the sermon. Listen to Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s marvelous description from his important book The Cost of Discipleship.

“Let us picture the scene: Jesus on the mountain, the multitudes, and the disciples. The people see Jesus with his disciples, who have gathered around him. Until quite recently these men had been completely identified with the multitude, they were just like the rest. Then came the call of Jesus, and at once they left all and followed him.… The disciples see the people, from whose midst they themselves have come. When the call of Jesus had selected them from among the people … they had followed the voice of the good Shepherd, because they knew his voice…. Jesus sees his disciples. They have publicly left the crowd to join him. He has called them, every one, and they have renounced everything at his call…. They have only him, and with him they have nothing, literally nothing in the world, but everything with and through God.” (pp. 117-118)

   B. Addressed primarily to the disciples

Although the crowds and the disciples are both present, Jesus’ words are addressed primarily to the disciples. It is the disciples who “came to him, and he began to teach them.” (Matthew 5:2) This is the first use of the word “disciple” in the gospels. Jesus is primarily teaching his disciples, those who are already following him, but the crowd is also listening in.

This is important because the things Jesus is about to teach don’t make any sense apart from Jesus. You cannot possibly live this way unless you are a new creation in Christ. Daniel Doriani writes: “An unbeliever will respond to the Sermon on the Mount either with foolish optimism: “I can do this!” – or with hopeless despair: “I can never do this.” Only a believer, a child of God, can rightly respond to its high standards.”

V. Jesus the master teacher

And then finally as we approach the Sermon on the Mount we should take note of Jesus the master teacher. There is a reason this Sermon has attracted so much attention over the years. No one ever taught like Jesus.

   A. Taught with authority

First of all, he taught with authority. Matthew tells us Jesus “sat down” to teach his disciples. Sitting down was the traditional position of authority for teaching. But it was not simply Jesus’ posture that displayed his authority. Other teachers had sat and taught before. But none of them ever spoke like Jesus. The Sermon on the Mount covers Matthew 5-7, and what are the last words in chapter 7? Matthew writes: “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.” (Matthew 7:28-29)

   B. Spoke directly to the heart

Jesus taught with authority, and secondly, Jesus spoke directly to the heart. The original Greek literally says, “He opened his mouth and taught” – it is an expression showing the importance and the earnestness of his words as he spoke to his disciples.

Earl Palmer writes of Jesus and the Sermon on the Mount: “His opening sentences are exciting and baffling all at once. He says things that catch us off guard, and yet because of that, what he says is vivid and unforgettable . . . The words that Jesus uses are simple, straightforward, and familiar. But still each sentence takes us by surprise.”

Jesus’ words carry layers and depths of meaning below the surface. Every time you come back to them you find something new. And that is never more true than with the Sermon on the Mount.

CONCLUSION: As we close out the message today, I would like to end with both a question and an encouragement.

The question is this. The hearers of the Sermon on the Mount included both the crowds and the disciples. Which are you? Are you a part of the crowd, or are you a disciple of Jesus Christ? In any gathering where God’s word is shared there will be both crowds and disciples. There will be disciples who draw near to their Lord and Savior to hear and obey. And there will be those who listen from the outside, seeking, searching, deciding whether or not they also will follow the Savior. Which are you today? Which do you want to be?

And then the encouragement is this. When you read through the Sermon on the Mount, at first it may seem like the impossible dream. I could never live like that. And yet if you are a follower of Jesus, this is who you will be some day. Not only that, but this is who you can be now. Jesus gives us the power to live the life he calls us to live. Jesus’ very words contain the power we need to obey. As Fredrick Bruner writes: “To read the Sermon on the Mount is to discover what it means to be a disciple of Jesus; to read it with faith is to receive the power to be a disciple.”

The Sermon on the Mount shows you how much you need Jesus. You can never keep these commands on your own, so you need Jesus to save you; you need Jesus to change you and to help you grow.

The Sermon on the Mount shows you how to follow Jesus and how to please your heavenly Father. We are children of God and disciples of Jesus. We have a Master to follow and a Father to please. And as you look to Jesus, you will suddenly find yourself living this impossible, wonderful life that God has called you to in Christ. And you will be astounded. You will be amazed. And you will be oh so blessed.

© Ray Fowler

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By Ray Fowler. © Ray Fowler. Website: https://www.rayfowler.org

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