Pastor's Pen
November/December 2002

Although we will find parts of this sermon in various parts of Mark’s and Luke’s gospels, they are disconnected and they are pictured in totally different settings. Obviously, Jesus taught and preached portions of this sermon in other places as well.

Matthew’s gospel records the unabridged sermon as preached on the Mount of Beattitudes. The Sermon on the Mount is undoubtedly the greatest sermon of all times. This sermon, as recorded in Matthew 5-7, basically contains the seed from which all sermons are inspired. In fact, this sermon epitomizes every sermon that has ever been preached. Jesus states that "To do unto others, as you would have them do unto you" is the message of the law and the prophets (Matt. 7:12)!

The Sermon on the Mount virtually challenges every intent of the heart, every motive, every attitude and thought. The message that was preached from this mountain is actually introducing us to the "New Covenant" – the law written upon the fleshy table of the heart. (See Jer. 31:31-34.)

Although we become New Covenant people when we are saved, the materiality of this covenant is an ongoing process. Having the law written upon our heart is an ongoing work as we yield to (or walk in) the Spirit. It requires many responses to what God is speaking into our lives. And, as we shall see, our eternal destiny and place is determined by the degree that this message gets into our hearts. (See Matt. 5:19.)

It takes a considerable time before the message becomes reality. The Corinthian church serves as a good illustration. They were obviously saved. They were sanctified (set apart for God’s purpose), and they were filled with the Spirit. However, St. Paul labels them "carnal"! Essentially, they were breaking every precept of the teaching upon the Mount. Of course, the point is that there must be a development of this law within our hearts. It is one thing to hear a message and have it stored in our heads. It is another thing to get the truth of that message into our hearts so that it is displayed through our everyday words and actions!

Understanding the Old Covenant helps us to better understand the New Covenant. The two covenants are represented by two men. Moses was the mediator of the first covenant, and that covenant was given upon a mountain. The first covenant was represented by a law that was engraved upon stone. Not only were there the "Ten Commandments," but there was also a long list of rules and regulations that dictated every facet of life! The whole life of the Jew was governed by the "Law of Moses" – the Old Covenant.

The apostle Paul describes the covenant that was upon written upon stone as "The ministration of condemnation!" He even calls it "The ministration of death" (2 Cor. 3:7-9). It was death because the purpose of the law was to expose sin (Rom. 3:20, 7:13). Furthermore, there was no power (grace) in this covenant to triumph over sin! Therefore, the law could only show you your sin. It could condemn you, but could not give you victory over the sin!

Interestingly, the promise of the New Covenant was given specifically to the Jews (Jer. 31:31-34). Yet, because they rejected "The Messenger of the Covenant" (Mal. 3:2), The Lord Jesus Christ, they were disinherited from entering this covenant for the whole of the Church Age (2000 years). However, Paul claims this covenant for the Church Age (Heb. chapters 8 and 10). Israel does not enter into this covenant until the end of the Church Age, or the Millennium (Ezk. 36: 8-28).

Jesus (who is also called the "Mediator" of the covenant) likewise declared His law from a mountain. However, He also declares the superiority of this covenant when He quotes Moses, by saying: "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill… But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment…" (Mat 5:21-22).

"But I say unto you" supercedes the authority of Moses. Christ was before Moses; indeed, Christ commissioned Moses at the burning bush. Christ is the "I AM!" of Exodus 3:14. Thus, Christ established a much higher mandate than Moses did.

So what is the advantage of this New Covenant, since it is more demanding than the previous one, and since the previous one was not kept? Actually, Paul gives us a number of advantages in the book of Hebrews, but chiefly, he emphasizes the fact that we have a greater mediator (Heb. 8:6, 12:24). We have a High Priest who ever lives. He ever intercedes for us, and He is always there to minister grace and power in our time of need!

The big difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant is that we can experience the grace and power to stand in the trying hour. Indeed, the promise of the New Covenant is that Christ will enable us to perform it! "And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes…"(Ezk. 36:27). The world will see the image of Christ in the Church. This will convince the world that Christianity is real!

The apostle John said: "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1:17) So often grace has been misconstrued to mean "tolerance." Does this sound rational – that Christ would give us a higher code to live by and then excuse our inability to live it? Grace is "Divine influence." In other words, it is the power to do what we cannot do in our natural strength. Christ came with grace and truth (John 1:17). Truth liberates and sets free.

The New Covenant was to be a law that would be kept, and could be fully understood: "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb 10:16-17).

May I say from my own personal experience that the more that I know the Lord, and the more that I understand His ways, the greater my faith becomes that He will enable me to accomplish everything that He has purposed for my life (Phil 1:6).

Although the Sermon on the Mount represents the higher standard of the New Testament, it is a message that is within reach of the common layman. When the Law of Moses was given, 3000 perished. The Law of Moses was not attainable (in its fullest sense) because there were many debilitating conditions to it. It was an inferior covenant!

When the New Covenant was effectuated (on the day of Pentecost) there were 3000 that were made alive. The New Covenant represents grace and divine help. The New Covenant represents power to live the life! The Sermon on the Mount introduces us to the New Covenant, which is an attainable covenant.

* Note: The New Covenant was signed at the cross. But as most testaments (wills) take a few days before they are actually put into motion – so with the New Covenant. The outpouring of the Spirit activated (as it were) the New Covenant.

The Sermon on the Mount gives us a picture of what the New Covenant is all about, and it gives us a picture of what Christ desires us to become. This sermon does not become a reality when we first hear it preached. Yet, it presents us with an image that we must conform to: the "attitudes of being" – "the be-attitudes" – the attitudes that shall become ours as we walk in the Spirit!

We must first see the image of Christ before we can be conformed to that image. Jesus was not just preaching a theory or a lot of principles, but He was preaching Himself. He was the embodiment of the message – He was the fulfillment of the message – He was the personification of the New Covenant (Psa. 40:8). He is the One that we are called to imitate (Isa. 51:7).

Let us proceed to examine this sermon with an open heart. Let us begin to respond to the Lord as He puts His finger upon certain things within our heart. This sermon is all about heart issues, and this sermon is worked out in our lives, as we allow the Spirit of God to lead us into the circumstances that deal with those issues!