Defining Christianity

Matthew 5-7

Jim Davis

Our methodology of Bible study is very important. Often we are given principles to guide our approach to the Bible. We are given a particular way of looking at scripture. The principles we are given are usually designed to guarantee a certain outcome. Our minds are trained to get out of Scripture what we are programmed to get out of it. We might call it objective Bible study. In objective Bible study we keep everything externalized. It is all about Bible knowledge. 

In objective Bible study we mine the Bible for knowledge. It is a self-focused intellectual spirituality centered in how much one knows about God. It is a study that concentrates on the grammatical, cultural and historical facts connected to the text. Too often this is not only where our study begins, it is where our search ends. In the end God becomes more and more remote. Sadly, the very story and message the Bible seeks to reveal is lost in a narcissistic search for spirituality as we place a higher value on what we know about the Bible than God. 

The Sermon on the Mount has always fascinated me. It is here that Jesus gives us a refreshing view of Scripture. Jesus reveals the heart and soul of Christianity as he seeks to restore the spiritual perception of the kingdom of God. Jesus sums up the entire scope of Old Testament scriptural teaching in a nutshell as he breathes life into Moses and the prophets. Jesus reveals the very principles upon which his kingdom is built. Jesus’ teaching goes beyond mere rule keeping as he reveals the heart of one who is mourning for God. 

Matthew 5:3-10
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, 
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
4 Blessed are those who mourn, 
for they will be comforted. 
5 Blessed are the meek, 
for they will inherit the earth. 
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 
for they will be filled. 
7 Blessed are the merciful, 
for they will be shown mercy. 
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, 
for they will see God. 
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, 
for they will be called sons of God. 
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, 
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. NIV 

Just imagine learning how to respond to every situation we face from a heart mournfully hungering to be as pure as God’s. The long range affect has the potential to salvage the world. It has the potential to salvage humanity through God’s power. Jesus assures us that a soul hungering for God will have the utmost respect for Scripture. 

Matthew 5:17-20
17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. NIV

Throughout the book of Matthew we see the precepts of the Sermon on the Mount come alive in Jesus’ ministry. It is as if Matthew constructs his account of Jesus ministry around the principles found here. Jesus gave living examples of how the principles play out in real life situations. Yet, the religious people around Jesus were constantly in conflict with his living interpretation of the Word. 

Internalizing God’s Truth

As we look at the Ten Commandments, we tend to think solely about just keeping them. The Jews way of assuring they were kept was through a series of legal rules. The Pharisees believed keeping the rules sanctified them and made them holy. Rule keeping reached such a crescendo that keeping the rules became more about honoring the rules rather than God. This is much different than realizing God made you holy for the purpose of keeping the rules. It is difficult to accept, but rule keeping will not make me any holier than God has already made me. Mere rule keeping will not make me any holier than one who does not keep the rules. Take the blood of Christ away from the man who strives to keep the rules and he is no different than an unbeliever who does not keep the rules. It is God who sanctifies me and makes me holy through Christ not through keeping the rules. The law is kept to honor God—not to get God to honor me. The law is kept because God has sanctified us. They are not kept because keeping the rules sanctifies me. 

Salvation is a humbling experience (Romans 7:14-25). I can only be saved by the grace of God. I am so spiritually poor that I have nothing to offer God that would justify me without Christ. Isn’t it strange that we spend our lives seeking honor and respect? Yet, God bestowed greater honor on each of us in creation than we could ever achieve on our own. He seeks to restore his fallen creation through Jesus Christ

Psalms 8
O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory 
above the heavens. 
2 From the lips of children and infants 
you have ordained praise 
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger. 

3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place, 
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him? 
5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings 
and crowned him with glory and honor. 

6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet: 
7 all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field, 
8 the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas. 

9 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth! NIV

God crowned us with glory and honor when he created us. Now he seeks to restore us to our original place of honor through Christ.

1 John 3:1-3
3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. 
NIV

The principles of Christ kingdom reveal a soul hungering for God. This hunger goes beyond seeking to be a good person. It is about a soul in search of its Creator. It is about a soul searching for its lost identity. The Psalmist writes:

Psalms 42:6
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God. 
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God? 
3 My tears have been my food 
day and night,
while men say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?" 
4 These things I remember 
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go with the multitude,
leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving 
among the festive throng. 

5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,

How many times have we watched documentaries about Salmon returning to the place they were hatched to spawn. There is a hunger planted in them that drives them to return against all odds. There is this instinct calling them to be where God is directing them. There is a determination to bear what ever hardship they entail. It is the kind of hunger God has placed in us to return to our Creator. It is often misguided and misplaced by our arrogance as we mourn for pride as we seek honor, riches and splendor or sensual pleasure. Too often our deepest longings for significance are misguided.  

The Gospel writers reveal how Jesus went about teaching in a way that helped people internalize God. Matthew reveals how Jesus responded to the people who came to him in meekness and humility as they hungered for the Bread of Life. Jesus revealed how the precepts of his kingdom worked as he received those who were considered unworthy by the religious standards of his day. 

The Mournful Come to Jesus

The narrative section of Matthew immediately following Jesus’ teaching on the mountainside is composed of miracles emphasizing the principals Jesus taught on the mountain. The miracles Jesus performs in this section of Matthew reveals Jesus’ ministry to the downtrodden—to the spiritually poor. He makes practical application of the principles he taught on that mountain side. Jesus ministers to those the religious of his day considered second class. 

This flew in the face of the religious elite.

Matthew 9:10-13
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" 

12 On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."  NIV

The narrative section of the book of Matthew immediately following Jesus’ teaching on the mountainside is composed of nine miracle stories. Each miracle reveals those mournfully hungering for God’s blessing. Let us look at a few of them to get a look at Jesus’ ministry.

Matthew 8:1-4
8:1 When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." 

3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. 4 Then Jesus said to him, "See that you don't tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." NIV

Imagine this outcast showing up on the temple steps offering the gifts Moses commanded. The sacrifices to be offered were animal sacrifices. They were to be offered over an 8 day interval. During this period the healed man was to shave all the hair off his body at least twice. There were a series of rituals the priests were to follow through with as the sacrifices were offered. Jesus was not only reaching the outcast, but it was a message to the sanctimonious elite. As the priests followed through with the cleansing rituals for the leper they were force to contemplate the meaning of it all. It was a testimony to God’s willingness to accept those mourning to be healed physically and spiritually. 

Matthew tells us of a man who felt so unworthy he would not permit Jesus to come into his home to heal his servant. What is surprising is that a man with such an opinion of self had such great faith. His faith surpassed those who claimed to be faithful. 

Matthew 8:5-13
5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering." 

7 Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."  

8 The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 

10 When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."  

13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour. NIV

Try to imagine how these miracles flew in the face of the religious sanctimony of those who believed themselves to be sanctified by their obedience to the rules. These individuals Jesus healed were excluded from everything the religious believed to be holy. Jesus not only reinterprets Scripture for them, he reveals how practical application of Scripture works. 

Then Jesus visits Simon Peter’s home. Mark indicates in his gospel that it is the Sabbath. (Mark 1:32-34). Peter’s mother-in-law was sick. Women were not esteemed very highly and it was the Sabbath but Jesus healed her. Jesus wants to get his point across, blessed are they that mourn for they will be comforted. 

There is nothing more discouraging to those seeking salvation than to be surrounded by sanctimonious religious people with holier than thou attitudes. What is even more frustrating is for them to begin comparing those mournfully hungering for God to their holier than thou image of themselves. Jesus knew he had to identify with those mournfully hungering for God. How refreshing it must have been for those who weren’t allowed to enter the temple and for those who were pushed back into the corner and ignored to be received by the Lord.

Matthew 8:16-17
16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 

"He took up our infirmities 
and carried our diseases." NIV

It is remarkable that Jesus began his ministry in this manner, so unlike all others. Other teachers had taught that happiness was to be found in honor, or riches, or splendor, or sensual pleasure. Many taught that merely having all these were a sign of God’s blessing and approval. It is little wonder why Jesus overlooked all those things, and fixed his eye on the spiritually poor and the humble. 

Jesus is not teaching a startling new way to look at Scripture—it is not a new theology. It is how true believers have always sought God. Scripture takes on a whole new meaning for a person who is hungering for God.

The Psalms reveal the heart and soul of the Jewish Scriptures. It is here we find those mournfully hungering for God. Jesus seeks to reveal the heart and soul of those seeking.   

Psalms 36:5-9
5 Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies. 
6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
O LORD, you preserve both man and beast. 
7 How priceless is your unfailing love!
Both high and low among men 
find refuge in the shadow of your wings. 
8 They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights. 
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light. NIV

Psalms 63:1-5
O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land 
where there is no water. 

2 I have seen you in the sanctuary 
and beheld your power and your glory. 
3 Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you. 
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands. 
5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you. NIV

Psalms 73:25-26
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart 
and my portion forever. NIV

Psalms 84:2
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out 
for the living God. NIV

Psalms 119:81-83
My soul faints with longing for your salvation,
but I have put my hope in your word. 
82 My eyes fail, looking for your promise;
I say, "When will you comfort me?" 
83 Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,
I do not forget your decrees. NIV

Psalms 143:6
6 I spread out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. NIV

Conclusion:

The steps to salvation are meaningless without a spiritual hunger driving us to take those steps. Hearing God’s word must bring about a hungering need to turn to God out of Godly sorrow. God is not seeking to lead us through a maze of worldly sorrow reliving past mistakes while living in regret dreaming about what life could have been—if only. Spiritual hunger must lead us to hunger for God’s righteousness to be displayed in our life as we turn to God in repentance. We must be led to lay down our lives and take up the life of Christ as we die with him in baptism. Baptism is a beautiful symbol. It is where we lay down our very lives as we die with Christ. We rise out of that watery grave to live a life that hungers for God.

The vast majority of humanity has no clue to what God desires to do through each of us. God wants his Holy Spirit to lead us out of our spiritual poverty to recreate each of us in the image of Christ. He wants to reveal his glory to the world through those hungering for him.