.
TCC–1293
1
AN INTERIOR CHANGE
A. Introduction: For several weeks we’ve been talking about the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus gave this
sermon early in His ministry and repeated its key points throughout His three plus year ministry.
1. The sermon sets a seemingly impossible standard for human behavior, leading some to question whether
or not God actually expects people to live according to its principles. Some say it is meant to show us
just how bad we are. Others say that it doesn’t apply to us today and that it’s for a future kingdom.
a. To rightly understand the Sermon on the Mount, we must consider it in terms of the big picture.
This is the big picture: Almighty God desires a family, and He created human beings to become
His holy, righteous sons and daughters through trust in and dependence on Him. Eph 1:4-5
b. However, all human beings have chosen independence from God through sin and are disqualified
for God’s family. Rom 3:23
1. Two thousand years ago God incarnated, or took on a human nature, and was born into this
world. Jesus is God become fully man without ceasing to be fully God. John 1:1; John 1:14
2. Jesus incarnated so that He could die as a sacrifice for our sin and open the way for us to be
restored to our created purpose. Heb 2:14-15; I Pet 3:18
c. When a person acknowledges Jesus as Lord and Savior, his or her sins are remitted (forgiven) and
that person is restored to relationship with God his Creator. He becomes a son or daughter of God.
2. Jesus not only opened the way for men and women to be restored to their created purpose, He is also the
pattern for God’s family. God desires sons and daughters who are Christ-like in character (attitudes,
motives) and behavior. Rom 8:29
a. When Jesus was on earth He demonstrated how sons and daughters of God live. He also taught
much about the kind of character that God’s sons and daughters are to exhibit.
b. The entire Sermon on the Mount is a description of Christ-like character, what followers of Jesus are
supposed to be like, and how they should live in relation to God and to their fellow man. We have
more to say about Jesus’ sermon in tonight’s lesson.
B. To rightly understand the Sermon on the Mount we must consider how the first hearers hear it. Jesus was
born a Jew in 1st century Israel. The Jews were a people group that, based on the writings of the Old
Testament prophets, was expecting God to establish His visible kingdom on earth. Dan 2:44; Dan 7:27; etc.
1. Jesus began His public ministry by calling men and women to repent (turn from sin toward God) because
the Kingdom of Heaven (or the Kingdom of God) was at hand. Matt 4:17
a. Jesus’ message caught the attention of people since they were looking for the coming kingdom, and
because they knew that sin would keep them out of the kingdom. They wanted to know what they
needed to do to have a place in God’s kingdom.
b. Jesus will indeed eventually bring His visible eternal kingdom to this world in connection with His
second coming (lessons for another day). But that was not Jesus’ purpose in His first coming.
1. Jesus came two thousand years ago to establish His kingdom in the hearts and lives of those
who submit to Him as Lord. The Greek word that is translated kingdom means reign or rule.
2. When a person turns from sin toward God and voluntarily surrenders to God’s rule or reign in
their lives, the kingdom is extended to them. Jesus, by His Spirit and life, indwells that person.
3. The kingdom comes into them in the sense that wherever Christ is reigning, the Kingdom of
God is there, because the King is there. Luke 17:20-21; John 14:17
2. When Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount no one in the audience knew yet that Jesus was not going
to establish His visible kingdom at that time, or that He was going to die as a sacrifice for their sins.
a. Neither did they know that He, by the Holy Spirit was going to indwell those who believe on Him
and empower them to live in a Christ-like way.
.
TCC–1293
2
b. Much of Jesus’ teaching was aimed at preparing them to receive what He will provide through His
upcoming sacrificial death and resurrection, and preparing them to receive this interior kingdom.
1. Jesus’ rule or reign in our lives involves more than following external rules. It is an interior
change. We change the end for which we live. We submit to His rule and turn from living for
ourselves our way, to living for Him His way. II Cor 5:15; Matt 16:24
2. God (the Holy Spirit) indwells us in what the Bible calls a new birth (John 3:3-5), and He helps
us live in a way that is pleasing to God, as we choose His will over ours (Phil 2:13).
3. Jesus opened His Sermon with seven statements about the character of the kind of people who qualify for
God’s kingdom: those who are poor in spirit (humble), those who mourn over their sins (truly sorry);
those who are meek (gentle); those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (long to be and do right
before God); those who are merciful (compassionate), those who are pure in heart (desire God’s will,
with unmixed motives); those who are peacemakers (make an effort to get along with people). Matt 5:3-9
a. According to Jesus, the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to these kinds of people. These seven
statements are known as the Beatitudes, and each one begins with the word blessed or happy.
b. Remember the big picture. Human beings were created in God’s image with the capacity to
express His goodness, kindness, love, and mercy. We were created to be meek and humble.
When we live like this, we fulfill our created purpose and find true happiness.
c. Jesus was not teaching a lesson on who is and isn’t saved. He was beginning to prepare them
to receive what He will make available through the Cross. Through His teaching, Jesus was
creating a desire in them to aspire to be like this, to receive the life that He will soon offer them.
C. Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount to an audience that was part of a people group whose lives were
dominated by the Law. Before we examine more of the sermon, we need to make some comments about
what the Law was and meant to Jesus’ audience. The term Law was used four ways in 1st century Israel.
1. Law was used for the Ten Commandments that were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. Law also
meant the first five books of the Old Testament given by God to Moses (also called the Law of Moses).)
a. Israel also used the term Law and the Prophets to mean the entire Old Testament—including the
first five books (the Pentateuch or Torah) as well as the rest of the Old Testament books. Lastly, 1st
century Jews used the word Law to mean the Oral Law or the Scribal Law.
b. The Ten Commandments and the Old Testament contain few regulations and rules. They give
principles that, with God’s help, must be applied in individual circumstances.
1. Down through the centuries a group known as the Scribes developed. They were professional
lawyers and scholars who interpreted the Law (Ten Commandments and Old Testament) to
determine the specifics. They came up with thousands of rules to regulate every aspect of life.
2. Ultimately, the Scribes reduced the great principles of God’s Law to rules and regulations not
actually found in the Law itself.
A. For example, the Old Testament (the Law) said that the Sabbath Day was to be kept holy
and no work was to be done, and that to carry a burden was work. Ex 20:8-10; Jer 17:21
B. Scribal Law defined a burden as food equal in weight to a dried fig, honey enough to put on
a wound, or enough ink to write two letters of the alphabet. Scribal Law said that to heal
was to work on the Sabbath. Healing was allowed if a life was in danger, but only enough
to keep the person from getting worse. No steps could be taken to make them better.
c. For centuries these Scribal Laws were passed along orally and were known as the Oral Law. They
were eventually written down, several centuries before Jesus, in the Mishnah (a commentary on the
Torah, the first five books of he Bible) and the Gemara (a commentary on the Mishnah).
d. By the 1st century AD (Jesus’ day) these writings were placed on a par with the Scriptures (Matt
15:1-9). The Scribes worked out these regulations, and men called Pharisees separated themselves
.
TCC–1293
3
from the ordinary activities of life in order to keep these rules and regulations. Scribes and the
Pharisees looked down on and harshly judged anyone who did not do as they did.
2. When Jesus finished the Beatitudes, His next statements were about the Law: Don’t misunderstand
why I have come. I did not come to abolish the Law of Moses or the writings of the prophets (the Old
Testament). No, I came to fulfill them (Matt 5:17, NLT); For truly I say unto you, until heaven and
earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished (Matt 5:18, NLT).
a. Jesus gave the audience this assurance because, over the next three years, He will repeatedly break
the Scribal Law. He won’t observe hand washing rituals, and He will heal people on the Sabbath.
1. Yet Jesus said He came to fulfill the Law. To fulfill means to carry out, in the sense of fully
obeying it. Jesus obeyed the Law and the Prophets (the Old Testament) down to the last detail
and fulfilled all the prophecies concerning his birth, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection.
2. Iota and dot were cultural references. Dot (or jot) is the smallest Hebrew letter; it was like an
apostrophe. Iota (tittle) refers to the little lines in between Hebrew letters that distinguish them
from each other. The word was used figuratively to mean the minutest trifles.
b. Then Jesus said: Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches
others to do so the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven…For I tell you, unless your
righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven
(Matt 5:19-20, ESV). In context, righteousness refers to right actions (Matt 5:6).
1. Jesus’ audience’s concept of righteousness that came their religious teachers. The Scribes and
Pharisees looked holy and virtuous, above what the average person could do. The audience
would have feared that if those men aren’t righteous, what hope do I have?
2. Jesus will make it clear that those men had an external righteousness, but not a religion of the
heart. They kept the Scribal Law (rules and regulations) and were more concerned with details
than principles and outer actions rather than motives and attitudes.
3. Jesus will later say: How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law (Scribes) and you
Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe the tiniest part of your income, but you
ignore the important things of the law—justice, mercy, faith…you are so careful to clean the
outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgences…
You are like white-washed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead
people’s bones and all sorts of impurity…You try to look like upright people outwardly, but
inside your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness (Matt 23:23-28, NLT).
c. The Scribes and Pharisees established rules and regulations but missed the whole point of the Law.
Jesus summed up God’s Law: You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul,
and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment (Deut 6:5). A second is equally
important. Love your neighbor as yourself (Lev 19:18). All the other commandments and all the
demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments (Matt 22:37-40, NLT).
3. Jesus will spend most of the rest of His Sermon presenting the true righteousness of the Kingdom, the
righteousness, or right motives, attitudes, and actions of those who belong to His kingdom.
a. In the next section of His sermon we find some of the strangest and most misunderstood statements
Jesus made—If you call someone a fool you’re going to Hell. Cut your hand off and pull your eye
out. Turn the other cheek. Give away your coat. Go the extra mile (more on these next week).
b. In this part of the sermon Jesus used six examples from the Law (murder, adultery, divorce, oath
taking, retaliation, and loving your fellow man) to expose the religious leaders’ false righteousness
and present the true spirit or meaning of God’s Law. We’ll discuss them next week; for now note:
1. Jesus was not teaching on these topics per se. He was illustrating the spirit behind the Law
to expose the Pharisees and Scribes misinterpretations. Each example was framed in the
statement: You have heard it said…but I say unto you (Matt 5:21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43).
.
TCC–1293
4
2. In each case Jesus quoted the Law of Moses, but instead of giving the Scribal interpretation, He
gave His own teaching, His interpretation. Jesus was claiming the authority to speak for God,
which would have stunned His audience. Then Jesus set an even more startling standard.
A. Jesus said that not only is the man who murders guilty of breaking God’s Law (Ex 20:13),
the one who is angry with his brother is guilty and liable to judgment (Matt 5:21-22)
B. Jesus said that not only is the man who commits adultery guilty of breaking God’s Law (Ex
20:14), the one who looks at a woman with lustful intent in his heart has committed
adultery with her in his heart (Matt 5:27-28).
4. According to Jesus, it’s not enough not to murder or commit adultery. God’s standard is to not even
want to commit murder or commit adultery. It’s an interior attitude as well as an outward act.
a. Motives and intent matter to God—inward as well as outward purity. Men are judged not only for
their deeds, but for their desires even if they are never acted upon.
1. Self control is good, but eliminating the desire is better. That is the goal of salvation, complete
restoration of human nature from the corruption and damage of sin—both motives and actions.
2. This is what Jesus has come to provide and produce in us, an interior change—Christ-like
character in people who want to do the will of God—and are able to do so by His Spirit in them.
b. The Law and the Prophets said: I will give (my people) singleness of heart and put a new spirit
within them. I will take away their hearts of stone and give them tender hearts instead, so that they
will obey my laws and regulations (Ezek 11:19-20, NLT); I will put my laws in their minds, and I
will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people (Jer 31:33, NLT).
c. The Law and the Prophets said: O people, the Lord has already told you what is good, and this is
what he requires; to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8,
NLT). Note that these are interior traits that are expressed through outward actions.
D. Conclusion: These lessons on Christ-like character can seem overwhelming. Those who sincerely want to
follow Jesus and live in a way that is pleasing to God can feel condemned by these lessons because they fall
short. But consider these thoughts as we close this lesson.
1. The one who delivered the Sermon on the Mount knows you better than you know yourself. He knows
how bad you are: The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really know how
bad it is? But I know! I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives (Jer 17:9-10, NLT).
a. Yet Jesus (God incarnate) loved and loves you enough that He humbled Himself and came into this
world to die for you, to open the way for you to be restored to Him and then be transformed into
what you were meant to be—a son or daughter who is fully pleasing to God the Father.
b. Jesus knew that no one in the audience was capable yet of meeting the standard He was setting.
In fact, later in the sermon He will teach them how to pray to God their Father. Part of the prayer
included asking God to forgive their sins and help them resist temptation. Matt 6:12-13
c. And, even though Jesus knows that they were not yet fully Christ-like, He told them that their Father
in Heaven will take care of them as they seek Him and His kingdom. Our Father is better than the
best earthly father. Matt 7:9-11; Matt 6:25-34
2. If you feel condemned because you fall short, remember that this sermon is a call to Christ-likeness from
someone who knows you and loves you, and who will work in you and with you. Phil 1:6; Phil 2:13
a. When Jesus called Peter to follow Him He told Peter: Follow me and I will make you a fisher of
men. In other words, seek to be like me and I will make you what I want you to be. Luke 5:10
b. The Beatitudes is not an all or nothing list. Start where you are. Practice these traits. When
someone angers you, restrain yourself. Don’t lash out at them. You may be raging on the inside,
and not yet perfect in meekness, but you are moving in the right direction. And pray these
Beatitudes. Ask God to help you grow in humility, meekness, and mercy. Much m*ore next week!
