The most powerful sermon ever delivered is a sermon that has been given the title: “The Sermon on the Mount.” The scene is set for us in Matthew 5. We know that crowds swarming Jesus, and as the crowds pressed, Jesus took a moment to take a seat up on a hill and deliver an incredibly challenging sermon.
Toward the beginning of his sermon, He said something shocking and a bit disturbing. He says, “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20)
Wait.. What?
The scribes and the Pharisees were basically professional righteous people… Would any one be able to claim that they were more righteous than them? What is Jesus saying?
Well, Jesus wasn’t done there, he also said:
- you have heard that you should not murder, right? And, if you do you are liable to judgment… Well, I tell you that if you are angry with your brother you are liable to judgment.
- you have heard it said that you should not commit adultery, right? Well, I tell you that anyone who looks at a women with lustful intent has committed adultery already in his heart.
- you should not swear falsely.
- you should not retaliate, but instead just offer your other cheek to the person who just slapped you.
- you should love your neighbor as well as your enemy.
- you should give to the needy without seeking recognition.
- you should pray and fast without seeking recognition from men.
- you should focus on eternal things rather than getting distracted with earthly possessions.
- Don’t be anxious…
- Don’t judge…
Ouch, ouch, and ouch again.
What do we do with this? Not only do I fail often with these things, but in this context, my righteous definitely does not exceed the pharisees in these things.
So here is the question: What do we do when our Savior’s sermon reveals that we are incapable of following him the way that we should?
Well, there are two things that I believe that we need to realize:
One, the gospel is a two-way exchange.
I often forget this, but the gospel is not just that Jesus took my sin, that he died my death, that he took my place, and that he paid my debt. All of this is true… but there is more. Not only did I give Jesus my sin, but Jesus gave me his righteousness.
This means that when the Father looks at me, he does not see a forgiven criminal… Instead, he sees the perfection of Christ. He sees His Son. Understanding this changes everything.
When Jesus says, “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the pharisees,” I can confidently say “Yes, the righteousness of Jesus that has been given to me does.”
Because of this I can be confident in my standing with God, despite my inability to keep every commandment.
Two, we have been invited to ask for help.
After Jesus lays the challenging sermon before us, he provides an incredible message of hope.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11)
Did you hear what Jesus just said?
If you are wrecked with the realization that you are unable faithfully follow Christ the way you should, Jesus says, “Ask, and it will be given; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.” Jesus invites us to ask for help.
Not only can we approach God and find forgiveness when we fail, but we can approach the Father knowing that we will fail without his strength and ask for his help.