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by Sandy Shaw
This is not an easy section of the Sermon on the Mount as we take time to hear Jesus speak about the important of the Old Testament, but as we read through these Chapters in Matthew we can discover that there are no ‘easy sections’ and we have to wrestle with these challenging words of Jesus. We are in Matthew Chapter 5 moving on from verse 17. Do bear with me. This is the teaching of Jesus and we need to understand something of the background.
The Old Testament indicates the reality of sin, and the power of sin, and its devastating effects. We see the problem, and then God gives us the remedy, as Jesus Christ comes to us in our sin to rescue us and forgive us.
You are forgiven – now live like this. That is the message of the Sermon on the Mount.
If the Old Testament is likened to the bud, then Jesus is the flower, and this kind of discipleship is the fruit. Jesus transforms a hard harsh legalism inside out. People need to know this. If you teach, make sure you teach the whole truth. I am coming to these verses having been through Acts and Luke and John and these articles can all be found in the Archives at Studylight.
Everything else in the Sermon on the Mount makes sense when we see this. This is how you are to follow me – from the heart.
Only the Bible reveals the nature of sin, and God’s answer, and God’s remedy – in Jesus Christ and through Jesus Christ. You will not find these vital answers anywhere else in the whole world.
Jesus challenges superficial religion. The Old Testament provides mankind with a pattern of just laws, whereby man can be governed by these laws. Most good just laws can be traced back to the law given by Moses, and when we depart from these laws we find ourselves getting into trouble – and that is where we are today in this troubled ‘western world’.
This Old Testament provides a source of inexhaustible material for spiritual meditation. Psalm 1 speaks about meditating upon God’s law day and night. The key is what you meditate on. I read recently of two examples of what some people meditate upon in what they regarded as their ‘quiet time’ – reading Shakespeare or reading the newspaper. Take time each day to be in the Word of God and pray.
I have been reading part of the Word of God each day since the age of eight and today I seek to read at least three passages from the Bible each morning before I do anything else. I make it a priority and I suggest you do the same, without being legalistic about it. I use Bible reading notes and having read the passages I mark the notes and answer the questions which may be raised, and at the end of two months I know where I have been reading and studying in the Scriptures – not for preaching preparation, but simply to nourish myself spiritually.
Seeing Christ in the Passover is a rich source for meditation. The Old and the New fit together. There are no contradictions. The New affirms and fulfils the Old.
Jesus quotes from the Old Testament so often – when being tempted – when being questioned on marriage – and Jesus quotes from Genesis Chapters 1,2. Society moved away from Genesis, so now society moves away from marriage. Moving away from the Word of God has disastrous consequences.
The Old Testament covers some 2,000 years and deals with Election, Exodus, the Empire and the Exile. That leads us to consider Abraham, Moses, King David, and Isaiah and the prophets. Or, look at it another way – the Patriarchs, the Prophets, and then the Kings and Priests.
Jesus was Prophet, Priest, and King, and He is the Living God who speaks and acts.
Do you see what I mean when I say that the Old Testament provides a source of inexhaustible material for spiritual meditation?
In Luke Chapter 24, Jesus took these disciples through the Law, the Prophets and the Writings. When we come to the New Testament some things change – no special buildings are needed – no special priesthood – there is no longer the need to slaughter and sacrifice animals – and there are no special days. It was national, now it is personal, and that is how we come to be part of a holy people, separated for God, to glorify His Name.
Verse 20. This is to become more than an ideal, but our practice as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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