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Read Matthew 7:24-27
In Acts chapter 19, we are confronted with a very interesting problem.
Acts 19:1-6 “It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.”
1) They were sincere (you don’t catch them lying to Paul)
2) They were repentant (John’s Baptism)
3) But they did not have the Holy Spirit
THEY HAD A WRONG UNDERSTANDING OF THE TRUTH
It is not enough for a person to be sincere
It is not enough for a person to be sorry
“I think if a person is sincere, God will honor that.”
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
God isn’t looking for sincere people,
God is looking for righteous people.
And the Bible teaches there is only one way to be righteous.
John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
Acts 4:11-12 “He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
THE NEED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS WAS WHY JESUS CAME
No place do we see this better than in the Sermon on the Mount.
It is the theology of Jesus.
One of the biggest problems the church has in evangelism
We send people out who know how to evangelize,
We just don’t send people out who know what they believe.
THE THEME IS RIGHTEOUSNESS – 4 things
#1 RIGHTEOUSNESS EXAMINED
Matthew 5
READ 5:1-2
He begins by revealing what God’s righteousness really looks like.
You can see this in four ways.
1) PERSONALITY OF GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS (1-12)
Of course this is what is commonly referred to as the Beatitudes.
EXPLAIN THE BEATITUDES
ACCORDING TO JESUS
The righteous are not those who are able to outline their goodness. The righteous are those who are convinced of their badness
And have run to God.
Adrian Rogers, “The worst form of badness is human goodness.”
2) THE PURPOSE OF GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS (13-16)
Is found as Jesus reveals
“You are the salt of the earth;” and “You are the light of the world”
God’s righteousness is for the purpose of leading others to righteousness.
God’s righteousness knows nothing of tempting others to sin,
Or allowing others to stay in sin.
No such thing as a person who is righteous that doesn’t lead others.
READ 5:14
Luke 11:33-36 “No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. “The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. “Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness. “If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays.”
If you are righteous, you will fulfill this purpose.
Not just because it is commanded,
But because you are passionate about it.
3) PASSION OF GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS (17-20)
The righteous are so passionate about the truth
That they are not willing to eliminate even one stroke from the Law.
THE JEWS JUST KNEW THE MESSIAH WOULD WIPE OUT THE LAW.
READ 5:17
Then Jesus gives the most mind boggling statement of all
READ 5:20
Self-Righteousness wouldn’t cut it.
Jesus is about to explain what God’s righteousness looks like.
We know it as the famous, “You have heard, but I say” sermons.
4) PICTURE OF GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS
Jesus just begins to contrast how man’s religion
Does not equal God’s righteousness.
MURDER
READ 5:22
ADULTERY
READ 5:28
Divorce, Breaking a Vow, Revenge, Hatred
Jesus is pointing out that man’s standards aren’t good enough.
We will be held accountable by God’s standards.
He closes the chapter with verse 48.
READ 5:48
God’s righteousness is perfect,
Only those who are righteous in this manner get to go to heaven.
#2 RIGHTEOUSNESS EXPOSED
Matthew 6
Jesus here attacks the false righteousness of religion.
PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD THINK THEY ARE A CHRISTIAN BECAUSE THEY ARE RELIGIOUS.
Jesus smacks their hypocrisy right in the face.
Hypocrisy is a real problem.
Luke 12:1-3 “Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. “But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. “Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops.”
So He condemns Hypocritical giving, prayer, and fasting.
All three for the same reasons.
READ 6:2 READ 6:5 READ 6:16
IT WAS ALL FOR THEIR GLORY, NOT GODS
RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY WITH A WRONG MOTIVE
IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO GOD.
Look at giving.
Mark 12:41-44 “And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”
Look at praying
Isaiah 1:11-15 “What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?” Says the LORD. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. “When you come to appear before Me, Who requires of you this trampling of My courts? “Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies — I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. “I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. “So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.”
Look at fasting
Isaiah 58:3-7 “Why have we fasted and You do not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?’ Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire, And drive hard all your workers. “Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist. You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high. “Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the LORD? “Is this not the fast which I choose, To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free And break every yoke? “Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?”
This type of religion can be summed up by Isaiah.
Isaiah 29:13 “Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote,” (comment)
BUT JESUS STILL TAKES IT A STEP FURTHER
HYPOCRITICAL COMMITMENT.
Men pledge commitment to God, but they serve a different master.
MAMMON (world)
It doesn’t matter if it is expressed through wealth or worry,
It is still the same problem.
If that is your concern, then that is your master.
And this is problem
READ 6:24
WHEN MONEY IS YOUR FOCUS, THEN GOD OBVIOUSLY ISN’T.
They are acting like the ungodly.
READ 6:32
But true righteous people are to have a different mindset.
READ 6:33
You can see the difference between the two forms of righteousness.
God’s is perfect from the heart, man’s is external at best.
#3 RIGHTEOUSNESS EXPELLED
Matthew 7:1-6
EXPELLING SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
And no better way is self-righteousness revealed than in a person who views themselves as superior to others.
That is exactly opposite of the “poor in spirit” attitude we saw earlier.
Jesus is not condemning confrontation of sin.
The word for “judge” here is KRINO
“it primarily denotes to separate, select, choose; hence to determine, and so to judge, pronounce judgment.”
It is the idea of looking at someone as inferior and taking God’s role of passing the sentence on them.
The word for rebuke is ELENCHO – to convict, rebuke, reprove
Matthew 18:15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.”
2 Timothy 4:2 “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”
Jesus is not saying, we shouldn’t confront sin.
He is confronting a self appointed judge who cannot see his own.
READ 7:5
The problem with man’s righteousness is
It leaves him with a false sense of security.
He thinks himself to be acceptable to God when he really isn’t,
And therefore is condemned under his very judgment.
Therefore Jesus expels man’s self-righteousness.
Luke 18:9-14 “And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
And that leads to the fourth point.
#4 RIGHTEOUSNESS EXPLAINED
Matthew 7:7-19
3 requirements to getting God’s righteousness
1) RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH SEEKING
Which is why Jesus says
READ 7:7
Just as the tax collector was seeking, but the Pharisee was not.
Only one man left with God’s righteousness.
It is the man who is so in tune with God’s righteous standard
That they fall upon their face and seek God’s mercy.
Those who have never reached that point
Are resting upon their own goodness, and are in grave danger.
We must seek God’s forgiveness, and of course if we do, He will give it.
READ 7:8
There must be brokenness causing you to cry out to God for forgiveness.
You must seek.
2) RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH SACRIFICE
This is where Jesus literally said so many would miss the mark.
They may realize they need salvation.
They may realize they need forgiveness.
But the problem is in their quest for God they aren’t willing to sacrifice.
They want nothing of cross bearing, self-denial, righteous living, and martyrdom, so they look for a better option.
So Jesus makes sure His followers understand something.
If there is no sacrifice then there is no salvation.
READ 7:13-14
1 gate: Easy Access, Effortless Travel, Enormous Following, Eternal Destruction
The other: Difficult Entrance, Dedicated Travel, Disliked Path, Worthy Destination
Jesus knew that when MOST people approached God,
They would not want to part with their love of self, and love of sin, and love of the world, and so they would go through the wide gate.
And why not, false prophets tell you it will work.
So Jesus gives a warning about them too.
READ 7:15
They come looking like a shepherd.
Their message will promise you a life of ease, and effortless bliss,
But it will lead you to hell.
Luke 13:22-30 “And He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem. And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. “Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘ Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘ I do not know where you are from.’ “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.’ “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out. “And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. “And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.”
You can’t have righteousness without seeking
You can’t have righteousness without sacrifice
3) RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH SUBMISSION
Jesus makes a statement that will cut to your heart.
READ 7:21-23
Millions will be shocked to wake up in hell some day.
The reason of course is because they were religious.
They said “Lord”
They “preached’
They “worked miracles”
They “cast out demons”
But they never submitted to the Lordship of Christ.
They called Him Lord, but they didn’t obey.
Luke 6:46 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
It is not the hearers of the word who are justified, but the doers.
READ 7:21
James 1:22 “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”
James 2:14-19 “What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.”
It’s not what you hear that makes you a Christian.
It’s not what you say that makes you a Christian.
It is submission to the Lordship of Jesus.
Which is why Jesus ends with this illustration.
READ 7:24-27
Both men heard the warning.
Both men experienced tribulation
But only one survived.
It wasn’t the hearing, it wasn’t the saying, it was the doing.
Our churches are filled with people who say they are Christians.
Our churches are filled with people who have heard the word of God.
BUT THAT DON’T MAKE IT SO!
God is looking for the righteous.
Those who come crawling to Him begging for forgiveness.
Those who come hungering for righteousness.
Those who come bringing obedience.
Those who are committed to Him as their Lord.
That is the message we take to a lost world.
We must confront false righteousness.
Romans 1:16-17 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
And it is very fitting what Matthew recorded after this sermon.
READ 7:28-29
You read that the crowds were amazed.
You do not read that the crowds were broken.
They responded just as many do today.
They are enamored with Jesus, they are amused with Jesus.
They enjoy Jesus, but they do not submit to Jesus.
They call themselves a Christian.
They give, pray, fast, preach, work miracles, and cast out demons.
They look good on the outside, no murders, no adultery, no divorces.
They have on a Christian T-Shirt.
But they are lost.
WHERE DO YOU STAND?
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”
