Craig Cooper

We discover in Isaiah this remarkable verse of promise, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6). The answer to a world that has turned its back on Him is a child, His own Son. He will be what no king has been, or any other king will ever be. Because He is the mighty God, He can be a true Father to His people. He can bring lasting peace, and He can give truly wonderful counsel. The promise of this child has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior.

One word we could use to describe the world is despair. Despair is an utter loss of hope. The good news is that an exchange is offered to anyone who receives Christ into their life. In this exchange, we give God our despair, and He replaces it with hope.

A believer’s hope is based on God’s faithfulness. Our day-to-day experiences and hardships are sometimes overwhelming; unless we can see that God’s purpose is to bring about continual growth in us. Without this understanding, we may despair. However, with this understanding, we have a sure hope in Christ. This hope is expressed in Jeremiah 29:11-12, ^“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.” We can retain our hope even while we suffer when we understand that God’s mercy endures forever, and He is always faithful to His people.

A believer’s hope comes from trusting in Christ and remembering all He has done for us. Whenever I face a problem, I remember that a problem is something that can’t be fixed, and God can fix everything. After all, in Christ, we are reconciled with God. Paul writes, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom 5:1-2). Faith, hope, and love are at the heart of the Christian life (see: 1 Cor 13:13). Our relationship with God begins with faith that helps us realize we have been delivered and offered a new life in Christ. Hope grows as we learn who God is and that in His goodness, His plans are meant for us to flourish in Him. God’s love fills our lives with hope that is so abundant we can share it with others.

A believer’s hope grows as we remember the promise of the resurrection. We read in the Scriptures, “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thess 4:13). Because Jesus Christ came back to life, so will all believers. We have the sure promise of living with Him forever. Therefore, we need not despair even at death. Jesus has conquered death, proving He has the power to turn our tragedies into triumphs, our pain to glory, and apparent defeat into actual victory. We need to remind ourselves and encourage others with this great hope.

The world needs today that child born in a stable who died for our sins and was resurrected for our salvation. The world needs to make a great exchange. We all need to exchange despair for hope. God offers this exchange to all who will receive Christ as Lord and Savior. I pray that each of us will come to Christ for salvation and receive the greatest gift of all, life eternal in Jesus Christ (see: John 3:16). This is the great exchange and the greatest gift anyone can receive, salvation and hope in Christ. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

This coming Thursday is Thanksgiving. Many people trace the origins of the modern Thanksgiving Day to the harvest celebration the Pilgrims held in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1621. Although there is little doubt that this event inspired our current holiday, it did not become an annual holiday in the United States until 1863.

Interestingly, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday – right in the middle of the Civil War. His proclamation requested that all Americans ask God to “commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife” and to “heal the wounds of the nation.” The intent of setting aside the day is to thank God for the harvest and other blessings of the past year and to seek God’s intervention for those with emotional, physical, and spiritual needs. It reminds us of our dependence on God and the need to show appreciation for His wonderful mercies.

The Bible has much to say about the importance of thankfulness. One passage I find very intriguing is 1 Chronicles 16:4-36. We read in verse 4, “Then he [David] appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel.” The ark had been brought back to Jerusalem. There was a great celebration that led David to establish certain Levitical families to be permanently in charge of thanksgiving.

We learn a couple of principles from this passage about the importance of thanksgiving. First, we should always express thankfulness. Certain Levites were appointed to give continual praise to God. We discover that praise and thanksgiving should be a regular part of our daily life. It ought not to be merely reserved for celebrations. When we praise God continually, we discover that we are less likely to take God’s blessings for granted.

Secondly, there are four significant aspects of thankfulness found in a song of David recorded in verses 8-36. (1) We are to remember what God has done, (2) telling others about it, (3) showing God’s glory to others, and (4) offering gifts of self, time, and resources. In a nutshell, if you are genuinely thankful, your life will show it.

There is an old song, “Count Your Many Blessings,” that has a line that goes, “When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed, when you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, count your many blessings; name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done. Count your blessings; name them one by one.” Taking time each day to think about how the Lord has blessed us not just rightly shows appreciation to God for all His marvelous provisions but also serves to encourage us as we align our thinking with the reality of God’s goodness at all times, even amid difficult ones.

Let me challenge us to not only make thanksgiving a priority one day a year but throughout all the days of the year. Also, as we gather at the Thanksgiving table to partake of a meal, especially the delicious stuffing, take some time to share the blessings of God for which you are thankful. It’s an amazing reality how our thankfulness ministers to others and the thanksgiving of others ministers to us.

I hope you have a great Thanksgiving Day. Let’s remember what God has done for us, as well as remember those who are in need emotionally, physically, and spiritually. May we be found to count our blessings, thankful for what the Lord has done. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

I have written before about the discipline of meditation, but a recent conversation with a friend encouraged me to dig a bit deeper. Meditation simply speaks of the action of engaging in contemplation or reflection. Unfortunately, some have avoided it due to wrongly associating the practice as mystical or somehow new age. This is not to say that it hasn’t been used by some in ways not helpful to the believer. But, I believe avoiding the practice of meditation because of the baggage it carries in the minds of many in our culture is a mistake. It is time to take back this discipline and practice it as the Bible instructs.

The Bible encourages us to meditate on God, His Word, and His works. The psalmist writes, “I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways” (Psa 119:15). Also, in Psalm 143, we read, “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands” (Psa 143:5). The Bible mentions meditation specifically twenty-three times, nineteen times in the Book of Psalms alone. It alludes to it countless other times with words such as “consider” and “ponder.”

It’s common when someone is speaking about meditation to hear phrases like “empty yourself” or “clear your mind.” These phrases in and of themselves are not wrong but often mean to enter some mystic state of nothingness. This is not how a believer ought to think of emptiness. The believer’s goal is not to reach some transcendental state but to empty self of all distractions so that a focused, quiet reflection on God, His Word, and His works can occur.

I do this in part every day as I approach God’s Word, the Bible. I prayerfully study a particular passage in Scripture, asking the Spirit to guide me as I make some observations about the text. Then, I take some time to meditate on the passage to discover an application for my daily living. This leads me to a time of praying the passage over my life. As I seek to master God’s Word, I desire for it to master me.

When out and about in God’s creation, I like to be mindful (meditate) on God’s works. There’s something special and quite powerful about pausing and taking in the creative power of God. It draws me to reflect on His working in the world, my family, church family, and in my own life. I am often reminded that the God who spoke the world into existence is still present and active in the world and in my very own life.

I have heard people say that meditation “centers” them. I have to agree. However, the centering the Scriptures would encourage us to find is on Christ. If meditation has any calming effect, and I find it often does, it is due to its usefulness in realigning my thoughts and focus on the Lord. Stress increases when I am out of focus, picturing a present and future without the Lord’s presence and hand at work. When I realign with the Lord, focused on Christ, I am empowered to walk in step with the Spirit. It makes all the difference, relieving stress and inviting me to rest in the Lord as I walk through the highs and lows of life. Thus, meditation has become an important part of my walk with the Lord.

Let me encourage each of us to pick up the discipline of meditation. Regularly, let us reflect on God, His Word, and His works. Don’t let the world rob us of this powerful spiritual discipline. Instead, I challenge us to reclaim it for the Lord. Let our meditations be pleasing to God, as we rejoice in the Lord (Psa 104:34). Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

In His sermon, which we call The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructs us on the Christian ethic, how believers are to behave and live. It’s important to realize that the Christian life must be understood as more than actions and words. Our walk with the Lord needs to penetrate our hearts where our minds and motives are brought under His lordship. In Matthew 6:1-8 & 16-18, He speaks against hypocrisy and for authentic faith. Jesus warns us to avoid self-promoting faith and challenges us to live out of God-honoring dedication.

In Matthew 6:1, Christ warns, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” Believers are not to perform spiritual disciplines or exercises to be seen by others. We are to participate in practical acts of worship because we love God. When we do spiritual things to be seen, the applause of people is our only reward. When we do spiritual things because we love God, the resources of heaven are poured in and through our lives.

Jesus then walks us through three spiritual practices that Jews saw as the most important for God’s people to exercise: giving, prayer, and fasting. Jesus does not condemn these spiritual acts but rebukes the expectation of rewards and public recognition. He also instructs us on the proper way to engage in these spiritual disciplines.

He begins in Matthew 6:2-4 with giving. It’s evident that Jesus expected His disciples to be generous givers. Jesus teaches that generosity is not enough; He is concerned with our motivation and our heart’s hidden thoughts. Jesus shares the wrong way to give: It’s wrong to give to be honored by other people. Such giving’s reward is the recognition of others. Jesus warns against drawing attention to our generosity. Then, Jesus tells us the right way to give: We are to give in secret. When we give properly, our Father will reward us. As believers, our giving is not to be for the applause of others or even ourselves, but for God’s glory flowing from a heart of love toward Him, being on mission with Him.

Jesus moves onto our prayer life in Matthew 6:5-8. Jesus presents the wrong way to pray: We are not to pray to be seen by other people. When we pray this way, we have already received our full reward. Praying to be seen by others is not praying; it is seeking praise. Further, we are not to pray with meaningless repetition and empty phrases. Praying this way falsely assumes we will be heard by our many words. By saying the same things over and over, the Gentiles thought they could force their gods to help them. Jesus tells us the right way to pray: We are to pray in secret. When we pray in secret, our Father will reward us. The essence of Christian prayer is to seek God. It’s important to note that Jesus did not reject public prayers. If all praying were kept secret, we would have to give up gathering as a church and give up family prayers. But even public prayers are not to be a time to gain attention for the one who prays. He continues by sharing that we are to pray, making simple, direct petitions. There is peace in realizing that God knows what we need before we even ask. As believers, we ought to trust in God, who already knows our personal needs. He knows but invites us to talk with Him about our concerns.

Jesus concludes by looking at fasting in Matthew 6:16-18. Fasting, strictly speaking, is a total abstention from food. However, it can reasonably extend to mean going without food partially or totally, for short or long periods. This is where we get the name for the first meal of the day, breakfast since we ‘break our fast,’ of the night period which we ate nothing. Fasting has to do in various ways with self-denial. The Bible speaks of fasting for penitence, special prayer, and self-discipline. I have found fasting quite meaningful in my spiritual journey. Jesus took it for granted that fasting would have a place in our Christian life.

Jesus begins by sharing the wrong way to fast: We are not to fast to show other people, by looking the part for others to know we are fasting. When we fast improperly, we have already received our full reward through the recognition of others. When Jews fasted, they covered their heads with ashes to show their mourning, humility, and penitence. The purpose of fasting is not to advertise ourselves but to discipline ourselves, to express our humility and dependence on God. As with prayer, so with fasting, if done to get people’s attention, we lose God’s reward. Then, Jesus tells us the right way to fast: We are to fast in secret, taking care of our outward appearance. When we fast properly, our Father will reward us. Jesus called for fasting to be accompanied by actions of celebration, not sorrow. Jesus commanded privacy, not publicity. God rewards the believer who fasts appropriately.

In these verses and throughout Jesus’ teachings, He warns against hypocrisy and promotes genuine faith. He instructs us that self-promoting faith is without any real reward while living out of God honoring dedication releases the resources of heaven in a genuine believer’s life. As we look back over these verses, it becomes clear that Jesus has been contrasting two alternative kinds of spirituality, Pharisaic (insincere faith) and Christian (genuine faith). Christ used the word hypocrite as a picture of insincere faith. Hypocritical faith is perverse because it’s destructive. Jesus calls us to genuine faith. Praying, giving, and fasting are all authentic activities in their own right. To pray is to seek God. To give is to serve others. To fast is to discipline oneself. Hypocrisy destroys the integrity of these practices by turning each of them into an occasion for self-display. Our Lord calls us to be so conscious of Him that we cease to be self-conscious. This is the key to genuine faith. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

In Christ’s sermon, which we call The Sermon on the Mount, He presents the Christian ethic, dealing with how believers are to behave. In Matthew 5:38-48, He presents a challenging call to active and practical love. In fact, our Lord calls His followers to self-sacrificing godly love. What Jesus shares in His sermon is radically counter-cultural. It is so radical that believers are drawn ever closer to the Holy Spirit, who alone can make Christ’s call possible in their lives.

Jesus begins in verse 38, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’” In the Old Testament, excessive punishment was prohibited (Deut 19:16-21). The penalty is to fit the crime. The purpose was to restrain evil. In the Old Testament, revenge was forbidden (Deut 32:35; Rom 12:19). The courts were to be let to do their job, understanding that God would ultimately repay the evil. The Pharisees and Scribes create a problem by extending the principle in verse 38 from that of just restitution occurring in the law courts (where it belongs) to the realm of personal relationships (where it does not belong). They misinterpreted and misapplied this law and principle to apply and support personal revenge even though the law forbids it.

Jesus’ reply does not contradict the law or principle as it was initially delivered but corrects the inappropriate application to justify personal retaliation and revenge. In Matthew 5:39-42, Jesus presents something quite radical and counter-cultural. The believer is not to resist an evil person (v. 39a). It’s important to be clear here. There is One in Scripture we are told not to resist and another we are explicitly told to resist. We are not to resist God, His will, His truth, or His authority. We are to resist the devil. John Stott notes, “What we are forbidden to resist is not evil as such, evil in the abstract, nor the ‘evil one’ meaning the devil, but an evil person.” Jesus does not deny the reality of evil. He does not call us to deny a person is evil or acting evilly. What Jesus does not allow is revenge or retaliation in our personal relationships, even to evil people.

Jesus shares four examples of radical love over revenge: What about personal insults? “Turn the other cheek” (v. 39b). How about lawsuits? “Let him have your cloak as well” (v. 40). What about forced actions? “Go the second mile” (v. 41). How about requests? “Give to the one who asks” (v. 42). It’s important to note that each of these examples had a cultural mooring in Christ’s day. Let me address two of them. To turn the other cheek is not a command to endure physical abuse. Still, in the Middle East today, it represents an insulting blow accompanied by a verbal insult. Physical safety is not in jeopardy, just one’s ego. To go the extra mile addresses a Roman soldier’s right to demand a subject to the empire, like a Jew, to carry their baggage up to a mile. Jesus says, “Don’t just carry it one, but carry it for two.”

The call of Christ here is not to be a doormat. He does not call us to allow ourselves to be verbally or physically abused. Instead, He calls us, empowered by His Spirit, to offer the utmost in love when we are tempted to take revenge. Jesus is not prohibiting the administration of justice but rather forbidding us to take the law into our own hands. Here is the point, Jesus declares that believers are to allow the principle of love, godly selfless love, to look for the ultimate wellbeing of all people, rather than taking revenge.

Jesus takes us further in Matthew 5:43, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’” The Pharisees taught incorrectly that their neighbors were only fellow Israelites. Of course, Jesus defines a neighbor for us as everyone (Lk 10:30-37). The Pharisees used God’s hatred for evil to allow personal animosity. The Old Testament actually taught to love your neighbor as yourself (Lev 19:17-18) and do good to your enemy (Ex 23:4-5; Prov 25:21).

Jesus in Matthew 5:44-48 teaches us to “Love our enemies” (vv. 44-48). Believers are to pray for those who persecute them (v. 44). They are to live as children of their heavenly Father (v. 45). Christians are to express love broader and more thoroughly than others (vv. 46-47). Then, Christ challenges His followers to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect (v. 48).

To better understand Christ’s teaching, we need to remember that, like God, we are to love the sinner but hate the sin. We must realize that to love people who do evil is to desire that they repent and believe and so be saved. God never taught a double standard of morality, one for our neighbor and another for our enemy; after all, an enemy is our neighbor. Here is the point, Jesus declares that believers are to love everyone (enemies included) in tangible acts, words, and prayers.

We are to love people in loving acts like Jesus did. We are to love people with words as Jesus did. We are to love others through prayer as Jesus did. Hanging on the cross, Christ prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34).  John Stott observes, “It is impossible to pray for people without loving them and impossible to go on praying for them without discovering that our love for them grows and matures.” I have found this to be true in my life.

This statement by Stott is incredible, “Divine love is indiscriminate love, shown equally to good and bad people.” This is what Christ is calling believers to when He said, “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Christ calls believers to have and express self-sacrificing godly love to all people. After all, this is the kind of love God shows to us.

Here is the problem. All human love, even the best human love, is contaminated on some level by self-interest. Here is the solution. To love as God loves, Christians need the supernatural working on the Holy Spirit in and through their lives. Our love is not to resemble the world. We are called to live with a more profound love. We are called to be perfect in love, that is, to love our enemies with the merciful, all-encompassing love of God. The new (redeemed) life is based on divine love, refusing to take revenge but overcoming evil with good. Our Christian calling is not to imitate the world but to imitate God the Father. By imitating Him, through the power of His Spirit, the righteousness of the believer is seen through active and practical love, self-sacrificing godly love. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

Throughout God’s Word, we see over and over again the importance of family. Family is the most important unit of society. God instituted the family before He instituted government, and He instituted family before He did the church. There are two essential elements of family worth noting. These elements are marriage and parenting that reveal God’s character like nothing else in creation. The love between a husband and wife is meant to provide a glimpse of Christ’s compassionate devotion to us as His bride. Similarly, the ups and downs of parenthood offer a compelling picture of God’s tenderness and patience toward us as His children.

Therefore, since family is so important, it ought not to surprise us that Christ’s sermon, which we call The Sermon on the Mount, speaks about marriage faithfulness and honest talk, which is an essential part of healthy relationships. Both marriage and honesty are very important to the health of our society. Thus, Jesus begins by addressing marriage faithfulness in Matthew 5:31-32.

Let me acknowledge that there is almost no unhappiness so deep as that found in an unhappy marriage. There is virtually no tragedy so great as the disintegration of a marital dream and what God meant for love and fulfillment to become a non-relationship of bitterness, discord, and despair. Although I believe that God’s way in most cases is not divorce, I hope I will proceed with sensitivity and with an understanding of the forgiveness and grace God offers all of us. I do not know many of your stories. I can’t presume how God would lead you in your specific situation. I know those who have felt the pain of a challenging marriage, and some an abusive one, which led to divorce. I do not want to add to anyone’s pain. Yet I trust that the teachings of Christ on every subject are good, good for us as individuals and society as a whole. So, I trust in Him and continue with the exploration of His Word on marriage faithfulness.

Jesus refers in Matthew 5:31-32 to an Old Testament law intended to protect a wife from a hasty divorce by commanding the husband to give her a certificate or notification. Some, however, used this law as an excuse for easy divorce. All the husband had to do was to notify the wife. Jesus teaches that marriage is intended to be a lifelong commitment between a husband and wife. Indeed, Jesus acknowledges that, for instance, adultery breaks the commitment of faithfulness. But, he also acknowledges that divorce breaks the commitment of lifelong faithfulness.

Speaking as a Christian and a pastor, whenever somebody talks to me about divorce, I begin by sharing my understanding of the Bible’s teaching on marriage – God’s purpose in instituting it. I start by talking about marriage and reconciliation. At times the discussion on divorce is put on the shelf as we dive into God’s power of restoring a marriage. Unfortunately, due to humanity’s fallen state and issues of personal safety, infidelity, and other tragic matters, a decision to divorce are sometimes made. I have never advocated for divorce, but I have been in situations where I have extended God’s grace and love as a situation has led to such a decision. It’s important to understand that Christ speaks of how women in marriage from the time of Moses to the time He was speaking were at times victimized. They were put into horrible situations where they had to do what they did to survive. Christ is saying how can a genuine follower of His filled with His love treat anyone, yet lone his wife with such ungodly love.

Now, Jesus moves on to an essential aspect of a healthy marriage and any other relationship, and that is honest talk. In Matt 5:33-37, Jesus addresses honesty by looking at vows. Several verses from the Old Testament prohibit false swearing or perjury, that is, making a vow and then breaking it (Ex 20:7; Lev 19:12; Num 30:2; Deut 23:21). Jesus says, “Do not take an oath at all”…“Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’” The point of this is that anybody who makes a vow must keep it. Simply put, Christians should say what they mean and mean what they say.

John Stott notes, “If divorce is due to human hard-heartedness, swearing is due to human untruthfulness.” Both divorce and swearing were permitted by law, but neither was commanded. Truth be told, neither should be necessary if the Christian ethic Jesus teaches in His sermon is followed by all. Therefore, as long as it is in our power to do so, we must keep our marriage vows and keep our word. The believer living rightly is in part seen in marriage faithfulness and in their honest talk. Of course, the Lord offers grace and forgiveness to all who seek it from Him with a genuine heart. God, after all, is our greatest example of faithfulness, love, and honesty. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, addresses the believer’s relationship to the law. When we look at Scripture, it is vital to keep in mind that context is king. In Matthew 5:21-30, Jesus addresses two problems present in many of His listeners. Those who listened to him had heard different things from the Old Testament, but not all had been taught correctly. There were also those who limited Old Testament commandments to external actions, not inward righteousness. Jesus reveals the true intention of the law as it regards to the heart.

Jesus begins this portion of His sermon, in Matthew 5:21-22, by clarifying the deeper meaning of the Old Testament command against murder. Christ teaches that not only is the act of murder forbidden, but the angry spirit that leads to it is wrong. We all understand that human courts punish obvious crimes. But, to few understand that God judges the hidden sins. Thus, we discover this verse in Proverbs, “All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit” (Prov 16:2).

It is important to note that not all anger is evil. This is evident when we see in the Bible God’s wrath, which is always holy and pure. There is such a thing as righteous anger, which should be slow to rise and quick to die down. Paul writes to the Ephesian church, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger” (Eph 4:26). Jesus was angered by sin (Mk 3:1-6; Matt 21:12-13; 23:16-17). It is proper to be angry at sin but not at the sinner. We need to remember to be friendly to the person but hostile to the sin.

You may be asking, “What do I do when I feel bitterness rising or know someone is holding something against me?” Jesus answers this question as He continues in Matthew 5:23-26, moving from his lesson on anger to a fitting one on reconciliation. Christ begins by presenting an example where you are presenting an offering at the altar and are reminded of an unreconciled issue between yourself and another. Jesus says, stop what you are doing and go reconcile with that person. Then, He gives another example where you have a conflict with an adversary. He says, do not delay; reconcile quickly. Here’s the biblical principle, if we are to obey the moral law of God, we must not only avoid the negatives but also pursue the positives by living reconciled with others. John Stott summarizes this a bit for us when he writes, “If we want to avoid committing murder in God’s sight, we must take every possible positive step to live in peace and love with all.”

Then, Jesus continues, in Matthew 5:27-28, by clarifying the real meaning of lust. The culture Jesus spoke to is not much different than our very own. We find it all too easy to narrowly define sexual sin and conveniently broadly define sexual purity. Christ teaches that not only is the act of adultery forbidden, but the lust that leads to it is wrong. Most people understand that adultery is a sin, but so is inward lust.

It is important to be clear here. There is a difference between looking and lusting; there is a difference between glancing and gazing. The temptation to commit adultery develops not only from exposer to a desirable person but from a person’s inner lustful self. We need to remember that deeds of shame are proceeded by fantasies of shame. Jesus urged disciplined thoughts so that weaknesses might not lead to sin.

Clearly, the question arises, “How do we deal with sin?” Christ concludes this portion of His sermon in Matthew 5:29-30 answering this question. He emphasizes the seriousness of sin by using hyperbole. He uses a graphic image of mutilation but does so to explain that mortification is the path to holiness. Mortification is taking up the cross to follow Christ; it’s rejecting sinful practices so resolutely that we die to them or put them to death. Here is the biblical principle, we deal with sin by getting rid of anything that causes us to sin.

In this portion of His sermon, Jesus is continuing His teaching on the believer’s righteousness, which is found in Christ. We learn that Christ’s followers are to avoid anger, be quick to reconcile, and avoid lust. Our culture has so much to offer us. Technology is amazing but can be dangerous. Therefore, it is better to accept some denial of what the culture provides than fall into sin. Such thinking is countercultural. The world says be open-minded and live life to the fullest. But, it is essential to remember, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death (Prov 14:12).

The biblical ethic understands that eternity is more important than temporary happiness. Sin promises you the world, but in the end, it corrupts your soul. Satan would like to use sin to distance you from God; the Spirit would like to give you the power to overcome sin, the humility to ask God for forgiveness when you fall, to bring you closer to the Lord. John Stott rightly challenges us with these words,  “We have to decide, quite simply, whether to live for this world or the next, whether to follow the crowd or Jesus Christ; live for self or for our Savior.” There are three crucial questions we all must answer to Christ’s teaching in Matthew 5:21-30. What is my response? What is my next step? Am I willing to take it with Jesus? Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

Jesus, in His sermon, which we call the Sermon on the Mount, describes the righteousness of the believer by looking at His relationship to the law as well as that of His followers (Matt 5:17-20). What is meant by righteousness? Righteousness is an attribute of God.  It is His uprightness of person, standards, and judgments. God, Himself is perfectly righteous, as are His ways in creation, providence, salvation, and consummation. In Deuteronomy, we read, “The Rock [God], His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He” (Deut 32:4). As righteous Himself, God establishes moral standards that reflect His nature, and He requires conformity to those standards. It is these standards that Christ addresses in His sermon.

We discover in Matthew 5:17-20 three truths relating to Christ’s fulfillment of the law and how this reality directly impacts the Christian’s relationship to the law. Christ begins by declaring, “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” (v. 17). The first truth is that Jesus came to fulfill the law and the prophets. In other words, He fulfilled the demands of the law. He did this by living a perfect life of obedience to the law (Heb 4:15) and taking the law’s punishment for our sin (Gal 3:13). Jesus also did this by fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies (Lk 24:25-27, 44; John 5:39-40). Lastly, Jesus fulfilled the law by revealing its true meaning (Rom 13:9-10).

The second truth we discover in verses 18-19: “For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes 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 does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Here Jesus affirms the continuing authority of the law. The word of God stands forever (Isa 40:8; Matt 24:35; 2 Peter 3:18), and every part of the law matters (2 Tim 3:16; John 10:35). In other words, as revealed through His Word, no part of God’s will for His people will ever change. Therefore, we must practice and teach all of the law (Matt 28:20; John 14:15). Law here describes the revelation about God, salvation in Christ, and the path He calls His children to walk in the Bible.

The third, and last truth, is found in verse 20, “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus proclaimed the need for a greater righteousness. The righteousness of the Pharisees and teachers of the law was self-serving (Matt 23:5-7), incomplete (Matt 23:23), and merely external (Matt 23:25-28). The righteousness Christ calls the believer to is greater than the Pharisees because it is deeper, being a righteousness of the heart. The Pharisees were content with their external, incomplete, and self-serving righteousness. Jesus teaches in His sermon a more radical demand of God of His children. The righteousness that God calls believers to is an inward righteousness of mind and motive.

We will never be perfect on this side of paradise but are to be perfecting into greater Christlikeness. Jesus asks for a deeper obedience from the heart that is only possible when we receive Christ as Savior and Lord. When we receive Christ, we are gifted His Spirit, and when we cooperate with Him, we partner in His work of making us more like Christ (sanctification). This righteousness, Christ’s righteousness, only becomes ours when we receive Him as Savior and Lord, partnering with His Spirit to grow in becoming more and more like Him. In 2 Corinthians 5:21, we read, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus was our sin offering [He died in our stead], reconciling us with God by removing our sin. In His death on the cross, He took our punishment for our sin so that we might be forgiven. When we receive Him, the righteousness of God becomes a reality in our lives.

The Pharisees observed the law, in part, but often rejected God’s will and failed to show genuine love towards God and others. Such hypocrisy and legalism are not acceptable to God. We are called to accept Christ in this life and walk in His Spirit from today into eternity.

It is easy to cheapen grace by lessening or even disliking the law. For sure, we are saved by grace, but this does not mean that we don’t desire to love God with everything and others with the love He has poured into us (Mk 12:28-34). This, after all, sums up all of the law. We need to be mindful that the believer must never set law against love.

In short, the greater righteousness Jesus calls His followers to is testified to by the law and prophets and fulfilled in Christ (Rom 3:21). It is credited to us by faith in Christ (Phil 3:9). It is worked in us by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:4) and is the only righteousness that will get you into heaven (Matt 5:20). It is this righteousness Christ requires, provides, and works in those who choose Him. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

In Matthew 5:13-16, in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches how believers are to be influencers. He makes it clear that Christians are meant to be different from the world as kingdom ambassadors. In other words, believers are not to be thermometers, merely reflecting the temperature of culture, but thermostats positively impacting the culture for Christ.

Jesus teaches in His sermon:

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt 5:13-16).

Jesus uses two metaphors, salt, and light, to describe the influence of believers for good in the world. Believers are to live, by the power of Christ, in such a way that their lives exemplify Christ; their mouths profess Christ and His teaching, drawing people to the Lord. Simply put, Christians are to point people to Christ.

Jesus also warns believers to not compromise their faith, losing their saltiness. The church needs to remain salty, not contaminated by the world. Further, if salt can lose its saltiness, the light in us can become dark. God calls us to be honest about who we are. We are saved and being sanctified. We are not, yet, perfect, but being perfected. However, God calls believers to be willing for their Christian walk to be visible to others. We are to be our growing honest selves described in the Beatitudes, not ashamed of Christ, and not contaminated by the stuff of earth.

I have heard people say, “That person must be a Christian because they are so nice.” I want to be careful but honest here. I have known many nice Christians. I have known many who are nice and are not Christians. I have even met some who claim to be Christian but aren’t really nice. With that said, I believe the picture we get from these metaphors goes beyond mere kindness. We are supernaturally indwelt by the Spirit of God. As salt and light, in our imperfect yet, perfecting journey with Christ, we are to be a God-sized witness to the world in which we live.

We learn a couple of lessons from this passage. The first lesson is that there is a distinctive difference between what God calls us to as Christians and the lives of those yet to receive Christ, between the church and the world. Due to the Spirit’s work in the life of a believer, this passage assumes that Christians are different. John Stott sadly notes, “Probably the greatest tragedy of the church throughout its long and checkered history has been its constant tendency to conform to the prevailing culture instead of developing a Christian counter-culture.” God’s church is to be in the world, not avoiding it, but not of the world, directing others to Jesus.

The second lesson is that the believer, the church, must accept the call God places upon her to the Christian distinctive. Sanctification, becoming like Christ, is not automatic. We must choose to focus on Christ and, by His power, follow the Spirit’s leading in our lives. We must not lose confidence in the power of the gospel of Christ. We have Christ, His teachings, and His power to be salt and light to the world if we so choose.

As believers, we need the Spirit’s workings in our lives to grow in Christ so that we can be salt and light to the world. This can’t be done in our own strength. Stott ties Christ’s teaching on the Beatitudes and His instruction on being salt and light when he writes, “A Christian’s character as described in the Beatitudes and a Christian’s influence as defined in the salt and light metaphors are organically related to one another. Our influence depends on our character.” Christians are meant to be different from the world as kingdom influencers, and by His power, for the benefit of others, this can be a genuine reality. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

Jesus begins The Sermon on the Mount with what we call the Beatitudes. They set a foundation for the rest of Jesus’ message. Beatitudes means blessedness. They set out the character of the believer. In them, eight characteristics are mentioned. Often a study of the Beatitudes looks at each of the eight characteristics separately, which has some benefit. Still, Christ did not intend for us to understand them as eight distinct groups of disciples, rather eight qualities all of His disciples are to possess.

What is the blessedness spoken of in the Beatitudes? We discover the blessedness in the second half of each Beatitude. Those believers who have the character mentioned in the Beatitudes possess the kingdom of heaven, and they inherit the earth. John Stott rightly notes, “The eight qualities Christ mentions constitute the responsibilities, and the eight blessings, the privileges, of being a citizen of God’s kingdom.”

We discover that the first four Beatitudes describe the Christian’s relation to God. The second four layout the Christian’s relations and duties to other people. Look at the first four Beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matt 5:3-6). Remember, the first four Beatitudes deal with the Christian’s relation to God.

We discover in these Beatitudes a spiritual progression. To be “poor in spirit” acknowledges our complete spiritual bankruptcy before God. We are to “mourn” over our sin, coming to God for forgiveness. We are to be “meek,” humble, and gentle towards God and others. Then, we are to “hunger and thirst for righteousness.” After all, what is the use of confessing and contrition of our sin, acknowledging the truth about ourselves to God and others, if it does not lead us to want God’s will and desire to walk in His ways, while we call others to do the same?

Now, remember, these last four Beatitudes deal with the Christian’s relations and duties to others. Jesus declares, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:7-12). Christ teaches that the genuine follower of Christ lives in community with others. They walk with God without withdrawing from society. They are not insulated from the world’s pain. Rather, they show mercy to those battered by sin and life. They are sincere in word and deed, living in integrity towards God and others. They live at peace with God and are peacemakers. For all of this, they are at times persecuted. These are those who are “blessed,” who have the approval of God and rest in His comfort, power, and joy.

Here’s how Christ begins His sermon. Those who have the character mentioned in the beatitudes possess the kingdom of heaven, and they inherit the earth. No doubt, the ways of God and the Bible can cause great confusion to people yet to receive Christ as Savior and Lord. God exalts the humble and humbles the proud. He calls the first last and the last first. He honors the servant and sends those who live as overlords home empty-handed. God declares the meek to be His heirs. The culture of the world and that of Christ stand in direct opposition to one another. All of heaven applauds those who receive Christ as Savior and Lord and are living like it. Christ calls such people, His people, “blessed.”

Here are the characteristics of a believer, the character of a Christian. Remember, we will not be perfect until Christ returns, but this does not excuse us from partnering with the Lord in our journey of being perfected by Him. God has a fantastic work He desires to do in and through you. In response to this truth and the Beatitudes, there are three crucial questions we all must answer: What is my response? What is my next step? Am I willing to take it with Christ? Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!