What Does Jesus Expect of His Followers Today?

In daily life, what does real righteousness look like? What does Jesus really expect of His followers today? The Beattitudes and the Sermon on the Mount answers the question of what authentic righteousness is—what Christians are to be and do. Along with many other highly regarded Christian authors, Dr. Wiersbe describes the Sermon on the Mount as what human life and human community look like when they come under the gracious rule of God. Here is a Christian value-system, ethical standard, spiritual devotion, attitude toward money, ambition, lifestyle, and network of relationships—all of which are totally different from those of the non-Christian world.

But how should we approach this passage in Matthew's Gospel on the Beattitudes? It would be to our advantage to keep these observations in mind:

• The Focus is on the Blessings of Righteous Character.  Being a master Teacher, our Lord did not begin this important sermon with a negative criticism of the scribes and Pharisees. He began with a positive emphasis on righteous character and the blessings that it brings to the life of the believer.

• The Focus is On Internal Actuality and Not Only External Activity. The Pharisees taught that righteousness was an external thing, a matter of obeying rules and regulations. Righteousness could be measured by praying, giving, fasting, etc. In the Beatitudes and the pictures of the believer, Jesus described Christian character that flowed from within.

• The Focus is On the Internal Condition of the Soul, and Not the Environment Surrounding Us. Imagine how the crowd’s attention was riveted on Jesus when He uttered His first word: “Blessed.”
• This was a powerful word, which meant “divine joy and perfect happiness.” It was not used for humans; it described the kind of joy experienced only by the ‘gods’ or the dead.

• “Blessed” implied an inner satisfaction and sufficiency that did not depend on outward circumstances for happiness. This is what the Lord offers those who trust Him!

• Blessed means “happy, fortunate, blissful.” Not a mere surface or shallow emotion. Jesus was describing the divinely-bestowed well-being that belongs only to the faithful child of God.

• The Beatitudes demonstrate that the way to heavenly blessedness is the opposite of the worldly path normally followed in pursuit of happiness.
• The worldly idea is that happiness is found in riches, merriment, abundance, leisure, and such things.
• The real truth is the very opposite. The Beatitudes give Jesus’ description of the character of true righteousness.
• The Beatitudes describe the attitudes that ought to be in our lives today. Four attitudes are described here.

What Is True Righteousness?  (Matt. 5:1–6)

A.   A Right Attitude Towards Self (V. 3). “Blessed are the poor in spirit”

1. Our Role is Explained (5:3 A): God Blesses Us When We Realize Our Need For Him.

To be poor in spirit means to be humble, to have a correct estimate of oneself (Rom. 12:3).

a.      Consider What Poor in Spirit is Not.

1.      It does not mean to be “poor spirited” and have no backbone at all!

2.      It is not a false humility that says, “I am not worth anything, I can’t do anything!”

3.      This does not refer to natural disposition even, but to one’s deliberate choice and discipline.

4.      “Poor in spirit” is the opposite of the world’s attitudes of self-praise, self-promotion, self-aggrandizement, and self-assertion. It is the opposite of self-sufficiency.

b.      Consider What Poor in Spirit is.

1.      The deep humility of recognizing one’s utter spiritual bankruptcy apart from God. It describes those who are acutely conscious of their own lost condition and hopelessness apart from God’s grace.

·        Matthew 9:12, But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  

·        Luke 18:13, And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

2.      In this humble honesty with ourselves we look to God to help us: know ourselves, accept ourselves, and try to become what He recreated us to be for the glory of God.

3.      We are poor in spirit when we acknowledge our own helplessness and rely on God’s omnipotence.

4.      We must sense our own spiritual need and find our supply in the Lord.

2. Our Reward is Explained (5:3 B): The Kingdom Of Heaven Is Given To Us.

a. Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

1.      Jesus was teaching that the kingdom is a gracious gift to those who sense their own poverty of spirit.

2.      Beloved the truth of salvation by grace is clearly presupposed in this opening verse of the Sermon on the Mount.

3.      The message is not for the lost, but for the saved.

c.       The kingdom of heaven, is where self-sufficiency is not a virtue and self-exaltation is a vice, this spiritual kingdom of Christ belongs to genuinely humble believers right now.

1.      James 4:10, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

2.      1 Peter 5:6-7, Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: [7] Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

3.      Proverbs 29:23, A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

4.      Isaiah 2:11, The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

5.      Luke 18:9-14, And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: [10] Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. [11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. [12] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. [13] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. [14] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

 B. A Right Attitude Towards Sin (Vv. 4–6). 

1. We Mourn Over Sin And Despise It. “Blessed are they that mourn”

We see sin the way God sees it and seek to treat it the way God does. Those who cover, excuse, explain away, rationalize, or defend their sin certainly have the wrong attitude.

a. Our Role is Defined: God Blesses Those Who Mourn (5:4 A).

1.      They that mourn.  Mourning over sin is the correct attitude, the godly sorrow that produces repentance leading to salvation without any regret (2 Cor. 7:10).

2.      This does not refer to mourning because of the unfavorable situations of life.

3.      This is the sorrow which one experiences because of fellowship with the Lord Jesus. It is an active sharing of the world’s hurt and sin with Jesus.

a.       Therefore, it includes, not only sorrow for one’s own sin,

b.      But also sorrow because of the world’s appalling condition,

c.       The World’s rejection of the Savior, and the doom of those who refuse His mercy.

b. Our Reward is Defined: We Will Be Comforted (5:4 B).

We who mourn are blessed because a day of comfort awaits us.

1.      The “comfort” is the blessing of forgiveness and pardon.

·        Isaiah 40:1-2, Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. [2] Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.  (1Jn. 1:9; Jer. 33:8)

2.      The “comfort” is the blessing of renewed fellowship and strength.

•      Isaiah 12:1-2, And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. [2] Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

3.      We who mourn now will be comforted in the coming day also when “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (Rev. 21:4). Believers do all their mourning in this life; for unbelievers, today’s grief is only a foretaste of eternal sorrow.   

2.      We Meekly Submit to God’s Will.  “Blessed are the meek”

We not only mourn over our sins, but we should also meekly submit to God (Luke 18:9–14; Phil. 3:3–10).

a. The Role (5:5 A): God Blesses The Meek/Gentle And Lowly.

1.      Meekness Is The Opposite Of Being Out Of Control.

·        It is supreme self-control empowered by the Spirit (Gal. 5:23).

·        “Meekness-- an attitude of humility toward God and gentleness toward people, springing from a recognition that God is in control”  –Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary

2.      Meekness Is Not Weakness, For Both Moses And Jesus Were Meek Men (Num. 12:3; Matt. 11:29).

a.       Although weakness and meekness may look similar, they are not the same.

1.      Weakness is due to negative circumstances, such as lack of strength or lack of courage.

2.      But meekness is due to a person’s conscious choice. It is strength and courage under control, coupled with kindness.

b.      By nature we may be volatile, harsh, grouchy, temperamental, and gruff.

c.       But by purposefully taking Christ’s spirit on us, we become meek (adaptable, tolerant, subdued, pliable); there is a gentleness of strength about the believer submitted to the Spirit’s control (Matt. 11:29).

3.      This word “meek” describe a horse that has been broken. It refers to power under control for the purpose of satisfying God’s will.

a.       Meekness implies acceptance of one’s own lowly position.

b.      The meek person is gentle and mild in his own cause, though he may be a lion in God’s cause or in defending others.

b. The Reward (5:5 B): The Whole Earth Will Belong To Us.

1. A Third Blessing Is Pronounced On The Meek: they shall inherit the earth.

a.       The meek do not now inherit the earth;

b.      Rather we currently inherit abuse, mistreatment, disregard and dispossession.

c.       But we will literally inherit the earth when Christ, the King, reigns for a thousand years in peace and prosperity.

2. This Promise Gives Us The Strength To Be Patient and Tolerant In Unfair Conditions.

a.       We know God’s in control. Therefore, we don’t have a need to always fight, challenge, or demand our rights.

b.      Many times a failure to “Submit to God’s Will” leads us into sin!

c.       But, if we Graciously Bear Up Under the Mistreatment Now, The Entire Earth will be ours when it’s worth having (Ps. 37:11).

This is only the beginning of our examination of our Lord's legitimate expectations for us as His followers. We have seen that we are to have a right attitude about self and sin from His Sermon on the Mount. The next or sequel to this post will afford us additional insight into Christ's designs for the Christian experience. I sincerely hope you will continue with me through this exploration of our Lord's expectations and blessings. 

It has been well observed, that no comment could be more hurtful to the Christian than the words “But you are no different from anybody else.” One recurring motif throughout the entire Bible from beginning to end is that God purposes to call out a people for Himself. Such privileged individuals are to be reserved exclusively for His purposes, pleasure, and excellent glory. We do not belong to the world; we do belong to Him. As such we want to honor and obey Him. Our focus is to be true to our spiritual identity, that is, to be “righteous” in all our outlook and behavior.

Savory Salt and Brilliant Light!

How would you describe our world and our beloved USA? Two words come to mind for me…decaying and dark. Yes, I would liken it to decaying flesh. The stench and putrefaction is not yet fully realized…death; however, has been. Furthermore, our country and world is groping aimlessly in darkness so great one can actually feel it. Blindness pervades throughout our land. Our world and our country are grappling with problems so complex we can hardly define them, much less conceive solutions to solve them. Yes, decaying and dark are the two images that come to mind when I think about the spiritual climate of our world. It is a sober and disconcerting matter to contemplate.

OUR PROBLEMS
Too pessimistic and harsh an assessment, you say? Well, in every sector of our culture abides abundant evidence of decay and darkness. This foreboding emergence can be seen in society, religion, families, economics, politics, and international affairs. If you doubt me, then consider the international corruption associated with every major political figure recently and presently bopping across the world’s stage. The geopolitical jostling for international respect, the mad scramble to secretly develop nuclear weaponry, the disastrous efforts to prevent rouge states from developing nuclear capability, the gross miscarriages of diplomacy, the ineffective military swats motivated by political expediency, genocide, terrorism, mass starvation, and the general international betrayals of trust are only a few confirmations of our bottomless sinfulness. We all stand absolutely bankrupt before the overwhelming spiritual poverty of our shipwrecked world!

Will you dare to take a good look at the dysfunctional paraplegia that grips our own USA? Education, welfare, health care, and government spending/budgets are actual and disturbing issues of national weightiness. Jamie J. Huston, a college and high school teacher, in an article entitled The Five Worst Problems In America Today–Revisited (April 3, 2009), identified these national problems about five years ago: “#5: Government Size and Spending,… #4: Individual Fiscal Irresponsibility,… #3: Decline of Morality in the Media,… #2: Decline of Literacy and Education,… #1: Decline of the Traditional Family” (Gently Hew Stone, http://gentlyhewstone.com). His astute observations remain an accurate description of our principle challenges. 

Also consider how that which is truly good is considered wrong and how that which is intrinsically evil is regarded as acceptable in our American society at large. Moral subjectivity and legal anarchy rule anymore; beloved, this is a freighting reality! Homosexuality, gay marriage, and the legalization of drugs are fearful issues, and the social, legal, health, and national implications of such miscarriages of responsibility have not been gravely thought through. Our list of nastiness continues with matters like ignoring/disregarding the Constitution of the USA by officials elected to uphold it, promoting a proclivity for selective law enforcement, and using government agencies (IRS) as battle axes against political opponents. The blatant disregard for existing laws while opting to unilaterally legislate from the bench in our court system has become roundly fashionable, and unilateral legislating has become the modes operandi for the oval office as well. Congress simply does not count and does not matter when it comes to actually accomplishing anything of real value for the American people. Our woes escalate with the unjust criminalizing of victims while routinely mollycoddling the criminals, and the solution to prison overpopulation is haphazardly releasing prisoners back onto the streets before their sentence expires. Reform, reform again, reform yet again...and again at the tax payer's expense is the standard procedure. Beloved, these exploits of ineptitude are violently serious miscarriages of justice for the honest law-abiding American citizen. This is only a sample of our challenges; a representation—just a few from the spectrum of issues we struggle under the weight of as a nation. Beloved, this is darkness and decay fiercely emerging!

Pause at the office door of any reputable economist and they will tell you the prognoses for our national economy are not as good as originally hoped for. The economy is relatively flat; growth is hampered by unfortunate policies and a persistently depressed housing market. Derek Thompson, a senior editor at The Atlantic, where he oversees the Business Channel, writes,

Washington's dysfunction is indisputable. But it is not America's first, second, or third biggest problem. Those are (1) the lingering effects of the housing bust are still impoverishing families and economic growth; (2) globalization pushing down wages for work that lives along a worldwide supply chain; and (3) essentials like health care, education, energy, and housing getting more expensive while families have to work longer hours just to keep up with microscopic inflation. (Feb. 22, 2013, The Atlantic, http://www.theatlantic.com/business)

Visit the average main line denomination Protestant pastor in his study down at the church and he will confirm that church attendance is down on average, thousands of churches have said their last amen and have closed their doors permanently, and hundreds of pastors quit the ministry annually. While Evangelical churches remain resilient, denominational Protestant congregations are declining and less Americans feel impressed to identify themselves with Christianity (Stetzer, Oct 1, 2013, http://www.christianitytoday.com). Matters like spiritual passion, moral purity, and Christian doctrinal orthodoxy have declined in emphasis, perspective, and practice throughout our culture. Churches are mistakenly overly infatuated with worldliness, formalism, explosive growth, emotionalism, entertainment, and pragmatism. Pure evangelism, biblical edification, supernaturalism, and doctrinal soundness all have been sacrificed on the alters of tolerance and political correctness. 

Consider talking to the average unemployment office and they will chirp unemployment numbers are down. Allan and Brian Beaulieu likewise view unemployment as declining. Actually, the unemployment rate is down to 6.6% (about 10.2 million workers) in January according to the Bureau of Labor (http://www.bls.gov/news.release). The U6 rate is currently 13.0%, which is substantially lower than the peak of 18.0% in March 2010. Though these are positive developments, the needs for employment greatly persists (http://www.industryweek.com). Yes, there are twice as many frustrated job seekers as there are active job seekers!

Though my portrayal of our world sounds pessimistic, it is roundly accurate and any perceptive soul can easily validate what I have written. In light of the present social, religions, economic, and political climate, we as a nation are decaying in utter darkness. I spell out these facts and observations because I wish to convey a complete appreciation for the size of our struggles in the USA. There is an abundance of supporting evidence for my opinions—we are witnessing the onset of massive darkness and decay. Except God have mercy and help us, we are absolutely hopeless.

MY PROPOSAL
My purpose here is not to contribute to the despair and gloom, but to offer a palpable hope. If our world is decaying, then what we need is salt to prevent any further decay. And if our world is enveloped in thick darkness, then what we need is light so we can see our way ahead. That’s right we need salt and light; to be more specific, we need savory salt and brilliant light. Consider the insightful and compelling words of our Lord Jesus, as He addresses His followers during the Sermon on the Mount. Christ declares,

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14, Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15, Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16)

Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount was addressing His disciples, His followers, and those who are adherents to His message and teachings. They were facing some pretty ruinous and dark days themselves as they struggled under foreign rule. For the disciples, such adherence, obedience, commitment, and discipline made them like Christ—savory and brilliant in the midst of decay and darkness. If we continue to hear His Word and govern ourselves accordingly, we will be salt and light in these needful times as well. From the divine perspective, it is actually Christ in us making us savory salt and brilliant light. We must continue to grow in true likeness to Him and God will use us to make a greater impact in the individuals we love, our homes, the cities we live in, our country, and even our world.

The mandate, according to our Savior, is for His followers to be savory salt and brilliant light! Salt in a decaying life or society preserves it from complete decadence and ruin. Light in a dark and confused person or home point the lost wanderers to the Light of the World, Jesus Christ (Jn. 8:12-20). If we are savory and brilliant we will have a potent impact, but if we are impure and dull we can scarcely be perceived as having any real answers or solutions to mankind’s greatest problem—sin. However, savory salt and brilliant light enthusiastically commend our Lord Christ to the lost most forcefully and convincingly. Salt is good, but savory salt is better! The more Christlike we are the greater our potential impact in the lives of those we minister to. Let us obey our Lord fully and "have salt in yourselves" (Mark 9:50). In addition, let us seize fresh opportunities to share Christ with others; He is our world's most profound need.  

Yes, salt preserves, but it must make contact with the people, society, the world in which we live in order to have its greatest impact. We do not become worldly to make an impact, but we must make contact with people, ideas, philosophies, and institutions in order to influence them for Christ. Isolation is not God’s plan, and the best insulation is a rich godly character. The point of impact is not exclusively through our words and arguments, but through Sermon on the Mount Spirit-filled character! Sermon on the Mount Christians will have a palpable impact for good on anything they come into contact with. Salt confined to a salt shaker is not Christ's design for us. Societies and nations are decaying from the inside out, and from the very top to the bottom. The only thing in this world to hold back the decay and putrefaction is Jesus Christ through savory Believers. Choose to be a force for God by being savory—distinctively Christ-like in character!

Consider this helpful insight from MacDonald and Farstad,

The Christian is like a city that is set on a hill: it is elevated above its surroundings and it shines in the midst of darkness. Those whose lives exhibit the traits of Christ’s teaching cannot be hidden.
He did not intend that we hoard the light of His teaching for ourselves, but that we share it with others. We should let our light so shine that as people see our good works, they will glorify our Father in heaven. The emphasis is on the ministry of Christian character. The winsomeness of lives in which Christ is seen speaks louder than the persuasion of words. (Believer’s Bible Commentary)

Therefore, be authentically and distinctively Christian—obviously Christlike—in heart, word, and deed. Make the choice to become a Sermon on the Mount Christian at your very core. Such Believers are salty and they bear meaningful light. Let each of us live out the realities of our faith and God will use us to influence not only our world, but the world for Him. Christians do not belong in the closet, but in the public square as testimonies to the saving grace of God in Jesus Christ. Let them see Christ that we may share Christ; this is how it works! This is a ministry of not only doing right, but most importantly being the right type of person. When this is the case, God, our Heavenly Father, is represented well and glorified accordingly. Then He is free to work among us in our beloved homes, cities, states, and country. The problems we face as a nation and the world are much bigger than we are. Ultimately this world longs hungrily (but ignorantly) for its true Savior, Lord, and King! Only when God intervenes can things truly change for the better. He will do His part; let us make sure we are doing our part as salt and light. That is, savory salt and brilliant light! God has not given up on this world, so why should we?