The Sermon of All Sermons, Part 3

And just 15 minutes. Jesus delivered a legendary screening has been recognized by scholars and admirers alike as the finest message of all time. For generations excerpts from the Beatitudes. In the sermon on the Mount have been quoted, memorized and engraved on plaques today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll guides us through helpful summary of his famous message while reminding us that it's not the words that contain power, but our response to them. Chuck is teaching for Matthew chapters 5, six and seven, titled his message. The sermon of all sermons before going further into this three chapters of this amount. I want to address a few of my comments to hypocrisy in our day.

We live around political hypocrisy is not a political statement. It's a true statement. Rare is the politician who is also a hypocrite.

They learn to play a part. They make promises they have no plans to keep and deliver them with persuasion to the point where you will vote for them believing they will keep their word. Most don't.

So there's political hypocrisy here's another one. There is a moral and ethical hypocrisy that is swept our times we leave an impression that an individual is trustworthy, has integrity and we find out later that person lied, then there's financial hypocrisy it's called fraud. We've all read of it funds a raise for one cause, but they are split for other things promises are broken, plans were phony. The fraud occurs and we are shocked. So the sermon on the Mount is a message that is for every one of us living today, the worst kind of hypocrisy in my opinion is religious hypocrisy, so-called spiritual leaders look one way, but in reality they do not live that way in private. They are another kind of person sermons are preached, but another one originated instead of Christ and his kingdom being enhanced the person himself is enhance the great temptation is to learn the system and to fit into that lifestyle. Now let's take a quick look at the survey of the sermon on the Mount right. Here's what I think Matthew is Matthew chapter 5 is teaching out with hypocrisy. Three words I could write them over the chapter 5 out with hypocrisy. The chapter falls neatly into three segments.

First, the Beatitudes verses three through 12.

The Beatitudes answer the question, what is it mean to have character Jesus great goal among his followers was not great productivity is not leaving the Great Depression. It was developing people with great character. They are who you think they are. They are real to the core. One of what that sounds like her. Looks like learn the Beatitudes when you get to chapter 5, verse 13, down through 16. We have another question answered. What is it mean to influence others by that I mean influencing them for the good. It means that we shake the salt verse 13. It means that we shine the light verse 14 it means that we spread good deeds among those around us. So verses 13 to 16. What is it mean to influence others for the good and then the end of the chapter 17 to 48. What is it mean to be godly, Jesus is drawing a contrast as he illustrates it from the commandments themselves show you what I mean. Verse 27. You've heard the commandment says you must not commit adultery. Verse 28.

I say to you, anyone who looks at a woman with lust already committed adultery say would be settable woman who looks at a man lustfully.

It's adultery. Jesus is she is correcting the understanding that it's something in the heart sees dealing with the inner person.

The commandment dealt with the outer person. This goes to the heart so out with hypocrisy. That's chapter 5 when you get to chapter 6 here's a new title down with performance down with performance it sink were trying to look good could, trying to appear pious. Here Jesus reaches over and peels off a two commonly used masks.

One is pride look at look at chapter 6, verse one.

What you don't do your good deeds publicly to be admired by others.

That's what the chapter was about is what this part of the sermon is about. Don't do what you do to cause other people to admire you or for the purpose of thinking better of you or your father has rewards for you in heaven.

So we just three illustration verse two when you give to someone in need. Don't blow a trumpet. Don't call attention to it in the street simply give, and you will have a reward, but if you give for these other reasons. Your reward is lost. Look at verse five when you pray, don't do it this way.

Like the hypocrites you love to pray in public on street corners where everyone can hear them tell you the truth the reward the that's all the reward deliver receive but when you pray going to your closet by your prayer life. He cultivated when you're alone in private not practice when you're in public but in verse 16 when you fast, don't make it obvious as the hypocrites do they try to look miserable.

They let themselves get dirty gallant. They walk around and so you will realize they been fasting, but when you fast, look normal, clean yourself up. Fasting is to be done in private.

Your father who sees everything, will reward you for then the other mask is the mask of looking called when in fact are filled with anxiety and Jesus addresses were re-verse 25 I tell you not to worry 27 can all your worries at a single moment to your life.

28.

Why worry about your clothing. 31 so don't worry about these things. Say what will be eat or drink or or where verse 34. Don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow has enough worries of its own, so you read the sermon on the Mount and you begin to take it to heart.

You realize that worry really has no place in your life.

So when you pray about something you leave it with him. You don't carry it with you as a burden. He tells us about doing that as he talks about down with performance to get to chapter 7 there's 1/3, I want to divide this chapter into two. How about up with acceptance, with acceptance and here he begins with those convicting words do not judge others and you will not be judged.

In other words accept others for what they are and for who they are. I love the way he illustrates it.

Verse three. Why worry about the suspect in your brother's eye or your friends. I when you have a law get in your own magic that walking along with his log in your own eye, trying to be a spec inspector in the life of someone else. The point is you got more things in your life that are wrong than the simple thing you're criticizing in someone else's life see how this hits hard to convince people must be charmed into righteousness really, I think you're one to Christ you're not embarrassed to believe in Christ, you're not criticized into the faith you charmed into the faith and the way we charm others is by accepting them for who they are. This is brand-new information for many of you, I realize, and I don't mean that to be insulting. So let me get specific we need to accept people who worship differently than we do. Rather than judge them. We need to accept those who look and dress differently than we do.

We need to accept those who are young and immature in making mistakes. Part of being young and immature. You make mistakes will write them off when you beat me to be accepting of those who struggle with addiction may not be your problem. Your struggle but you have your own addiction world strugglers about accepting those who make wrong choices rather than judging them. Some people it made wrong choices it's impacted your life and you carry a root of bitterness because of it.

You've not really taken. Matthew 71 to 5 to heart. You have a log in your own eye, which is bitterness even greater in the wrong that was done by the other individual about accepting those who need to be forgiven. These are all specs in a funny we live our life as though it's always the other person. That's the problem I thought of that when my friend sent me this story about Bert and Peggy, his wife Bert feared his wife Craig was in hearing as well as she used to. He thought she might need a hearing aid. Not quite sure how to approach her. He called the family doctor to discuss the problem. The doctor told him there's a simple informal test he can perform to give the doctor a better idea about whether or not there's been hearing loss. Here's what to do, said the dog stand about 40 feet away from her and in a normal conversational speaking tone. Say something to see if she hears you. If not, move about 30 feet from her and do the same. And then if no answer, then go 20 feet and then go until you get a response will that evening, he thought, this is the perfect time pegs in the kitchen cooking dinner. He's in the dance so he says about 40 feet from her right now. Let's see if this works so he says in a normal tone honey what's for dinner. No response from the kitchen so the husband was closer to the kitchen about 30 feet from his wife and he repeats pay what's for dinner.

No response. Next he moves into the dining room worries now about 20 feet from his wife and he says hi honey what's for dinner.

No response.

She walks to the kitchen door 10 feet from where she's cooking and he said hey. What are you cooking what's for dinner. No response, so he walks up right behind her. Just pay what's for dinner as love this Bert for the first time checking is not my brother is not my sister, it's me oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer. Start judging someone else because they're not doing what you think they ought to be doing when in fact what you're doing is worse than what they're doing down with performance. Here's a four you have them so far out with hypocrisy down with performance up with acceptance about all one with commitment versus 6 to 27 commitment to the gospel. That's verse six. Don't waste what is holy on people who are on holy, don't throw your pearls to pigs, though trampled, pearls then turn attack you know what that says to me deliver the goods. If they don't want to press on walkaway are not responsible for what someone does with the gospel.

I'm responsible for delivering it. I'm only a messenger boy, that's all I am.

I give a message.

What you do with it is between you and God is not between you and me. I'm committed to delivering the true that's what my responsibility as I'm committed to the gospel in verses 7 to 12 is a commitment to prayer. So since work on with commitment at this keep on asking what you will receive. Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.

Keep on seeking, and you will find people knocking on the door will be open to you. Keep on keep on those words of commitment. You ask and didn't receive.

Keep asking, keep knocking, keep seeking when you get down to verse 13. There's a commitment to the truth here he separates his audience from wide gate people to narrow gate people look at this this gets pretty pretty severe.

You can enter God's kingdom. Only through the narrow gate the highway to hell is broad.

The gate is wide for the many who choose that way, but the gate way up to life is very narrow the road is difficult only if you ever find many addresses false prophets as opposed to true teachers. Beware of false prophets, who come disguised as harmless sheep, but are really vicious wolves.

Let me warn you about false prophets.

They don't look like and they don't sound like they have a way about them. That is very very appealing, very convincing, but they're liars therefore helps their pseudo-prophets. We get to the end of the sermon of all sermons. He ends it with an illustration you can't forget we got one house built on bedrock we got another house built on sand. You know it so well you can finish this one built on rock is not move when the rains, and the flow drive. The one built on sand crumbles. The purpose of that illustration is to talk about those who listen and ignore the go right along with our lives and those who hear and otherwise building their house on the true that in the sermon of all sermon and the people cannot get over it hits them in ways that they've not been hit verbally before I must.

What's my response to a sermon like this there with me a few moments and I will give you for responses that come to me when I read through here and on very vulnerable in presenting the when I say I mean I you must say I live for yourself. I can't say it for you. Here's the first. I am not completely free of hypocrisy. I would like to tell you that I am I am not some dumb. I look back on something I did and I realize I was a hypocrite when I did that I look back on something I said and it was hypocritical to say it that way all of the way one man rights.

Unlike James and John, Lord, I size up other people in terms of what they can do for me how they could further my program, feed my ego satisfy my needs. Give me strategic advantage, I exploit people, ostensibly for your sake, but really for my own sake. Lord, I turn to you to get the inside track and obtain special favors your direction for for my schemes.

Your power for my projects. Your sanction for my my renditions your blank check for whatever I want on. Unlike change in John change me, Lord, make me a man who asks of you and of others.

What can I do for you. Not completely free of hypocrisy. So this sermon is going to speak to me in a very pungent convicting way.

Second, I do not always search my motives.

It's easy for me to put godliness on display easy to drop names. I wish I stopped rubbing means whatever once in a while a drop in name.

Embarrassed about it later when I rely leave clues about devotion I privately and secretly, like getting the credit when that is so inappropriate and unwise and un-biblical. I have an ear for the praise of others.

I should've gotten past the test. A long time ago but I'm not past. These are convicting admissions that their true number three I did not start judging others my acceptance quotient is still pretty low. You show up with a lot of tattoos. I don't think a lot of you missed my problem know I have a lot of tattoos I I just don't happen like tattoos would God didn't have everybody else die so I could be left in charge of the world to take care of folks that are walk around the tattoos, but after watching when I see people with tattoos. Several thing on that. Hopefully I'll get beyond tattoos with John we get to the end of the sermon on the Mount mind tolerances some right and sometimes downright offensive. Pride is still guarded alerted the day I walked out here with the pain of the what's wrong with me waterlogged mind walking in front of the people with the cane. Well, it made me look weak.

I realize the whole message I had to deliver the day was when I'm weak strong and noble and thoughtless and because I walk with a cane doesn't leave the image of strength when you walk with a cane around me to live with that kind of pride in the foot in the fourth and third and final one is I dare not continue to ignore what Jesus is taught. I dare not continue to ignore what is taught in the great that he taught these wonderful things is the dreadful that we keep reading them and keep living like we been living all these years and that about time we changed how do my best to cooperate with plan. If you do the same. I answer to the Lord for 10 you must answer to the Lord for your life. You know what occurs to me, and maybe you're hypocrisy.

That's Your loved one. I don't know. Maybe it's your lucky charm, because that fellow worker at at the office is not to be quite that interested in what's really beginning to transform your life sermon amount will help so worried for a very convicting. Weeks and you have my approval not to be here.

If you don't want to be but if you come, I'm not going to hold back and see what Jesus said to take it to heart.

Please about father, help us to preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary to use words deal with the scenarios where we cultivated in private. A lot of bad habits and then we perform behind a mask in public. Please forgive us for that bad habit. We've not yet broken for being more angry than anyone ever would believe, except those who live near us for being less tolerant than anyone else.

Whatever think we are, except those who been the recipients of our intolerant show suppression, a new the value of living like Christ taught, help us not to be like the majority at the same time not to be proud of the fact that were different. Help us to live the life that are to be lived for your glory and then get out of the way that you might convey the message. Thank you for these who patiently listened me make a different even this week in the name of Jesus I pray everyone sit a man good reason Chuck Swindoll titled today's message the sermon of all sermons. To learn more about this ministry. Visit us online@insightworld.org. Gratefully, there's much more to learn from Jesus historic sermon on the mount.

Now that we project summary the next several programs will be devoted to digging deeper into Matthew 567 and Insight for living. We realize that everyone comes to Jesus from a different background and burdened by a variety of different issues, but there's one thing we all have in common and that's learning to set aside our fears and trust in God's promises he will deliver on what he's promised. Whatever problems are restraining your confidence today were recommending that you request a devotional book chucks written is called perfect trust. When you apply the biblical principles in this book we believe God will reward your confidence in him with peace that truly satisfies to purchase a copy of perfect trust. Here's the number to call if you're listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 or go to insight.org/offer and then as God leads you. Please remember the influence of your donation to insight for living, our websites and our mailbox are filled with affirming notes. Each one tells the story of God's faithfulness as men and women learn to trust in him. Recently we heard from a listener who found insight for living in Brazil and another in Ghana referred to Chuck as his spiritual mentor and here's another comment from Oregon that says check your Bible teaching has reinforced my calling as a volunteer at a nearby youth correctional facility. People from all walks of life are benefiting from your generosity. Give a donation right now Collins listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 that's 1-800-772-8888 or you can also go online to insight.org join us again Monday. Chuck Swindoll presents the checklist for lasting joy right here on insight for living. The preceding message. The sermon of all sermons was copyrighted in 2015 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. all rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited