We're going to begin tonight
with a summary of the assignment that I gave you last week. And
I don't need to know who did and who didn't. It's not necessary.
But we wanted to look at Matthew 5, 6, and 7, which is the complete
Sermon on the Mount as a whole, praying that the Lord's blessings
would be to open His scriptures to our hearts and to enlighten
our understanding of His truth. So allow me, if you would, just
to give a summary of what that was. In Matthew 5, verses 1-12,
we see the Lord teaching Beatitudes. We call it the Beatitudes. Blessed are the poor in spirit.
Blessed are the meek. Blessed are the peacemakers.
And so on and so on. And then in 13-20, the Lord goes
into the salt of the earth saying, You are the salt. Ye are the
salt of the earth. And He goes through the teachings
of that. In verses 21-26, He teaches us
the teachings of murder. on murder and anger. In 27 through
30 of chapter 5 he teaches us on temptations and then 30 and
32 on divorce, 33 through 37 on giving oaths, on 38 through
42 forgiveness, on 43 through 48 teaching on love one's enemies. Chapter 6, verse 1 through 4,
he teaches us on giving. Verse 5 through 15, he teaches
us on prayer. 16 through 18, he teaches us
on fasting. 19 through 24, he teaches us
on treasures. 25 through 34, he teaches us
on worry. And then chapter 7, verse 1, through six, he teaches us on
being judged. Seven through 12, receiving,
asking and receiving. 13 and 14, straight and wide
gates. 15 through 23 we read about he teaches about
false prophets and then 24 through 27 sand rock sand and sand foundations
and then we come to what I wanted to look at tonight in detail
and lord willing we're going to come back to these and I'm
not quite sure how deep we'll go into those subjects how much
time we'll spend on each one in particular. Pray for me, if
you would, on the Lord that He might guide me in studying for
this and preparing for that for us beginning next week. But tonight,
I want to look at the last two verses of our text. Chapter 7,
verse 28, we read, and it came to pass. It came to pass. It happened exactly when God
had finished these things. This came to pass. When Jesus
had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His
doctrine. for he taught them as one having
authority and not as the scribes. In our handout, mid-page, we
read it again. The people were astonished at
his doctrine, for he taught them as one having authority and not
as the scribes. Some of the old translations
include this. They include and Pharisees at
the end of that sentence. Now, the word astonished literally
means amazed, awestruck. I recall another time when some
folks were astonished at his words. Luke chapter 2 verses
41 through 47, now his parents went to Jerusalem, we're talking
about the Lord Jesus and his parents, went to Jerusalem every
year at the Feast of the Passover, and when he was 12 years old,
they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the Feast, And
when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus
tarried behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and his mother knew
not of it, but they, supposing him to have been in the company,
went a day's journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk
and acquaintance. And when they found him not,
they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass
that after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in
the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them
questions. And all that heard him were astonished
at his understanding and answers. Now, I remember my amazement.
I remember my amazement, my astonishment when I first heard the word of
truth. how God manifested Himself in
the flesh, and because of His eternal love, He shed His own
blood for me. That was astonishing. That was
amazing to me. God had convicted me of the sinner
that I was, and He revealed His Son, the Lord Jesus, my Savior
to me. But there was much more that
I heard. I heard this One who loved a people and gave Himself
for them had all power. all authority. He was the God-man,
Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, the creator of all that is. As we read in John chapter 1
verse 14, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning
with God. All things were made by Him,
and without Him was not anything made that was made. That's John
chapter 1, verses 1 through 3. And then in verse 14, we read,
and the Word was made manifest, was made flesh, and dwelt among
us. And we beheld His glory, the
glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and
truth. Mark uses these same words Matthew
uses, yet of another time. Remember, Matthew is speaking
as they had finished the Sermon on the Mount. Mark here presents
it to us in Mark chapter 1, verse 21 and 22. And they went into
Capernaum, and straight away on the Sabbath day, he entered
into the synagogue, speaking of Christ, and taught. And they
were astonished. at his doctrine, for he taught
them as one that had authority." See, he says the same thing as
Matthew does. It's just a different time in
progression, and not as the scribes. Now, I want to stop there for
a moment. As we go into our studies of the Sermon on the Mount, I'm
going to hang a little carrot out here for you. We're going
to look at the Sermon on the Mount. and the difference in
how the Lord says things and teaches those things between
how he says it, how he puts things forth, and how the scribes put
things forth. So we're going to kind of compare
how the scribes talk and how the Lord talks. And we're going
to use all that the Lord teaches us there on that. And it's interesting,
because the first thing Roger told me, he said after he'd sat
down and listened to it, he goes, it sure sounds like a lot of
works. We're going to look at how Christ says those things
to us with grace in His voice. That's the difference, folks,
between the scribes and the Lord. The scribes teach works and Christ
teaches grace. So let that be a little carrot
for you dangling out there in front of you for our future Back
in our handout now, mid-page of page 2, Luke describes it
this way in Luke chapter 4, verses 31 through 32, "...and came down
to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the Sabbath
days. And they were astonished at his
doctrine, for his word was with power." That's important. That's important for us to understand
this. Lord willing, in our future studies,
we'll break down this sermon the Lord Jesus brought on that
mountain that day, considering the difference between the way
the scribes taught and the way he taught. But for today, let's
focus on, for his word was with power, for he taught them as
having authority. I have said this before and I
say it again, the first time in my life I heard the gospel,
the message was clear of one who truly deserves to be called
God. I clearly remember sitting there
on the chair that day and hearing Gene preach the gospel of Christ
and I thought to myself, now this is the first time I've ever
heard about it. one who could truly be called
God, sovereign ruler of everything. Everywhere else I had remembered
in my life, it was always, well, God would like you to do this,
or God wants you to do this, if you'll just come to this,
if you'll just do this. Here, God has done everything
for me. He's provided all that I need.
This is one who deserves to be called God, who deserves the
title God. I heard of one who has all power,
all authority, and nothing can stay his hand. After Mark wrote
what he was inspired to write there in chapter 1, he recorded
a miracle of the Lord to show the Lord's authority. And I have
that here in the handout, bottom of page 2. Mark chapter 1, 23
through 27, and there was in the synagogue a man with an unclean
spirit. Now does that not picture you
and I? And he cried out, saying, let us alone. What have we to
do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? How long did we cry out those
words ourselves? Forty years I walked this earth
before the Lord overruled the will of John. He goes on, and
he gets to the top of page three. Art thou come to destroy us,
says the demon? I know thee who thou art, he
says. the Holy One of God. He knew who he was, who he was
speaking to. And Jesus rebuked him, saying,
hold thy peace and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit
had torn him and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. And
they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves,
saying, what thing is this? What new doctrine, what new teaching
is this? For with authority commandeth
he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him." Folks,
demons are God's demons. The devil is God's devil. He
holds them on a chain. They can do nothing without the
authority. That's what the whole story of
Job is about. It's about God allowing the devil
to test his servant. Come, examine my servant, he
says. Oh, but you can't hurt him. You can't lay a finger on him. Do whatever you want to his cattle,
to his to his sheep, and to his property, but don't touch him.
Do whatever you want to his children, but you can't touch him. Okay,
do whatever you want, but you can't take his life. Give him
boils, whatever, touch his skin, but you can't do anything else.
God is sovereign over everything. He's God. We see clearly, back
in our handout, what is the totality of our Savior's dominion. especially
in the exercise of His saving grace. In this portion of Holy
Scriptures, we see that our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, truly
is God over all. Sickness and disease, Satan and
demons of hell, sin and death all flee at His word. With authority commandeth He
even the unclean spirits, and they do obey Him. That's what
we just read. For this purpose, the Son of
God was manifest that He might destroy the works of the devil. That's 1 John 3. And here we
see our Redeemer, the Holy One of God, destroying the works
of the devil in the life of a chosen sinner by His omnipotent grace. That poor soul in the synagogue
portrays every fallen man and woman under the dominion of Satan. God's elect are, like all others,
are by nature children of wrath. Isn't that what we read in Ephesians
2 verses 1 through 3? And you, hath he quickened who
were dead and trespassed in sin? Where in times past you walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prince
of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience? among whom also we all had our
conversations in time past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling
the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature
the children of wrath, even as others." Isn't that what we read
there? Does that not apply to you and
I as well? Absolutely. Yet on the Sabbath
day, this poor soul came to the house of God. There he sat as
Satan's helpless captive until the Lord Jesus met him in his
house and delivered him by his almighty grace, fulfilling Isaiah's
prophecy. Listen to this. Shall the prey
be taken from the mighty or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the Lord, even
the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of
the terrible shall be delivered. Page four. For I will contend
with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. I will feed them that oppress
thee with their own flesh, and they shall be drunken with their
own blood. as with sweet wine, and all flesh
shall know that I the Lord am thy Savior and thy Redeemer. Almighty One of Jacob. That's
in Isaiah 49, 24 through 26. At the very approach of our Savior,
the unclean spirit and that poor wretched trembled, knowing that
the Lord Jesus possesses all power and authority even over
Satan himself as the Holy One of God. The demons know Christ
as God in the flesh. They know, for in him dwelleth
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And when the Lord's day
of love comes for each of his chosen blood-bought people, we
are assured of this as well, causing us to see and know, and
ye are complete in him. which is the head of all principality
and power. We're complete in the one who's
the head of everything, all principalities, all power. In whom also ye are
circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting
off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of
Christ, buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with
him through the faith of the operation of God. who hath raised
him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins,
and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened, made
alive together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against
us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing
it to his cross. And having spoiled principalities
and powers, listen to what comes next, he made a show of them
openly, triumphing over them. That's Colossians 2 verses 9
through 15. What confidence, what confidence
folks, what confidence believing souls ought to have in such a
Savior. No weapon formed can prosper
against us, Isaiah 45, 17. It says, no weapon that is formed
against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise
against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage
of the saints of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me,
saith the Lord. No temptation can destroy us. 1 Corinthians 10 verse 13, there
has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man. But
God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above
that ye are able. But will with temptation also
make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it. And the
God of peace shall bruise Satan under our heels shortly, as we
read in Romans 16, 20. And the God of peace shall bruise
Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you. Amen. He who loved us and gave
himself for us is the absolute sovereign monarch of the universe. We may safely trust him. He is
too wise to err, too good to do wrong, and too strong to fail. Matthew 28, 18, and Jesus came
and spake unto them, saying, all power is given unto me in
heaven and in earth. He is the head of all principality
and power, as we read a moment ago in Colossians. Listen to
Romans 11, 33 through 36. Oh, the depth of the riches,
both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are
his judgments and his ways past finding out. For who hath known
the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counselor, or who
hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto
him? For of him and through him and to him are all things to
whom be glory forever. Amen. Is this not the prayer
of his saints, those who have experienced his grace? Do we
not have this desire that by his power others will come to
him as he has purposed? The Apostle Paul had this same
desire, and when the Lord blessed him with knowledge of those who
had the gospel preached to them and were converted, the Spirit
inspired Paul to write these words to the Ephesians, chapter
one, beginning at verse 15. Wherefore, I also, after I heard
of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto the saints, page
seven, I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you
in my prayers." When we discover a work of God's grace in other
people, it always leads us to two special responses. First,
we give thanks to God for them because this life and love in
them is not a product of their merit, but a gift of God as it
is to yours and mine. Secondly, we pray for them. Moreover,
as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing
to pray for you. We pray for our brothers and
sisters in Christ, just as we did in the beginning of tonight's
message, in the beginning of tonight's service. In these next
verses, Paul gives us a summary of his prayers to God on their
behalf. And we read verses 17 through
19 of Ephesians 1, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of him. Do you see the grace here,
folks? Do you see the grace that God
speaks? That's not what the scribes spoke
of. This is what this difference between the amazement, the astonishment
of the authority that Christ spoke of, the difference between
that and the scribes. going on in our handout there,
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may
know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of
the glory of his inheritance and his saints and what is the
exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe according to
the working of his mighty power. that the eyes of your understanding
may be flooded with light and understanding that you might
see, this is talking about that, this is our prayer for our brothers
and sisters, that you might see the sinfulness of your sin, the
depth of your depravity. Secondly, the insufficiency of
your own righteousness. And then thirdly, the beauty
and the glory and suitableness of Christ as our Redeemer and
our Lord. that we might see this power
of God in our conversion and our faith, the power that regenerated
us, the power of God that raised us from the dead and formed Christ
in us, page seven. It goes on to say in verses 13
through 15 of Colossians, and you being dead in your sins and
the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with
him, having forgiven you all trespasses. blotting out the
handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary
to us and took it out of the way. That's the law, the law
of Moses, the ordinances that were contrary to the spirit and
took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross, and having spoiled
principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing
over them in it. Back in Ephesians, we read in
verse 20, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from
the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. This power of God that quickened
us and made us to live spiritually is compared with the power which
God raised Christ from the dead. Christ was raised for our justification
as our representative. We live because he lives, and
we are free from sin because our surety, who bore our sins,
is now free from them in heaven. But there's a likeness between
his resurrection and our quickening. His resurrection is called a
begetting. He is the first begotten from
the dead. Our regeneration is termed as
a beginning in 1 Peter 1, verse 3, blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy
hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead. Secondly, his human body was
lifeless, as natural men are without spiritual life. His human
body could not raise itself, as we cannot give ourselves life.
His resurrection was the pure, unaided work of God, as is our
regeneration. Listen to, again, Ephesians 2,
verse 1. And you hath he quickened, made
alive, raised from the dead, who were dead in trespasses and
sins, Fifthly, his resurrection led to his exaltation at the
right hand of God and is where in our representative Christ,
we who are regenerated are already seated. That's what we read in
verse six of Ephesians two, and have raised us up together and
made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Page 8, going on in Ephesians
chapter 1, we read in verse 21 through 23, far above all principality,
and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named,
not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and
hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the
head over all things to the church which is his body, the fullness
of him that filleth all in all. Christ our Lord, because of his
finished work, is exalted far above all rule or authority. He is above all power and dominion
in heaven, earth, and hell, and above every name that is named
or title that can be conferred in this world or the world to
come. Colossians 1 verse 16 and 18, for by him were all things
created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and
invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities
or powers. All things were created by him
and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things
consist. Philippians 2 verses 8 to 11,
and being found in a fashion of his man, he humbled himself
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name
which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow of things in heaven and things in the earth and things
under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord. to the glory of God the Father.
He has authority over all, especially his church. Christ has all authority. Listen to John 17 too. As thou
hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal
life to as many as thou hast given him. Christ is the supreme
head of his church. This headship is an honorable,
glorifying gift to him as mediator, but it is also a grace gift to
the church. For He, our Savior, the Lord
Jesus, rules for our good. Isn't that what we read in Romans
8, 28 through 20, not 25, through 35, I think it is. And we know
that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom he did
foreknow, he also did predestinate, to be conformed to the image
of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover, whom he did predestinate, Them he also called, and whom
he called, them he also justified. Notice who it is doing the work
here. Our sovereign God has it all worked out for us. Them he
also justified, and whom he justified, them he will also glorify. He also glorified. What shall
we say then to these things? If our God is supreme ruler over
all things and we have nothing to worry about, if we know that
all things are for our good, what shall we say then for these
things? If God before us, who can be against us? He that spared
not his own son, but delivered him up for us all. And this is
the gospel, folks. This is the gospel message. This
is the blood message that needs to be heard by God's ministers
on every message. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It
is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again. who is even
at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for
us, who shall separate us from the love of Christ. He's all-sovereign. He's all-powerful. He speaks to you and I as one
of authority, not like the religious men of the world who say, come
forth and do something. God's done all he can. He's waiting
for you. But Christ has done it all. He
speaks to you and I with full authority as God in the flesh. These are the inspired words
of God who has all authority. He performs all offices for our
salvation, and He communicates all good things to us. O Lord,
our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth. Psalms chapter 8, verse 9.