Exceed the Righteousness
Matthew 5:13-20
In his day, John Wesley was a really good preacher. Today, he might put people to sleep, since the average sermon was 45 minutes long and consisted of several parts and multiple scriptural proofs. But what he said in those sermons was powerful and gracious, and still needs to be heard. He did two sermons on our scripture reading today, which would take about 90 minutes to share. So, with your permission and forgiveness this morning, I will present both of those sermons – if, albeit, greatly condensed! He gave them the fairly utilitarian titles of “Upon Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount: Discourses 4 and 5.”
The armors of proof against Satan are the words of Jesus as he defends in the clearest and strongest manner the active and patient religion. Immediately after telling us about the necessity of suffering[in the Beatitudes], the Lord tells us that we are the salt of the earth. If the salt loses its flavor, it is good for nothing except to be thrown out and trodden under foot! A city on a hill cannot be hid, and a light is not lit to be hidden under a bushel. So I shall offer the armor of proof to you today in eight parts, to ward off Satan’s attempts to make our faith a private and personal matter only.
Part 1Christianity is essentially a social religion
By Christianity, I mean the method of worshipping God that is revealed to us in Jesus Christ. By social religion, I mean that it cannot subsist at all without society – without living and conversing with other people.
No disposition is more essential to Christianity than meekness, and while this implies resignation to God, or patience in pain and sickness, and may subsist in a hermit’s cell, it also implies mildness, gentleness and long-suffering before others. Without others, there is no need for meekness.
Also essential is peacemaking, or doing good. To set this aside, along with being merciful, being pure of heart and all the other fundamentals of this faith, is to insult our Great Master, even as it seems we are calling persons to greater faithfulness. How can we be merciful if we are solitary? How can we do good to all persons if there are no other persons around?
Indeed, we need to be engaged with the world, for they are indispensably necessary for our complete exercise of poverty of spirit, mourning, and every other disposition which is part of the true religion of Jesus Christ. Jesus would not tell us to turn the other cheek if there is no one to strike us; nor would he tell us to love our enemies if there were none opposed to us.
Part 2To turn Christianity into a solitary religion is to destroy it
As long as true religion abides in us, we cannot conceal it. We are the light of the world, and a city set on a hill cannot be hid. Your holiness makes you as conspicuous as the sun in the sky. You cannot hide from the world; neither can you hide in the world. Love cannot be hid, least of all when it shines forth in your actions.
Any religion that can be concealed is not the true religion of Jesus Christ. It is not only impossible to conceal true Christianity, but also contrary to the design of God!
So Christ tells us: We do not light a candle to put it under a bushel. We are not to hide it when we feel (falsely) that it would be prudent. We are not to hide it in the desert by avoiding people, or in the city by concealing our faith. We are to give light to the whole household of God.
Part 3Answering the objections to a social openly active Christianity
The first objection is that religion does not lie in outward things, but in the heart as union with God. It is not burnt offerings, but a pure and holy heart that God desires. It is true that the root of religion is in the heart. But if the root is truly in the heart, it will put out branches of outward obedience.
The second objection is that love is the fulfilling of the law, the end of the commandment, without which nothing we do profits us anything. Love is the fulfilling of the law, not by releasing us from the law but by constraining us to obey it. Giving a cup of cold water in the name of Christ will not lose its reward.
The third objection is that Paul told us to follow after charity, the more excellent way. Love is more excellent than the other spiritual gifts, but that does not exclude the other gifts as being excellent before God.
The fourth objection is that God is a Spirit, and we are to worship God in spirit and in truth. Isn’t that enough, the objectors ask. It is enough, if we worship in a manner that only spirits are capable of doing.
Contemplation is only one way to worship God in spirit and truth.
The grand objection is this: We did not profit from outward things. I will allow that the ordinances can be abused, mistaking the means for the ends. Remove the abuse, and use them with a constant eye to the renewal of your soul in righteousness and true holiness.
Part 4The practical application of letting your light shine
Let your lowliness of heart, your gentleness and meekness of wisdom, your weighty concern for the things of eternity, and sorrow for the sins and miseries of the world shine. Let your desire of universal holiness, and full happiness in God shine. Let your tender goodwill towards all people shine. Let your fervent love for God shine. Let it shine through your conversations, your actions, your doing all possible good to all people, and your suffering for righteousness’ sake.
Let your light shine before people that they may see your good works revealing Jesus Christ. Shine so that it gives light to all. Only do not seek your own praise, or desire any honor for yourself.
Go out and shine for Christ. Do not be ashamed, even if you must shine alone. Let the light shine in all good works, both of piety and mercy. And in order to enlarge your work, renounce all things superfluous; cut off unnecessary expenses for food, furniture and apparel; and cut off unnecessary expenses of time and useless employments. Be full of faith and love; do good; suffer evil. And then you will know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Part 5Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets.
The witness of the apostles is that Jesus did come to destroy the ceremonial or ritual law.
However, Jesus did not come to take away the moral law, for this is a law that can never be broken as the faithful way to heaven. Ceremonial law is written on stones; moral law is written on the heart. The finger of God wrote these moral laws, though by our sin we have scarred and defaced them.
Jesus said that he came to fulfill the law, which some take to mean only that Jesus was perfectly obedient to the law. In the context of this sermon, however, Jesus seems to mean that he came to establish the moral law in its fullness – its height and depth, its purity and spirituality.
Part 6Till heaven and earth pass away, the law does not pass away.
The moral law has not passed away because Jesus was able to fulfill it and then establish the gospel. The law continues as long as the creation!
There is nothing contrary between the moral law and the gospel, since they perfectly agree with each other. The law is a command; the gospel is a promise. “Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all your heart” is a commandment in which is a great promise of life with God!
The law makes way for, and points us to, the gospel. The gospel leads us to a more exact fulfilling of the law. “You shall love your neighbor” is a commandment that points to the gospel; the gospel helps us understand our love of our neighbor through our faith in Jesus Christ.
Part 7Those who teach another to break the law are the least in God’s kingdom
What sorts of people teach others to sin?
There are those who are good-natured, who live an easy and harmless life, and who do not trouble themselves with outward sins or with inward holiness, but simply fit in with whatever the neighbors are doing. This soothing presence makes people imagine that they are Christian when they are not – they are asleep, and they will be surprised when they wake up in the fires of hell.
The worst are those who proclaim that Jesus has abolished the law, and that we are under no obligation to observe the least or the greatest of the laws, if only we believe in Jesus Christ. This is to stand before Jesus and declare that Jesus did not know what he was talking about! Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing!
The surprise is that they believe they are honoring Christ when they overthrow his law. It is no different than Judas declaring, “Hail, Master,” and then betraying him with a kiss. We are not to talk of his blood, and then take away his crown! We are not to preach faith, and then abandon obedience.
Part 8Except your righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees,
ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of God
Jesus tells us about the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. They know and count on their own virtues, but not the design of God for applying those virtues to the law. They take pride in not being like others, who know their own sin.
They know and count on their own discipline, fasting twice a week, abstaining from food until the evening sacrifices begin, and using the time to study the scriptures. They have the form of godliness.
They know and count on their own generosity, giving a tithe of all that they possessed, being keenly aware of all that they possessed. Some even gave a second tenth to God for the poor.
Does our righteousness exceed that of the Pharisees? In externals, the Pharisee was singularly good, willing to obey God rather than man. Do we obey God, or do we swim with the stream? The Pharisee’s heart does not condemn them. Do we do anything that would condemn our hearts, by taking advantage of another’s ignorance or need?
A Pharisee used all the means of grace: fasting, public and private prayer, reading and hearing the scriptures, attending all the worship services. Do we go as far as this in seeking God?
The Pharisees paid tithes and gave alms of all they possessed. Do we give 20%, of both the principal and the increase? When we consider all that the Pharisees did, do we exceed their righteousness?
If we have only equaled it, we have not exceeded it, and we shall not enter into God’s kingdom. Where does a Christian’s righteousness exceed the Pharisees? In its extent – the Pharisees paid particular attention to keeping the Sabbath day, but they didn’t pay as much attention to swearing an oath. Their righteousness was partial; the righteousness of a real Christian is universal, observing all the moral law, and not just some.
The Christian fulfills the law not just in letter, but also in spirit, exceeding the righteousness of the Pharisees. Our righteousness is not just external, but also internal. The Pharisees cleaned only the outside of the cup, while the Christian is clean within. The Pharisees presented God a good life; the Christian, a holy heart. The Pharisees shake off the leaves, and maybe the fruit, of sin; the Christian has laid an axe to its roots. To do no harm, to do good, and to attend upon the ordinances of God (the righteousness of the Pharisees) is all external. To this the Christian adds poverty of spirit, mourning, meekness, hunger and thirst after righteousness, love of our neighbor, and purity of heart.
But don’t stop there – exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees! Do not be content to keep the whole law, except for one or two small points. Do all the things Christ commands, with all your might, for Christ will strengthen you, and without Christ you can do nothing. Above all, exceed their righteousness in purity and spirituality, and let your religion be from the heart. Be poor in spirit, humbled at the love of God that is in Christ Jesus! Be serious, letting all your actions flow from the deepest conviction that apart from God we are lost! Be meek, filled with mildness, gentleness, patience, and long-suffering towards all. Love God and love all people! And then you will exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees!
So ends John’s sermons. And here begins our calling. If you will let your light shine, if you will be the salt of the earth, if you will exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees, then stand and sing with me Hymn 593 “Here I Am, Lord.”