Building Life on Jesus: Grace Over Legalism
Summary
In the exploration of the Sermon on the Mount, a fresh perspective is presented that shifts the focus from an unattainable standard to a revelation of God's character. The traditional view of the Sermon as an impossible blueprint for human behavior is challenged, suggesting that the true purpose is to highlight the contrast between divine perfection and human imperfection. This contrast underscores the necessity of a Savior, as humans cannot meet the divine standard on their own.
The discussion delves into the pitfalls of religious legalism, which is seen as a result of an inadequate understanding of God's nature. Legalists, who believe they can impress God through their actions, are said to possess both a low view of God and an inflated view of themselves. The Sermon on the Mount, therefore, is not a checklist for righteousness but a pointer to the need for grace and redemption through Jesus Christ.
The choice presented is clear: to build one's life on the foundation of Jesus or to choose another path. Embracing Jesus means accepting that he has fulfilled the standards of righteousness on behalf of humanity. This acceptance is rooted in the belief that Jesus lived a sinless life, died, and rose again, offering his righteousness to those who believe in him. This foundational truth is encapsulated in 2 Corinthians 5:21, which speaks of becoming the righteousness of God in Jesus, not through one's own efforts.
Building a life on Jesus involves daily embracing one's brokenness, practicing gratitude, courageously professing faith, and living out the challenging teachings of the Sermon on the Mount. These teachings include managing anger, resisting lust, keeping one's word, praying for persecutors, and more. The difficulty of these teachings is acknowledged, as evidenced by the life of Leo Tolstoy, who, despite his efforts to live up to the Sermon's standards, ultimately failed and led a life marked by personal misery.
In contrast, Fyodor Dostoevsky's engagement with the Sermon on the Mount is highlighted as an example of someone who saw beyond the high standard to the perfect Savior. This perspective is recommended for reading the Sermon, as it emphasizes grace over law and God's presence in a fallen world.
The Sermon on the Mount begins with the Beatitudes, which bless those in desperate circumstances, and concludes with the analogy of building one's house on a rock or sand. The rock represents the teachings of Jesus, which, if followed, provide stability and endurance through life's inevitable storms. These storms are described in detail, including personal, relational, and spiritual challenges that everyone will face.
The message concludes with an invitation to build one's life on Jesus, who offers rest and restoration after the storms. This choice is contrasted with various worldly escapes that ultimately fail to satisfy or protect. The enduring message is that redemption and salvation are only possible through a Redeemer and Savior.
Key Takeaways:
- The Sermon on the Mount is not merely a set of ethical instructions but a revelation of God's character, which highlights the need for a Savior due to the vast gap between divine perfection and human ability. This understanding shifts the focus from self-reliance to reliance on Jesus' righteousness. [37:21]
- Religious legalism is critiqued as a misunderstanding of God's nature, revealing both an underestimation of God's holiness and an overestimation of human capability. True spirituality recognizes the impossibility of impressing God through human effort and instead rests in the grace provided by Jesus. [37:53]
- The choice to build one's life on Jesus is a daily commitment to humility, gratitude, and faithfulness in the face of life's challenges. It involves a recognition of personal brokenness and a reliance on the righteousness of Jesus rather than one's own merits. [39:02]
- The life of Leo Tolstoy serves as a cautionary tale of the despair that can result from attempting to live up to the Sermon's standards through personal effort. In contrast, the life of Fyodor Dostoevsky exemplifies the peace and grace found in focusing on the Savior behind the standards. [31:05]
- The Sermon on the Mount concludes with a powerful metaphor of building one's life on a solid foundation. Despite the storms of life, those who anchor themselves in the teachings of Jesus will endure, not because they are immune to damage, but because their foundation is unshakable. [25:08]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Matthew 5:3-12 (The Beatitudes)
2. Matthew 7:24-27 (The Wise and Foolish Builders)
3. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (Righteousness of God in Jesus)
#### Observation Questions
1. What are the characteristics of those who are called "blessed" in the Beatitudes? (Matthew 5:3-12)
2. According to Jesus, what happens to the house built on the rock versus the house built on sand when the storm comes? (Matthew 7:24-27)
3. How does 2 Corinthians 5:21 describe the exchange that takes place through Jesus' sacrifice?
4. In the sermon, what examples are given of the storms of life that people might face? [22:35]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Jesus consider the poor in spirit, those who mourn, and the meek as blessed? How does this contrast with worldly views of blessing? (Matthew 5:3-12)
2. What does it mean to build one's life on the teachings of Jesus, and how does this provide stability during life's storms? (Matthew 7:24-27)
3. How does the concept of becoming the righteousness of God in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21) shift the focus from self-reliance to reliance on Jesus' righteousness?
4. The sermon mentions the lives of Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky. How do their different approaches to the Sermon on the Mount illustrate the importance of focusing on the Savior rather than the standard? [31:05]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you faced a significant storm in your life. How did your foundation (what you were relying on) affect your ability to endure that storm? [22:35]
2. The sermon suggests that embracing one's brokenness and practicing gratitude are daily commitments. What are some practical ways you can incorporate these practices into your daily routine? [39:02]
3. Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount include managing anger, resisting lust, and keeping one's word. Which of these teachings do you find most challenging, and what steps can you take to better align your life with these principles? [26:43]
4. How can you shift your focus from trying to meet a high standard through your own efforts to relying on the grace and righteousness provided by Jesus? [37:21]
5. The sermon highlights the importance of recognizing personal brokenness and relying on Jesus' righteousness. How can you cultivate a mindset of humility and dependence on Jesus in your spiritual journey? [39:02]
6. Considering the metaphor of building one's house on the rock, what specific actions can you take to ensure that your life is anchored in the teachings of Jesus? [25:08]
7. The sermon concludes with an invitation to find rest and restoration in Jesus. What are some ways you can seek and experience this rest in your current life circumstances? [43:20]
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing the Savior's Righteousness
The Sermon on the Mount reveals our need for a Savior, as it exposes the gap between human ability and divine perfection. It is not a checklist for righteousness but a mirror reflecting our need for Jesus' grace. [37:21]
James 2:10 - "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it."
Reflection: How does recognizing your inability to achieve perfection on your own lead you to a deeper appreciation of Jesus' sacrifice?
Day 2: Rejecting the Illusion of Legalism
Legalism distorts the nature of God and inflates human capability, leading to a misguided attempt to earn God's favor. True spirituality is found in acknowledging the impossibility of impressing God through human effort and resting in Jesus' grace. [37:53]
Galatians 3:11 - "Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because 'the righteous will live by faith.'"
Reflection: In what ways have you tried to earn God's favor in the past, and how can you shift towards living by faith in His grace?
Day 3: Building Life on Jesus' Foundation
Choosing to build one's life on Jesus is a daily commitment to humility, gratitude, and faithfulness. It involves recognizing personal brokenness and relying on Jesus' righteousness rather than one's own merits. [39:02]
1 Peter 2:4-5 - "As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to replace self-reliance with trust in Jesus' righteousness?
Day 4: Learning from Lives of Faith
The lives of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky illustrate the despair of self-effort and the peace found in focusing on Jesus. Their stories encourage us to seek grace over self-achievement when engaging with the Sermon on the Mount. [31:05]
Hebrews 12:2 - "Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Reflection: How can the example of others who have struggled and found peace in Jesus encourage you in your own spiritual journey?
Day 5: Enduring Life's Storms with Jesus
The Sermon on the Mount concludes with the analogy of building on a solid foundation. Those who anchor themselves in Jesus' teachings will endure life's storms, not because they are immune to damage, but because their foundation is unshakable. [25:08]
Matthew 7:24-25 - "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock."
Reflection: What storms in life are you currently facing, and how can you ensure you are building your life on the solid foundation of Jesus' teachings?
Quotes
1) "Jesus gave these words not to cumber us but to tell us what God is like and when you see that this is a revelation of what God is like the contrast is I'm not like that and you're not like that." [36:41]
2) "Religious legalists like we talked about last week are those who have the lowest view of God of anyone you'll ever meet." [37:21]
3) "We can't meet the standard without the Savior that's precisely the point." [37:53]
4) "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." [39:02]
5) "Embrace your Brokenness every day and begin each morning from a position of humility." [39:02]
6) "Jesus did not promise there won't be any broken windows... he did promise that if you build your life on the rock... it did not fall." [42:13]
7) "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest... I'm here to build you up to restore you and to revive you." [43:20]
8) "People can't be redeemed without a redeemer; people can't be saved without a savior." [45:06]
9) "Our confidence, our faith, our hope is based on him who has never failed." [46:12]
10) "If you want to build your life on him it begins by embracing the reality that Jesus met the standard for you that you could never meet for yourself." [38:25]
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