What is a paradox?

A statement that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality, expresses a possible truth:

Isaiah 55:8–9 (NIV) ⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. ⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Matthew 5:43–48 (NIV) ⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Mark 9:35 (NIV) ³⁵ Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

Luke 9:23–25 (NIV) ²³ Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. ²⁵ What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

Matthew 5:48 (NIV) ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Why the series –

• We need to apply these principles—attitudes in our life as we see the drumbeat get louder politically
• Working backward – big picture to small picture

The sermon on the mount is Gods way of revealing His form of righteousness –too high for any to hit

• The sermon on the mount lays out the most stringent form of righteousness there is
• Jesus was laying out an unattainable righteousness (for humans)
• The right thing for the right reasons every single time

James 2:9–10 (NIV) ⁹ But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

Romans 3:22–25 (NIV) ²² This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—

Ephesians 2:3–10 (NIV) ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Building in reverse

1. The sermon builds to a conclusion –build your house on a foundation Matthew 7:24–27 (NIV) ²⁴ “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. ²⁵ 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. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

2. Seeking first: Matthew 6:31–34 (NASB95) ³¹ “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ ³² “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ³⁴ “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

3. When we do this, we are salt and light. Blessings

• Salt has meant to many – a preservative as far as the culture is concerned and a light that focuses on evil – brings it to light
• The misused passage – taken out of the middle of some profound directions
• The previous passages built to this
• The next passages reveal what that looks like in the way we treat enemies, what we pursue and live for –

Matthew 5:13–16 (NASB95) ¹³ “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. ¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; ¹⁵ nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

4. The part of the sermon we will be looking at in particular

• This is totally a Holy Spirit thing – man in his sinful state doesn’t see the world like this
• To live this is an act of faith because it doesn’t seem like it would work in any earthly way
• It would mean we would have to value different things

Matthew 5:1–12 (NIV) ¹ Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them. He said: ³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. ⁵ Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. ⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. ⁷ Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. ⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. ⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. ¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Jesus lays out what we should seek at the end of this sermon –the closing

This summer – lets really focus of being people who seek the Kingdom of heaven

For Small Group Discussion

Opening Question: What’s the weirdest thing you’ve put salt on?

Main Point: Jesus said to his disciples they are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.  God sees us with tremendous value and purpose. We are to be His light in a dark world and preserve the faith in our culture.

Main Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16

Head Questions

• What are the characteristics of salt? What are the different ways it can be used?
• What picture does this give for how Christians ought to live?

Heart Questions

• What do you think the world is looking for in this season?
• What questions or longs are they looking to satisfy?

Hands Questions

• How do others get a glimpse of Jesus when they look at you and your life?
• What are some practical things you can do this week to live out your calling as the salt of the earth?
• Additional Scripture:1 Peter 2:9-12, Colossians 1:12-14, Ephesians 5:8-14