So far in our study of Jesus we have seen that, even though He was just as much a man as we are here He was truly extra ordinary! From His origins which can be traced back through Scripture to the very beginning of time and before, to His birth and purpose and how He lived His life!
Today I want us to look at His teachings. And what we can say about them is- they are extra ordinary! Here was a man, a poor man from a poor family who lived in a poor village in Israel. As the oldest son it would have been His responsibility to follow in His father's footsteps and learn the trade of His father which was carpentry.
And because we don't hear much about Joseph after the events around Jesus' birth and once more a little later when Jesus was 12, it is widely accepted that at some point from then till Jesus began His ministry at 30 that Joseph died.
And being the 1st son and following in His father's trade, it would have been His responsibility to look after and provide for His mother and brothers and sisters. And as a result His schooling and education wouldn't have been great.
Not much is known about Jesus' childhood except for a few verses in Luke 2 where we are told His parents lost Him and found Him temple courts, asking questions and all the people around were amazed at His understanding and answers.
But nothing else is known about His early life. And definitely, unlike Paul who sat at the feet of one of the most well know Pharisees of the time and gained a great education, Jesus didn't sit at the feet of anyone! He didn't go to college or University or seminary or anything like that! He was just a poor carpenter!
Yet His teachings were amazing! 1000s of people would gather around to listen to Him. Many left their homes, their jobs and their families to sit at His feet and learn from Him! And that even today is pretty much unheard of! And His teachings are still changing lives almost 2000 years after He 1st taught them!
And what was amazing about His teachings were how radical they were! For centuries you had the Pharisees and the Scribes teaching the law of God and their interpretations of it to the people.
These were the well to do people, the educated people, the people had had dedicated their lives to not just teaching but doing what they taught! But over the years that had added to the Law and even put their teachings higher than what the Law was!
And Jesus was highly critical of them! In Matthew 5:20, that great Sermon on the Mount He even went as far as to say 'unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven'
Now remember, these were the men who, on the outside anyway, looked the part! They dressed right, fasted twice a week, and went far above what the Law of God required. They dedicated their lives to the Law and the people looked to them for instruction in it! But they had lost the spirit of the law!
It is said that if a Pharisee saw a woman drowning he wouldn't stretch out his arm to save her because he didn't want to touch a woman, or that he would build up his house because he thought about it on the Sabbath. And if a child was drowning he would take off the things around his arm before reaching in to rescue the child!
They were religious but had no relationship with God! They were dead on the inside! They were the blind leading the blind!
And then Jesus came and His teaching was radical! It was different! He didn't change the Law or contradict it but instead challenged the interpretations of the leading parties and pointed out where they were wrong!
For example, divorce. The Law of Moses had made provision for divorce. It a woman was charged with shameful deeds then divorce was allowed. The Rabbi's then took this and really went to town!
They taught that if a woman became ugly then this was shameful and the husband could divorce her. They taught that if a woman burn the food while cooking twice then the husband could divorce her!
But Jesus came and said 'No, that's the wrong interpretation of it! In fact God hates divorce, but, because of sin and the hardness of man's heart there are grounds where divorce is permissible. Adultery is that shameful deed Moses spoke about and nothing less!'
And if you read through the Sermon on the Mount you will read many instances where Jesus said 'You have heard it said...But I say...'
His teachings really were different! Revolutionary even!
In fact, if a person lived their life wholeheartedly as Jesus taught then he would live a life like no other on the face of this earth! If we followed the teachings of Christ wholeheartedly then our lives would be like no other on the face of the earth!
And that's the whole point! Jesus is teaching us about Kingdom living! He's teaching about how those on God's team are to live and act and speak! What He teaches is Kingdom culture, Kingdom behaviour! This is how children of God are to live!
These are not a bunch of rules or 'Do's' and 'Don't' to oppress us, but rather they are to liberate us! Still I feel guilt and sorrow for some of the things I did 10, 15 years ago! But I'm filled with joy in those times I helped someone, or sacrificed for someone.
As a parent teaches his children the ways in which they are to live and if you have kids you'll know you have to teach them how to share, how not to hit other kids, how to use to toilet etc.
Jesus is teaching us how the Father wants us to live. And if we study them, if we follow them, if we strive to live our lives according to them then our lives will make an impact!
Then our lives will make an impact on our family! If we follow the teachings of Jesus then our lives will make an impact on our community! Our lives will make an impact on this world in which we live!
We will be like salt! We will be as light! We will make a difference! Like those in the Welsh revival who, after conversion, brought back to their employer all the tools they had stolen over the years until there was no room to put them all!
And whose language changed so much that the horses in the mine didn't move because they couldn't understand they commands without the cursing! And pubs closed down because the men went to church instead of out drinking!! And that revival touched the whole world!
This is Kingdom living! This is the way of the Father! Jesus taught and is teaching us today how we, as Christians, are to live and conduct our selves so that our lives will make an impact for the glory of God!
