This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Sermon on the Mount” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, December 3, 1989.

The first poem. Wisdom hath builded her house. She hath hewn down, shewn out her seven pillars. She hath killed her beasts. She hath mingled her wine. She hath also furnished her table. She hath set forth her maidens, and she triumphed upon the high place of the city.

Whoso is simple, let him turn in his ears. As for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, Come, eat of my bread, drink of the wine which I have made. Forsake the foolish and learn, and go in the way of understanding. He let recruitment disorder give him to himself as a shame. He even rebuked it. A wicked man giveth to himself a path. His brutal, awful disorder must be defeated. Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will give thee yet life. Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. Hear the Lord giving the wind, and the melody of the wind of the storm. I am he that is from the north to the south, and he that is from the south to the east. He shall be mine, and I shall be mine, and I shall be mine. He shall be mine, and I shall be mine. He shall be mine, and I shall be mine. I’m turning over. That looks like a 7. There’s a 6. Good Bob, that looks like he’s holding onto the dog. Either a half G or curl, or swan. That’s a trample down under their feet. Turn again. Where’d he go?

Reflecting 7 of the 7 statements. They have by Jesus this portion of the plan. Previously, we have identified that the 6th verse of the 7th chapter is a reflection of the plan in verse 19 of the 6th chapter. Section began with the words, do not lay up to yourself treasures upon earth. And he said that the 19th verse of this chapter began with the inception of new laws, a series of new laws.

Verse 19, do not lay up to yourself treasures upon earth. the second verse, do not, and five, do not be anxious. Then, the first verse, the seventh chapter, do not judge. And finally, the sixth verse, the seventh chapter, do not give in to drugs. And the seventh and fourth, do not.

But now we have to re-calculate. because if you look carefully at what was preceded that section, you’ll notice something else. The power of the preceding section, when Rowe is almost all followed in that section at the end of the first six chapters. At some point in the first few chapters, Rowe begins with an opening clause, When therefore ye give alms, then will follow a do-not phrase.

Do not sound the trumpet before him. Do not say in verse 5 that Jesus speaks about prayer. Do not say in verse 16 that Jesus talks about fasting. As for you, the structure of the Sermon on the Mount points out that we don’t really have here four Enoch statements by Jesus beginning with the 19th verse of the book.

Rather, we have seven. There are seven statements from Jesus, including the first two in Genesis 6, and including the first two in Genesis 7. There is a difference between the first three statements and the last four. There is that qualifying reduction in each of the first three when you give your all When you pray, when you pray. So these first three statements are qualified and they apply to the occasional duties of the people of God. When in fact you find yourself involved in these activities, do not do such and such, rather do something else. It helps to simplify if you move from chapter 6, verses 2 through 18 into chapter 6, 19 through chapter 7, verse 6. And the latter four do not appear. You have no qualification whatsoever. In fact, there is no time consideration introduced at all.

In other words, we have perpetual duties laying before us in each person. Not simply when you’re engaged in a particular activity, but whenever it might be. It is always appropriate for you to be lighting up for yourself treasures of heaven, as opposed to lighting up treasures upon earth. It is always appropriate for you to be laying to rest anxiety, on building up your confidence. It is always appropriate for you not to be engaging in judgments that are inappropriate and unrighteous. And this violence, of course, is always appropriate to do. Not to be giving too much attention to the dog. Not casting your furrow before the sword.

Jesus and his servant suffered. There are seven statements by Jesus that are qualified by the pneumonic phrase. The pneumonic statements of Christ, healed, leading us from this chapter in 2nd Corinthians. But the grouping of things in seven statements strange loss, certainly, is a method used by Jesus. For instance, look at verse 13 of the chapter of Matthew. Some of you know this. It’s the parable chapter. And if you count the parables in Matthew 13, you’ll find that Jesus’ birth, that particular sentence, gave how many? Why, seven. Seven? Oh, by which you would explain the mystery of the kingdom. Perfect explanation for the kingdom of heaven. Seven crowns given by the man. Then if you would have turned back to the first part of the Sermon on the Mount.

Oh, I know there’s an argument out there about how many attitudes there are, but I can tell you that yes, the attitudes move us from verse three to verse nine, and there they stop. There are seven weapons. Seven weapons. And even within the section that we’re looking at this morning, Chapter 6, moving into Chapter 7. In Chapter 6, verses 9 through 13 of the Holy Spirit, reckoning up the number of deficiencies. Some say there’s six.

I think it’s a good case to be made for the fact that there are seven. actually seven petitions. Seven parables, seven beatitudes, seven petitions, seven do not phrases. You understand the importance of that use of seven with respect to these various categories, as I’ve already suggested with regard to the parables.

Jesus’ explanation of the mystery of the kingdom. It’s a perfect explanation as he takes consideration of those seven. Why do I connect perfection with number 7? Because you see, the number 7 in Jewish law is always associated with completion, fullness, the full week, 7 days, God completes His work, everything is finished, the perfect work. the parables and the explanation of the mystery of the kingdom.

Perfectly granted. Understand those parables and you’ll understand the kingdom. What about the meal? It’s not as some have suggested that we have here the perfect formula for happiness. It’s not exactly that simple. We don’t move along that superficial line.

The Beatitudes are about blessedness. The blessedness of the kingdom that is now the property of those who are servants of, disciples of, the kingdom. Seventh Beatitudes, perfect blessedness for the disciples. the seven petitions, the perfect prayer. The Lord’s Prayer, the seven petitions, the perfect prayer. The complete prayer. Now we have the seven statements that move from the second verse of the sixth chapter through the sixth verse of the seventh chapter.

The do not statements. And in these verses, We have expounded for us to be quiet and free. Do you want to know about the professions I have? Are you interested in holiness? Read Matthew 6 and 7. the seven statements from Christ, summarizing for you the perfect Bible.

Now, you may be upset that these statements are negatively phrased. That may distress you somewhat. I know it’s the temperament of our time. We’re very annoying when people put things negative. There’s a negative qualifier involved in the statements that they make. And we’re very, very impatient with those that we judge who are negative. We’re very impatient with negative people. But in Jesus’ defense, the smartest, it’s important for you to remember, of course, But there’s another description of Christ we’ve given us in the Old Testament, and it too was couched in negative terms.

Thou shalt have no other body before thee. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. So simply because it is phrased negatively, we should not discount it and ask Jesus to rephrase it for us in terms that are much more agreeable to our disposition and the disposition of our time. Neither should we conclude, as we consider Jesus’ statements here, that the advantage of the New Testament is that it moves us from the negative image of the Old Testament into a positive frame of reference. But Jesus himself never spoke negatively.

Well, isn’t it obvious to us that he did? The negative formulation from the cases of this poet has its own advantages. Because that negative formulation presses us to consider the positive side that stands as the corollary of the negative proposition. It presses for consideration of the positive refrain statement in a way possibly the positive formulation cannot, does not.

Do you remember the catechism exposition of the commandments, for instance? Here is the negative statement out of the commandment that then the catechism expounds upon. The formula for consideration of each of the commandments is the same. It asks us the question, what is required in this specific commandment? And then it asks us, what is forbidden?

It’s appropriate. It is appropriate for us to consider the negative as well as the positive. Well, we have suggested that each of these negative statements have, in fact, a positive correlate. And at many points throughout, Jesus is himself expressing that positive correlate. You remember the magnificent positive corollary that appears in the latter part of the sixth chapter of Matthew? “…but seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all of these things shall be added unto you.” Well, that indeed is magnificent. But throughout, we can summarize what Jesus is saying with respect to the positive corollary. along these lines.

As he takes up the three pillars of piety, almsgiving, prayer, and fasting, in verses 2 through 18 of chapter 6, he is telling us that in our acts of devotion, in our acts of mercy and service, our eye must always be trained with respect to God and the One who is invisible. We cannot allow ourselves to become preoccupied or distracted by the things that we see, and we cannot be engaged in these activities in order to be seen of men and to be congratulated by them. The positive statement then is, we must have an eye for God. When we come to Jesus’ statements in verses 19 through 24, He places before us the imperative of heaven.

Not an eye that is trained for appreciation of the things of this earth, not a heart that is continually investing from the things of this earth, but rather a disposition of mind and spirit and soul that is focused well upon heaven above. We come to verses 25 through 44, chapter 6.

And the positive corollary here that stands over against anxiety is faith, and a heart that is filled Trust. A heart that is filled with trust. Don’t be anxious. Rather, believe. Trust. The positive corollary that we find for the opening verses of the seventh chapter, where Jesus is warning us against unrighteous judgment, is that we might have a heart that’s filled with mercy, a heart that leads always with love. It’s the first step. It’s that of love, with respect to the brethren. And now we come to verse 6. The statement is framed negatively. Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine. I’ve read Proverbs this morning for a reason, you see.

Because the positive corollary of this statement by Jesus is that we might have a soul, a spirit that is filled with wisdom. There are judgments to be rendered as to who is wise and who is a fool. And we cannot, we cannot avoid making those judgments. But may they be godly judgments. following after Jesus himself, and in compliance with what he felt. So that’s the positive injunction. But you might have a soul that is filled with wisdom. Now what is the soul that is filled with wisdom, in Jesus’ estimation?

Well, it is a soul that is in tune with the things that he has been saying all along in the sermon. A soul that is particularly sensitive to him, to his work, to his person. A soul that is particularly in tune with his activity as it bears upon the question of the kingdom of heaven. We do not disassociate the 6th verse of the 7th chapter from the 33rd verse of the 6th chapter.

If one is to be wise, if one is to make proper judgments, if one is to have a soul, a spirit that is filled with wisdom, it must be with respect to that kingdom that Jesus has come to express, to set before us, to inaugurate. The soul that is filled with wisdom prizes that which is holy. The soul that is filled with wisdom recognizes what is holy. The soul that is filled with wisdom is the soul that has been regenerated by the power of God.

And it knows the value of the kingdom and the things of the kingdom. Do dogs and swine prize holy things? Do they value the kingdom and its qualities? Well, there is something of an immediate allocation for Jesus’ words as he speaks these things to his disciples. And his explication will become even clearer to us if we move into the tenth chapter of Matthew, where Jesus is giving instruction to his disciples before they go out and preach the kingdom to the people of that day. through fifteen.

And into whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, abide there until you go away. And as you enter the house, give it your greeting. And if the house is worthy, let your greeting of peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your greeting of peace return to you. And whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake off the dust of your faith.

Truly, I say, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in that day of judgment than for that city. And even verse 60, Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be assured that he is as wise as serpents, and as innocent as dogs.

There is immediate application of these words from Jesus to his disciples, to his church, with respect to the proclamation of the word. But in their goings forth, they will indeed encounter those who manifestly display their own foolishness. And Jesus is saying, don’t delay. Long with them. Get them to learn, but if they don’t respond, move on. There are others yet to hear, to be reached. You might recall the missionary journeys to the Apostle Paul.

In Antioch of Pisidia, there was a revolt against him and the message that he brought. and were moved by the Jews. They turned on him. He shakes the dust from his feet and says, I turn now to the Gentiles. He does the same thing again in Corinth, and finally, in the very last chapter of the book of Acts, something of the same occurred, as Jesus turns from the Jews of that city to the Gentiles to preach the message.

The thing that we have to be sober about is, of course, the fact that these people were of the covenant. They are from the tribe of Abraham. They should have known that. There are fools in the house of God. There are dogs and swine in the house of God, who claim a covenant relationship. to God, even through Christ.

It is, of course, manifest truth. Now, if it was possible for those covenant members to actually dog and swine, what of our own case? It is not without reason we see that this verse in the history of the Church has been applied to the sacraments. Now, some would say that’s a far-fetched application of this verse. Well, maybe they are. Many respected, honored theologians and thinkers in the Church have seen a connection within the covenants.

Those who would pretend to come and partake of the sacraments not really understanding holy things, being profane in their hearts. The truth about them being that they are fools with respect to the kingdom and its grace. And the church then, rendering judgment, saying, no, we can’t allow you, we can’t permit you to come and partake, he said. Because to do so would be to give holy things to dogs to cast the pearl of the kingdom to slime. In the end, it seems that those who are false sons within the tale always prove themselves one way or another.

Do not they in time trample under feet the holy things have they not time and time again throughout the history of the church turned upon the truth and those who preached it betrayed them and participated in tearing those honored servants of the kingdom, the friends. Well, the perfect piety for the disciples of the kingdom in the negatively phrased series of seven statements by Jesus that force you to consider the positive qualities. If, indeed, you are not to cast your pearl-course wine and give holy things to God, you are, in fact, to have a soul, a mind, a spirit, filled with wisdom and discernment, being sure at all times that you know the value of holy things and the superlative value of the kingdom of heaven Oh Lord, we pray that you will keep us from a supercilious fire One that the judge has shaped like the one that appears in the 6th verse of the 7th chapter of Matthew. As out of bounds or inappropriate for a Christian, what of you?

O Lord, we ask, you will train us rather with respect to the wisdom that is in you. And help us, Father, even as we are about the business of our saving, as it is explained to us in that verse. Even as we are about that business, we will be kind and loving. Yet not we ourselves, but the same. May we stand with Christ for the value of holy things, for the superlative value of the Kingdom of Heaven, which is His.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.