PerryDox – BeJustAChristian

Do we feel guilty when you read the Sermon on the Mount?  Do we look at ourselves and think, “I just don’t measure up?” If we do, you are not alone. But maybe, and this is an important life-changing point, we are reading it totally wrong.

May I suggest an alternative approach? There’s an old saying, “It’s all in how you look at it.” If we look at the teaching of Jesus as impossible ideals to be met in order to be a good Christian, then we will fail. If, however, we look at the words of Jesus as methods on how to be free, the Catalogue of Curses again become Beatitudes of Blessings. Freedom from: 1) Self and our Sin; 2) Self –serving Solutions; 3) Patterns of Self-destruction; 4) Self-righteous Religion. When viewed as words of freedom, and not impossible ideals, then the words of Jesus are gospel, that is good news.

The Sermon on the Mount is about the kingdom righteousness found within the kingdom of heaven. It is about the righteousness of God imitated by those who would seek and see God. It is about the reign of God in our hearts, our minds, our lives, our marriages, our religion, our everything.

Why is the sermon about freedom and not impossible ideals? The following 10 points easily break into three different categories: Before the Sermon; In the Sermon; After the Sermon.

1. John the Baptist and Jesus preached “repent for the kingdom of heaven is near” and repentance brings forgiveness which is freedom from sin.
2. Jesus preached “the gospel of the kingdom” and the gospel means “good news.”
3. The prophecies about Jesus and the Kingdom.
4. The work of Jesus prior to the Sermon on the Mount and afterwards are about freedom.
5. The Beatitudes say we will be blessed, not cursed, and looking at the Sermon on the Mount as impossible ideals bring the curse of guilt.
6. The Sermon teaches a necessary “Surpassing Righteousness”
7. The Beatitudes and Commands Protect from Self-Righteousness
8. The Beatitudes and Commands Protect from Self-Destruction
9. The Prayer to Ask, Seek, Knock and We Will Find

10. The Reaction of the Crowd

Tags: Sermon on the Mount

This entry was posted by PHall on Wednesday, August 15th, 2012 at 10:50 am and is filed under Matthew. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.