Matthew 5:1-12
Sermon on the Mount
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.
The Beatitudes
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’ Sermon on the Mount disturbs my thinking process and the way that life is and the way that most people think of life...It seems that His Sermon is not the real life...Or is it?...The Sermon on the Mount is uncomfortable and uneasy for me...But we know that since Jesus gave us this Sermon, He wants to shake us, He wants us to study it and He wants us to reflect on it...The Sermon is His and it is how He sees the world...This is how He sees the world...He wants us to listen to Him...This Sermon is the real world, and real life...Jesus did not want to make the Sermon easy and comforting and He does not...The Sermon on the Mount hits us right in the face and asks, if not tells us to change our thinking and our worldview about what is in the world and what it is to be blessed...
In a world that seems to favor the richest, the most powerful, the famous -Jesus seems to be saying much about those groups...The world often brings disappointment and suffering to the poor, the weak, and those who people know the least to those who need this help...The world is hardest on those who need help the most, and Jesus is there for them...And Jesus says they are the ones who are blessed by Him...
The Sermon on the Mount tells us a lot about the Kingdom of God and who maybe there...