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.
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.
Matthew 7:24-29
The Wise and Foolish Builders
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.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Matthew 22:34-40
The Greatest Commandment
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
There is more to life than personal happiness and personal pleasures...If we only live to satisfy our own personal desires would that enough in life, and would that be a full life...And how about being comfortable in life, wouldn’t that be great if we were always comfortable, twenty four hours a day...
Jesus and God and the Bible certainly teach us that there is more to life than happiness, pleasures, desires, and comfort...When Jesus gave His Sermon on the Mount to the crowd and to us, we can certainly see that there is more to life than only feeling good, with happiness, personal pleasures, desires, and being comfortable...Life is a potpourri of experiences which certainly includes being happy and being pleasures and being comfortable, but is not a total life, as we reflect on His Sermon on the Mount...
Is it possible that satisfying one's own happiness, pleasures, and desires finds little room for God and for others?...Can we love our neighbors is we are constantly pursuing our persona happiness and pleasures?...Is loving God and loving our neighbors a better way to lead one's life?...Jesus thinks so and tells us those are the Two Greatest Commandments...Searching for our own personal pleasures may ironically not lead to an abundant life...
C. S. Lewis said this about the subject of religion, “I didn’t go to religion to make me happy...I always knew a bottle of Port would do that...If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.”...
Lewis knew that wine made him happy, but drinking wine and being happy was not the only thing that life is about...There is more to life...Jesus in His Sermon teaches us that many experiences happen to us in life and to have God centered and be the foundation of our life, makes a life more abundant, even during troubled times and times of persecution...Blessed are those who love and acknowledge Jesus and spread His gospel, even in the face of insults and discomfort...One can rejoice and be glad in this life, because when we get to heaven, great is the reward...
Jesus knew that He would mourn...He mourned with Mary and Martha, when their brother Lazarus died...Jesus wept...He knew one of His Disciples would betray Him, and He knew one of His Disciples would betray Him three times...He knew that He would die tortured on the cross...Jesus knew these things and chose to come and dwell with us...And Jesus is our model of how to live a Grand Life...
Those who hear Jesus words and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock...Life needs a foundation and Jesus teaches us this...The foundation is His Words and His Father...Life is many things, many experiences...