Sermon on the mount: Attitudes and actions

(One Perfect Life Chapters 50-51) For the next three weeks we will be studying the Sermon on the Mount. This is Jesus’ longest and best known discourse. First it looks at the proper attitude or mindset of the believer. Then it looks at the behaviors that flow from that mindset.

In Matthew 5:1-11 Jesus teaches his followers are to be poor in spirit – to be humble and not be spiritually self-satisfied. (“I’m a good person, of course I’m going to heaven.”) We will be comforted by God when we mourn over our spiritual bankruptcy and our need for a Savior to forgive our sins and reestablish our relationship with God. Salvation leads us to be meek (self-controlled) and merciful. We are to show others the same mercy that God showed us by dying for us.

We are promised to see God if we are pure in heart. Not perfect in every action but dedicated to keeping the commandments and following the teachings of Jesus. We are told we will be called the children of God when are peacemakers. We seek to bring peace between people and between others and ourselves. More importantly we seek to bring peace to the souls of people by helping them reconcile with God through Jesus by being “salt” and “light.”

Finally we are told that we are likely to be persecuted for our efforts to follow God and point others to Him. We live in a world that does not naturally seek God, understand they are sinners nor consciously attempt to reconcile with God. This reaalization leads to a series of woes on those with an improper attitude towards God (Luke 6:24-26). These people are spiritually self-satisfied, live for themselves and oppose the children of God.

Having explained how the believer is to approach their relationship with God and their neighbors, Jesus turns to the practical issue of how we implement these behaviors. We live as the people of God when we follow His commandments. I am not advocating salvation by keeping the law. Instead, out of gratitude for our salvation we are motivated to show God we love Him by keeping His commandments. Further, we look to the Law to explain the behaviors that show we “love our neighbors as ourselves.”