The first section of the sermon on the mount sets the perspective from which we see all activity. Then, Jesus goes into some detail about specific areas.
Let me explain a little further what I am seeing this morning. When Jesus shares the Beatitudes “God blesses those who…” or “Blessed are you when…(NIV)” what He is doing is summarizing the way we should approach daily life. In broad strokes He is saying: be humble, seek justice, recognize your poverty (need for God), be merciful, be wholesome, work for peace, suffer well. None of those are specific, though. For instance, How am I supposed to be humble and suffer well? What seems like suffering to me might be different from what you think suffering is. So, God gives an answer in the rest of the text. When I walk an extra mile, give my coat and my shirt, and when I allow myself to be struck twice (without retaliating) I am being humble, suffering well and working for peace. Here’s another example: When I don’t demand an audience to publicly approve of the work I do for the Lord, or to hear my long prayers….I am being humble, and perhaps even recognizing my poverty (which is what would have me praying in the first place).
In this way, the believer is the “salt and light” of the community. We are salt and light when we are humble, longsuffering, peace-loving, good..etc. That’s what the entire sermon on the mount is about. It isn’t a collection of isolated examples of different ways that we should behave in specific circumstances…it’s a broad picture of what the redeemed person thinks and acts like. Sure, God gives specific examples, but what we should be asking ourselves is: “What kind of person prays privately without desire to be recognized?” or “what kind of person goes out of their way to settle differences with others, before they are forced to by the court?” or “what kind of person loves their enemy, gives to the needy and doesn’t plot revenge?” one more: “What kind of person doesn’t look at attractive members of the opposite sex with lust in their heart?”
Jesus is telling us what kind of people we need to BE, not what jobs we need to DO.
How we act reveals how we are thinking, so if we want to BE something different, we should begin by thinking in a wholesome way. That’s why Paul says in Philippians 4:8 “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Paul’s summarization ties directly into what Jesus commands in the Beatitudes and the explanation that follows!
So, now we know what we are supposed to be, how in the world are we supposed to become that sort of person? As hard as I try, I am not going to be able to suddenly “not be angry” when someone does something offensive to me. And how am I supposed to keep my mind from wandering when I look at the opposite sex? Can anybody do that? The answer is “Yes, it is possible” But not through human strength. That’s noted for us in Galatians, where Paul (again, good ole Paul) describes for us the work of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23 says
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
This is the whole point: None of this is possible without the infilling of the Holy Spirit who guides, directs and empowers us to behave in the way that we should.
Here in the Beatitudes Jesus is describing a new way of life. A way of life that will draw attention, but the believer will reflect that back to God in heaven, and will “reflect” heaven to the people who express an interest.
When we display humility, forgiveness, long suffering or any other attribute, it will be no less a miracle than when Jesus caused the crippled man to walk, the blind to see or the dead man to come back to life. All of those were accomplished through the Holy Spirit, just as the changes in our life will be. And, the changes are accomplished for the same purpose….to reveal to an unholy world the need for a Savior, the possibility of a Savior, and the promise of heaven!
Faithfully,
PR