A Sermon on the Mount Approach

Last updated on: May 9, 2013 at 6:20 am by Faithful Democrats

A Sermon on the Mount Approach 2013-05-09T06:20:11-06:00 Faithful Democrats

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I have been a life long liberal and had always been turned away from

Christianity because of the religious right movement as well as the
dialogue that came from the mouths of so many Christians I knew.

In college, when I read the Bible with an open mind I was awe struck by the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus begins with the Beatitudes:

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. (Matthew 5:3-11)

Jesus is describing his ministry and the ministry he wishes for us, his followers, to carry out. We are to take care of the poor (in spirit and financially), we are to comfort those who mourn, be humble and merficul. We are to strive for righteousness and pureness of heart and be mediators for peace. Certainly a lofty task for each of us.

As I continued to read the Gospels I learned more and more about the actual teachings and actions of the man so many claim as their Savior from their sin. I was awakened to the possibility that many of these Christian believers were missing a major point to being a follower of Jesus and merely had stressed a different component of being a believer.

Jesus speaks predominantly about societal sin in the sense that God is on the side of the poor and the oppressed. This all makes sense because it was the Jews who were being oppressed by the Roman Empire as an occupying force.

Upon my initial reading of these texts I knew that I wanted to follow these teachings and the examples of Jesus. It was not too much longer before I took Jesus as my Savior for my sins and for the socital sins that I am part of. The scriptures pushed me to redidicate my life to correcting the injustices.

This is were faith comes in at just the opportune moment. It is here that in the fighting for justice and equality that faith takes you one step further than we can carry ourselves. The hope of the unseen just and equal world is merely another step closer with each thing we do. And the love of this just and equal world is supplied by the love of God for each human being.

Reader Blogs

Previous Post

September 14, 2006

Indiana Prayer

Next Post

September 14, 2006 The Slightly Less Than God Club

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category About Us About Us Action Center Advertise Ask a Theologian Ask a Theologian Blogs Books Campaign Blog Candidate Spotlights Commentary Donate Facebook Featured Writers Fellows Fellows From the Pulpit General Information Hillary Clinton Interfaith Blog Latest Media Center Media Center Media Center MyBlog MyBlog News Newsflash Newsflashes Our Team Reader Blogs RSS Sermon of the Week Shop Social Networking Static Items Support Talking Points Test blogs The Basics Theology Uncategorized YouTube

Select a Month November 2020 October 2020 February 2020 August 2019 July 2018 July 2017 March 2017 February 2017 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 June 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 January 2006 August 2004

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the ecumenical council where Roman Catholicism addressed modernization in the 1960s?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Trent Vatican II Ephesus Council of Nicaea