The Sermon on the Mount
5 Jesus saw the crowds and went up a hill, where he sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2 and he began to teach them:
True Happiness
3 “Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor;
the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!
4 “Happy are those who mourn;
God will comfort them!
5 “Happy are those who are humble;
they will receive what God has promised!
6 “Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires;
God will satisfy them fully!
7 “Happy are those who are merciful to others;
God will be merciful to them!
8 “Happy are the pure in heart;
they will see God!
9 “Happy are those who work for peace;
God will call them his children!
10 “Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires;
the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!
11 “Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy and glad, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. This is how the prophets who lived before you were persecuted.
The Sermon on the Mount is a challenge to us!!! It’s a challenge to CLIMB higher and go higher in our THINKING. In our lives, and our thoughts. There are huge CROWD’S. but Jesus breaks away from them. And He is about to break these disciples out of their religious thinking into KINGDOM THINKING.
1. Happiness is found in CHARACTER not in possessions. (Every one of these BEATITUDES is something internal, not eternal, something you are , something you have)
2. GOD would never ask you to do or be something that is not possible. GOD never makes his WORD, his PROMISES, or His CHALLENGES Unattainable. GOD never direct us into dead-end.
3. GOD always leaves a gap. { of Dependency } You can’t practice the BEATITUDES without GOD. Which means you can’t be HAPPY without GOD.
4. These BEATITUDES are not natural for us. We need GOD to instill them in us and direct us. We look to GOD to help us & he will .
YOU WANT TO BE HAPPY ? Jesus shows us the way. It may take a little effort to get there but it’s doable with Jesus beside us helping us.
The CoMMITTED are willing to break out of their religious thinking and embrace KINGDOM Thinking .
