The Sermon on the Mount

King Jesus steps up on the platform for his inaugural address. As the leader of this Holy Nation, he begins, his proclamations about His kingdom, about life in it. He illustrates what His subjects can expect from His leadership. By His word, His subjects come to know Him. His speech is captured in the Scripture from Matt. 5:1-7:27. He announces to Christianity, this is life in my kingdom, this is what my people look like, act like, and who they are. He addresses the law and turns it inside out. He takes the external and makes it internal. His words cut to the heart. It is not a show, it is an inward reality. It is not just love for family, but love for enemies. It is not stockpiling wealth on earth, it is treasure in heaven. It is not unrealistic, it is by His grace. It is not a secret, but announced aloud. It is not without cost, it will require your life. It is not on display, but the Father in heaven sees what is done. It is not self-righteousness, but it is a righteousness that surpasses that of the Pharisees. It surpases that of the Pharisees, because there is one who fulfilled it all. This speech is about the life of one who did it all! He was all of it. He was the surpassing righteousness of the Phraisees. He was truly the author and perfecter of the Law. He embodied the Law. He was at such a level no self-righteous prude could touch. He was the thought that created the Law, He was the heart for the reason of the law. Here He stands speaking aloud to all these men. Speaking of things, we can not understand. Speaking of things we can not achieve. He knows it. He hopes it. Because He is more than able to carry us through it. He will put us on His back and carry us. Only He can take up all the sin, all the failure, all the sickness, all the struggle, all the death and lift it all up and take it upon Himself. Here our leader speaks. Here our leader shows us how to love thine enemy. He bears it all for us who sin against Him. For His enemies, He choses to die. He dies, but He rises again! Death has no power over Him!

This is our leader. His word gives us insight into who He is. His Word here for the world to see. Gazing into this Sermon on the Mount, his followers can catch a vision of Him they serve. Within our clouded minds light seems to pierce through the darkness of our misunderstanding. Our Savior lives and He speaks now as He did then, we have His Word in which to revel. So He speaks to them on the Mount as He does to us all about. Our call is the same as theirs. Those followers, the same as us. Our leader shares His will. He is a mighty Leader, a Divine Warrior, and he announces His wishes for us to carry. He takes our hand and acts as our guide to assist us by His power. Only looking to Him. Only under His wing. Only as He instructs. Only as He guides. Only as He carries us on toward that place He has prepared.

Oh, that I might loose myself in His gaze. That I might be done with all the struggle of flesh that is weak and only look to Him who Saved me. How might I let this gaze linger, a little longer? How do I hold on to it, without it rushing away? What might prolong it? Before the world hurries it away......