For over four months, I read the Sermon on the Mount each and every day. I was preaching a sermon series from the greatest of all sermons, so I wanted to get Jesus' teaching into my head and even more so into my heart and life. As I read this foundational - almost constitutional teaching each day, it dawned on me that in order to live out Jesus' exhortations which begin in Matt 5:21 and following, a person must become the kind of person that the Beatitudes in Matt 5:3-10 describe. Alas, I am not yet that guy! But I hope to be. I pray that through the Holy Spirit's transforming work in my life I become what those Beatitudes describe.
I need to become poor in spirit - not self-reliant, but Spirit reliant. I long to have the confidence that even when I mourn, God the Father will comfort me. If I want to inherit the renewed earth in the age to come, then I must become meek. If I find myself (which I often do) lacking in righteousness (both in my disposition and my actions) then I need a greater hunger and thirst for righteousness. God knows that I need mercy and so I must become merciful. And if I want to someday see God, then I need God to create in me a pure heart. And if I want to be a son of the King, then I must be one who pursues peace. And even if I am persecuted for righteousness' sake, I should not be surprised, but rather I should rejoice and be glad as I persevere towards God's heavenly kingdom to come on earth.
The more and more I become conformed to the image of Jesus and thus become like the above, the more I will be a faithful member of Christ's community - a community that is the salt of the earth, the light of the world, and the city set on a hill. And then, alongside my brothers and sisters in Christ, I will fulfill God's creational intentions by living out a greater righteousness that does to another what I would want done to myself. I won't be one who is angry and says hurtful things with my words. I'll be one who is not only faithful to my spouse with my actions, but even with my thoughts. I'll become a person of integrity who chooses not to retaliate when wronged, but instead chooses to go the extra mile and prays even for those who persecute me. And I won't practice my piety for show, but through a genuine relationship with God, I'll communicate simply and directly. God will become the treasure that I seek and I will learn to trust him to provide me with all I need, even allowing myself to go without from time to time. And then I can freely step away from the judgment seat and offer grace and mercy to others, because I am so aware of all the grace and mercy I have received through Jesus. I'll know that if I ask, I will receive, if I search, I will find, and if I knock, the door will be opened to me. Because I will have come to know that God is for me and not against me and that he is good, I will trust him with everything, including myself. And with that assurance, planted firmly in my heart, I will be able to walk (ever-so-slowly) down that hard road into the narrow gate. The Spirit will produce fruit in my life and I will not only know the Lord, but more importantly, I will be known by him. And then I can build the very foundation of my life on the rock of Jesus Christ, knowing that no matter how fierce the storm winds blow, nor how high the floods of life rise, my house will stand firm. And I will know that I can trust Jesus with all these things, because all authority in heaven and on earth has been granted to him.
I know that all of these things will one day be true. Not because I can achieve any of this on my own, but through the Spirit's transformation in my life, these things are gradually becoming a reality. Emphasis on gradually. And I am encouraged by Paul's writing to the Philippian church when he said, "he who began a good work in you all, will bring it to completion on the day of Jesus Christ. Come Lord Jesus - come! - Shay
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