The Inner life

Our Lord begins the Sermon on the Mount by listing 8 qualities of the Christian character. At the very outset, He makes it clear the fact that true religion come from within the heart and the soul of man. Through the years, men have held to various ideas of what religion consists.

For some, religion is knowing the right answers to the right questions, for them the basics of religion is knowing where they stand on various topics. Or at least knowing the right answers. Many of taught their children that knowing these answers is what grounds you in your faith. But, as this children mature into adulthood, many times it is tragically evident that their faith has no bearing on their lives. It is not enough to be able to answer the right questions. Truth must be a part of our existence, our emotions, are very inner selves.

Others felt that proper religious training begins with memorizing Bible verses. As children and sunny school, mini grow up with the idea that the most important thing we could do is to learn how to memorize scripture, and that we should be able to quote it at any time. Many people felt that teaching their children to memorize passages of scripture, they were laying the foundation of religious faith. Many of us remember how, as children, we were encouraged to memorize the names of the books of the Bible, and it is a wonderful thing that we could quickly look up the reference in the Bible. Remember the wonderful game of sword drills. Surely there is no dispute on the value of learning the Bible, and even knowing how to use this blessed book is vitally important in the life of a believer. But, we have to come to the conclusion that unless the Bible is related to life, especially our own lives, it does not mean it sinks and to one soul.

Others have felt that true religion consist of understanding why we act the way we act, and the emphasis has been on the study of man, and the problem of evil, as we emphasized a behavior psychology.

Still others felt that the main concern of religion is the application of truth to the various social problems of our day. For some, a sermon that does not deal with the race question is not the true gospel sermon. Matters such as war and peace, alcohol, prosperity, the reading literature and all sorts of others social evils are the main concern for religious faith. The purpose of religion, as they see it, is to change all sorts of these evil things.

It Begins Inside

As we begin the sermon on the mount, we realize that the main Stress in religion is on how we find our true self, and true religious faith begins with the inner man. For many people, religion comes like a Christmas tree. We go out and cut down or buy a pretty little tree and bring it into our house. Then we decorated with lights, and tensile, and many other things. But all of the beauty comes from what is tacked onto it. On the other hand, consider the apple tree. It is rooted in the soil; it breathes the air; it is warmed by the sunshine and watered by the rain. life is nourished inside the tree, and in due season blossoms cover the branches, and eventually fruit comes. As we study the words of Christ, we realize that life begins inside the person and flows into his attitude and his actions.

There is also a tendency to associate God with our surroundings and feel that God has certain dwelling places. Whenever there is an opportunity, those of us who live in a city like to get away to the lake, seashores, or out to the fields. pastor once said to one of his church members, “I’ve been missing you the last several weeks on Sunday.“ The church member responded, “each weekend during this pretty warm weather, my wife and I have been going out to our cottage in the hill country, which is gods country.“ In fact, the very first place of the Bible seems to be out of the idea that God‘s natural dwelling place is in the country, rather than the city we read:

Genesis 2:8 KJV 1900

And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

The very first paradise on this earth was a garden that God put there; maybe you’ve heard this little poem which says:

“ One is nearer God‘s heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth.“ Dorothy Francis Gurney

read onto the Bible, however, can you come to the next to last chapter of the book in which you will read:

Revelation 21:2–3 KJV 1900

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Somehow the dwelling place of God became a city. The first paradise on earth was a garden, and the last paradise is a city. The truth is God is everywhere, He is Omnipresent. The important thing is not where we are, but whether what we are inside. Is the inner man that counts, rather than his surroundings; the transformation comes from within. Whether we are called to live on the hillside or the valley, in the suburbs or the city apartment the light of Christ within the soul can make a paradise out of that place.

The Beatitudes

Matthew 5:3–12 KJV 1900

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

The word “blessed“ literally means: an inner joy that is untouchable by the world. The word “happiness“ is built on the word “hap,” and literally means: chance. Human happiness is often dependent on the chance of life, over which so often man has no control. I certain illness, a deep disappointment, the loss of some material blessing Dash one of many things can change happiness into sorrow. But when a Christian has gone within his soul, nothing on earth can touch his joy unless he allows it! In the sermon on the mount, Christ points to eight qualities of character which brings blessedness to the human life Dash can bring a lasting joy. It is the same blessedness in which he would refer to later when he says:

John 14:27 KJV 1900

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Right at this point, I am more that to miss a purpose for the Christian faith. We talk so much about sacrifice, service, and the will of God that leads to the cross. All of those things are good but perhaps we miss that Christ purposed to make men happy; his typical greeting was: “be of good cheer.“ In fact, it is pointed out that he gave the world the first “three cheers.”

The first cheer was of forgiveness:

Matthew 9:2 KJV 1900

And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

The second tier cheer of companionship:

Matthew 14:27 KJV 1900

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

and the third of victory:

John 16:33 KJV 1900

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

so, at the beginning of the sermon, Jesus gives a qualities of life that result in true happiness. Just as an octave in music contain eight notes, so there are eight notes that make up the melody of the Christian life. We call them the beatitudes.

If you name the conditions under which life would be best for you, would you name these eight? Poor in spirit, mourn, meek, hunger and thirst, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, persecuted? If you possessed those eight things in your life, will they make you a better person? Jesus thought so. Before you say he is wrong, set those qualities against their opposites. Opposite of mourning is being lightheaded, not caring, pleasure seeking. The opposite of meek is arrogance. The opposite of persecuted others who played safe, who never take a stand for what is right.

Jesus told of two men who went to pray. Which found the greater happiness? The one who prayed, “God, I think they, but I am not as other men are…?“ Were the one who prayed “God be merciful to me a sinner” in Luke 18:11, 13?

What is the proud of blessed? Or the poor in spirit?

We Americans have more to make life easier than any people who have ever lived. Where the finest houses, where are the nicest closed, eat the best food that any generation has ever known; yet, at the same time, Today we have more suicides, more divorces, more people in jail, more mental illnesses than any people of all time. For many people, life is Grimm, desperate, unhappy, and unfair. We would do well to believe living by these eight principles Christ would make us happy and full of joy.

Poor in Spirit

Not Satisfied with ourselves, but even looking up.

Mourn

A heart that never feels sorrow will never feel joy. Through grief we grow strong as we let God into our hearts through the broken places.

Meek

We neither rebel against life nor submit to our misfortunes. Rather, we accept life as it is, and we cooperate with the will and plan of God.

Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness

Our greatest ambition is not how much we can possess, but how right out lives can become with God.

Merciful

We keep clean of grudges and the poisons of hate, anger, jealousy, and bitterness. Mercy overlooks the little things and forgives the larger things.

Pure in Heart

We set a worthy goal for out lives. As we become attached to some high purpose, and give ourselves to it, and we find God with a pure heart.

Peacemakers

There are so many occasions to give ourselves to the ministry of God’s peace. We are to both have His peace, by being at peace with God, and keeping the peace among men.

Persecuted for Righteousness’ Sake

The high purpose of our lives lifts us above the pain and those who would hurt and harm us. That purpose is to tell others about Christ no matter the price.

These, Jesus said, are the steps to being a blessed or joyful person.

In the days of the Spanish Inquisition, every kind of terrible torture that man could device was used. The tortures found that the very worst punishment was to put a man into a cell with a ceiling was not High enough for them to stand at its full height. He was never able to stand up straight, to hold his head up. This, it was discovered, would break a man’s spirit quicker than any other punishment.

Read again the be attitudes. They are saying , “ Stand up Straight; be a real person.”