Sermon on the Mount reflections

I began to read the Sermon on the Mount this past weekend. Continued it this morning. I've heard (strangely) only a little teaching directly on this sermon, although it is referred to often. I must say that I am attracted to this very well-ordered little firebomb. It's got so much: the clearest statements of vision and truth ever spoken, humor, assurance about our prayers, some stiff warnings, hope, etc. In one talk, Jesus systematically cleared away a thousand years of religion and paved the way for a new way of relating to God and each other.

A teacher who taught a series on this specifically stated that the sermon was for THE DISCIPLES. As I have read it this time, I see that is for the Father! Jesus is finally able to bring the full, true message of the Father's displeasure with false religion to the people. He is able to level the walls that have grown up around God, obscuring Him from our eyes. Those walls that made it look as if He was a distant being, one pleased by outward shows, one interested in applaudable piety rather than sincere compassion, one who was tricked by someone who didn't commit the act of adultery but continually coveted women in his heart. Jesus gets to dismantle the idea that His Father is not the incredibly generous person that He is. And that, most of all, makes the FATHER happy. It's less of a feel good speech than we would hope or construe it to be.

What I saw again in this sermon is the impossibiity of what Jesus is describing. I find it funny thinking about the heart. It really is the most elusive creature in existence. Ever tried to keep yourself from looking - physically - at a woman when you have to? Easy. Ever tried to keep your heart free from looking and wanting? Unbelievably difficult. (Women reading, I wish I could give you something more to respect. I must say however that I am a luster. I wish that we could gather all men and all women and have the guys collectively say at the same time, "I am personally sorry for how I have looked at you and treated you. You in no way deserved that treatment, and I am in your debt because of my actions. Please forgive me for my sins against you." I think that would be a tremendous blessing.) Those stupid blimey Pharisees were so smug that they could RULE their hearts. Only kidding themselves. Your heart, oh man, is the wildest, most untamable creature there is. (God declares that all of our hearts are under the same condition, so it's not just a man problem. Although certainly it has to play itself in radically different ways. Perhaps it is good that I am not impressed with all the wildness of a woman's heart.)

Disclaimer: you who are in Christ, your heart is good. God says so. There is a difference between being bad and being wild. This will likely require a major departure from the "religion" handed down to you by your parents. They wanted to take away your wildness. That's so natural, so common. God knows the heart is wild, and He is prepared to deal with it. But not by killing your freedom. For thousands of years, we have been preaching that you have to rule your heart. It is a source of wicked evil and you must squelch it. When they read, "Die to self", they read "Kill your heart." Completely different things. God says, "Surrender the heart - to Me." God very much wants your heart, and He wouldn't really want it much if it was sinful. He wants your heart because it is His treasure. I'm speaking right out of Eldredge here. You who are not in Christ, if you are realizing your heart is not good, know that you can't fix it up. Impossible. Tried all before. It failed. You just need to look to Christ. He can give you a new heart, I promise. Everything else will fail.

Anyway, the thing about the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount is that they must be lived out INCARNATIONALLY. There is a great scene in the early part of Mark, where Jesus has just told a parable about the nature of the "Kingdom." Many leave after that, some probably to try to live out the commands they have heard, some perhaps to go have some fun. But some STAY. They come to Jesus and basically they are saying with their body language and everything else, "We don't really understand what you are saying, but we are drawn closer to you." And Jesus with great delight tells them, "To YOU the secrets of the Kingdom have been made known." That is exactly what is going on here. Jesus preaches a sermon. The ones who get it in a real sense are those who come to Him for follow-up. When they hear Him speaking about commands, what they hear (subconsciously) is "It's this guy. Go to HIM." As if the light of heaven were shining all around Him in that moment. The most important thing about the apostles were their unseparability from Jesus. They became (shrieks of terror come up) desperately dependent. Jesus, you ask the impossible. Jesus, do the impossible in me.

Another thought got woven in as I read another reflection between two looks at this sermon. God raises the parameters of our faith over time. That is to say that what God expects in terms of faith - that bar is raised over time. Rick Dunn, that writer, showed this example. The first time the Israelites crossed a body of water, God opened the way as they watched from the shore. Then they went through. In Joshua, the Israelite leaders have to enter the river before it separates to form dry land. I was thinking that one potential reason we don't grow in our faiths as we want to is that we haven't seen that the Father has raised our bar. We're looking to cross the same way we did before. My encouragement with this as applied to the Sermon on the Mount is that "God just wants to see fruit. Don't compare yourself to where you have been, and don't compare yourself to where you think the most spiritual are. Just follow Him and ask Him to do more in you; then blindly follow Him." I think a better strategy is to just be assured that you are being led. Rather than the "I think you should pray about it mentality", just know that you are being led, ask God to open your eyes, and WALK." I have a feeling that one of the thing that angers God the most is when we don't walk. "I played the xxxxxxxx for you, and you did not mourn. I played the flute, and you did not dance." (Luke - if anyone can fill in the actual instruments played, awesome) What that passage is saying and what the Father is asking is "I am greatly displeased when you don't trust enough to do something. It means that your fear is greater than any other concern in your life. The one thing I can't do anything with is refusal to move. Move, well or poorly, and I will guide you. Be indecisive, and I will not be happy, nor will you."

People take that kind of instruction in two ways, but you don't be a sucker. One is this strain of thinking. "Ooh, I have always wanted to ask this person out on a date. I'm going to do this." Jesus also says, "Be as innocent as doves and as shrewd as serpents." So be brilliant, and know what you are stepping into. See from the eyes of your heart, rather than from your stomach. Freedom may seem to mean, "Oh, gooody. I can eat that piece of chocolate cake." But if it kills your heart and elevates your flesh, what good has it done you?? The other way is "I'm going to plunge out discriminately and God is responsible for making my choices right." That actually may mean the same thing. It probably just sounded more sophisticated to say, "There are two ways people generally take this teaching . . . " But this logic tells you that "If I just take a step, I am automatically being obedient. I have a right to happiness because of my boldness in taking this step." The thing that results here is a focus on outward action rather than an inward move of the heart. My advice would be to find clarity. Get those eyes you need to see, then your actions will be greatly aided. "For the eyes are the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, then your whole body will be full of light." I hope I have not lead anyone astray.

My tongue is exhausted. That's all for this post.