The Sermon on the Mount would only take a few minutes to preach, but the message of the Sermon on the Mount has affected the course of human history more than any other sermon ever preached. It is readable in many more languages than any other spoken or written work in history. This sermon can be read in the Bible, Matthew chapters five through seven.
The Beatitudes: Gateway to the Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount begins with what are often referred to as the Beatitudes. This name comes from the Latin word beatus, which means “blessed” or “happy.” That’s because this opening portion of the Sermon on the Mount contains nine statements that all begin with the word “blessed.” Some Bibles print these verses in poetic format, as though these were simply beautiful words, not meant to be taken too seriously.
Poetry? Jesus wasn’t reciting poetry to the crowd that came to hear him that day. He didn’t want them to go home and talk about the beautiful words he had shared. No, he wanted to challenge them to the core of their very souls. He wanted to give them a new set of values and a new set of laws, together with a new life. He was telling them: This is the reality of the kingdom of God and you had better come to grips with it.
Sermon on the Mount: Revolutionary Teachings on Money
For thousands of years, the majority of mankind has viewed wealth as evidence of God’s blessing on people. However, Jesus proclaimed a radically different message. He said, “You cannot serve God and mammon (money).” What comes first in our lives? If it’s money and material things, we ostracize ourselves from God’s kingdom.
Jesus told us that we can “store up treasures in heaven” by sharing our assets with the poor. We will store treasure only on earth if we save it all for ourselves. Since the time of Jesus, many charitable organizations and societies have been founded to try to obey this one teaching. Nowadays, it is unusual if a western government does nothing to help the poor in their county. Before Jesus came, this was not the case.
Books With Insights on the Sermon on the Mount
During the past two thousand years since Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, spiritual men and women have written numerous books that reflect and expound the message of that Sermon. The most popular and enduring of these books has been The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis. In it, Kempis shares his insights on how we can walk today in the kingdom teachings of Jesus. This Christian classic is available online for free at www.kempis-imitationofchrist.com. It is also widely available at most bookstores.
Another book that details what our lives will look like when we live by the Sermon on the Mount is William Law’s classic work, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life. It is perhaps the most challenging spiritual work most of us will ever read. In more recent times, some books that expound Jesus’ revolutionary teachings from his Sermon are The Upside-Down Kingdom, The Unshakable Kingdom and the Unchanging Person, and The Kingdom that Turned the World Upside Down.
Elton Warford, the author, has written several magazine articles about the teachings of Jesus. One of his favorite books about the kingdom teachings of Jesus is The Kingdom That Turned the World Upside Down.
