The Sermon on the Mount is far from an easy and enjoyable preaching series to prepare for and, I suspect, to receive. It’s my favorite portion of Jesus’ teaching, but not because it’s funny or dazzling or even that uplifting. I embrace the Sermon on the Mount because it breaks my pride, crushes the idols and brings me back to what’s really real.

An example that comes to mind is the mundane act of emptying our pockets of the stuff that’s accumulated over a period of one afternoon or a number of days (depending on how often you launder). Besides the keys and loose coins, perhaps there’s some garbage you picked up walking around or a used Kleenex from one of your kids or an ancient stash of sunflower seeds left over from the last baseball game…then along comes the words of Jesus, and the pocket gets emptied, turned inside out, dusted off and emptied of all that stuff.

That’s what happens to me when I examine the Sermon on the Mount. The beatitudes, in particular, cherish the joy of a broken spirit, a contrite heart and discovering our spiritual bankruptcy. If you think of them as a litany of beautiful and mystical sayings worthy of hanging on your bathroom wall, then you may have missed the point entirely. These are not pleasant words. These are not easy words. These are words that signal death to each of us and a literal breaking of anything that would set itself up against the lordship and rule of Jesus Christ over our lives.

And for this very reason, I rejoice and celebrate the words of Jesus. I’m by no means a psychologist or a physician and so I don’t know if this is medically legit, but I imagine that the state of feeling broken, crushed, and emptied by the loving mercy of God is a wonderful and healthy thing. To walk away from God’s Word feeling like a dumbhead isn’t so much a matter of low self-esteem, but rather, true enlightenment. It’s like wiping off all that makeup (not that I apply makeup personally!), washing your face with a good soap, and looking back in the mirror to see your true face – warts and all. I know, it may not look pretty, but Jesus reminds us that if and when we reach this clarity of seeing the reality of the Kingdom of God and the truth of our humble state in His presence, then we are indeed blessed.

I just got a membership at a local gym and I’ve been trying to go there regularly in hopes of getting healthier. There are mirrors all around this place – especially in the weight room where all the bench-presses and curling irons are. And as I pump up my muscles and examine how ripped I’m going to be one day, I am reminded in my inner person – probably by the Lord himself – that I’m a still a dumbhead and that I’m blessed.
Pastor Jan