Extraordinary!

Christians seem to have a skeptical view of the Sermon on the Mount. I remember being told that those three chapters were “kingdom teaching,” and therefor not relevant for today. The problem with that view rests on one's view of Scripture; in my opinion, it's all God-breathed, inspired that is, and all is relevant to believers. Now the kind of relevance may vary depending on the nature of the part you study. Is it poetry like the Psalms or wisdom literature like Proverbs? Some is ancient history as early as creation or the beginnings of the nation of Israel; some are “Old Covenant” and others are “New Covenant.” Some place the words of Jesus in red letters as if to emphasize their relevance, but if the prophets and apostles are gifted by God in their calling, then their words would also be quite relevant.

If you've been taught anything about understanding the Bible, you know that context is also extremely important. The context of the Sermon on the Mount is an audience attracted to rumors regarding a new preacher. Unlike today, everyone was local and would have walked to hear him; many of them would have been poor because few were rich, and the rich had less interest as those comfortable in their own circumstances. Jesus, on the other hand, was basically introducing himself, being unknown, perhaps wrongly known through rumors, and ready to set the tone for his earthly ministry.

Now, consider the first of what we call “The Beatitudes:” “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Wow! I can only imagine the stunned silence that followed such an amazing promise. Isn't the kingdom of heaven for the religious stars, what many people call saints? I suspect few of the really poor folks listening to him asked if he meant them. The “dirt poor” people living at the very bottom of the community, those who were in such dire straits their spirits were broken even more than their backs, no longer even dreaming of even a little glimmer of prosperity, were beyond hope. I can imagine the light coming on in their eyes as they began to understand what he said. They, the least of all, he had promised that the kingdom of heaven would be theirs!

However, his target audience was even bigger and rather less obvious. With more in mind than mere physical poverty, he was talking to the spiritually poor. Many imagine they can earn their way into heaven. The very idea is preposterous! What spiritual coin can the unworthy offer to “buy” their way into heaven? Sinners have insufficient merit to satisfy God, who is perfectly good, the very definition of goodness. Yet here is Jesus' extraordinary promise. Such people who know in their hearts they are bereft of anything God might desire may possess the most impossible of estates, the very kingdom of heaven! So much hope would blossom as people in wonder dare to ask, “How could this be?”

I suspect interpreters may have begun to push the Sermon on the Mount into a distant and heavenly future simply because they could not imagine it being possible in the present. Sin infects all of us, and perfection is impossible for anyone except Christ himself. Of course, the Beatitudes do anticipate a future fulfillment, but the promise is for now. For all who recognize their own complete unworthiness, for incorrigible sinners like you and me, he promises what we don't have and don't deserve. He doesn't say, “Here it is,” as if heaven will be occupied by the least desirable.” He says rather, “Here I am,” for of course they want to know: How is this possible?

Recently I saw a video clip from “The Princess Diaries 2,” I think. In it, the Princess-in-training was riding in a car with the Queen in a parade. She saw 2 boys picking on a sad little orphan girl, stopped and got out of the car, and after finding out they were a group of orphans, bought tiaras for all of them, and made them princesses for the day. Even the most doubtful finally caught on and began to smile and wave like a princess. That's what Jesus does for us, just not make believe, nor for only a day, but for real and forever!

I'm not convinced that the Beatitudes are meant as a prescription for holy living or as a roadmap for how to please God. Rather these blessings are an encouragement to those already dealing with life, both struggling and rising above the struggles. They are a wonderful introduction to kingdom teaching with its warnings, advance ethical standards, and regal lifestyle, as we believers and disciples learn to live like princes and princesses by right, anticipating the heavenly kingdom in fact. The promises for now are magnificent and the possibilities for growth are challenging but not to be ignored.