I shall continue with Part 2 out of 3 on The Most Beautiful Chapters in the Bible which to me is:
The Sermon on the Mount
It would be an immense joy for me to compose the teachings of Jesus into an essay that reflects the depth of our hearts and the majesty of Christ’s teaching on the mountaintop - an essay meant to be shared as a light to others, just as Christ commands us to be “the light of the world.”
The Sermon on the Mount: A Divine Blueprint for Living
In the Gospel of Matthew, chapters 5 through 7, we are given one of the most profound and complete teachings of Jesus Christ, the Sermon on the Mount. These three chapters are not merely a moral code or a spiritual meditation. They form the very heart of the Kingdom message, a declaration of how God desires us to live here on earth as we journey toward salvation and eternal life. Spoken not in the grandeur of royal courts but on a quiet mountain slope, these words were powerful enough to draw thousands of people to listen, to climb, to sit, and to be transformed.
A Kingdom Inverted: Matthew 5
The sermon begins with the Beatitudes, a series of declarations that turn human expectations upside down. Jesus blesses not the rich, the proud, or the powerful, but the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted. These are not the celebrated of the world, but they are the beloved of Heaven.
In a world that rewards strength, Jesus teaches that spiritual poverty, our recognition of our need for God, is the very gateway to the Kingdom. Mourning becomes sacred when it leads to comfort from God. Meekness is not weakness, but a strength rooted in humility and trust. These beatitudes are not mere poetry; they are the soul of Christian character.
Jesus then tells His followers that they are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Salt preserves and adds flavour, just as the presence of godly people preserves righteousness in a decaying world. Light, on the other hand, exposes truth and drives out darkness. We are not to hide our faith but live it openly, radiantly.
What follows is Jesus’ reinterpretation, not abolishment of the Mosaic Law. “You have heard it said... but I say to you...” becomes a refrain through which Christ elevates the commandments from external adherence to internal transformation. Anger is seen as the root of murder. Lust is revealed as the seed of adultery. Retaliation is replaced by forgiveness. He climaxes this with a command to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who mistreat us. This is not natural to human instinct; it is divine in nature, and thus, the true path of those who would follow Christ.
Spiritual Sincerity and Trust: Matthew 6
In chapter 6, Jesus turns our attention to how we live before God, not before men. He warns against religious hypocrisy, the temptation to perform righteousness to be seen by others. Whether it is giving to the poor, praying, or fasting, Jesus insists that our acts must flow from a sincere heart, not a desire for praise.
At the centre of this chapter lies the Lord’s Prayer, a model of intimacy and reverence. It begins with worship:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.” It aligns our will to God’s: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.”
It expresses dependence: “Give us this day our daily bread.” It seeks forgiveness and grants it to others. And it calls for protection from temptation and evil. It is the prayer of a heart surrendered fully to the Father.
Jesus then speaks on wealth, worry, and the true treasure. He teaches that we cannot serve both God and money. Our hearts follow our treasure, and so we must lay up treasure in heaven, in acts of faith, love, generosity, and eternal value.
And then come the words that have comforted millions across the centuries: “Do not worry about your life...” Jesus reminds us of the lilies of the field and the birds of the air, cared for by the same Father who watches over us. Worry does not add a single hour to our lives. Instead, we are called to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, with the promise that all our needs will be met.
Living Out the Truth: Matthew 7
The final chapter focuses on the practical application of all that has come before. Jesus warns us not to judge hypocritically, but neither are we to ignore discernment. He instructs us to correct ourselves first before addressing the faults of others.
He then assures us of God’s readiness to respond to sincere seekers: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened.” This is an invitation to a life of persistent, hopeful, childlike prayer.
Perhaps the moral essence of the entire sermon is distilled in one verse: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” This is the Golden Rule, a principle so pure, yet so challenging to live by fully. It asks not only for fairness but for love, empathy, and sacrifice.
Jesus concludes with sobering truth: the path to life is narrow, and few find it. Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of the Father. Our profession of faith must be matched by a life of obedience. Those who build their lives on these teachings are like a wise man who builds on the rock, steadfast, unshaken by storms.
The Miracle on the Mountain: Feeding the Five Thousand
It was no small thing that over 5,000 men, not including women and children, gathered to hear these words. In an era without microphones, buses, or social media, telephones, WhatsApp, emails, or Internet, these crowds climbed mountains and sat for hours just to hear the words of a carpenter from Nazareth.
When their hunger became too great, Jesus did not send them away, He fed them. From five loaves and two fish came a feast for thousands. This miracle demonstrates His compassion, His divine provision, and His affirmation of the truth He preached. He feeds the soul first, and then the body, never turning away the one who hungers and thirsts for righteousness.
The Way to Life:
The Sermon on the Mount is more than a moral code; it is a divine invitation to live as children of the Kingdom. It speaks to every human need, spiritual, emotional, moral, relational, and eternal. It calls us to humility, purity, peace, mercy, faith, forgiveness, and unwavering trust in our Heavenly Father.
To read it is to hear the voice of Jesus; to live it is to walk in His footsteps.
May we climb the mountain with Him in spirit, sit at His feet daily, and rise transformed, as salt, light, and citizens of the eternal Kingdom
With love as deep as the sea and peace that surpasses understanding from my humble self - juboo-lim to all
(End of Part 2)
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