GSC MODULE 54: THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT: A LIGHT BEGINS TO SHINE [PART I]

Jesus, the Light of the World [John 18:12]

GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH SEMINARY

MODULE 54

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT:
A LIGHT BEGINS TO SHINE [PART I]

AS JESUS WALKED THE DARKNESS OF AN EARTH UNDER SATANIC RULE, SOMETHING MARVELLOUS HAPPENED; THE LIGHT OF THE DIVINITY WITHIN HIM BEGAN TO SHINE ACROSS THE PLANET, PLUCKING AT THE VEILS OF DARKNESS AND FORCING THEM TO LIFT. 

This miraculous event was foretold by the great prophet Isaiah. 
"The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine upon them." [Isaiah 9:2]

Prophet Isaiah

Jesus Himself affirmed His Being as the Light of the World which drives away satanic darkness, the Light which illumines the intellect and cures ignorance, the Light which shines upon the secrecy of evil deeds, dispenses justice, forgiveness and change of life.

'Once again Jesus spoke to the people and said,

 "I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." ' [John 8:12]

Baptism to Threefold Ministry

Jesus had threefold work. 

He was the Herald bringing the message from our true King, the Lord God.

The duty of the herald is the proclamation of certainties; preaching must always be the proclamation of utter certainties.

Jesus was Teacher; He proclaimed the new gospel certainties according to the Will of God.

Thereafter He shared the significance of these certainties for life and for living.

Jesus was Healer; the new gospel which Jesus brought did not stop at words; it was translated into visible deeds.

Jesus spent most of His time healing the sick, feeding the hungry and comforting the sorrowing.

The Saviour turned the words of Christian truth into deeds of Christian love.

We are not truly Christian until our Christian belief issues in Christian action.

Jesus Christ showed us that religion consists of love. 1

Divine Compassion

When Jesus saw the crowds of desperate people, He was moved with compassion, the strongest form of pity.

Jesus was moved with compassion by the world's pain, for the sick [Matthew 14:14], for the blind [Matthew 20:34], for those in the grip of unlawful demonic possession 
[Mark 9:22].

He healed the lonely leper who had been banished from society because of the dreadful risk of contagion [Mark 1:41].

Jesus was moved to compassion by the tears of a bereaved widow as she was burying her only son [Luke 7:11-17].

He miraculously restored the dead man to life and to the arms of his mother.

Jesus could not see a suffering person but He longed to ease the pain.

Hunger was anathema to Him. He fed the exhausted and hungry crowds who followed Him 

[Matthew 15:32].

Sermon on the Mount

Jesus began a careful construct of teaching designed to strike at the very heart of the malaise that plagued the world.

In the rule of satanic darkness, there is no place for love; no merit accorded to truth, no emphasis placed on justice, no interest in healing, compassion, forgiveness or pity.

Jesus came to bring the rule of God, the values of the Divine, to shine into our lives and change us into light-filled beings of hope and life.

This is, however, a slow process.

Jesus thus settled down to draw up a master plan for humanity to follow to attain this heavenly goal.

Part of the plan were His teachings, now known collectively as 'The Sermon on the Mount'.

This sermon or collection of teachings is so succinct a summary of the heart of all Christ's teachings that it has been called 'The Magna Carta of the Kingdom.'

The Sermon on the Mount is quite possibly the testimony of more than one preaching by Christ, but probably an epitome of all Christ's teachings.

Jesus, as Rabbi, followed the rabbinical ordinances of the day. 

When a Jewish rabbi taught officially, he sat to show the gravity of the words about to be imparted.

As Jesus prepared to teach on the mountain, He made clear the importance of the teaching about to come.

"Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up on the mountain, and when He sat down His disciples came to Him.

And He opened His mouth and taught them."[Matthew 5:1-2]

Blessedness of the Poor in Spirit

Jesus taught that "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven", [Matthew 5:3].

This blessedness is experienced in the here and now.

This beatitude declares the bliss of following Jesus Christ, of knowing our Saviour.

Those disciples who are content to be poor in spirit, declining to join the race for wealth, prestige and fame, are blessed with untold wealth.

The one who realizes personal helplessness and instead places full trust in God enjoys the fortune of personal relationship with our Divine Parent.

Blessed are the broken hearted

Jesus taught, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. [Matthew 5:4].

The word mourning is used in its deepest sense, that of the passionate lament for one who was loved.

Jesus teaches us that sorrow can show us the essential kindness of others and the comfort and compassion of God.

Many in the hour of their sorrow discover others and God as never before.

A deep sorrow can affect us deeply, moving us from the superficial tides in life into a place we had not before known.

We need help when we mourn, as it is a place of darkness, loneliness and tears.

We are blessed when we mourn, because we no longer mourn in isolation.

Centuries ago, before the coming of Christ the Son of God to the world, the individual could turn to God in sorrow.

Now, however, we have the Son of God in our tabernacles in every city, village and community.

We can pour our troubled hearts and grief out to the very One Who has pledged compassion, help and love for humanity.

When we sorrow, we can turn to the Son of God knowing that all promises will be honoured.

We may not know the fullness of joy in this world.

We may experience bereavement which cuts us to our very heart, the sorrow of which never fully heals.

We may experience depths of illness, disability and loss of intellectual and other powers.

But nothing can take from us the sure and powerful knowledge that all these things will eventually pass away, and in our future Kingdom the following will come to pass:

'And I heard a loud voice from the Throne saying: "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away." '

[Revelation 21:3-4]

1] Barclay, William. The Daily Study Bible, Gospel of Matthew Vol 1:CH.1-10. Revised Edition. 1981. Saint Andrew Press; Scotland.