GSC MODULE 58: THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT: PEACE AND SUFFERING

GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH SEMINARY

MODULE 58

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT:

PEACE AND SUFFERING

AS THE EVENING SHADOWS LENGTHENED ON THE MOUNTAIN, JESUS CONTINUED HIS SERMON BY TEACHING THE LAST TWO OF THE BEATITUDES.

  The Sermon on the Mount is greater than we realize. In his introduction to the Gospel, Saint Matthew wishes us to understand that this is the official teaching of Jesus. This teaching is the opening of Jesus' whole mind to His disciples, the summary of the teaching which Jesus gave to the inner circle.

  The Sermon on the Mount is the concentrated memory of many hours of heart to heart communion between the disciples and the Master.1  Through His teachings Jesus offers us the royal road to holiness and the elimination of the seeds of all disturbances in human relationships.

Brokers of Peace

In the seventh beatitude, Jesus dealt with the issue of peace. In Hebrew peace does not only mean the absence of trouble; peace means everything which makes for each person's highest good.

  In the east, the greeting salaam - the same word - means wishing the wishing for the other more than the absence of bad things. Peace wishes for the other the presence of all good things.

  Jesus taught, "Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9)

  The peace Jesus calls blessed is an action; it is the facing of difficult issues, dealing with them, overcoming them. The famous adage tells us, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." 2

The one who actively engages in bringing about peace to a fraught situation is doing a God-like work. 

  The one who makes peace is engaged on the same work the God of peace is carrying out (Romans 15:33;  2 Corinthians 13:11;  1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:20).

  The Jewish Rabbis taught that the highest task which can be performed is to bring about right relationships between people. 

  This is the task Jesus set us, His disciples; we are to actively work for peace in a world so often not at peace.

Blessed is the sufferer for Christ

Jesus never dissembled. He did not promise that discipleship would be an easy path with no cost.

  He revealed that true discipleship is a difficult road to traverse, but we do not walk it alone.

  We have Jesus as our companion on our life journey, and His Words to guide us as surely as a bright lantern on a dark night.

  Jesus made it clear that He had come not to make life easy, but to make people holy.

The Master taught, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for their is the Kingdom of Heaven.

  Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so people persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:10-12)

Becoming a Christian disciple is like throwing a stone into a pond.

  The resulting ripples fan out and keep on widening far beyond the original impact.

  Just so the acceptance of Jesus' call to discipleship. There are consequence to the acceptance of this great mandate. Our life choices change. Our domicile changes. We no longer decide our own path, but consult the God of vocation before each decision. 

  During our prayer Christ reveals whether we are to marry or remain unmarried for the sake of the Kingdom.

  He clarifies what work He wishes us to carry out for the purpose of the Kingdom. Jesus may expect us to stay near the place of our birth, or He may require us to travel to spread the Word of God.

  The true disciple bows his or her head in acceptance of God's Will, because this is the test of true love and loyalty; to follow even when we do not fully understand.

  We do not know the details of our life's journey, but we rest secure in the Hand of the God Who set us out on that journey.

Discipleship often does not bring comfort in its wake to the status quo. The Christian becomes a prophet; a speaker of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Chris.

  This witness may cause friction in home and family life when the needs of the family no longer form the main focus, taking second place to the demands of discipleship.

  It must be noted, however, that discipleship should be carried out with balance, good sense and sound judgement. 

  A young mother, newly Christian, with an infant, cannot make the decision to put aside the needs of the infant in order to be free to spread the gospel.

  Rather, her predominant responsibility is to the little life she has mothered, teaching the path of the Lord to the child she nurtures.

  Christianity can never become an excuse for dereliction of true duty.

Christians have suffered down the centuries for their faith. They have been cast out from families and society, tortured and killed during persecutions. Slanders have been spread at times.

  All of this our spiritual forefathers accepted in the Name of Him Who is "The Way, the Truth and the Life".  (John 14:6)

Whatever the suffering, the personal cross in our life as the personal cost of following Christ, we need to remember this beatitude: it is not in vain. We will be rewarded in heaven.

And what greater reward there be than the eternal right to look upon the most beautiful of all: our loving God and Father, our beloved Savior Jesus Christ.

Rev Catherine

1. Barclay, William. Daily Study Bible: Gospel of Matthew

2. Edmund Burke

Matthew 5 

5 And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain: and when He was set, His disciples came unto Him:

2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

21 Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.