Golden

(Photo: Mount Monadnock at sunset)

"The Sermon on the Mount is a statement of the life we will live when the Holy Spirit is getting His way with us."— Oswald Chambers

Have you ever noticed how the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7) seems a bit disjointed and random in places and revisits in various ways several different but crucial themes? Hardly three points and a poem and we're outta here. Instead, a whole lot, and over over, about being careful about doing things and living life for selfish motives. 

The Bible writers tell us there were tons of people there to hear Jesus’ rambling, sometimes mysterious sermon. And yet apparently, no one was reported to be scrolling their Facebook feed or thinking about what they were going to do for lunch later as Jesus went on and on. In fact, Matthew writes, “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.” Because while the teachers of the law taught the scriptures, too, they were too often seen as being more into themselves and impressing others with outward appearances, and into being seen to be seen and approved. And so, their teaching rang hollow and it made following God feel all legalistic and joyless.

But this was different. And yet, Jesus makes it clear in His captivating message that it's not just “those guys” who are the problem — that in a way, we are all like the teachers of the law in that the person we think about most and want to be happiest most and are driven to please most is: me, myself and I.

It’s hard. We’re all born this way, ever since the curse of Adam and Eve’s disobedience and of wanting to do things their way. Rebellion is an ugly but real inheritance. "It's all about me" is everywhere we look. Advertising and marketing say that's what life's all about. And yet in the sermon on the mount, Jesus seems to say something radical, in so many words,

“If you follow Me, God will empower you to live a better way, the right and holy way, one that’s a cure for the curse: Others.”

Specifically, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12). As it turns out, the do-unto-others “golden rule” is also “the greatest commandment”— to seek every day to love God with all we’ve got and all we are, and then love others like God has loved us.

We will always be preoccupied with ourselves, but Jesus' amazingly wonderful, rambling sermon on the mount is a reminder that every day is a good day to ask God to “give me Your eyes for just one second” and to give some of that self-love away in word, deed, attitude, humility or simple grace to someone we meet along our path.

One small thing like that every day by a lot of Believers can add up in a huge way. In fact…

“The golden rule is easy to say but takes a lifetime of putting into practice. But what a different place the world would be if we kept this rule!”—J.I. Packer