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The Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on the Mount, as this set of teachings is called, begin by describing the happy state of those who are right with God and have a fitting attitude. These descriptions are commonly known as The Beatitudes. It is probably the opposite of most people's ideas of how to be happy.

The rest of the Sermon on the Mount reveals that living according to God's standards is more than a matter of keeping laws and rules. Jesus pointed out that it is a person's attitude which counts. If you hate someone, for example, that is just as bad as murder.

Jesus continued to teach about important attitudes and behaviour: anger, deception, desire for revenge, marriage and divorce, enemies, and so on. Instead of money and material possessions, believers should be making God and His work the chief priority. He also had something to say about religious hypocrisy. Prayer, giving and fasting are all very good, but if they are done ostentatiously, just to get praise and admiration, then they are valueless. Worse still, such religious pride is objectionable to God.

The Beatitudes Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. Happy are those who mourn; God will comfort them. Happy are those who are humble; they will receive what God has promised. Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires; God will satisfy them fully.		Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them. Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God. Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them His children. Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
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