Epiphany- Day 49
Psalm 106:1-12 ESV
Praise the LORD!
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,
or declare all his praise?
Blessed are they who observe justice,
who do righteousness at all times!
Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people;
help me when you save them,
that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
that I may glory with your inheritance.
Both we and our fathers have sinned;
we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.
Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
did not consider your wondrous works;
they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
that he might make known his mighty power.
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,
and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
So he saved them from the hand of the foe
and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.
And the waters covered their adversaries;
not one of them was left.
Then they believed his words;
they sang his praise.
Matt. 5:1-12 NLT
One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them.
“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
God blesses those who are humble,
for they will inherit the whole earth.
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied.
God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.
God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.
God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
CONSIDER THIS. . .
If ever Jesus delivered a manifesto on holiness it had to be the Sermon on the Mount. And it is a new vision of holiness. He indicates as much as the sermon goes on– He essentially says, my vision actually fulfills what the old vision was after. He is not looking for an external compliance with the law, but rather a deep interior goodness; a rightness of spirit at the very core of one’s identity.
The sermon on the mount is the manifesto of holy love.
In the catalog of John Wesley’s sermons, he preached more messages on the sermon on the mount than on any other text. (13 sermons).
Start with the first twelve verses above. They aren’t “to-do’s.” Neither are they good intentions. They are the deep dispositions of mind and heart that the Spirit of God will infuse into the human spirit.
Asking God to bring them to life in us is a good starting place. Dwell on them.