The Offensive Jesus: The Sermon on the Mount is not for the Religious Crowd

The Sermon on the Mount is worded to offend the religious crowd of that day.

I think it still offends religious and “spiritual” people today as much if not more than when it was given. The religious leaders of that day were rich, chosen, blessed by God and feared by the people or so they believed.

When Jesus says “Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, those who mourn..” He is directing an indictment against the self satisfied  “blessed” religious culture of that day, and ours.

Paul echoes the same sentiments in the famous often quoted love chapter of 1 Cor:13. Love is patient, kind, does not boast, does not keep lists of wrongs etc… This is also a veiled criticism of the religious leaders in and out of the church that were hindering the Gospel.

Happy, rich and blessed is not a sign of Gods kingdom operating in a persons life. Those things may or may not be of God.

Love, empathy and compassion are qualities that are not easily faked or inherited, they are learned and experienced over many years of trial and error. They are also qualities that separate the church from “play” church wherever we find it.