Fruitful Living
The Sermon on the Mount (2)
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountainside and sat down.
His disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them, saying: – Matthew 5:1-2 NIV
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 – Matthew 7:28-29 NIV
INTRODUCTION.
Today we bring you the final part of the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus summed up almost all of His teachings. As Christians we must adhere to the lessons in this Sermon. The Sermon teaches us about the kingdom and the way Christ’s people will live under His Lordship. To that end, let us receive His kingdom by faith and let us live according to its message of love.
There is no single paragraph of the Sermon on the Mount in which this contrast between Christian and non-Christian standards is not drawn. It is the underlying and uniting theme of the Sermon; everything else is a variation of it. Sometimes it is the Gentiles or pagan nations with whom Jesus contrasts His followers. Thus pagans love and salute each other, but Christians are to love their enemies Matt. 5:44-47; pagans pray after a fashion, ‘heaping up empty phrases,’ but Christians are to pray with the humble thoughtfulness of children of their Father in heaven Matt. 6:7-13; pagans are preoccupied with their own material necessities, but Christians are to seek first God’s rule and righteousness Matt. 6:32-33.
At other times Jesus contrasts His disciples not with Gentiles but with Jews, that is, not with heathen people but with religious people, in particular with the “Scribes and Pharisees.” Professor Jeremias is no doubt right to distinguish between these as “two quite groups” in that “the Scribes are theological teachers who have had some years of education, the Pharisees on the other hand are not theologians, but rather groups of pious laymen from every part of the community.” Certainly, Jesus sets Christians morals over against the ethical casuistry of scribes – Matt. 5:21-48 and Christians devotion over against the hypocritical piety of the Pharisees Matt. 6:1-18.
The followers of Jesus are to be different – different from both the nominal church and the secular world, different from both religious and the irreligious. The Sermon on the Mount is the most complete delineation anywhere in the New Testament of the Christian counter-culture. Here is a Christian value-system, ethical standard, religious devotion, attitude to money, ambition, lifestyle and network of relationships-all of which are totally at variance with those of the non-Christian world. And this Christian counter-culture is the life of the Kingdom of God, a fully human life, indeed, but lived out under the divine rule.
The Sermon on the Mount as composed in Matthew chapters 5-7 forms a wonderfully coherent whole. It depicts the behaviour which Jesus expected of each of His disciples, who is also thereby a citizen of God’s Kingdom. We see Him as He is in Himself, in His Heart, motives and thoughts, and in the secret place with His Father. We also see Him in the arena of public life, in His relations with His fellow men, showing mercy, making peace, being persecuted, acting like salt, letting His light shine, loving and serving others (even His enemies), devoting Himself above all to the extension of God’s Kingdom and righteousness in the world. Perhaps a brief analysis of the Sermon will help to demonstrate its relevance to ourselves in the 21st century.
- A Christian’s Character – Matt. 5:3-12
The beatitudes emphasise eight principal marks of Christian character and conduct, especially in relation to God and to men, and divine blessing which rests on those who exhibit these marks.
- A Christian’s Influence –Matt. 5:13-16
The metaphors of salt and light indicate the influence for good which Christians will exert in the community if (and only if) they maintain their distinctive character as portrayed in the beatitudes.
- A Christian’s Righteousness – Matt. 5:17-48
What is to be a Christian’s attitude to the moral law of God? Is the very category of law abolished in the Christian life, as the advocates of the “new morality” and of the “not under law” school strangely assert? No. Jesus had not come to abolish the law and prophets, He said, but to fulfill them. He went on to state both that greatness in God’s Kingdom was determined by conformity to their moral teaching, and even that entry into the Kingdom was impossible without a righteousness greater than that of the Scribes and the Pharisees Matt. 5:17-20. Of this greater Christian righteousness, He even gave six illustrations – Matt. 5:21-48, relating to murder, adultery, divorce, swearing, revenge and love. In each antithesis the easy-going tradition of the scribes, reaffirmed the authority of the Old Testament Scripture and drew out the full and exciting implications of God’s moral law.
- A Christian’s PietyMatt. 6:1-18
In their “piety” or religious devotion Christians are to resemble neither the hypocritical display of the Pharisees nor the mechanical formalism of pagans. Christian piety is to be marked above all by reality, by the sincerity of God’s children who live in their Heavenly Father’s presence.
To be continued!
STAY BLESSED!
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Email: saltnlightministries@gmail.com
Website: saltandlightgh.org.
By Dr Joyce Aryee, the author
Fruitful Living
The Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah: The Islamic framework for addressing contemporary social challenges
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds. We send peace and blessings upon the noble Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), his family, his companions, and all those who stand for justice until the Day of Judgment.
Introduction
We live in an era of rapid social transformation. Technological advancement, urbanization, changing family structures, health crises, unemployment, moral decadence, drug abuse, cybercrime, and weakening social bonds have created enormous challenges for Muslim communities across the world. The Muslim Ummah in Ghana is not immune to these realities.
Islam is not merely a religion of rituals. Islam provides guidance for every aspect of life— spiritual, social, economic, educational, political and health-related.
Allah said in the holy Quran “We have neglected nothing in the Book.” (Qur’an 6:38).
Before discussing the practical challenges facing our communities today, it is important to understand that Islamic law was revealed to achieve specific objectives known as Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah (The Higher Objectives of Islamic Law).
The great scholar, Imam Abu Ishaq al-Shatibi, explained that all Islamic laws aim at securing benefit (Maslahah) and preventing harm (Mafsadah).
The scholars have summarized these objectives into five fundamental necessities known as:
Hifz ad-Din (Protection of Religion)
Islam seeks to preserve faith, worship, Islamic identity and moral values.
Allah said, “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me.”
(Qur’an 51:56)
Therefore, strengthening Islamic education, supporting the mosque, preserving family values, and protecting the next generation from immoral influences are all means of preserving the Islamic religion identity.
Today, social media abuse, drug addiction, pornography, cybercrime, and moral decay threaten the faith of many Muslim youth. The Muslim Ummah must equip itself with sound Islamic knowledge to preserve its religious identity.
Hifz an-Nafs (Protection of Life)
One of the greatest objectives of Islam is the preservation of human life.”And do not kill yourselves. Indeed, Allah is Most Merciful to you.” (Qur’an 4:29)
This objective forms the basis for:
• Public health programmes
• Vaccination campaigns
• NHIS registration
• Hospital care
• Disease prevention
• Environmental sanitation
• Road safety
• Maternal and child healthcare
Every effort to save lives is an act of worship.
“Whoever saves a life, it is as though he has saved all mankind.” (Qur’an 5:32)
Throughout the Old Testament, God’s presence was associated with a particular location the Tabernacle and later the Temple. These sacred places represented the meeting point between heaven and earth.
But Pentecost changed everything
When the wind and fire entered the house where the disciples were gathered, God was revealing a new reality. His presence would no longer be confined to a building made by human hands.
The Temple was no longer merely a structure in Jerusalem.
The Temple had become a community of believers.
Every follower of Jesus would now become a dwelling place of God through the Holy Spirit.
This was a revolutionary truth. The overlap between heaven and earth was no longer limited to one geographical location. Wherever believers gathered and wherever the Spirit dwelt, God’s presence was manifested.
As the Apostle Paul later wrote: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).
Gods desire to dwell with his people
From the very beginning, God’s desire has always been to live among His people.
We see this desire in:
- The Garden of Eden
- The Tabernacle
- The Temple
Yet sin continually created separation between God and humanity. A holy God could not fully dwell among a sinful people without judgment.
But Jesus made a way.
Through His death and resurrection, Jesus dealt with the problem of sin once and for all.
John beautifully describes this truth: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
Because of Christ’s redemptive work on the cross, our sins are forgiven and we are reconciled to God. The Holy Spirit can now live within believers, making us the new temple of God.
To be continued!
Stay blessed!
Please note that the preaching programme on Sunny 88.7 FM – Tuesdays at 5:30 am has been temporarily put on hold. However, please continue to join us on Asempa 94.7 FM – Sundays at 5:30 am and YFM 107.9 – Sundays at 6:30 am for our Radio Bible Study, as well as on Sunny 88.7 FM every Sunday at 3:30 pm for Hymns and Their Stories.
By Rev Dr. Joyce
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