 Many listening to Christ’s Sermon on the Mount had dire physical and mental needs. Surprisingly, Christ told them they could be blessed (Matthew 4:23-5:10).
Typically, those considered to be blessed are the talented, rich, powerful, healthy, beautiful, well-built, or crafty. Advertisements constantly depict the weak, poor, old, sad, awkward, fat, bald, or ugly as the unfortunate. However, according to Christ, those with desperate spiritual needs, those who consider themselves insignificant, are blessed. The humble, the gentle, and those who grieve are blessed (Matthew 5:3-5). Typically, we do not consider such people to be living the dream life. According to Christ, the determining factors of a blessed life are not based on what one owns, how one looks, where one lives, or how much one knows. There is no need to be the slave of the world’s demand. Because of Christ, we can be blessed. By depending on the grace of God, even the worst of us can be secure in the kingdom of God. The deplorable and the misfits, all can be blessed if they are in God’s kingdom. Not only did Christ see people differently, He was a friend of sinners (Matthew 11:19). He took them in as who they were. Alcoholics Anonymous’ success is at least because everyone there fully embraces each other as addicts. There is no pretending. Do not pretend there is no sin, assuming everyone is perfect and happy. Instead, accept everyone to be sinners, to be inadequate (1 John 1:8-10). Though we are a train wreck, God still accepts us as His children through Christ. This is the context of the Sermon on the Mount. May we see others differently than the world (2 Corinthians 5:16). May we see others as God sees us. May we accept others because God has accepted us. Summarized from a John Ortberg’s sermon, titled, “Still haven’t found what I am looking for”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsGQ0ZXfW2o 谁是有福的？谁在过着梦想的生活？ 很多聆听基督登山宝训的人身体和精神上有着迫切的需要。令人惊讶的是，基督一开始便说他们可以是有福的人（马太福音4：23-5：10）。 通常，被认为幸福的人是那些拥有才华，钱财，权力，总裁般的事业，抑或有健康身体，美丽，身材魁梧，或有MBA或博士学位学力，又或是那些会骗别人的骗子。广告时常描绘不幸的人常常是那些虚弱贫穷，年纪老迈，郁闷悲伤, 笨拙胖子，或秃头丑陋。 但是根据基督，那些在精神上, 在心灵上, 极有需要的人，那些认为自己微不足道的人，是有福的。 谦卑，温柔和悲伤的人是有福的 (马太福音5：3-5)。 通常，我们不认为这些人过着梦想般的生活。 根据基督, 有福的生活的决定因素并不根据拥有什么东西，外表如何，生活在哪里或知道多少。我们无需成为世界需求的奴隶。 因基督, 我们都可以蒙福。 靠着神的恩典，即使是最坏的也可进上帝的国中, 确保安全。可悲的人和不称职的人, 只要他们在神的国度里, 他们都可以得到祝福。 基督不仅对人有不同的看法，而且还是罪人的朋友 （马太福音11:19）。 基督接纳他们。 Alcoholic Anonymous的成功至少是因为在那里的每个人都接受彼此都是瘾者。没有假装。 我们也不应假装没有罪，假装每个人都是完美幸福。相反，要接受所有人都是罪人, 都是不足的人 （约翰一书1：8-10）。 尽管我们如此，通过基督, 天父仍然接纳我们成为祂的孩子。 这是登山宝训的教导。愿我们不要从世俗的角度看待别人 （哥林多后书5:16）。 愿我们看每个人如神如何看我们。 愿我们接纳每个人如同神如何接纳我们。 Comments are closed.
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