The scandal of the Sermon on the Mount

Few words of Jesus were so striking as those which he uttered in his greatest sermon, the Sermon on the Mount. Taking into account the political, historical and religious, they at least sounded amazing. That's because anyone who was present expected to hear the exact opposite of what was said by Jesus, from the Beatitudes to the parable of the two grounds at the end of chapter 7 of Matthew. Jesus destabilized religious grounds that his hearers had so far received.How to become a friendly message stating that starts happy - lucky and blessed - the ones that are identified by both our generation and the past, as weak and pitiful? How to imagine, at the time the most admired and insightful are those who do not "eat crow" reach its goals, which are the meek, the pure in heart and merciful shall inherit the earth, shall obtain mercy and see God?
How happy to imagine someone crying, to seek justice as we seek food diary in a society increasingly unfair and unequal?Plus, be considered fortunate to be persecuted and mocked because of this same justice? What a concept of life and happiness is the one that Jesus wanted to convey? And more: that these concepts are transmitted in our time? These questions are cruel. One thing we can not deny: magnificently the Kingdom of Heaven and its righteousness were exposed by Jesus and He made it clear that, in essence, they are opposed to the established system, which we call the world.Daily we are confronted with the values ​​we receive from the world and with what the Bible teaches us about happiness. The world, passengers and superficial; the Bible, true and pointing to eternity. The materialized in the world through possessions, status, money, here and now. The Bible's place in fields that hardly redound to the recognition, glory and power and therefore are so infamous.
In this controversy without end, the inevitable question arises: what values ​​we are guided by? What drives us: the Sermon on the Mount or the lifestyle of the great billionaires, who have their names published regularly in magazines that specialize in this type of person? Certainly it is not possible to embrace both views. If you grab a fatally abandon the other.
However, although they are hard questions, your answers can be perceived not only by words but by conduct, postures. We may respond positively and biblically, but our attitudes that will confirm or denounce our intentions.There are several ways to assess the consistency of the response of the church - a community of faith, whose head is Christ and not churches or denominations - and one of them is in the songs we sing. In reading a little exercise for a while, read every song of the Harp Christian hymn followed by several names such as the Assemblies of God. They are old songs that express the desires of the brothers and a specified period of evangelicalism in Brazil.
Hope of Glory, justification, the joy of forgiveness from Christ's sacrifice, the joy of new life that only Christ can give, communion with God and the brethren, the grace, the scandal of the Cross and its message, resignation and many other themes as common to the Christian life were - and still are a part - strongly sung by our brothers. And today, what issues make up a song?
Triumphalism, determinism, self-centeredness, personal prophecies, miracles, personal, personal achievements, personal victories. Material blessings, physical and emotional. Common to all these types of songs, there is a profound lack of biblical doctrines that would enable the listener to another form of learning from Scripture and lead to an understanding of God's plan in Jesus and thus to a life of gratitude and worship.Furthermore, these songs have a great ignorance of the achievement of all things, when we shall be changed and eternity will unfold before us to, filled the glory of the father, to live for HimThat means a lot. Means where is our heart. Means by which we are guided desires and values ​​which we are moved. It means happiness as we see and by what means to achieve. It's terrible to say this, but it is worrying that the level is much of what is said of God church. But that's another story ...
The Sermon on the Mount is a big puzzle and I - and I believe nobody - I do not have conclusive answers and all that Jesus wanted him. However, one thing is clear before each statement of Jesus: the identity of those who enjoy His Kingdom of Peace, Justice and Love. Without a doubt, these are the people who lived in continual opposition to the world as to be hated for it, as our Lord. For them, the source of all happiness of that day was the hope, stronger than any pain or adversity, where all the promises so emphatically directed to those who surrendered to the Lordship of Christ and it was understood that there is no possibility of salvation, will be fulfilled.
May this be our Lord Jesus!
PS.: I took the example of music by the evidence that she has reached in recent months, mainly because she is a true reference in exposing what we long for. Beyond it, we would worship and preaching as research sources. They also say much about what the church thinks and believes.