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Post by Josh on Mar 29, 2008 9:46:16 GMT -8
Any thoughts on the Sermon on the Mount in general?
I'm reading through Resident Aliens by Stanley Hauerwas. He's got a fair amount to say about the Sermon on the Mount. I'm going to post a few of his comments for further discussion.
If you have other thoughts or questions, throw them in too.
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Post by Josh on Mar 29, 2008 9:53:29 GMT -8
"Nothing in the Sermon on the Mount suggests that the way of disciples is "rational". Jesus honesly admits that his way goes against everything we have heard said, everything that comes naturally, rationally. "You have heard it said... but I say to you." People who walk down this narrow way will be accused by everyone else of being "fanatical,", irrational in the extreme, because they have given over their individual claims of reasonableness, independence, and goodness in their attempts to be obedient to [their] Master..."
Stanely Hauerwas and William Willimon, Resident Aliens
p. 99
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Post by michelle on Oct 7, 2008 21:25:47 GMT -8
"You have heard people say, "Love your neighbors and hate your enemies." But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you." Matthew 5:43-44
I've always thought of this in a very low level way. What I mean by that is, I need to love the person who in high school I couldn't stand. Or I need to love a co-worker who I don't really like.
But through all the hubbub around the current political activity, God has put some very real thoughts in my head about this. I started thinking about enemies of the United States. Are we really supposed to love Osama Bin Laden, Hugo Chavez, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Are we supposed to love those who very much hate us? And the only conclusion I can draw is YES. Now, I'm not in ANY way condoning what they do or threaten, but I started thinking that they too are children of God. And God's heart is broken that He doesn't have a relationship with them. But I don't believe He loves them any less than He loves any Atheist, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, etc. There actions, certainly; but them as individuals, I don't think so. I think this might be one of the most radical statements that Jesus made on the Sermon on the Mount.
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Post by Josh on Oct 8, 2008 21:06:10 GMT -8
yep... and in light of how awful some of the disciples' enemies were (Nero, for instance), we ought to realize it's meant to be shocking to us in our historical context for sure.
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