Lessons from the Sermon on Mount

«And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain; and when He was set His disciples came unto Him; and He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.»

Now if any of you are feeling that hunger and thirst after righteousness, do not be discouraged, but claim for yourselves the promise, «Ye shall be filled.»

«Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the poor in heart; for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.»

Will you remember that, when you see others in trouble and in difficulty, or at enmity with one another? If you do not know what else to do about it, you can certainly speak words of peace. That may stop their complaining, and prove a blessing.

«Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

«Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

«Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.»

Now Christ gives us a charge. «Let your light so shine before men,» He says, «that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.»

Our daily experience with Christ should be of the highest value to us. We have an individual part to act in his services. Our blessed Saviour has given us these precious promises for our encouragement. He desires us to know that He is watching over us, and that He will teach us what He expects us to do. If the enemy comes to us in the morning, or during the day, with annoyances, let us remember these precious promises and not allow ourselves to be ruffled. Let us remember that we are Christ’s representatives, and that we must not, by word or act, offend one another.

Do you think that perhaps no trials will arise? Certainly there will be trials. If there were not, you might rejoice that you had no devil to tempt you. But you will have temptations till the very close of time. Therefore you need to keep in close companionship with Christ. His angels are commissioned to watch over you. They are your appointed guardians. If some one says something that tends to provoke you, remember that at such a time silence is eloquence. Do not respond in a manner to retaliate. It will be better to say nothing than to speak unadvisedly. We will all have our battles to fight, though these struggles may vary in character according to our disposition and our experience.

Let us rejoice that Jesus Christ has made it possible for us to lay hold upon divinity. When we feel exceedingly tried, let us remember that there is a heavenly angel by our side. This thought will help us to honor Christ, who has made it possible for us to become sons and daughters of God. Unless we are constantly on our guard, we may be caught unawares, and speak hastily. It may then be impossible for us to remove the impression from the mind of those to whom we have spoken; for some do not desire to get rid of such impressions. They seem to delight in cherishing evil. Let us, by keeping our words in harmony with the instructions which the Saviour has given us, not give them any occasion for offense.

As we come in contact with varying dispositions, we shall undoubtedly find great provocation to speak unkindly. But remember that at such times silence is often eloquence. If you refrain from retaliating when you are provoked by others, you will surprise them. And if repeatedly you preserve your dignity under provocation, they will realize that you are in connection with a higher power. This honors God, Who gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (Concluded next week.)