The Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, is the superlative body of religious statements in all literature. It's the pinnacle substance of the teachings of Jesus, with the Beatitudes being the centerpiece of the discourse. It's revered for the eloquent and inspiring way it introduces the means to happiness and purpose in life. However, there's much more to the sermon than inspiration and beauty of expression.
In Devotional Reflections on the Sermon on the Mount, author Dr. Charles Lee Holland Jr. offers an interpretation of one of the best-loved and best-known portions of the New Testament. In this devotional, he doesn't provide a verse-by-verse analysis, but he presents the respective topics individually to emphasize the relevance of the sermon for our time. Holland focuses on showing the abiding influence of the old covenant between God and Israel on one hand and the new covenant between God and his people as taught by Jesus.
He shows how the Sermon on the Mount provides ways Christians can truly exercise the light, to present the king of the kingdom, Jesus the Christ. Devotional Reflections on the Sermon on the Mount demonstrates that the teachings of Jesus should be understood as present tense. As you read the Sermon on the Mount, you understand that Jesus continues to speak to his disciples.
