~ Introduction ~

In a famous Shakespearean play, Hamlet said, “To be, or not to be, that is the question. Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles.”

The struggles of life are very real, and each day, we make decisions that determine how we will live. The way we face life is largely determined by our attitude toward whatever may be happening, either to us or around us. How do we respond when we see a hurting world? How do we treat those who are having a much more difficult life than we are? How can we find peace in the midst of a chaotic world, peace with God, and peace with man?

The Beatitudes have always held a special place in my heart. The reason dates to the early days of my childhood. In what now seems like a long time ago, in a land that no longer exists, the elementary school I attended took time each morning to pray. There was no question about which god we prayed to; there was only One God. After the prayer, the teacher devoted time to assisting the students in memorizing Bible verses. They acknowledged the number of verses we learned by presenting us with a token of our achievement. For me, one of them was a small plaque that had Matthew 5:8 inscribed on it. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

As a six-year-old boy, I never imagined that one day I would stand on the mountain where Jesus first spoke those words. I have a favorite place that I always try to secure for a devotional when I’m there. There are several large boulders on the side of the mountain, with the Sea of Galilee providing a backdrop. It is a natural amphitheater that would have allowed Jesus to speak to the assembled multitudes. Echoing through the ages of time, I hear Him saying, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Most people are familiar with the Beatitudes as they are listed in the Book of Matthew. They are not as familiar with a similar sermon that Jesus shared with His disciples in the Book of Luke. Critics of the Bible say this is one of the places where the Bible contradicts itself because the messages are not the same. But even a casual reading lets you know we are looking at two occasions.

Matthew 5:1 clearly states they were on a mountain when the most complete sermon Jesus ever preached was recorded in the Bible. Luke 6:17 says this sermon occurred in “a plain,” not on a mountain. But even if it were the same message, why is it difficult to understand that some words stuck a more resounding chord to one person than another? Ask anyone as they leave a church service what the pastor preached, and you will see that even though they were in the same service, some things spoke to their heart differently than to the person sitting beside them. We allow atheists and infidels to muddy waters that are crystal clear if you stop and think.

I believe we are looking at two different sermons. Ministers often incorporate the same truths into more than one sermon. In this study, I want to blend the two sermons of Jesus and examine what He was saying to them and the message the Church needs to hear today. What should our attitudes be when we see a world that flaunts its sin in our face? How do we guard our hearts to make sure they stay pure? In the greatest sermon ever preached, Jesus gave us guidelines to live by. How can we be the Christian God wants us to be?

Let’s begin the journey.