The Sermon on the Mountਨਮੂਨਾ

The Challenge of the Sermon on the Mount, Part 1

The Sermon on the Mount calls us to a transformed life. The beauty of this sermon, preached by Christ, is that it challenges us to live the life He died to give us. It confronts us with our absolute need for grace and opens our eyes to the true meaning of fulfillment.

This sermon calls us to the life Jesus died to give us. In Titus, we read that Jesus came to rescue us from sin—not just from its penalty but from its power. His purpose was to redeem us, purify us, and make us His own possession, zealous for good works. The life Jesus died to give us is one where we want to do the right thing, not looking for a reward because we already have our reward in heaven. Ephesians reminds us that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ for good works, which God prepared beforehand for us to walk in. When we do these good works, we find everlasting joy.

The Sermon on the Mount also exposes areas of our lives that need transformation. Jesus didn’t justify us so that we could remain the same; He justified us to sanctify us. The life He describes is one that reveals His work in us—distinct, purposeful, and rooted in His grace. As we meditate on these passages, we are challenged to ask: Am I living the life Christ died to give me?

The Sermon on the Mount exposes our absolute need for grace. Its standards are impossibly high when viewed through the lens of human strength. As we reflect on its teachings, we are confronted with the reality: “I can’t live this. I fall short.” This realization doesn’t lead to despair but to dependence on Jesus, the only one who perfectly fulfilled every command. He lived the life we could never live, died the death we deserved, and rose again to offer us grace that saves and sustains. We now have freedom to no longer live a façade but instead trust in Him with every need. In living like this, we understand the old hymn that says, “’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His Word.”

The Christian life is one we begin by grace, progress in by grace, and finish by grace. In Christ, there is no room for human boasting—only gratitude and dependence. Pray today for the humility to embrace your need for grace and the courage to live the life Christ calls you to.