Sermon on the Mount

What does a life that is pleasing to God look like? How we answerthis question shapes our religious lives as well as the religious practiceswe follow. The Gospel of Matthew uses the word righteousness torefer to a life that is pleasing to God. In an insightful study of Jesus s Sermon on the Mount, biblical scholarSteve Langford uses Jesus s statement about a righteousness thatexceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees as a guide to interpretingthe sermon. Langford uses the beatitudes to identify the foundationalattitudes of Jesus s heart-oriented spirituality (righteousness) andthe impact those attitudes have in the lives of his followers. Ashe explores the remainder of the sermon, Langford details howJesus addressed four barriers to his heart-oriented spirituality. Thesermon s conclusion reflects the life-defining choice faced by theoriginal audience. Included are reflection questions that help believerspersonalize Jesus s teachings. The Sermon on the Mount is a thought-provoking study of the teachingsof Jesus that encourages believers to embrace an authentic or healthyspirituality in order to live a life that is pleasing to God.