The Sermon on the Mount

What does a life that is pleasing to God look like? How we answer
this question shapes our religious lives as well as the religious practices
we follow. The Gospel of Matthew uses the word righteousness to
refer to a life that is pleasing to God.
In an insightful study of Jesus's Sermon on the Mount, biblical scholar
Steve Langford uses Jesus's statement about "a righteousness that
exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees" as a guide to interpreting
the sermon. Langford uses the beatitudes to identify the foundational
attitudes of Jesus's heart-oriented spirituality (righteousness) and
the impact those attitudes have in the lives of his followers. As
he explores the remainder of the sermon, Langford details how
Jesus addressed four barriers to his heart-oriented spirituality. The
sermon's conclusion reflects the life-defining choice faced by the
original audience. Included are reflection questions that help believers
personalize Jesus's teachings.
The Sermon on the Mount is a thought-provoking study of the teachings
of Jesus that encourages believers to embrace an authentic or healthy
spirituality in order to live a life that is pleasing to God.