THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT AND AFRICAN AMERICANS
The "Sermon on the Mount" of Jesus Christ sets forth super-human attributes for mankind to follow to achieve "perfection."
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sermon_on_the_Mount
As slaves in America, Africans were forced to become 'superhuman' simply to survive, and even thrive, under torrid conditions, like living in the hungry lions' den like Daniel, or like surviving the fiery furnace, like Shadrach, Meshak, and Abednego.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Dispiriting indeed was slavery, and dispirited also were the slaves, but the assurance of heaven was hope.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
Mourning was common as kinsmen were torn away, then sold away, from shrieking relatives in slavery. These words of Jesus gave them their blessed assurance of comfort.
"Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth."
Meekness was our methodology of survival then as now in many times.
Though criticized as capitulation, meekness preserves one to fight on another day in some better way.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled."
No one has hungered and thirsted more for righteousness in America than the deeply wronged Africans. The promise of fulfillment is being realized in our time within our view!
"Blessed are the merciful , for they will be shown mercy."
During the Civil War, when many able bodied white men were away fighting to preserve their slavery, there were no slave rebellions, nor murders, nor rapes. Rather, the slaves' mistress was shown mercy.
"Oh, oh! Oh mercy mercy me. Oh things ain't like they used to be," sang Marvin Gaye for us in the '70s. Mercy we gave; seldom got! But ours is an abiding faith in God.
"Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God."
A "pure heart" is pure, light as the feather of Maat, at the Judgement Scene of Osiris, as balanced on the scales of justice against your heart.
An impure heart is eaten by a dog, having weighted down the scale. A pure heart enters into immortality.
"Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God."
"Walk together children there is a great camp meeting up ahead." This stanza from a song inspired fleeing slaves on their journeys. Later, the intervention of the slaves for the Union brought victory to it; which brought peace to the U.S.A. We are the children of God, indeed!
"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Persecution in every imaginable form we have known and yet know. Over and over, we have urged our nation , this country , to do the right thing by us, by its documents!
Heavenly home is right here in us!
"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and say all manner of evil falsely against you because of me."
"Because of me" speaks to the redeeming ministry of Jesus Christ as intuited, as interpreted, as temporized, by our falsely insulted, persecuted, reviled forebears, who created institutions to sustain us !
"Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way persecuted they the prophets who were before you."
The heaven of which Jesus speaks is not a place where men say "lo here nor lo there." Rather "the kingdom of heaven is inside of you." That means it is inside of us.
Inside of our righteous assembly, and outside of it too we have been repeatedly insulted, persecuted, reviled, and dispirited; repeatedly we have mourned, been meek, have hungered and thirsted for righteousness; have shown mercy. Repeatedly we have been pure in heart; have been peacemakers. We have borne our burdens as Jesus bore his cross up Calvary aided by our black brother, Simon of Cyrene, in whose shoes be stand in history!
So then, having embodied the heart and soul of the "Sermon on the Mount" as written in Matt. 5:3-12, we have been "perfect," as Jesus preached in Matthew 5:48.
Rejoice and again I say "Rejoice!"
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
SERMON ON THE MOUNT AND AFRICAN AMERICANS
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT AND AFRICAN AMERICANS
The "Sermon on the Mount" of Jesus Christ sets forth super-human attributes for mankind to follow to achieve "perfection."
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sermon_on_the_Mount
As slaves in America, Africans were forced to become 'superhuman' simply to survive, and even thrive, under torrid conditions, like living in the hungry lions' den like Daniel, or like surviving the fiery furnace, like Shadrach, Meshak, and Abednego.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Dispiriting indeed was slavery, and dispirited also were the slaves, but the assurance of heaven was hope.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
Mourning was common as kinsmen were torn away, then sold away, from shrieking relatives in slavery. These words of Jesus gave them their blessed assurance of comfort.
"Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth."
Meekness was our methodology of survival then as now in many times.
Though criticized as capitulation, meekness preserves one to fight on another day in some better way.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled."
No one has hungered and thirsted more for righteousness in America than the deeply wronged Africans. The promise of fulfillment is being realized in our time within our view!
"Blessed are the merciful , for they will be shown mercy."
During the Civil War, when many able bodied white men were away fighting to preserve their slavery, there were no slave rebellions, nor murders, nor rapes. Rather, the slaves' mistress was shown mercy.
"Oh, oh! Oh mercy mercy me. Oh things ain't like they used to be," sang Marvin Gaye for us in the '70s. Mercy we gave; seldom got! But ours is an abiding faith in God.
"Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God."
A "pure heart" is pure, light as the feather of Maat, at the Judgement Scene of Osiris, as balanced on the scales of justice against your heart.
An impure heart is eaten by a dog, having weighted down the scale. A pure heart enters into immortality.
"Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God."
"Walk together children there is a great camp meeting up ahead." This stanza from a song inspired fleeing slaves on their journeys. Later, the intervention of the slaves for the Union brought victory to it; which brought peace to the U.S.A. We are the children of God, indeed!
"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Persecution in every imaginable form we have known and yet know. Over and over, we have urged our nation , this country , to do the right thing by us, by its documents!
Heavenly home is right here in us!
"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and say all manner of evil falsely against you because of me."
"Because of me" speaks to the redeeming ministry of Jesus Christ as intuited, as interpreted, as temporized, by our falsely insulted, persecuted, reviled forebears, who created institutions to sustain us !
"Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way persecuted they the prophets who were before you."
The heaven of which Jesus speaks is not a place where men say "lo here nor lo there." Rather "the kingdom of heaven is inside of you." That means it is inside of us.
Inside of our righteous assembly, and outside of it too we have been repeatedly insulted, persecuted, reviled, and dispirited; repeatedly we have mourned, been meek, have hungered and thirsted for righteousness; have shown mercy. Repeatedly we have been pure in heart; have been peacemakers. We have borne our burdens as Jesus bore his cross up Calvary aided by our black brother, Simon of Cyrene, in whose shoes be stand in history!
So then, having embodied the heart and soul of the "Sermon on the Mount" as written in Matt. 5:3-12, we have been "perfect," as Jesus preached in Matthew 5:48.
Rejoice and again I say "Rejoice!"