Desperate Hope

I'm not sure I can make generalizations about the Bible at all. But, if I had to I would say that it is meant for our spiritual growth. The Sermon on the Mount is often pointed to as a premiere passage of the New Testament. At first glance this makes a lot of sense. It is a sermon on the "do's and don'ts" of Christianity. It is Christ telling the people what they must do to get to heaven. Then, you begin to realize, "No way in Hell is this happening." I mean, no way ever, not even for an hour is this possible. This is a speech of extremes. "Don't murder, and don't be angry." "Don't commit adultery, and don't lust." Yeah, ok, no problem--So much for spiritual growth. I've already ruined it four times while writing this post. This passage drives you into the ground. The more I read the more I dig my own grave. My life is over, there's no getting around this one. Sermon on the Mount--you've ended all hope in me. It's reached into my soul and shown a light on its blackness; it's personal. But Christ doesn't end with this Sermon. He offers hope outside of ourselves. The sermon is where we need to start for us to know in our hearts that it is true when he says "I do this for you, I do this for you alone." The creator of all things dies for dirty, desperate people. His best friends, the ones who we study as scripture today, were thieves, adulterers, blasphemers, and murderers. Let me say it again, these were his best friends! There must still be hope yet. The greatest followers of Christ were filth, and he taught them to love--and taught me to love them. Looking to Christ's love gives me hope, gives me love that I cannot claim as my own. And, that is spiritual growth, that is everlasting life.