Introduction

I.     The Place & The People

   A.     A Level Place

   B.     A Mixed Crowd

II.     The Message & The Meaning

   A.     School of Ethics or Kingdom of Redemption?

“…this discourse throughout presupposes that the
disciples here instructed became associated with
Jesus as sinners needing salvation, and that their
whole life in continuance is lived on the basis of
grace.”

   B.     Law or Gospel?

“So long as this voice of the beatitudes is
distinctly heard, it will not be possible to find any
other religion here than that religion of salvation
through the grace of God in Christ.”

   C.     Self-Righteousness or the Righteousness of
God? (Matt. 15:8; Matt. 5:21-22; 5:27-28; 15:18-19)  
 
     
“Christ drives us back into the inner chambers of
our consciousness, where God and we are alone, and
good and evil assume a proportion and significance
never dreamt of before.”     

   D.     Reform or Repentance? (Ps. 51:4)

“A repentant sinner acquits God and condemns
himself…”

   E.      Crutch or Cross?
     

Conclusion (Rev. 7:16-17)