The Sermon on the Mount is believed to be a sermon by Jesus that is actually a summary of his messages up and down the synagogues.  My viewpoint is this...the mountain symbolizes a couple of very neat ideals to me...One, humility.  Two; how we can come boldly before the throne of Grace now.  Where before in the Old Testament, we were told to stay off the Mount.  Now we are invited to come and sit WITH the Lord.  Mercy bridged the gap and now we can sit with him in all humbleness on the same Holy Mount.  Also, While the Pharisees and Priests sat in Moses' chair in the temple, here Jesus sat in an open air place surrounded by people without a pulpit.  This symbolizes humility and how He said 'the last shall be first' and also that the Lord practices what He preaches. 

God was basically talking to the disciples here.  They were hungry for Him.  He was telling them and feeding them about how to be blessed.  In the meantime, there were a lot of people gathered there.  Only to come for they heard of His miracles.  God needs friends too.  Why else did He create us?  To have company!  But in the midst of talking to His followers, He took the opportunity to tell His message to those who would listen since He loves us all so. 

God came to bless us.  (Acts 3:26 and Genesis 32:3)  Over and over again he pronounces us happy. if we do good.  Thus, happiness consists of having good character I believe.

The carnal and worldly have a misconception of what it means to be blessed and happy.  To them it is riches, food, clothes, things.  Power.  It is no wonder they miss the true Way and true happiness.  :-(

The Sermon on the Mount is basically a show of two things.

1) Who is blessed.
2) Why they are blessed.

Blessed means: holy, sacred, fortunate, blissful and beautiful.  Blissful meaning spiritual joy and happiness.  Fortunate meaning lucky!  LOL

Poor In Spirit: To be empty in spirit so we can 'fill up' on God.  Job was poor in spirit when he blessed God for taking everything away.   It is always begging at God's door.  The blessing comes when we get to the Kingdom and have riches untold.

Those Who Mourn: Having a Godly sorrow for our sins.  Sorrow for others.  Compassion.  NOT despair.  This blesses us by giving us serious satisfaction and arms us against temptation.  Heaven will be a harvest of joy!

The Meek: Those who quietly submit to God, His Word and rod.  Turning away wrath with a soft answer.  This blesses us by promising us the earth.  Meaning I believe, health, safety, wealth.  Life as now.  No stress.

Hunger & Thirst After Righteousness: Truly starving for God and thirsting after Him.  Blesses us with wisdom, knowledge, peace and forgiveness.

The Merciful: Doing good to others.  Basically the Golden Rule.  Treating others how we want to be treated.  Not pointing fingers.  Blessing us with mercy for ourselves when we stumble and fall.

The Pure In Heart: Holiness.  True Christianity lies in the heart.  "Create in me a clean heart, O God!" No lust, deceit, filthy lucre, Nothing but the pure are even capable of seeing God.  Which is the blessing...seeing Him if we are pure.

The Peacemakers: Void being offensive.  Peaceable disposition.  Blessing of working together with God.

Prosecuted: Treated badly for serving the Lord.  By not denying Him, He will remember us.  What an opportunity to glorify Jesus Christ!  For such a sacrifice, we will be blessed by enjoying the Kingdom.  Hard here but wonderful there.

Which one is my strength?  And weakness?  I have to say none of them are my strengths.  For if I really and truly hunger after righteousness, my heart would be pure from being with Him, my tongue would not be offensive thereby being a peacemaker, merciful to not judge others too harshly though I am good at this most of the time I can still improve here.  If I were humble then I could be prosecuted and be meek.

My prayer?

Lord, I thank you for your Word and for talking to me through it.  I thank you so much for coming down to my level.  Help me to hunger more after you.  I want to be more like you.  Instill in me your attributes you spoke of here.  Let me be a light for You.  Forgive me for not being like these character traits you mentioned and put them in my heart.  Create in me a clean heart, Lord.  Give me a heart of flesh and renew my spirit to walk with you daily and to show compassion, meekness, peace, pureness, humility and so on.  I thank you for opening the door to your throne room so I can come before you boldly and ask these things.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen. 

Some graphics from Creative Ladies Ministries and CPC.