For years I had thought of the Sermon on the Mount as a blueprint for human behavior that no one could possibly follow. Reading it again, I found that Jesus gave these words not to cumber us, but to tell us what God is like. The character of God is the [subtext] of the Sermon on the Mount.
Why should we love our enemies?
Because our [merciful] Father causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good.
Why be perfect?
Because God is perfect.
Why store up treasures in heaven?
Because the Father lives there and will lavishly reward us.
Why live without fear and worry?
Because the same God who clothes the lilies and the grass of the field has promised to take care of us.
Why pray?
If an earthly father gives his son bread or fish, how much more will the Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him.
–Philip Yancey
All of God’s commands reveal His character to us. Therefore, as you read the Bible, read it not only to find out how to live, but to realize more fully the character of the One who instructs you to imitate Him.