Happy are those who follow Jesus! – Matthew, chapters 5-7
What we call Sermon on the Mount is a summary or collection of important teachings by Jesus. This preaching/teaching is the first act in Jesus public ministry according to Matthew. That Matthew places Jesus high up on a mountain when Jesus says “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish, but to fulfill’, that is significant. It grounds Jesus’ teachings in the law, among it the 10 commandments, which God gave through Moses to the people of Israel on Mount Horeb after their liberation from slavery in Egypt. Now Jesus reveals to us the essence of discipleship; among it humility, kindness, faith, compassion, non-violence, and integrity! The centerpiece of the sermon on the mount is the Lord’s Prayer, in which we pray: Our Father in Heaven, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. The kingdom of God is not some far removed place, which we can only hope for after death. The kingdom of God is revealed in Jesus’ life and teachings here on earth. It is realized within and through us when we follow Jesus in discipleship. We are the Body of Christ. Rev. Kristin Luana Baumann, sermon, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Port Angeles WA.
0 Comments