This weekend we begin our mini-series on the Sermon on the Mount from the gospel of Matthew. This will take us right up until Transfiguration Sunday and the Season of Lent. Which means for the next four Sundays, we will be looking at some of the most famous things Jesus ever said.
And sadly, we will only be getting into the first chapter of this very long sermon (it’s actually three chapters). But it is so rich and full of wisdom for our faith journeys that there is absolutely no way to dive into the remainder in the time we have.
This weekend we start at the beginning of the sermon: the very famous Beatitudes.
My first summer here, we spent the whole season looking at each entry on the list one by one. Taking time with this well-known and often considered inventory for the faithful.
What most forget, however, is that it is not a checklist. It is more of a ladder.
The early entries are those things that happen most easily or most often in human life and give us insight into the life of faith. Make space for us to enter into our relationship with God without much thought.
But as our journey gets more complex, as life continues to grow more intricate and convoluted, so the rungs on the ladder become more challenging to reach. They take courage and gumption. A willingness to put ourselves out there and to stand with tenacity in a world that may not like what our God has to say. A world that would much prefer the serene simplicity of maintaining the status quo.
But God does like a good shake up.
So come this weekend and learn more about what this ladder of faith really looks like as we begin our look at one of Jesus’s most famous sermons.
Blessings, Pastor Janie
First Welcoming All 