Everything on its head!
On Sunday Sarah Croft was preaching in our church on how we prioritise our life, on what place we give to God and what this tells the world around us. All of this was fuelled from Jesus’ ‘Sermon on the Mount’.
Afterwards I began to read this sermon again it is astonishing, not from an academic point of view but from practical angle. Jesus here is talking about how we live.
I finally convinced Ruth watch Terminator 2: Judgement Day with me. There is a famous scene when Sarah Conner comes face to face the Terminator again. She is unaware at that moment that he has been sent back in time to protect rather than kill. He [Arnie] holds out his hand to her and says, “Come with me if you want to live.” (cleverly echoing a line from the previous film).
That day on which Jesus found himself on the mountainside with a group of people, that looked to him for hope. He began to speak and it was as if he was saying, “Come with me if you want to live, truly live.”
From the word go he turns everything on its head, he lists everyone who God blesses and it is the most unexpected list:
"God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them. God blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, for they will receive it in full. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted because they live for God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too.” Matt 5:3-12 (Msg)
The list does not feature the heroic, the powerful or the creative. Instead God seeks to bless the screw ups that need Him [and know it], the distraught [who struggle to even comprehend hope], the unnoticed [who can’t imagine God fighting their corner], the abused and the bullied [who’s bruises are gently touched by the Healer himself]. All of them are desperate for God, but it doesn’t end there; God is desperate for them and this turns everything on its head.
As Jesus began speaking on that hillside that day lives were going to change. In fact these truly revolutionary words are still changing lives today; His words creating new possibilities just as they did at the dawn of creation. You can never hear these words without something happening inside; this is the beginning of a revolution. It is no revolution of passive resistance either, this is a rejection of the status quo in favour of something more. Something so fantastically more that the great minds throughout history have struggled to grasp it, and children gleefully lay hold of it.
As Jesus began speaking things were going to be turned upside down and one thing will emerge: Life - uncontrollable and full of salvation! This is a sermon of liberation, our liberation. It begins with blessings, progresses to the Cross and finds its conclusion in our lives. But it doesn’t end there, our lives are the story of liberation for those who come after us.
Afterwards I began to read this sermon again it is astonishing, not from an academic point of view but from practical angle. Jesus here is talking about how we live.
I finally convinced Ruth watch Terminator 2: Judgement Day with me. There is a famous scene when Sarah Conner comes face to face the Terminator again. She is unaware at that moment that he has been sent back in time to protect rather than kill. He [Arnie] holds out his hand to her and says, “Come with me if you want to live.” (cleverly echoing a line from the previous film).That day on which Jesus found himself on the mountainside with a group of people, that looked to him for hope. He began to speak and it was as if he was saying, “Come with me if you want to live, truly live.”
From the word go he turns everything on its head, he lists everyone who God blesses and it is the most unexpected list:
"God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them. God blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, for they will receive it in full. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted because they live for God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too.” Matt 5:3-12 (Msg)The list does not feature the heroic, the powerful or the creative. Instead God seeks to bless the screw ups that need Him [and know it], the distraught [who struggle to even comprehend hope], the unnoticed [who can’t imagine God fighting their corner], the abused and the bullied [who’s bruises are gently touched by the Healer himself]. All of them are desperate for God, but it doesn’t end there; God is desperate for them and this turns everything on its head.
As Jesus began speaking on that hillside that day lives were going to change. In fact these truly revolutionary words are still changing lives today; His words creating new possibilities just as they did at the dawn of creation. You can never hear these words without something happening inside; this is the beginning of a revolution. It is no revolution of passive resistance either, this is a rejection of the status quo in favour of something more. Something so fantastically more that the great minds throughout history have struggled to grasp it, and children gleefully lay hold of it.
As Jesus began speaking things were going to be turned upside down and one thing will emerge: Life - uncontrollable and full of salvation! This is a sermon of liberation, our liberation. It begins with blessings, progresses to the Cross and finds its conclusion in our lives. But it doesn’t end there, our lives are the story of liberation for those who come after us.
posted by Andrew at 10:22 pm
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