Our look at Jesus’ most extended and essential teaching continues this week. Commonly called The Sermon on the Mount (because the text tells us Jesus went up on a mountain to speak), these three chapters (5-7) in the gospel of Matthew are best understood as the epitome of how best to follow Jesus according to Jesus. This Sunday, February 10th, we consider chapter 7, the conclusion of Jesus’ Kin-dom Manifesto. 

While it is perhaps a bit less familiar than the Beatitudes (i.e. the series of blessings with which Jesus begins his sermon), chapter 7 offers thoughts we’ve likely encountered somewhere. But those thoughts tend to sound a bit…weird to our ears. 

Logs and planks? Pearls and pigs? Bread and stones (Hey! Didn’t we see that connection somewhere recently??) Fish and snakes?

 

What in the world is Jesus talking about here? And what does all this have to do with best practices in home building?

 

Perhaps pigs and fish and snakes (oh my!) can help us contemplate just what is actually in our control?

 

Perhaps, in the midst of the weirdness, this text can reveal some truths about ourselves and how we go about our daily living?

 

Perhaps Jesus’ teachings can jolt us out of our normal way of thinking and being in the world enough to make a difference in our lives and in the lives of our neighbors?

 

Be in worship this Sunday, February 10th, to see what we can make of all this in Pastor Dave’s sermon, “Attitude and Effort.”

 

All are welcome!