A different kind of sermon
Sermon on the Mount –Matthew 5
Today was such a long day, I am so tired, but I just cannot
go to bed without telling the story of this day. I am afraid to forget many of
the things I heard. The weather today was perfect. It was so beautiful that I
went to walk the shores of Galilee, just to breathe in God’s beauty. I saw crowds
of people lining the mountain. I went up to see what was going on.
There seemed to be thousands of
people, men, women, and children, poor and rich people --- just people
everywhere. Some Roman guards hanging about – probably fearing insurrection. However, they did not break up the gathering
– they just walked around keeping an eye on things. There was a prophet
speaking….a long sermon. Someone said it was Jesus. He is the one who is
getting all the notoriety about healing. I could not be sure since I do not
really know him, but that is what everyone was saying. I must admit I only
stayed out of curiosity, but I didn’t actually see him heal anyone.
I was intrigued by his message
because it is so different from what I am used to. I don’t usually go in for
roaming preachers, but this one held my interest because he talked with such
authority. He has gentleness and authority at the same time, I have never encountered
that before, it made me want to listen.
But not only his mannerism, but his message
held me. I can’t get some of the things he said out of my head. He seemed to be
teaching rebellion from the Romans, but I am not sure, because he didn’t
reference them. This man wasn’t just complaining about the abuses that the
Romans have put on us; I think he was talking about something much deeper. He
referenced the next world- or some other reality – a kingdom that didn’t seem
to be here and yet he said it was. This kingdom was for the most unlikely
people. This preacher didn’t sell us the usually be good and you will get to
heaven, follow the rules and God will love you. He said that people were blessed- that is holy,
consecrated and hallowed – that people themselves are these things. Usually
preachers teach God alone is holy. What was more amazing are the things that
make people blessed – being poor in their hearts, mourning, hungering for what
is right, being meek not mighty, being merciful not mercenary, and being a
peacemaker. He even went so far as to say if you are persecuted because you do
the right thing- don’t worry, God rewards that! Be happy when they insult you,
slander you and utter lies against you – God will protect you in the end. I
wondered if he was just trying to justify the things being said about him.
He went on to talk about handling
your anger, about what place the law should have in our lives and adultery,
divorce and things like promises. He seemed to say that loving your enemies is
the most crucial thing and that if we do; we are in his words “The light of the
World.” He taught a beautiful prayer in which we can call Yahweh, Father. I
must say he tried hard to make us feel like we are one family, rich-poor,
Jew-Greek- educated or not.
I don’t know what to make of this, I
am an educated woman, a faithful Israelite and the temple holds such a high
place in my family’s life. This prophet seems to come from this same place, but
he is proposing something so different. Was he really saying we should be more
confident of our place in God’s mind? Should
we take the abuse of the Romans and think we will be blessed for it? How could
I ever love my enemy?
I will say I
liked that he wants women to have a bill of divorce from their husbands when they
just walk out and leave us. So many of my friends have suffered at the hands of
men who think they can just do whatever they want. I also liked his ideas about
adultery – it is about lust, and men
have to get that. I want to hear that prayer to the Father again, I liked that…
Oh, what a day! So much is swimming
around in my head. I might try to seek this man out again but got to go to bed
now!
.p.s. He also said something about being a disciple for him, I wonder if he meant women too?
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