Seeing the Reality of Life – A Life of Treasures We start the new year/decade in Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. Seek God’s kingdom. Jesus is talking to villagers, farmers, fishermen, women who spin and weave. Life is survival. Too vulnerable to care about abstractions, meaning. (Pyramid of motivation) Jesus goes straight for deep-high meaning. These hardscrabble people have treasures. The question: where they/we put treasures. What gives meaning/value? Where my heart is. Earth – things that pass away. God’s realm – things that can’t be destroyed. But both are here and now. It’s a challenge of vision. How do I see the world/life. My ability to see the world and people as God’s realm can become distorted, dark or give light. Jesus focuses on a difficult “choice.” Who do I serve? God or Mammon? A personification of Money, power, control, and all their embodiments in structures, relationship, stuff. Mammon’s the most powerful god we can create. Mammon is our human replica of God, the kind of god we think God should be. Pragmatic, real. Visible (not hidden). Powerful. Equipped with full theology. Daily rites to shape my choices. Able to save and destroy.
How Can God Rule in My Life?
Matthew 6:19-34
A New Year – Under God’s Rule!
Epiphany – The Magi come seeking the new king. Herod urges them to seek that king so that he may ‘worship’ (kill) him. Mt wants us to think intently about Jesus as God’s Messiah, King. “God’s kingdom is arriving” – breaking in. This is God’s work. Can we participate?
New Year – We stand in the crowd listening to Jesus: “Seek first God’s kingdom, God’s rule and God’s righteousness!” Good! I want God to rule in my life. But it sounds strange.
I don’t have to seek Herod’s rule or Rome’s. They impose it. God’s kingdom comes, but it relates to me as no other kingdom. Jesus says, “Seek it.” I say, “Just tell me the rules – sacrifices, rituals, purities, things forbidden, boundaries, who’s in/out, rules of worship, rewards, punishments.” Jesus looks at the rag-tag, expectant crowd: “Sure, that’s what I’ve been doing. Love God, neighbors, enemies. No anger. No sexual dominance, Speak truth. Don’t resist evil people, but turn your cheek. Don’t show off piety. Pray simply. Give generously. Don’t judge. Give to others what you’ve been given. Don’t worry about your life!
The Reality and Generosity of God
Matthew 6:19-34
Heaven and Earth through Jesus’ Eyes
We start a New Year not in a freezing crowd in Times Square, but in a crowd on a mountain with Jesus. Even the poorest among us can hardly imagine this crowd from Galilee towns. No medicine, police, grocery, banks; few schools; no political voice, no technology. But still like us, human, hoping, wanting a better life, identity, wanting help to understand. What do you say to powerless, struggling people, gathered because of suffering, desire?
Jesus does not condescend with platitudes. He teaches them, reshaping theology, ethics, anthropology, cosmology through powerful images that still challenge every real listener.
Walking Together in Shared Life
Ephesians 4:1-6
Going for a Walk Together
When Paul writes Ephesians, he can’t walk, as he has through his ministry. He’s in prison. But he loves the image of walking, prominent in scripture, and uses it throughout his letter. For Paul, it’s not where you go (travel, prison) but how you walk – “worthy” of your calling, the invitation you’ve received from God in Jesus. Paul saw all kinds of people come into these communities shaped by the event of Jesus, and he saw transformations: Eph 2:1-10. We were dead people walking, in delusion, futility, shaped by the air we breathed. God in his Love gave us life in Jesus, raised us with him. It’s Grace, a gift we receive by faith. A new creation, a new walk, toward every good action. Minds made new. Walking in love, as “children of light.” Becoming wise adults who learn to think for themselves, to discern God’s will, “humbly to walk with God.” Learning from a Shared Walk
Living the Expectant Present with Jesus
Matthew 6:25-34
Living in the Present with the Past and Future
We begin 2016 with Jesus’ call: “Seek first God’s kingdom....” Most of us consider ourselves either committed followers of Jesus or seekers, interested in his teaching. He is clearly giving a challenge, but what does it mean? How do I seek that kingdom? What if I can’t find it? Why does he talk about not being anxious? Isn’t he asking the impossible? I’m worried!
A striking thing about Jesus is how focused he is on the present moment, the person in front of him, the present need/opportunity, living now! He lived in a nation with a long, difficult past. The future holds conflict, persecution, death for himself and many of his followers. We haven’t done well in the past, we face a fearful tomorrow. No anxiety? How can I seek?