Posts filed under 'sermon'
When God speaks on mountains
Matthew 5:1 -16
King Jesus is speaking about what will characterise the people of his Kingdom.
It is one of the most famous pieces of literature as the teacher sits on the mountain and cast a radical vision of righteousness and a new community. Yet the righteousness he speaks of is grounded in grace and the state of blessedness that only he has authority to confer.
He opens his mouth and speaks – here is God’s great prophet – God himself revealing the character of his end time community. His powerful agent for the earth.
King Jesus is speaking about what will characterise the people of his Kingdom.
It is one of the most famous pieces of literature as the teacher sits on the mountain and cast a radical vision of righteousness and a new community. Yet the righteousness he speaks of is grounded in grace and the state of blessedness that only he has authority to confer.
He opens his mouth and speaks – here is God’s great prophet – God himself revealing the character of his end time community. His powerful agent for the earth.
The life of this community is potent to say the least and radically counter cultural.
They are the blessed ones, actively engaging as members of the community, with a future orientation. Yet their active participation does not gain them a righteousness of their own. This is not a new law of works to replace the old. This righteousness is fundamentally on account of King Jesus. There are empty handed yet active participants.
They are the blessed ones, actively engaging as members of the community, with a future orientation. Yet their active participation does not gain them a righteousness of their own. This is not a new law of works to replace the old. This righteousness is fundamentally on account of King Jesus. There are empty handed yet active participants.
Poverty of spirit, morning over the ruin of sin, humble assessment of self, being cleansed, showing mercy as recipents of mercy, extending the minstry of reconcilitation – waging peace – these are the fundamental marks of the righteous King’s people. It is such a radical counter culture that pitches us at odds with the world that we might expect persecution from those who love death and darkenss and hate God.
The King’s blessed ones are the salt and light blessing ‘of the earth’, ‘of the world’- the church is God’s radical agent of blessing.
If we lose our radical counter cultural potency we are useless.
If we lose our preserving and life giving proximity we are useless.
Here is part of Jesus mandate for his community in missionary – letting light shine, good deeds both spoken and enacted with maximum impact. . And it must point beyong itself. Our goal is God’s glory.
If we lose our preserving and life giving proximity we are useless.
Here is part of Jesus mandate for his community in missionary – letting light shine, good deeds both spoken and enacted with maximum impact. . And it must point beyong itself. Our goal is God’s glory.
Add comment February 17, 2008
James is sleeping and waiting
I’ve discovered this blog of a friend in the UK who is involved in the Co-mission Initiative in south London, this is a really helpful sermon preached recently by Richard Perkins (aka Perks) at the funeral of James Meagher, a brother who shares in the resurrection.
Add comment February 23, 2007
