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Introduction to Worship for 1/29/2017

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This week begins a four-week exploration of the Sermon on the Mount, a collection of Jesus’ sayings. It appears only in the gospel of Matthew in this form; Luke has a similar collection of sayings (including another version of Beatitudes) called the Sermon on the Plain. In Matthew, the sayings are placed at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and function as the vision statement for his ministry: he lays out a radical vision of what God’s reign on earth might look like, a vision of wholeness for all people.

Matthew 5: 1-12

The Beatitudes begin the Sermon on the Mount. They are a series of sentences beginning with the word blessed, or happy in some translations. Blessing is God’s free gift to humankind, a sign of covenant relationship with God. Jesus’ first teaching to the disciples turns a world view on its head. We have learned the ways of the world from our earliest days: that the blessed are the rich, blessed are those with good healthcare and retirement plans, blessed are the powerful and popular, and blessed are the young and good looking.

There is urgency in Jesus’ teaching. He uses the present tense – this is happening right now. In Jesus’ coming, God’s love is revealed and made manifest. This teaching is directed to the disciples, the Twelve and the larger group of men and women who accompany Jesus. The Beatitudes describe the way of life for those who commit themselves to follow. For Matthew’s community, this re-imagined realm is what life should be like. Those who mourn will be comforted; those who make peace will be called God’s children. Those who are persecuted in the cause of justice will find themselves part of God’s transforming reality.

Our experience today is, in many ways, similar to that of Matthew’s community. We may not be persecuted for our faith, but the ways of faith often seem foolish compared with the values of society. What challenges do we find when we immerse ourselves in the extraordinary and wise ways of God?

Connecting Scripture and Life

Close your eyes and imagine yourself receiving a blessing from God: What do you feel? (pause) What do you see? (pause) What do you hear? (pause) What do you smell? (pause) Do you taste anything? (pause) What emotions do you experience? (pause) Have you felt this way before? (pause)

Use the attached resource sheet to explore moments you have seen or experienced or needed God’s blessing and then take that moment to talk to God in prayer.

Invite children to think of people who might be feeling sad, hungry, lonely, without friends and draw a face for each person they think about. Suggest they sit quietly in the prayer space and say a gentle prayer, asking that each person will know God’s love and care. For each person/prayer they might ring a bell and listen as the sound of the bell disappears. Then move on to the next prayer.

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