Matthew 5:1-2
We all teach whether we intend to or not. That’s especially true for those of us who follow Jesus. Admittedly, there are times when we are painfully aware of people watching us, listening intently to what we say, scrutinizing our every move. At other times, we are scarcely conscious of how we are being heard or seen. We assume that people’s attentions are elsewhere. But surprisingly, they are watching and listening, even when they seem not to be. If you doubt that claim, ask any parent of a teenager! Not many of us think of ourselves as teachers. Our modern conception of teaching is something that happens in a classroom. For some, it’s easy to disdain the classroom which seems far removed from what we call “the real world.” Perhaps you have heard the saying, “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach!” But such an attitude impoverishes our own practice of living and teaching. Jesus models a different vision for teaching. As a Jewish Rabbi, Jesus integrates two vital aspects of teaching – instruction and practice, teaching and example. Nowhere is that more evident than in the Gospel of Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount. Jesus embodies everything He teaches and teaches all that He embodies. As theologian Stanley Hauerwas puts it, “[Jesus’] life is but a commentary on the sermon, and the sermon is the exemplification of His life.” Jesus’ teaching as recorded in Matthew 5, which we know as “Sermon on the Mount” will be the focus of our next sermon series. Please note that I use the word “leader” in the widest possible sense. You may not feel like nor think of yourself as a “leader.” While you don’t have what appears to be “official” leadership roles in your current season of life, you are still very much a “leader” in my sense of that word. As a faithful disciple, we are an informal mentor to our many friends, serve in various areas of church ministries, and invest in a new generation of believers. In other words, we are every bit a leader as those who serve in more acknowledged and public leadership roles. So, please know that these reflections are meant for you too! One initial observation as we begin our journey “up on a mountainside” with Jesus. Teaching is so much more than just words, Matthew strikes a resonant chord with his readers by noting that Jesus “went up on a mountainside and sat down.” For his Jewish hearers, those actions vibrate with meaning. Matthew paints a picture of the Sermon on the Mount that harkens back to Israel’s formational moment as a covenant people: Moses going up Mt. Sinai to receive the gift of the covenant for God’s people. Matthew’s intent for this picture is inescapable. Jesus is the One who is to come who is greater than Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15), who is bringing a new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) to the world. But there is a notable and important difference in the setting between Mt. Sinai and the Sermon on the Mount. As the writer of the letter to the Hebrews says so vividly, “You have not come to a mountain … that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm … to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them” (Hebrews 12:18-19). No, Jesus’ setting is remarkable in its understated ordinariness and, perhaps more importantly, in its welcoming hospitality. Jesus sits on a hillside with a group of His disciples talking about a new way of being human. Refreshingly, He uses remarkably direct and down-to-earth language, free of religious jargon. He speaks with little fanfare and with no drama. Except what He says will change the world, turning the world upside down by turning it right-side-up. That’s worth paying attention to. Comments are closed.
|
Archives
April 2024
Categories |