Imagine
The Sermon on the Mount is essential to Matthew’s Gospel
—without it, the many description of the Kingdom of Heaven are incomprehensible, or at least unsettling…
—without it, the many description of the Kingdom of Heaven are incomprehensible, or at least unsettling…
This speech is Jesus’ Moses Moment…
Just as Moses went up the Mountain and received the 10 commandments
—the boundaries given by God to regulate relationships in that community of now masterless men and women
—slaves freed, but now asking that fundamental question, “Freed for what?”
—the boundaries given by God to regulate relationships in that community of now masterless men and women
—slaves freed, but now asking that fundamental question, “Freed for what?”
Just so, Jesus spreads out a vision of the beloved community,
of his mission and ministry,
of God’s Kingdom coming near!
of his mission and ministry,
of God’s Kingdom coming near!
He calls on us all to imagine a better world, imagine a truer and blessed way to be human,
to be God’s people,
to be present to God, who is already present to us…
to be God’s people,
to be present to God, who is already present to us…
Jesus calls us to imagine.
Prayer
You’ve seen how the kingdoms of this world are ruled
—the proud and powerful push their way through, the inexhaustible engorge themselves on all that we might inherit from God…
—the proud and powerful push their way through, the inexhaustible engorge themselves on all that we might inherit from God…
Let it not be so, though there is a danger in embracing spiritual poverty
—revealing our weakness and need,
it makes us so vulnerable…
—revealing our weakness and need,
it makes us so vulnerable…
…But imagine…
Imagine the exhausted and empty,
the tired and the humble,
receiving the good God continually offers in abundance
—not on account of their worth, but on account of their inheritance, their worth before God because they are His children, his very image!
the tired and the humble,
receiving the good God continually offers in abundance
—not on account of their worth, but on account of their inheritance, their worth before God because they are His children, his very image!
You’ve seen how the sad and suffering are often avoided
—comfort doled out sparingly because it seems like sorrow is catchy…
—comfort doled out sparingly because it seems like sorrow is catchy…
And I suppose, in a way, it is,
when we mourn with those who mourn, we can become downcast, and also can be confronted with our own deeply buried sorrows and those we thought we’d overcome, but are in fact always part of us.
when we mourn with those who mourn, we can become downcast, and also can be confronted with our own deeply buried sorrows and those we thought we’d overcome, but are in fact always part of us.
Imagine
Imagine though, every heart that hurts held and made whole again,
the comfort of companions, fellow mourners available, grief shared,
every tear wiped away.
the comfort of companions, fellow mourners available, grief shared,
every tear wiped away.
You’ve seen the boastful and greedy grow prosperous because they’ve put themselves first and stripped the earth of her bounty.
In a world known for being nasty, brutish, and short, gentleness seems anathema
—if, at base, the world is an every person for themselves
limited supply, kind of place
—then of course taking a chance on meekness is self-defeating.
limited supply, kind of place
—then of course taking a chance on meekness is self-defeating.
But imagine…
Imagine that the goodness of this world also goes to the downcast, seeming unworthy, who prefer a gentle world and a generous heart.
You’ve seen injustice fill the hearts and minds of so many,
that wickedness is the common currency of corruption
that often a will to power overpowers the rule of law.
that wickedness is the common currency of corruption
that often a will to power overpowers the rule of law.
And again, if scarcity is the only lens through which we can understand the world—then yes “I got mine who cares who I bribed or badgered to find sustenance” is a logical way of being…
But imagine.
Imagine a world where those hungering for equality find trees bearing just such fruits, and those who thirst for justice, they are met with fountains sparkling clear, clean of corruption
streams of justice,
waves of righteousness lapping upon a warm and inviting shore.
streams of justice,
waves of righteousness lapping upon a warm and inviting shore.
You’ve seen cruel people crush anyone who would oppose them,
rub salt in wounds and inflame any hurt with hateful poison.
rub salt in wounds and inflame any hurt with hateful poison.
And my God! What a risk if we don’t do the same…
Kindness to enemies and those whose motives are hidden to us
—so often it comes back and bites you, it is more trouble than it is worth…
—so often it comes back and bites you, it is more trouble than it is worth…
Imagine though…
Imagine a world where tit for tat is transformed into mercy for mercy, for Mercy’s sake. Where we can be a little less on guard,
a little more open,
where forgiveness is the norm!
a little more open,
where forgiveness is the norm!
You’ve seen people of ill will work their wiles on the world,
blinding us all to the image of God in our neighbor and the Heart of God, which is love.
blinding us all to the image of God in our neighbor and the Heart of God, which is love.
To be fair, the other option risks naiveté, being gullible...
But I want you to imagine…
Imagine the little ones, those who seek after God with an abandon,
imagine they are never abandoned, but instead dwell in the house of the LORD all their days
—sit at the feet and on the lap, of Jesus,
are embraced by the Spirit!
imagine they are never abandoned, but instead dwell in the house of the LORD all their days
—sit at the feet and on the lap, of Jesus,
are embraced by the Spirit!
You’ve seen those who make war and spread rumors of war,
who see force as the first, last, and only option,
who say such clever things as, “It is a joy to die for the fatherland.”
You’ve seen them claiming all kinds of good, using violence to set themselves up to be something, or at least safe.
who see force as the first, last, and only option,
who say such clever things as, “It is a joy to die for the fatherland.”
You’ve seen them claiming all kinds of good, using violence to set themselves up to be something, or at least safe.
And in a world so often violent, who would not stick to self-defense, to peace through superior firepower, to mutually assured destruction.
Yet Imagine…
Imagine children of God from all around the globe,
from every neighborhood and nation,
working for peace,
living peacefully together, transforming swords into plowshares, spears into pruning hooks, pistols into spades, and bombs into baby carriages...
from every neighborhood and nation,
working for peace,
living peacefully together, transforming swords into plowshares, spears into pruning hooks, pistols into spades, and bombs into baby carriages...
Imagine… imagine… imagine…
And soon enough, soon enough you will face persecution
—for there is surely push back to the Kingdom of Heaven,
to God’s Reign.
—for there is surely push back to the Kingdom of Heaven,
to God’s Reign.
As your thirst for righteousness is transformed into active pursuit of it
—those who prefer wickedness, injustice, and inequality, will push back…
for following Jesus threaten their idols,
their cherished ways of life
—you, even when you only imagine the Kingdom, challenge the world as it is, with the world as it should be!
—those who prefer wickedness, injustice, and inequality, will push back…
for following Jesus threaten their idols,
their cherished ways of life
—you, even when you only imagine the Kingdom, challenge the world as it is, with the world as it should be!
Pushback, because we see with our own eyes the way the world works...
pushback, as well, internally
—our own hearts divided, captured by the world as it is…
we so often betray this vision,
the imaginative possibility put forth by our Savior.
pushback, as well, internally
—our own hearts divided, captured by the world as it is…
we so often betray this vision,
the imaginative possibility put forth by our Savior.
We betray it internally, in the church, in society…
And yet…
And yet, these blessings, this prophetic imagination give to us by Jesus
—his blessings are an imperative,
a calling forth of a reality that is already here,
even when we don’t see it…
—his blessings are an imperative,
a calling forth of a reality that is already here,
even when we don’t see it…
Ultimately, dear church, Jesus’ blessings,
the Kingdom of Heaven,
will come…
we only hope, seek, pray, imagine, that His Blessing and the Kingdom will come about among us.
the Kingdom of Heaven,
will come…
we only hope, seek, pray, imagine, that His Blessing and the Kingdom will come about among us.
A+A
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