Sermon on the Mount series

This Sunday (2/12), Pastor Katheryn will finalize a three-week sermon series to explore the Sermon on the Mount. Considered by most theologians to be the best summary of Christ’s teachings, this familiar passage is packed with spiritual practices and instructions to help us build up God’s kingdom on earth. Each week we will discover divine treasures that God longs for us to celebrate and share.

• Week One, Jan 29:  Matthew 5:1-12, Blessings Upon Arrival. Christ begins his sermon by telling people who seemed to be the most poor, broken down souls in the world, that they were blessed. Willingness to believe we are blessed is the first step to entering God’s kingdom on earth.  
• Week Two, Feb. 5: Matthew 5:13-20,  Enhancing Life’s Flavor. Jesus told a group of downtrodden peasants, “You are the light of the world…You are the salt of the earth.” Did they laugh? Did they sit in stunned silence? Or did the words fall on their parched souls like living water bringing them back to life? God’s light grows brighter within us we when we follow the ways of love even as we encounter hate or fear. As salt does to food, our faith can preserve and enhance the gift of life even when it seems like a bitter pill to swallow. 
• Week Three, Feb 12:  Matthew 5:21-37  Faith, Anger, Action.  In this passage, Jesus acknowledges that we will endure frustration, fear, grief, and anger as we travel through this world. But when we are upset, we can choose to respond in ways that enable us to grow in God’s love and grace.