A deep dive into the Sermon on the Mount: February & March 2023

During February and March, we will be doing a deep dive into Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. At first glance, this seems like a lot of time to spend on just one section of Matthew’s gospel, but when I read it, I was reminded of how much good – and challenging – teaching from Jesus we find there.

The Sermon on the Mount is three chapters in Matthew: chapters 5, 6, and 7, which was about 5 pages in my Bible (but it’s a study Bible, so about half the page is scripture and half is footnotes!). Our appointed gospel readings for the next four Sundays are from this Sermon, we’ll read from it on Ash Wednesday (February 22), and then keep working through this passage on our Wednesday evenings during Lent.

As I read it this evening, I noticed a few things:

• It’s not really a sermon – it begins “then Jesus began to speak, and taught them” (Matt. 5:2)
• How you start something sets the tone. This teaching begins with the Beatitudes (Matt. 5:3-12) – blessings for whom?
• What you end with sticks with your audience. Jesus ends with a challenge to his audience: they heard his words, but will they act on them? (Matt. 7:24-27)
• There are some uncomfortable sayings: murder, adultery, divorce, swearing, revenge, enemies (Matt. 5:21-48). Can’t we just skip those parts? (Answer: nope)
• It’s not easy being a follower of Jesus Christ. “Love your enemies”, “do not worry about your life”, “do not judge” – these are hard teachings to live by. (Matt. 5:44, 6:25, 7:1)
• God is with us and for us: “your heavenly Father knows [what] you need” and “your Father in heaven [will] give good things to those who ask him.” (Matt. 6:32, 7:11)

I invite you to open your Bible and read the Sermon on the Mount for yourself. Notice what is familiar and what surprises you. Then come and see, as we join together to hear and ponder this familiar, significant, and surprising teaching from our redeemer and Lord, Jesus Christ.

In God’s peace,

Pastor Beth

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Five Words: Introducing Pastor Beth

As I said at my first worship service with you, I’m delighted to be here. Thank you for your warm welcome! In this first pastor’s column, I’ll share five words about myself as we start to get to know each other. I look forward to conversations in the coming years as we continue to learn about each other.

The first word: scientist. I look back, and in some ways I’ve been a scientist nearly my whole life. I have degrees and work experience, but I also have curiosity and wonder, an appreciation for complexity, a yearning for data and facts and evidence, an interest in exploring and asking questions, and a joy in finding unexpected connections. This curiosity means I’m nearly always interested in learning something new. I expect that learning about you (individuals, families, congregation, and community) and pastoral ministry, and about New England and southwest North Dakota, will keep me engaged for a year or five or twenty.

The second word: Christian. My parents brought me to the baptismal font when I was about two months old, and the Church – this community of people, brought together by the Holy Spirit – has always been part of my life. During college, I learned that being part of the Church was important to me and not just a family expectation. I have encountered God in silence, in song, and in scripture, both when I’m alone and especially in community.

The third word: family/friend/daughter/sister/niece/cousin/aunt. Okay, that’s a lot more than one word, but they all name important relationships in my life. I expect you’ll meet more than a few of these people as they come to visit.

The fourth word: musician. It’s always been part of my life. Choirs, piano lessons, band … music at home, school, church, and bursting out in other places. My prayers often emerge through music; sometimes a song just pops into my mind or I realize I’m humming a tune, and it’s connected to something else. I find choral singing particularly amazing. Together, we make something that is far beyond the individual parts.

The fifth word: creative. I have explored various artistic media over the years, and find that I notice things in the world differently when I’m spending time creating art. Lately, I’ve particularly enjoyed the mix of science and creativity that I find in cooking and in quilting.

So there’s a little bit about me. I invite you to consider what words you would choose to describe yourself, what words your family would choose, and what words best describe this congregation. I also wonder how your words might change over the years. My words have changed, and my explanations are a little different each time I make this list. It’s part of how I keep growing and changing and learning. God’s not done with me yet.

~Pastor Beth