Sermon Series: The Sermon on the Mount

Part Four “Discipleship in the World”

February 19, 2023 (Transfiguration Sunday)

Matthew 5:38-48“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you: Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also, and if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, give your coat as well, and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.  Give to the one who asks of you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the gentiles do the same?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The Sermon on the Mount

Part Four “Discipleship in the World”

This morning we conclude our sermon series on “The Sermon on the Mount.”  And we do so on “Transfiguration Sunday.”Bothof these storiesreminding us that God often speaks to us on mountain tops.  Bothstoriesalso reminding us that we are not called to live on the top of mountains, but to come down from mountains, from “mountain top moments,” inspired to live out our faithdown below, in the world, as disciples, as servants serving in the midst of God’s people.

This morning before we get back into “The Sermon on the Mount,” I want to begin briefly with the story of the Transfiguration as found in the seventeenth chapter of Matthew.Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.  As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” (Matthew 17:1-9)

Transfiguration Sunday marks the end of the liturgical season of Epiphany.  This is the last “aha-moment” revealing the nature and mission of Jesus.  As he is standing on top of a mountain, Moses and Elijah appear representing the Law and the Prophets confirming Jesus’s continuity with the Israelite tradition.  Just as God spoke on a mountaintop to Moses and Elijah in ages past, so now God speaks on the Mount of Transfiguration, “This is my beloved…listen to him.”The lectionary cleverly places today’s appointed Gospel, immediately following the last three readings featuring “The Sermon on the Mount,” wonderfully connecting God’s presence and authority to the teachings of Jesus.

Today we remember and reflect and connect these two “mountain top moments.” The amazing story of Jesus’s “Transfiguration” and the magnificent vision of God’s Kingdom as found in the teaching of Jesus’ so called“Sermon on the Mount.”Once again, we are reminded that God often speaks to us on mountain tops,-  Mount Saini, Mount Horeb, The Sermon on the Mount.  We are also reminded that we are not called to live on the top of mountains, but to come down from mountains, from “mountain top moments,” inspired to live out our faith below, as the disciples, the followers of Jesus. 

With that “connection” being made, let us continue with our sermon series on “The Sermon on the Mount.” Last week the emphasis was in part three of our series was on “right relationships in community,” this week the emphasis shifts to our relationships in the world, our calling as we come down from the mountain. Today our theme is “Discipleship in the World.”

Simply put, today’s challenging verses from the Sermon on the Mount, invite us, as the followers of Jesus, to behave in a “radically different way”than others in this world.  In a world where “retaliation” and “revenge” have become “the new normal;” we are called to forgive, to “turn the other cheek.”  In a world where we are increasingly invited and encouraged, even duped, to see “others” as “enemies;” we are called to love those who are different than us, those who see things differently than us, even those who are in direct conflict with us.  Even to love as God would love, “perfectly.”As the followers of Jesus, we are called to behave in a “radically different way” than others in this world.

I recently came across an article entitled “Let’s Get American Revenge,” by Laura Blumenfeld.  I found the article very helpful in understanding what I find to be a very troubling trend in our society, the all-consuming, and often violent, preoccupation withretaliation and revenge. 

Retaliation and revenge dominate the daily news, we hear story after story now labeled “revenge.”  We have “revenge dressing,” “revenge vacations,” “revenge relationships,” “revenge videos,” and of course “revenge politics.”  Revenge drives “athletic contests,” “work behavior,” “neighborhood disputes,” “road rage,” and “mass shootings.”  It seems that people everywhere are looking for opportunities to feel “dis-respected” in order that they might seek out some “seemingly now legitimate” revenge.  And our notion of revenge is extreme, to get revenge is not just to get even with someone, but to totally destroy someone. Remarkably more excessivethan just “an eye for eye.”

In the article Blumenfeld points out that this has not always been the American way. She writes, “Yes, we dreamed of revenge, cheered it - attheaters and sports arenas, secretly wished it upon bosses and double-crossers. … Yet we respected the line between fantasy and action. Our society demanded it. Vengeance was considered uncivilized, unethical, an act of ugly self-destruction. We denied the need to get even.”

Violent and extreme revenge was something that happened in other places in the world. American revenge at that time was different, it was primarily characterized by looking forward and not back.  Americans believed in taking the higher road, retaliating by turning the other cheek, letting go, and overcoming despite being treated unjustly.  Our revenge was found in our future success.  Americans used to consider revenge - economically, socially, and politically- unproductive, and therefore distinctly un-American.Blumenfeld quotes Douglas Horton, an American protestant theologian from the early 20th century, “While seeking revenge, dig two graves — one for yourself.”

Sadly, over the last few decades we no longer view “punishingrevenge” as un-American.  Things that used to be seen as shameful behavior are now celebrated.  We parade them without embarrassment all over social media.  Rather than forgive and forget, we hold on to our grudges and our pain - and aggressively retaliate.  Blumenfeld concludes, “Disputes resolve themselves according to the Darwinian rhythms of jungle justice.”

And all this grieves me, it really grieves me.  How I long for the world to set aside, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” How I long for people to stop “hating their enemies,” to stop “demonizing” each other.  How I wish we could find a way to see beyond conflict, to find a way to love the other, even the enemy.How I wish we could put an end to the never-ending cycles of retaliation.  Blumenfeld,referring to the teaching of Jesus, laments that unfortunately, “Grace is appealing, though unrealistic.”Noting that we would rather trust in a sense of immediate divinevengeance rather than do the hard and slow transformative and lasting work of grace.

Yet the hard work of grace, love, and forgiveness is what we are called to do as the followers of Jesus.

What our society, what our world, desperately needs now is people who will practice grace over revenge, love over hate, people who will be the “salt” that saves us, people who will shine the “light” that reveals a better way to live. 

But how are we to begin such a demanding, seemingly impossible, task?  As much as I grieve the practice of revenge in our world, I am also very aware of the way“the very thing I hate,” is also present in the brokenness of my own heart, the dark calculating corners of my mind.The desire for revenge is not beneath me.  I imagine all of us have entertained notions of revenge. How,for heaven’s sake,might I begin to love “perfectly,” as God loves, as God has loved me?

The challenges found in “The Sermon on the Mount” can only begin to be met if we are able to understand and receive them in the context in which they were presented.  The order of the sermon is critical.  So it is that we must return to the beginning.

The sermon begins with the Beatitudes, and that’s where we must begin.  We are the blessed of God, not in the things we do, the things we have accomplished, the things we have acquired, but only in the mercy of God’s love.  As Pastor Jennifer reminded us, we are God’s blessed in our brokenness, our humility, our grief, our pain, and perhaps even more important, - in our embracing of others who find themselves in such spiritual, emotional, and physical poverty.  Only in this identity, in this solidarity, as the blessed and beloved of God, gifted with a “peace that passes all understanding” along with a peace that gives our life meaning and direction, - can we begin to follow the way of Jesus.  We must begin “immersed” in the Beatitudes.

Once we “know” who we truly are, “the blessed of God,”“the beloved of God,” we will begin to know what we can do.  Pastor Jasmine reminded us that we are “salt,” that little bit of flavor that makes a big difference.  And that “light”which we are called to be, is not some kind of light that we must ignite and keep burning by ourselves, but rather the light of the divine that is in each of us.  This light within us is the light of God that shines brightly when we are in the right place at the right time, engaged with faithful people doing faithful things, living in the midst of the life of the “fleshed out” Beatitudes.  We have not been called to a superhuman task, but actually a humble task, to simply be present where God is present in this world.  Here in this place;a little bit of salt goes along way; in with and through humble hearts, the light of God shines.

Last week we were reminded that we are not alone in this task.  God has called us into relationships, and those relationships lived out and practiced well - give us strength.  The challenge of discipleship is not something we take on as individuals, but as members of a “reconciled” community, nothing less than the Body of Christ, active and present in this world.

This is the order of things that we must consider!  Now as the “blessed” of God, filled with the “light” of Christ, “united together” in grace and love and peace, we can begin to be “disciples in the world.”  People who behave radically different.  People who practice the grace they have received. People who love with the love they have received. People who are actively engaged in helping to usher in the reign of God.

And one final tidbit, the Hebrew word for revenge “nekamah,” contains the verb “kum,” which means “rise up.”  In the face of revenge, in the temptation to seek revenge, let us not fall into the prevailing malaise, but instead “rise up” above retaliation, “rise up” above demonizing, “rise up” above rage, “rise up” above our own brokenness.  In the daunting face of revenge let us “rise up“ together in the unity and power of God’s grace and love.  Let us “rise up” to our calling to be Jesus’ disciples in this world.  Amen.

Sermon on Matthew 5:21-37 – Discipleship in Community

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

The Sermon on the Mount is starting to get real.

Jesus started out by calling people blessed, happy, greatly honored, then he drew out the salt and light in his community of followers.

But now, he’s starting to talk about how to actually live it. And it’s tough.

I’ll be honest: when we were planning this sermon series, and I realized I was up for this passage, I was dreading it.

Murder, adultery, divorce, vows—they make for an exciting novel but are not what one hopes for in real life.

And Jesus takes the instructions in the Law regarding murder, adultery, divorce, and making vows and interprets them in a way that intensifies them.

So instead of “stabbing someone to death is bad,” Jesus says, “if you let your anger get the better of you and you insult someone, you’ve essentially murdered them.”

Many people can pat themselves on the back for never having physically murdered anyone, but I would be very surprised if anyone here can, in good faith, say they’ve never been angry with anyone and called them a name.

Sometimes we can get a hippie, “love is all you need” image of Jesus. But here Jesus keeps us accountable. And it’s not comfortable.

It feels like this passage is an impossible checklist of “dos and don’ts.”

Why this sudden shift from “Blessed are the poor in spirit” and “You are the salt of the earth”?

If the Beatitudes are about who the disciples are (the marginalized and those aligned with the marginalized),

and Jesus was drawing out the salt and light that were in his disciples so that the world could see the loving God he was pointing to,

then these teachings are showing Jesus’ disciples how to be his followers in community.

And community is hard, as anyone who’s ever had roommates or planned an event with a committeeor worked on a group project in school knows.

And the Beloved Community that Jesus is calling his followers to is so much harder.

It’s so counter-cultural that it’s counterintuitive. It goes against our egos and sometimes even our survival instincts, teaching us to think of others first. It calls the poor and marginalized “blessed” and the rich and elite “last.”

Jesus is calling for people to be “right-sized”—calling for those who don’t have to consider others to instead love and serve their neighbor, and letting those who are considered nothing by society know that they are valued members of God’s family.

Jesus is calling for people to be “integrated”—to align their actions and their attitudes to the love of God and of neighbor. The word “integrated” is related to the word “integer,” like the whole numbers we learned about in math class. We don’t want decimal points in our identities. We want to be whole numbers. They’re easier to deal with in math, and being wholehelps us live as the salt and light we are.

So, Jesus teaches that our words and attitudes toward our neighbor can be death-dealing or life-giving.

Then, he teaches that objectifying someone dehumanizes them and breaks the relationship.

And he discourages men (the ones with power in the relationship) from divorcing their wives at a time when women were dependent on the men in their lives for survival.

Then, he encourages people to be integrated in their words and actions. Most agreements were verbal in those days, so oaths worked like contracts do today. So, Jesus says, “Don’t use fancy language for emphasis. When you follow through on your words, your yes can mean yes and your no mean no.”

Jesus has two more instructions in this list, but you’ll have to wait until next week to hear about those.

But all of these add up to so much more than a list of “dos and don’ts.” They are the building blocks of Beloved Community.

And they so often get used to bully, exclude, and judge people, which is the opposite of Beloved Community.

When we turn the sermon on the mount into an individualistic, moral yardstick, we are misusing it and hurting ourselves and our neighbors.

How many people have been told they’re a sinner and they’re going to Hell, when Jesus here warns against calling others hurtful names?How many LGBTQ kids have been kicked out of their homes by parents who call themselves Christian, when Jesus himself says to be reconciled?

How many times have women been told to dress modestly so they don’t cause men to sin, when it’s men who are instructed here not to look at women lustfully?

How many people have been encouraged to stay in lifeless or abusive marriages because of these verses? Or have gotten a divorce and then been shunned and shamed at the very time they most needed their community’s love and support?

How many people have been told not to cuss because the Bible says not to instead of having their hurts really listened to? Besides the fact that that’s not the kind of swearing Jesus is talking about here.

How many people have looked at their own lives and feared damnation because they don’t measure up to these impossible standards?

Shame and fear, whether from others or from within oneself, is not what Jesus is trying to create here.

First of all, these standards are impossible. We can’t measure up perfectly to these instructions. That’s why we need God. That’s why Martin Luther said that we are both saint and sinner. We can’t do this on our own.

And that’s why Jesus is forming the Beloved Community. We need each other. Christians aren’t meant to be in a vacuum—we’re made for community.

And that’s why the sermon on the mount isn’t a yardstick for us as individuals to measure up to. That’s not what it’s meant for. The sermon on the mount is a vision of a community of disciples of Jesus.

When we view these teachings as a precise code of behavior—rigidly, where people are either in or out, either measuring up or not—then we’re misusing them and hurting the very Beloved Community Jesus is fostering.

For example, let’s look at the divorce teaching. If we look at it very strictly and at face value, we read, “you shouldn’t ever get divorced unless your spouse cheats on you.”

And this was very much the way the dominant US culture used to view divorce. I remember watching the movie with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers The Gay Divorcee. It’s a fun Fred and Ginger romantic musical from 1934. The basic premise is that Ginger’s character wants a divorce from her husband who’s gone most of the time anyway. Her lawyer sets things up so that she’ll look like she’s having an affair so that her husband will want a divorce. There are mix-ups and shenanigans, of course, and her husband doesn’t believe her, but it turns out he was having an affair the whole time, so Ginger’s character is free to get a divorce and pursue a relationship with Fred’s character.

So, fun, comic, dance-filled movie. And also, it’s based on the premise that people have to lie and manipulate each other to get out of a loveless marriage. That’s not what Jesus is going for here!

Jesus does not want people to stay in abusive marriages or marriages that are causing people harm.

There are times when it is good to work to repair a marriage and times when it is better to end it. And looking to the sermon on the mount as a checklist is not the way to discern which is better for you.

Instead, read deeply into the sermon on the mount. Look at the attitudes it fosters and the actions that come from that. Look at the way the instructions build community and provide protection for the vulnerable.

It says:

Don’t hold onto anger or call people names.

Be bold in your reconciliation efforts.

Don’t objectify other people, especially not those with less power than you.

Don’t give your word lightly—be so whole-hearted that people believe what you say.

It all comes down to the way Jesus summarizes the law: love God with everything you are and love your neighbor as yourself.

When we pick apart these teachings, trying to live to the letter of them, we sometimes miss the intention behind them and the goal of building community and a whole-hearted life together.

I invite you to set down any baggage you’ve been carrying around the teachings of Jesus we read today. There’s potentially a lot of it—I know I have more than a little.

Now, take a deep breath, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Roll your shoulders if that feels good.

These teachings are not meant to instill shame or fear. We won’t fulfill them perfectly—we’re fallible human beings, and God knows that and loves us (yes, you!).

To the best of our ability, we can live whole-heartedly, seeing the image of God in the people around us and treating them as such. And that, along with the power of the Holy Spirit, is how Beloved Community is created. That is discipleship in community.

Beloved children of God, release the weight of fear and shame.

Feel the freedom of the whole-hearted life Jesus invites us to.

Go, beloved, be the community of God.

Let There Be (Salt) Light

Pr. Jasmine Waring

February 5, 2023

I’ve been to a lot of “Vision and Mission Meetings” in my life as a lay person, and as an intern before I joined the ELCA. Usually they are these flashy campaigns showing all the good works they’re planning on doing this year, and revolve it around making Jesus famous…as if Jesus needs any help or wants to be famous. I find it fascinating that when Jesus rolls out his vision for his disciples and their mission in this world, he doesn’t begin with grand statements about himself. We don’t hear the “I am” statements in this gospel like we do in the Book of John, We don’t hear about Jesus talking about his divinity, nor does his put on a show demonstrating it. Instead of talking about who he is, Jesus talks about who his disciples are. Who are the disciples? Pastor Jennifer spoke last week about the Beatitudes, and how the disciple is one who is apart of the upside-down and backwards reign of God. It is a subversive new identity of unlikely folks who are in solidarity with the poor (or are poor themselves), and practice non-violence. They are merciful and compassionate, and they seek justice even when it comes at a great cost. They are called blessed: happy, honored, even envied. They are honored and approved by God, and do not need to be honored or seek approval from Empire. They are beloved by God, and reviled by society. Then Jesus goes on to talk about the disciples being salt and light, both an extension of who they are as well as what they are responsible for. It’s important to know the author of Matthew, uses the plural form of “you” in this part. Many languages have a plural “you," but in English, the closest we get is the word, “y’all.” One of my favorite words! When Jesus is describing the disciples, he is addressing them as a group or a community, not as individuals. No one person bears the responsibility to embody salt and light at all times…what a relief! This is a communal identity. He says, y’all are salt! Salt brings out and enhances the best flavors it comes in contact with. It aids in healing. If any of you have ever had to gargle warm salt water for a mouth injury or had to get an IV of saline after battling food poisoning or the flu, you know the wondrous healing power of salt. Salt preserves food, and fights against contamination and decay. Priests in biblical times would offer salt on animal sacrifices in the Temple. It plays a part in worship and reconciliation with God. He says, y’all are light! Like a beacon on a hill, guiding people home. When Jesus says, “Let your light shine” the writer is using grammatical device called a third person imperative. This is used to suggest or order a third party to be permitted to be made to do something. So when Jesus says, “Let your light shine” it is not a command to the disciples, but to the light itself. God is commanding the light within us to shine, and by grace, we don’t have to do it in our own strength. God’s transformative power does not require or works. A former pastor of mine would often say, “When you know who you are, you’ll know what to do.” I would take this one step further and say, “When we know who we are, we will know what to do.” There are so many voices in the world trying to tell us who we are. Voices saying we should be more like a powerful empire than to be like Jesus. It’s no wonder so many communities, and including Christians in America are ineffective. They’ve lost their saltiness. I don’t know if Jesus or the writer of Matthew knew this, but salt loses its saltiness when the salt crystals become contaminated with other elements. This is by no means a call to purity, but it is a call to an awareness of what aspects of Empire makes its way into our communities. Racism, violence, sexism, domination, hatred, discrimination, homophobia and transphobia are all elements of empire that seek to separate and contaminate us, making us ineffective in God’s mission. We forget about our light when these harmful voices try to tell us who we are. They tell us to hide our God-given gifts and identities under basket, a bush, or in a closet. Empire wants to shame or coerce us to hide our light. However, our belovedness as children of God is not dependent on our circumstances, our status, or on the approval of society because God has already approved you and has called you blessed. God is commanding the light within you to shine, even on days when you don’t feel it or believe it. So what then, is the responsibility of the disciples? We embrace our light, and make others aware of the light that is already shining within them. Embracing our individual and more importantly, our collective light opens us up, and makes our core essence more evident. When we dig into our own belovedness, we help others discover their own belovedness, and live more authentic lives. No more hiding ourselves under a basket! We accomplish this by being salty. Bringing out the best in the people we come in contact with. We being healing and wholeness into our community: body, soul, and spirit. We preserve lives from corruption and the powers of death. We aid in worship in service to our God, and help reconcile the world to each other and to God. Then, Jesus said our light will cause others to see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. This is our public witness. At my ordination service I had invited a mix of friends and family who are not church people, or would call themselves Christian. I was just glad they came, but I was expecting them to freak out a little bit with all the red and laying of hands. But something happened that day. They encountered two communities who were united, who loved and affirmed me and my call. They heard the gospel preached using queer theology. They saw a Bishop use gender inclusive language, and they received Holy Communion from a lesbian Bishop. After the service, so many of my friends and family told me about how these communities public witness moved them. I even had a friend who I didn’t think they’d come because they have always been so distant when I talked about church. They said to me, “Umm I think I’m a Christian now?” When we let the light God put and is shining through us, we can’t help but be salty and invite others into their own belovedness. When folks see this work, and all the good things that are coming out of this community, people will start to wonder and perhaps even believe that there is a good and loving God somewhere out there. When we know who we are, we will know what to do. Y’all are salt. Y’all are light. So when you are poor or are poor in spirit, God is commanding, “Let there be light!” When you are in mourning, God is commanding, “Let there be light!” When you are being pushed around and taken advantage of, God is commanding, “Let there be light!” When you have a deep desire to do the right thing, and wage peace, God is commanding, “Let there be light!” When you are showing mercy instead of punishment, God is commanding “Let there be light!” When people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely for Christ’s sake, God is commanding, “Let there be light!” Remember to stay salty, my friends. And may grace and peace be with you every step of the way.