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The story of the Transfiguration has impressed itself upon the church for centuries— and Peter almost missed it because he was talking too much. This is a mountaintop moment. Mountaintop moments are where clarity and revelation happen. For the disciples, the glory of God was revealed, along with his Sonship and his fulfillment of the Law and Prophets. Don’t overlook the invitation extended by Jesus to those disciples, an invitation that is extended to each of us. Get somewhere quiet and away from the busyness of life, so Christ can reveal truth to you too.

Nostalgia is a drug. It causes irritability, grumpiness, and pessimism for the future. It might cause us to blame and disparage the culture or the “kids these days.” These things are unbecoming of a people called to cast a vision of the coming Kingdom of God with how we live. The word of the Lord came to God’s people through Haggai. He said, “Be strong” and “work.” Do not despair over memories of the former glory of days gone by in the temple. Instead, every day, anticipate the movement of the presence of God. He promises to make it better than it was before. Our future is bright because of God.

Contrary to popular belief in the church, behaving in a judgmental way towards others is unbecoming of the people of God. We have a plank in our eye, and it represents the negative judgement we sometimes apply to others. Jesus invites us to remove that plank. We can put energy into self reflection, considering how God can help us improve. Then we’ll able to see better. We’ll be able to help others.

Have you ever solved a problem by being anxious about it? Have you ever worried your way into a solution? A life filled with an anxious demeanor and fearful responses is not one Jesus wants for his children. He points us to the carefree approach of the birds and the effortless beauty of flowers. They live under God’s provision, and you can too. You really can trust God. He’s good for it. He helps those who ask.

Jesus doesn’t talk about money as some neutral, inanimate object which can be used for good or bad. He refers to it as a rival god. It’s impossible to serve God and money. Making habits out of generosity and simplicity can help us show Mammon who we really serve.

Jesus has some harsh words as he warns against “adultery of the heart,” AKA lust. Thankfully he doesn’t recommend literal amputation. But he would have us take seriously sexual sin and temptation. Those on the narrow path express healthy sexuality within right boundaries.

There’s no way around it— followers of Jesus are expected to be honest people. Half truths, deceit, and manipulation have no place in the Kingdom of God. Jesus encourages his people to live lives of integrity, where our yes means yes, and our no means no. We commit to honesty out of love for God and others.

Anger is dangerous— especially when it turns into hatred of people. To hate someone, Jesus says, will subject you to the same judgment as if you murdered them. The Kingdom of God announced through the Sermon on the Mount is concerned with what’s happening on the inside. … We need to know that anger is OK. It’s an appropriate emotional response to when things are not as they should be. We’re invited by Christian tradition to take our anger to the Lord in prayers of lament.

What an honor it was when the disciples received Jesus’ words: “You are the salt of the earth.” “You are the light of the world.” Salt and light were two invaluable resources in 1st century Palestine. So too are Christians, through whom God has chosen to make his appeal to the world. At our worst we lose our saltiness; we can shine our light in the wrong places. Jesus invites us to be his salty, light-filled ambassadors.

Our world typically defines blessing as material possession. The more you have, the more blessed you are. Jesus challenges this notion. To be blessed is to belong to this peculiar “Kingdom of Heaven” Jesus speaks of, with its upside-down hierarchy and countercultural value system. Citizens of this kingdom live differently, and they’re blessed for it. This is part 2 of a summer sermon series on the Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is one of the greatest speeches of all time. But it is more than a collection of sayings and life wisdom. It’s an invitation to the narrow path. The narrow path, we’re told, is one which few find and take. But the ones who do find life. This is part 1 of a summer sermon series on The Sermon on the Mount.

How involved is God in the lives of his people? Intimately. The story of Jeremiah’s calling reveals that God’s calling on our lives precedes our very existence. God plans, develops, prepares and sustains us from the very beginning. Inside each of us God has planted a seed and is ready to grow it into something special.

Heritage, Values, Identity: hugely important, yet often forgotten by God’s people. In this fascinating Old Testament story, Nehemiah and Ezra remind the people of God who they are by gathering the people and simply reading scripture— for 6 straight hours! Let us gather together as the people of God weekly. Let us persevere in scripture reading, prayer, worship, and the sacraments so we never forget who we are.