Sonoma Valley Church of the Nazarene
Find God, Find Hope
This is Jesus quintessential sermon. Following his introduction with the Beatitudes Jesus continues. This week, Jesus tells the crowds that they are to be Salt & Light and that he did not come to destroy the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill it.
After going public last week- teaching in the synagogue and meeting the physical needs of those around him by healing the sick, this week Jesus leads his disciples and about 5000 followers to the location of the Sermon on the Mount. He will then begin to elaborate on the good news of the Kingdom of God to those who feel disenfranchised in the current religious climate.
After Jesus completes his time of trial in the wilderness he discovers that his cousin John has been arrested and now it is time for him to go public with his ministry. In the second half of chapter 4 Jesus returns to Galilee and calls the first of his disciples.
Immediately after Jesus identity affirming and mission commissioning moment at his baptism in the Jordan he is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested.
In chapter 3 Matthew records an identity affirming and ministry commissioning moment in the life of Christ. What we learn in this passage is that our identity in Christ is also essential to our understanding that our life has a purpose and is bound together with Jesus in the mission of God.
Traditionally Matthews gospel chapter 2 focuses in on the rightful worship of the three wise men from the East at Christmas, but there is much more to the story. Reading Matthews gospel in August allows us to look at what else Matthew wants us to see. This week we contrast the Biblical theme of Kingdom of God with that of Empire. Join us live on the lawn at 10 or online.
In the latter half of chapter 1 we are shocked by the words “i’m pregnant.” Matthew speaking to his fellow Jews is trying to convince them that Jesus is the Messiah they have all been waiting for. As such, he reminds them of a prophecy deferred and a sign given, pointing to the promise of God’s presence with us.
It doesn’t matter where your story begins, it how it finishes that matters. Matthew is the only gospel writer to begin with a genealogy; and you can tell a lot about a story by how the author begins. So what story is Matthew telling?
After Jesus introduces his disciples to the Lords Prayer he continues to provide more instruction by telling a story about a man who asks his friend for three loaves of bread to feed an unexpected guest who arrives in the night.
This sermon is a continuation of a previous sermon on praying through the psalms (what do King David and Bob Dylan have in common), focused this week and next on the Lords Prayer.