On January 25, I will begin a preaching series, Astonished: A New Series on the Sermon on the Mount. Here are 7 reasons I am really excited for it to begin. Some of my enthusiasm is evident in my study notes and you can see a draft of them here.
1. Jesus promised that in hearing his words and in following him we find rest for our souls (Matthew 11:28-30). So many people in our community are weighed down and worn out. I can’t wait to share how Christ offers rest.
2. The Sermon on the Mount includes some of the most famous truths ever proclaimed:
· The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)
· The Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12)
· Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged (Matthew 7:1)
· The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:2-12)
· A Major Section on Worry (Matthew 6:25-34)
There is a reason these paragraphs are famous! Let’s meditate on them together.
3. The Sermon on the Mount changed the world. This is no exaggeration. We will see how so much of the Sermon on the Mount has shaped our understanding of ethics and morality.
4. The Sermon on the Mount is a manageable length. In my Bible, Matthew 5-7 is less than four pages long. These pages can be read over and over again. There is no reason everyone in our church can’t really get to know the greatest sermon every preached.
5. Our church has made it possible for me to prepare. I’ve spent a lot of time prayerfully studying. I have some of the best resources in the history of the world. The picture to the right is just a portion of my library. It’s a great day to meditate on and proclaim the Sermon on the Mount. You can see a draft of some of my notes here. Keep in mind it’s a draft of my own study notes so there are lots of errors and things that need to be reworded.
6. The Sermon on the Mount tells how we can be part of the Kingdom of God. Our joy is only as big as what we’re a part of. The Sermon on the Mount tells how we can be part of the biggest thing in the history of the universe.
7. Most important, the Sermon on the Mount is the featured sermon of the Lord Jesus Christ. Could any sermon be more exciting to study and preach?
Your enthusiasm is contagious! And that’s quite a stack of literature you’ve got already — have you thought of including Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Cost of Discipleship?
More likely you’re familiar with it already, but it would be dwarfed beside the massive tomes in your picture! His forceful and direct reading of the Sermon on the Mount can have a positively galvanizing effect.
It must be on the list. I’ve had it and read it. But I need to re-read it! Great to hear from you.