The Sermon on the Mount series

What sort of community should the church be?

Yes, Jesus established an alternative community to live the life of the Kingdom of God. It wasn’t an institution with office bearers, and it wasn’t simply a once a week worship service; it was a community.

Sometimes church communities can look like something else.

Sometimes we look like a ‘family’ with people being there for each other in the hard times and the good times (and occasionally having a family stoush!)

Sometimes we look like a ‘footy match’ at the MCG with lots of excited spectators and relatively few players.

Sometimes we look like a ‘shop’ where people get what they want and then leave after exchanging a few pleasantries.

Sometimes we really do look like a Jesus’ community. And God himself moves among us. This is why I am a Christian in a church. This is what feeds me as a Minister.

Jesus’ introduction to the Christian faith reveals some of the qualities of his new community in the Beatitudes.

7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ( Matthew 5)

If you look carefully at these four qualities you will see Jesus himself.

Mercy. Jesus could have come on God’s behalf to judge us for our sins but he didn’t; he came with mercy to forgive us.

Pure in heart. He always saw people with pure love untainted by self interest, manipulation, or abuse.

Peacemaker. His mission was to break down the barriers that divide us. His teaching shows us that but it is his cross that achieves that.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one(ie Jews and non-Jews) and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. (Ephesians 2)

Persecuted because of righteousness. Jesus was killed for what he loved and what he opposed.

Jesus asks of you nothing less (or more) than he asked of himself. Jesus models the blessed life for us and invites us to join him.

Will you? Will you forgive those who hurt you? Will you refuse to feed the impure parts of your soul? Will you bring together those who are divided at home, at work or in the community or in the church community? Will you do these things even if people hate you for it?

If so, you have God’s blessing. And even better God’s companionship.

May we be a community that has these marks and is visible to Greensborough.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Mt 5

Graeme