Toward the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus ascends a mountain and delivers a series of teachings that we often call the “Sermon on the Mount.” Through this sermon, Jesus paints a picture of the kingdom of heaven – where God’s will is done and where God reigns, rather than where the “kings of the earth” hold sway. But for Jesus, the kingdom of heaven is not so much a place with pearly gates and harp music, but a way of being - - an alternative plan for the world and for the disciples. Jesus teaches us that the kingdom of heaven occurs whenever people take the words and teachings of Jesus to heart and live them. The Sermon on the Mount is where Jesus lays out this Alternative Plan for the world and where he offers us a guide for how to live into it. Over these 5 weeks, we will read and reflect on Jesus’ plan and how we can join him in making it happen in our lives and in the world.
