We have been exploring a section of Jesus’ teachings that is commonly called “The Sermon on the Mount,” a collection of the sayings of Jesus, some of which reflect the teaching of Moses, the great Hebrew leader who delivered the law (the Ten Commandments) to the people of Israel.
Jesus takes a more practical approach here as he addresses a crowd. He addresses the difficult topics of their daily lives and develops the meanings they have for an ethical life. As he discusses anger, adultery, divorce, and true speech, Jesus is telling his audience not just how to act but how to be in the image of God. Jesus lived in an honor-shame oriented culture. Each person had a place and a duty to the family, (or clan) the community, and society. People were respected for choosing to do what was expected of them rather than whether what they did was right or wrong. In doing something wrong (like taking a life), it brought shame on their family and their honor was lessened in the community.
In this Sunday’s Bible reading from Matthew 5:21–32, Jesus talks about ways people can live and have healthy relationships. The writer of Matthew’s gospel wanted people to remember that following Jesus didn’t mean leaving behind the Hebrew scriptures but to discover what is at the heart of the law and urging us to choose to act in ways that are life changing and giving.
Valentine’s Day, celebrated on February 14th is all about love, though it is often more about cards, heart-shaped candy, and decorations. For our young people, love can be an abstract feeling made real through their experience with family and friends. They are expected to get along with their brothers and sisters and they can identify what actions help them get along as a family. They understand feelings of anger or frustration when things don’t work out. They can also understand that the church community is like family and we learn things to help us get along. Exploring and learning about Jesus’ teachings encourage youth to think of others and to consider how their “freedom” will impact others. People of faith understand that it takes intentional choices to make things happen. Sometimes these choices mean giving up one’s comfort or advantage. Our youth may need to learn about how to balance the ability to see the long-term benefits of short-term discomforts and explore that the decisions they can make will allow them to live in God’s ways. Pp♥
All children and youth are welcome to join us for Bible story time and activities on the 2nd floor after the time of conversation with the pastor. Childcare is available for children 4 and under on the 2nd floor as well.
