Climbing the Mountain Matt Brownell, Van Owens and Tim Adams

We finally come to a close on our journey through the Sermon on the Mount with some final questions of reflection for Matt, Tim, Jim and Van.

In Matthew 5:11-16, Jesus expounds upon our outward ministry as partners with God, our role in the world. Where the beatitudes described the blessings of those who see their need for God and choose to identify with Him through repentance, Jesus now makes the general specific: blessed are “you.” We may face persecution on account of our identification with God; but, we serve a vital role in the world. Jesus describes this role through two examples: salt and light. Here, we discuss the richness of His examples in their historical context to shed light on their meaning for us today.

In Matthew 5:11-16, Jesus expounds upon our outward ministry as partners with God, our role in the world. Where the beatitudes described the blessings of those who see their need for God and choose to identify with Him through repentance, Jesus now makes the general specific: blessed are “you.” We may face persecution on account of our identification with God; but, we serve a vital role in the world. Jesus describes this role through two examples: salt and light. Here, we discuss the richness of His examples in their historical context to shed light on their meaning for us today.

This is the intro episode for season 1 of Climbing the Mountain podcast. Our goal with this episode is to explain why we embarked on this deep dive into Jesus's sermon on the mount and how this podcast might differ from others you've heard. We are excited for you to join us on this journey as we learn from one another, wrestle with the scripture, and strive to find practical ways to live out Jesus's teachings.

In Matthew 5:11-16, Jesus expounds upon our outward ministry as partners with God, our role in the world. Where the beatitudes described the blessings of those who see their need for God and choose to identify with Him through repentance, Jesus now makes the general specific: blessed are “you.” We may face persecution on account of our identification with God; but, we serve a vital role in the world. Jesus describes this role through two examples: salt and light. Here, we discuss the richness of His examples in their historical context to shed light on their meaning for us today.

In chapter 4 we see Jesus beginning to preach His message of repentance and good news concerning the Kingdom. The Sermon on the Mount is this teaching in all of its glory and the Beatitudes set the frame by which everything else is recognized. With the Beatitudes we see the heart of Jesus’ teaching. They are both the realization of and the fulfillment of the 10 commandments, which began God’s word from Sinai.
These compact 8 verses illuminate what God considers good for us: poverty of spirit, mourning, meekness, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, mercy, purity, peacemaking, and experiencing persecution for righteousness. These are not what most would consider “blessings.” So, first off, the Beatitudes reorder our conception of what God values versus what the kingdoms of this world value. In our trust in these seemingly inscrutable sayings, and more importantly faith in the sayer, we experience healing for our souls: both a filling and repairing effect.
At this mountain top, we see Jesus both as a teacher with His close disciples and as a new Moses giving us God’s word. Not only does Jesus summarize the upward and outward thrust of the 10 commandments, but He expounds upon the spirit by which God’s word is fulfilled through us: utter dependence upon Him and unabashed joy in His love overflowing to others through us. His words continue to resonate, eternally profound. At this mountain, we all strain to hear what the ultimate teacher taught His disciples.