God is Still Speaking: From the Mountaintop

Micah 6:1-8; Matthew 5:1-12

Russell Moore, now the editor of Christianity Today magazine, gave an interview to NPR in 2023[1] which he sounded an alarm that his religion was in crisis. After leaving the Southern Baptist Convention in 2021 having been at odds with other evangelical leaders for some time,  Moore said in the interview that multiple pastors had told him they would quote the Sermon on the Mount when preaching and someone would come up after the service and ask them, “Where did you get those liberal talking points?”

Most alarming to Moore in many of these scenarios, was when the pastor would say, ‘I’m literally quoting Jesus Christ,’ the response would not be, ‘Oh nevermind, I’m sorry.’ The response would be, ‘Yes, well, that doesn’t work anymore. That’s weak.’” Moore said, “When we get to the point where the teachings of Jesus himself are seen as subversive to us, then [evangelical Christians are] in a crisis.”

Today’s two passages are the kind people underline in their Bibles, frame in needlepoint, or literally tattoo upon their shoulders. These are some of the most famous Living words that people stake their faith upon… “It shouldn’t be edgy” but it is – enough to be “banned reading” in some of today’s American churches.[2] “You have been shown, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you? But to do justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) The words from the prophet Micah would make a beautiful sermon and have many times. But we are coming upon a season of exploring the Sermon on the Mount, not only as the text of an upcoming Discovery Hour group, but we will be dipping into Matthew 5, 6 and 7 over the next several weeks. So, we must, we MUST, begin today with what I think of as the preamble to the Sermon on the Mount. It’s what Richard Rohr calls the Inaugural address. This is what follows the text we talked about last week: Jesus announcing the Reign of God and calling the first disciples to “Come, follow me.” Let’s narrow our focus here even more on the context into which Jesus preaches this great sermon and very particularly, the opening line.

Matthew 5 begins with Jesus seeing the crowds, going up on a mountain, and sitting down. This is how the rabbis taught. And the symbolism is that in the same way Moses came down from the mountain bringing the law for the people with him, Jesus goes up on the mountain, bringing new laws to replace the old ones. To Matthew’s readers, this means Jesus is the new Moses, the one to follow. The folks who have followed him up the mountain are described as disciples. They are ready for this meatier teaching that Jesus is doing.  The critical speculation is that Jesus didn’t actually sit down and teach this one long sermon while folks camped out and listened for days, but rather this sermon is a compilation of Jesus’ teachings that Matthew has gathered here in one literary  place. On the other hand, this could be pretty close to what happened those three days prior to the feeding of the 4000.  What matters is that Jesus said them, whether in one discourse or many, and these words were inspired by his compassion for the crowd. [3]

Crowds seemed to always move Jesus. And while they were ordinary people, this was no ordinary crowd. Listen to how Clarence Jordan described Jesus’ audience of disciples and their readiness for his teaching (in 1952):
Their country was occupied by the tyrannical military government of Rome, so there was the ever-present question of the right attitude toward these enemies. Race prejudice was so prevalent that a fellow hardly knew who his neighbor was. The staggering taxes, already about a third of one’s paycheck, kept alive the problem of what one would eat or drink or wear. The middle class of people had almost disappeared; there were only the very rich and the very poor. Slavery was rampant. It was a dark hour indeed.

They were all aware that their world was crashing down upon them, that their civilization was sick unto death, that they had about reached the end of their rope.

These are the people who had been summoned to repent, that is to have a change of perspective. The old way had failed, and Jesus was proposing a new way. He began talking about that new way with this opening line, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. What a way to begin! Happy are the poor in spirit.  It’s key to everything Jesus is teaching, or it wouldn’t be the opener… Happy are those who live in the Reign of God without need for their own reputation, or righteousness. Happy are those who have emptied themselves out of all pretense. Rohr says, “If we are poor in spirit, it won’t be long before we are poor. In other words, we won’t waste the rest of our life trying to get rich because we know better.”[4] 

This past Wednesday, some of us met at First Stop to serve the noon meal. Church Street Cumberland Presbyterian volunteers had prepared chili with toppings and crackers, desserts… It was perfect on a cold day. A young man came in whose smile absolutely  lit up the room! His face was beautiful. He greeted us warmly. His countenance put smiles on all the faces of the servers. I watched as he sat down with the others, continuing to smile and talk pleasantly as he ate. I don’t know his story, but the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to him. Something like the Reign of God covers him, surrounds him and fills him. These blessings listed here don’t describe different groups of people – the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, and so on. They describe one class of people – those who are entering the kingdom and who at each stage are blessed.[5] Blessed are those who made the chili. Blessed are those who served the chili. Blessed are those who served the tea and hot chocolate. Blessed are those who ate the chili… One class of people who at every stage are blessed.

Jesus came along teaching about a narrow way that led to abundant life which subverted the broader way that most people followed and that led to… something very different.[6] Jesus had a way of saying to the folks at the top of society, “come down….” “Give up your power, and your explanations… There is another way to live…” And to those at the bottom of society, he said, “come up! You’ve got faith, Go show yourself to the priest. You are enough.”[7]

Rohr calls Jesus’ teaching, the gospel for the oppressed and the gospel for the oppressor, which may sound scandalous.  How can this be good news for both? I saw it in the serving line at First Stop this week. Blessed are the poor and Blessed are the poor in spirit.  For those who can live the way that Jesus is teaching, (at every stage are blessed and) they will be set free.

You can’t follow Jesus, without also following Jesus’ words. You can’t separate the teacher from the teachings. We gather here to hear God speaking and to remember who we are, who we are becoming, even in the face of so much peer pressure to divide and diminish those who don’t look or think like we do.

This table set before us is the great leveling table. Gathering at this table reorients our perspective. We all come equally in need of God’s grace, equally in need of being filled by his love and goodness. Jesus poured out the fruit of his body for the sins of our souls and those are the gifts we receive at this table today.

[1] Otten, Tori, The New Republic August 10, 2023

[2] Rothaus, Kendall Rae, Sojourners magazine, Living the Word February 1 2026

[3] Jordan, Clarence, Sermon on the Mount 11th revised edition 1952; founder Koinonia Farm

[4] Rohr, Richard, Jesus’ Alternative Plan

[5] Jorden, Clarence, Sermon on the Mount

[6] Borg, Marcus, Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time

[7] Rohr, Richard, Teaching the Sermon on the Mount, YouTube, Center for Action and Contemplation