Mountainside Lessons

Hiking

Family has been out hiking and exploring

History of hiking

Funny turtle story

NO food on that trip, but important to always have water

TODAY - Climbing mountains and the importance of water

New Series - Mountainside Lessons

Starting a new series today

Matthew 5

Jesus climbed a bit up the mountainside, sat down, and began to teach

Jesus began with the Beatitudes

A series of 8 statements about ultimate fulfillment

Matthew 5:3 NIVUK

He said: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed or Bless-ed

The Beatitudes are different than a blessing

Blessing or blessed is a verb - gives action

Numbers 6:24–26 NIVUK

‘ “ ‘The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace.’ ”

Bless-ed is an adjective - it’s describing

Matthew 5:3 NIVUK

He said: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The Kingdom of Heaven

Is the kingdom of Heaven now or later?

Yes

The kingdom of Heaven operates simultaneously both now, here on earth and in the future within the presence of God

The kingdom of Heaven is that thing that Jesus came for, to establish a new way of thinking - Jesus sat with the tax collectors, called unclean women daughter, washed feet, etc.

The Poor in Spirit

Acknowledging that we are nothing without God

We are spiritually in poverty, spiritually bankrupt

We have nothing to offer, nothing which to buy or earn our way into the kingdom of Heaven

For Today

What does that mean for us today?

Sometime after Jesus sermon on the mountainside, he was traveling through Samaria and encountered a woman at a well

John 4:10 NLT

Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”

John 4:13 NLT

Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.

John 4:23–24 NLT

But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Favorite Hiking Trip

Appalachian Trail is 2,180 miles

78 miles in Georgia, hiked almost all of it

group of guys, 40 miles

not taking water, utilizing the water that we’ve been given