The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, United States Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Monday, 18 May 2015 - "Jesus taught a different approach to happiness"
Daily Scripture: Matthew 5:3 “How blessed are the poor in spirit!
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 “How blessed are those who mourn!
for they will be comforted.
5 “How blessed are the meek!
for they will inherit the Land![a]
6 “How blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness!
for they will be filled.
7 “How blessed are those who show mercy!
for they will be shown mercy.
8 “How blessed are the pure in heart!
for they will see God.
9 “How blessed are those who make peace!
for they will be called sons of God.
10 “How blessed are those who are persecuted
because they pursue righteousness!
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
11 “How blessed you are when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of vicious lies about you because you follow me! 12 Rejoice, be glad, because your reward in heaven is great — they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.
13 “You are salt for the Land. But if salt becomes tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except being thrown out for people to trample on.
14 “You are light for the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Likewise, when people light a lamp, they don’t cover it with a bowl but put it on a lampstand, so that it shines for everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.[Footnotes:
Matthew 5:5 Psalm 37:11]
Reflection Questions:If invited to give a commencement address, Jesus would likely offer something very like the Sermon on the Mount (including the Lord’s Prayer). Scholar William Barclay noted that the verb translated “taught” in Matthew 5:2 meant, in the original Greek, “repeated and habitual action, and the translation should be: ‘This is what he used to teach them.’” If Jesus spoke these words to graduates, it would quickly be clear that he had a different view of a fulfilling life. But he said his approach could make us light and salt in the world.
- The Common English Bible renders verses 3-11 as “happy are,” not the familiar “blessed are.” Jesus would have used the Aramaic phrase “O, the blessedness of….” Scholar N. T. Wright said, “In our world, still, most people think wonderful news consists of success, wealth, long life, victory in battle. Jesus is offering wonderful news for the humble, the poor, the mourners, the peacemakers.” Which of Jesus’ statements ring most true for you? Are there any of them of which you feel, “I sure wish I had some of that”?
- Jesus told his followers, “You are the salt of the earth…the light of the world.” Rule-based morality too often brings gloom, criticism and fear. Have you known people whose warm-hearted goodness adds flavor and light to life? How can your allegiance to Christ make you “salt and light,” making your life and that of others brighter and better?
Lord Jesus, I want the kind of happiness, of blessedness, that your Kingdom offers me. Shape my heart to value what you value, to rejoice in the eternal life you give. Amen.Insights from Chris Holliday
Rev. Chris Holliday serves as the associate minister at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection West.
“Happy Are Those Whose Cars Break Down in the Wilderness”
During the summers and falls of my undergraduate university years, I often instructed high school marching drumlines. One year, I served at a camp somewhere in the western part of Virginia. Bands came to us, and we worked with them for a week. Then other bands rolled in for their marching camps.
I remember we were based at a small college. It was pretty–lots of rolling hills and big green trees–but sort of out in the middle of nowhere. I also remember taking lots of back roads to get there from my home in North Carolina. As I traveled to the college, night fell and so did the rain. The roads were wet, slick and filled with curves; and it was dark–I mean really dark. However, I made it there safely, checked in, and had a great couple of weeks.
When I left the camp, I took those same roads home; but the path looked and felt very different. The sun was shining, the windows were down and the radio was blaring. I was enjoying the freedom of a little money in my pocket and the beginning of two weeks of fun and relaxation before the start of fall classes. Life was good!
All of a sudden, I noticed steam rising from under my hood and my little Pontiac T1000 started sputtering. I saw a small country church ahead and pulled into its unpaved parking lot. There was a house beside the church. Other than that, I saw nothing but hills and trees. Now this was way before the time of GPS devices and cell phones; so basically, I was stuck.
I checked out the church. The doors were locked and no one was there. I went over to the house thinking the pastor might live there. I knocked a few times, and finally, an older man appeared. He wasn’t the pastor, and I could tell he wasn’t thrilled about being bothered by a stranger on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I told him my situation, and asked if he could help me. He asked me to wait a few minutes. When he reappeared, his countenance had changed and he was much nicer. “I know a little something about cars,” he said. “Let me take a look.”
About five minutes later, he had the problem diagnosed and said he needed to call a friend of his for a part. The friend came over, and before I knew it everything was as good as new. I asked how much I owed him, and he just wanted enough to cover the part and materials he’d used (which was practically nothing). The man then asked if I wanted to use his phone to call my parents to let them know I’d be a bit later because of my car issue. As I drove away, he waved and smiled, and I did the same. I’d taken up most of his Sunday afternoon, and I was amazed at how kind and helpful he’d been to me.
Twenty-seven years later, I don’t remember the man’s name, where exactly I was or what he did to fix the car. What I do remember is feeling happy and blessed by his radical hospitality. This gentleman was salt and light to me–he made my life brighter and better that day. May we all go, be and do likewise.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe AveNUE
“Happy Are Those Whose Cars Break Down in the Wilderness”
During the summers and falls of my undergraduate university years, I often instructed high school marching drumlines. One year, I served at a camp somewhere in the western part of Virginia. Bands came to us, and we worked with them for a week. Then other bands rolled in for their marching camps.
I remember we were based at a small college. It was pretty–lots of rolling hills and big green trees–but sort of out in the middle of nowhere. I also remember taking lots of back roads to get there from my home in North Carolina. As I traveled to the college, night fell and so did the rain. The roads were wet, slick and filled with curves; and it was dark–I mean really dark. However, I made it there safely, checked in, and had a great couple of weeks.
When I left the camp, I took those same roads home; but the path looked and felt very different. The sun was shining, the windows were down and the radio was blaring. I was enjoying the freedom of a little money in my pocket and the beginning of two weeks of fun and relaxation before the start of fall classes. Life was good!
All of a sudden, I noticed steam rising from under my hood and my little Pontiac T1000 started sputtering. I saw a small country church ahead and pulled into its unpaved parking lot. There was a house beside the church. Other than that, I saw nothing but hills and trees. Now this was way before the time of GPS devices and cell phones; so basically, I was stuck.
I checked out the church. The doors were locked and no one was there. I went over to the house thinking the pastor might live there. I knocked a few times, and finally, an older man appeared. He wasn’t the pastor, and I could tell he wasn’t thrilled about being bothered by a stranger on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I told him my situation, and asked if he could help me. He asked me to wait a few minutes. When he reappeared, his countenance had changed and he was much nicer. “I know a little something about cars,” he said. “Let me take a look.”
About five minutes later, he had the problem diagnosed and said he needed to call a friend of his for a part. The friend came over, and before I knew it everything was as good as new. I asked how much I owed him, and he just wanted enough to cover the part and materials he’d used (which was practically nothing). The man then asked if I wanted to use his phone to call my parents to let them know I’d be a bit later because of my car issue. As I drove away, he waved and smiled, and I did the same. I’d taken up most of his Sunday afternoon, and I was amazed at how kind and helpful he’d been to me.
Twenty-seven years later, I don’t remember the man’s name, where exactly I was or what he did to fix the car. What I do remember is feeling happy and blessed by his radical hospitality. This gentleman was salt and light to me–he made my life brighter and better that day. May we all go, be and do likewise.
13720 Roe AveNUE
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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