1. The Sermon on the Mount for the 21 st Century WesleyanLive Course Robert Jewett, Instructor Mel Luetchens, Coordinator (mluetche@nebrwesleyan.edu)

2. Session 5 Jesus’ Approach to the Future (Matthew 6:19-21; 25-34; Luke 12:22-31; 33-34) Introduction

3. I. Anxiety and Messianic Expectations Both versions of the messianic hope included the destruction of Israel’s enemies that would establish peace on earth that would last forever Isaiah For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end (Isaiah 9:6-7)... upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and for evermore. (Isaiah 9:7, continued)

4. I. Continued Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the nations. (Isaiah 42:1)... a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not fail or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law....(Isaiah 42:3-4) "I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.... (Isaiah 42:6-7)

5. I. Continued The LORD goes forth like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his fury; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes. (Isaiah 42:13) It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, (Isaiah 2:2)... and many peoples shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; (Isaiah 2:3-4)

6. I. Continued... and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:4) There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him.... And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins. (Isaiah 11:1-5) The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.... The sucking child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:6-9)

7. II. Confronting Anxiety in Jesus’ Kingdom Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “anxiety is always directed to the morrow... Life itself is in fact more valuable than food and the body is more important than the clothes it wears People of faith can live without the utopian dream of access to a restored paradise The prioritizing implied by the term “first” places the kingdom concerns over the lesser needs of human life Prior knowledge of tomorrow remains permanently beyond our grasp

8. III. The Continuation of Troubles in the Kingdom of God Georg Strecker, “Anyone who is anxious proves thereby that he is trying to take his life into his own hands.” “Tomorrow” has a sufficient number of anxieties without taking on the extra weight of a disciple’s worries! The current day has an adequate number of troubles to keep it busy! Jesus is the supreme realist

9. IV. Abandoning Trust in Material Security Ulrich Luz, “human existence as such is at stake.” When we confront the insecurities of life, what can we rely on? The new ethic of the kingdom of God is in view here No amount of possessions can guarantee life itself The only viable security is to trust in the heavenly Abba

10. V. Recovering Common Sense about the Future Why was common sense so uncommon? Was Jesus’ message about unconditional admission to the kingdom of God a factor in allowing common sense to become active? While recognizing our continued vulnerability in a fallen world, can we still appreciate the world as it is? "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather; for the sky is red.' And in the morning, 'It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.” (Matthew 16:2 – 3) Or what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an embassy and asks terms of peace. (Luke14:31-32) One of the saddest lessons of history is how often common sense is disregarded

11. Conclusion Common sense should indicate that such divisions undermine the security of everyone Jesus offered a new form of the kingdom of God The zealot plan was far more appealing than the hard road of suffering love offered by Jesus We talk about “national security,” as if our military forces in fact provide security Our only real security is trusting the heavenly father Send comments to Mel Luetchens at mluetche@nebrwesleyan.edu