 | Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.(Matthew 5:1-2 NIV) |
I’ve been reading through the gospels as part of my regular bible reading practice and I was struck yet again with the way Eugenie Peterson in The Message starts Matthew 5. He writes it like this:When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions.(Matthew 5:1-2 MSG)
I find this refreshing. Let’s consider the words he uses. Those apprenticed to him, his disciples. As followers of Jesus we too are apprenticed to Jesus. I wonder how much time we spend looking into the way he lived and how he behaved around people. Our faith is one which is firstly rooted in relationship not doctrine. And the primary example of how to live is in Jesus. We need to look beyond the words to the life that spoke those words and then listen very carefully to the way he says what he says then we will discover new truths in what he said.
They are the committed and they climb with him. It takes commitment to climb mountains of any description. Life will always have its mountains, both literal and in the everyday, for many right now it’s how we handle Covid. How are we going at that commitment and do we look like followers of Jesus? Whatever your mountains are, while they may not be unique to the human lot, your experience of it will be very specific to you. But as a follower of Jesus he is also your climbing companion. Having twice had accidents in the mountains of near catastrophic proportions I am deeply grateful that he has held me when the tough has got almost too tough.
Finally arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. Whether it’s because I am an introvert or not I think we underrate the “quiet place”. We fill our days with so much noise. In my experience it is in the quiet place that Jesus teaches me best. It’s in the place of reflection that the Spirit of Jesus opens my eyes of understanding. It may not always make rational sense but his peace that passes all understanding does fill my mind in such a way that I can press on. Emily Dickenson once said: We both believe, and disbelieve a hundred times an hour, which keeps believing nimble.” For me my doubts and uncertainties are the pathway to discovery.
I like the idea of being Jesus’ climbing companion and just love the quiet place of his teaching. What follows in this passage? The beatitudes or the beautiful attitudes. Read them for yourself from The Message in a quiet place and let Jesus teach you too.
Richard Dyer
I find this refreshing. Let’s consider the words he uses. Those apprenticed to him, his disciples. As followers of Jesus we too are apprenticed to Jesus. I wonder how much time we spend looking into the way he lived and how he behaved around people. Our faith is one which is firstly rooted in relationship not doctrine. And the primary example of how to live is in Jesus. We need to look beyond the words to the life that spoke those words and then listen very carefully to the way he says what he says then we will discover new truths in what he said.
They are the committed and they climb with him. It takes commitment to climb mountains of any description. Life will always have its mountains, both literal and in the everyday, for many right now it’s how we handle Covid. How are we going at that commitment and do we look like followers of Jesus? Whatever your mountains are, while they may not be unique to the human lot, your experience of it will be very specific to you. But as a follower of Jesus he is also your climbing companion. Having twice had accidents in the mountains of near catastrophic proportions I am deeply grateful that he has held me when the tough has got almost too tough.
Finally arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. Whether it’s because I am an introvert or not I think we underrate the “quiet place”. We fill our days with so much noise. In my experience it is in the quiet place that Jesus teaches me best. It’s in the place of reflection that the Spirit of Jesus opens my eyes of understanding. It may not always make rational sense but his peace that passes all understanding does fill my mind in such a way that I can press on. Emily Dickenson once said: We both believe, and disbelieve a hundred times an hour, which keeps believing nimble.” For me my doubts and uncertainties are the pathway to discovery.
I like the idea of being Jesus’ climbing companion and just love the quiet place of his teaching. What follows in this passage? The beatitudes or the beautiful attitudes. Read them for yourself from The Message in a quiet place and let Jesus teach you too.
Richard Dyer
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