Encounter: Sermon on the Mount

Don't forget that we'll be meeting each Wednesday, from May 21st through June 18th. YOU are invited to join us from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in the sanctuary where we'll be working with these and other ideas!

Kara Stewart put together this great outline of ideas. Look through it and email Kara or Pastor Eric with responses and questions.

Some thoughts to get us started:

Here is a little rundown of the SOM and how I thought the different topics can be organized into sections for the purpose of planning a service later. They don't have to be in any particular order. Please feel free to think outside of all boxes/containers etc.

The Main Question I Want to Ask is this:

How is God's Love Demonstrated through the SOM?
How, when Jesus sounds a little demanding - a little sarcastic at times - like he's asking for more than we can EVER accomplish - how does he demonstrate love through these teachings?

IDEA (for intro): Where Has All The Love Gone by Sheryl Crow (Song)
IDEA (for intro): Slide show of cool Jesus art set to music of Kylie Minogue Song "I'm The One"

LAW
• Fulfillment of the Law
• Murder
• Adultery/Divorce
• Oaths (Another way to look at it as a topic is Lying)
• Retribution/Eye for an Eye
• Ask/Seek Knock
• Do Unto Others...
• Narrow Gate

IDEAS: Movie Clips from Godspell
IDEAS: Jonathan doing something on Pacifism - poem perhaps?
In what way were the people misunderstanding the Law such that Jesus had to come clarify for them?
How does the new understanding exemplify God's love?

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES/HYPOCRISY
• Giving to the Needy
• Prayer
• Fasting

IDEAS: Lord's Prayer (Song - Ensemble)
IDEAS: Movie Clips from Saved
Why in the same section that he's describing the sacred spiritual disciplines do we have to talk about hypocrisy SO MUCH?
What does this have to do with having a new understanding of God's love?

ANXIETY
• Do Not Worry...
• If you ask for bread - will you get a snake, etc.

IDEAS: All Good Gifts (Song - Tim + Ensemble)
Love? Is this one too obvious? :) Can we explore some of the strange things Jesus has to say about this? Read it again - all of his examples are a little drastic, don't you think?

MONEY/VALUES
• Treasures in Heaven
• Eyes=Lamp
• Can't Serve 2 Masters

IDEAS: Treasure by Iona (Song)
All kinds of cool stuff about what and how we value different things - could have something to do with HOW WE LOVE??? How we are with our partners/on dates? Bodies are definitely seen as a commodity these days...


STAND ALONE TOPICS (Overarching themes)
• Salt/Light
• Love for Enemies
• Don't Judge
• Wise/Foolish builder
• Do Unto Others

IDEAS: Jen's Skits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IDEAS: Move Clips from Saved
Sky's the limit!