Sermon on the Mount Archives - IT Assist Team, Inc

Rewriting the Sermon on the Mount

All of this reveals the concerns and struggles of the Jesus community at this time. It reveals traits and practices they felt were intrinsically destructive. We have our own struggles to face today, personally and socially. The Sermon on the Mount was written to 1st Century Jesus-followers living in the wake of the temple’s destruction who were trying to find their new place in the world. If this sermon were to be rewritten today, what can you imagine it might include now?

A New Iteration of Our Present World

“Jesus’ words aren’t about leaving the status quo untouched and unchanged while we work on privatized, individual, spiritual virtues that give us a ticket to a postmortem heaven. These words are Jesus’ vision for a world here, now, today, where those presently being harmed are harmed no more.”

Not Just Saying Master, Master

by Herb Montgomery “Why do you call me: Master, Master, and do not do what I say?” (Q 6:46) Companion Texts: Luke 6:46, 47: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for…

The Sayings of Jesus

by Herb Montgomery 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, emphasis added.) From each of us here at…

Jesus and Naturalism

September 25, 2015
Herb Montgomery
Esights, Miscellaneous

BY HERB MONTGOMERY “Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life . . . instruct them in the practice of all I have [taught] you” (Matthew 28:17, 18-19, The Message, emphasis added). Last…

The Seven Last Sayings of Jesus; Part 2 of 9

Part 2 of 9 My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me? BY HERB MONTGOMERY And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my…

A New Social Order

by Herb Montgomery Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” (Mark…

Communities of Origin and Internalized Self-Hatred

by Herb Montgomery They went to Capernaum; and when the Sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there…

Liberation Descending in the Form of a Dove

The Liberation dove and the difference between nonviolence and peace. By Herb Montgomery In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the…

Why Christians Should Be the Last People on Earth to Justify the Use of Torture for the Protection of National Security

by Herb Montgomery “You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.”—Caiaphas (John 11.50) Substitute the word “tortured” in place of the word “die”…