Antioch Church of Santa Cruz: Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Pictures.

During the second week of Lent we are living through Luke 6:17-49. This is Luke's version of the "Sermon on the Mount." In it Jesus uses a great deal of imagery & stories to reveal what the Kingdom of God is like, what values the New Earth will express, & what we, as Kingdom People should be about.

As we journey through Lent we are looking at Jesus' walk toward the cross & this sermon certainly is a part of that. Why? By saying & using the illustrations He did Jesus was disrupting the powers to be & their values. In fact the Kingdom of this world & the Kingdom of God are in many ways opposed, which is often the case when Jesus addresses many of His audiences. As you stroll through the images I've put forward that depict Jesus' illustrations, take a moment to take in the words of the Revolutionary: Jesus.

(I do understand some of these pictures are disturbing. That said: who are the current poor? who is our enemy? who judges & against whom? I would rather not deal with these things either.) 

¹⁷He went down with them and stood on a level place.

²⁰ Looking at his disciples, he said:

   “Blessed are you who are poor,
   for yours is the kingdom of God.

²⁷ “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

³⁷ “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 

⁴³ “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?