Dear friends:
When a first century Jewish prophet climbs up the side of a mountain and delivers a long discourse about the nature of faithful life in the Kingdom of God, you know that this is serious stuff.
It isn’t just the length of the discourse that tips you off that something significant is going on.
Some folks can be long-winded.
Nor is it just the content of the discourse. There were all kinds of folks talking about the Kingdom of God back then.
No, it is the location of the event. “He went up the mountain.”
Matthew doesn’t say which mountain. Just “the mountain,” as if that was all he had to say.
“He went up the mountain” is enough to tip us off that this is big.
I mean, what happened when a Jewish leader at a pivotal point in the very formation of the covenant community went up a mountain?
The echoes of Moses on Mount Sinai are unmistakable. A
as Moses received the charter for the covenant from the voice of God on a mountain,
so does Jesus now proclaim the radical nature of the Kingdom of God
on a mountain.
But here is an important difference.
Moses goes up the mountain alone.
Jesus has company.
He invites his disciples
and the ever present crowds follow and are not turned back.
Moses is on the mountain alone.
Jesus invites all to join him there.
And that includes us.
We are invited to sit at the feet of Jesus and hear world-transformative words:
words that can set us free,
words of wisdom,
prophetic words,
disturbing words,
comforting words,
confusing words
liberating words,
Kingdom words.
At 7.22 in the morning.
With a little wine and the bread of life
… all before breakfast.
Wine Before Breakfast returns to the Wycliffe College chapel on Tuesday, September 14 at 7.22am.
And we return to the mountain.
Sitting with Jesus on that mountain throughout this semester.
Deb Whalen returns this year to direct the Bandhood of All Believers.
Chris returns to set the table as he also begins to serve us as a part time Associate Chaplain.
Our cadre of priests return to serve the bread and the wine.
Bethany returns to the role of chief baker in our midst.
Thea is returning with great baking for our first week back.
That’s a lot of returning.
All returning to the Mountain.
But it isn’t enough if we all return.
Some folks need to be invited for the first time.
Think about it.
Why did you first come to Wine Before Breakfast?
I’ll bet it was because someone invited you.
Jesus invited his disciples to the Mountain.
We are called to offer that invitation to others in Jesus’ name.
So come back to Wine Before Breakfast on Tuesday, September 14 at 7.22 in the morning.
But don’t come alone.
I’m excited about this trip to the Mountain with Jesus. And just a little nervous.
Shalom,
Brian
Start Time: 7:22 am
Date: 2010-09-14
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