The Sermon on the Mount is so familiar to us that it is easy to lose sight of how revolutionary its teachings are. We will do a close reading of this remarkable set of statements, as recorded in Matthew 5-7.

Our process of reading the gospels, carefully and prayerfully, must begin with the themes that are set out in this remarkable sermon. The Beatitudes, the Lord’s Prayer, and a whole new take on the Ten Commandments are just a few of the gems we find here. When we ask ourselves the question, “What would Jesus do?” we will often find the answer in these chapters.

Several members of our class shared insights on the ways that Jesus teaches us to love, pray, give, feel, act and, finally, whom to follow. 

Watch here for the link ~ coming in a couple of days.

The four Gospels are not exactly a biography of Jesus, though they do tell us many things about his daily life. Instead, these four documents are organized in a deliberate way as a masterful presentation of the mission of Christ. There are some pervasive themes that we studied in the Old Testament that we find in the gospels, yet presented in a new way. So, this time around, rather than study them in a linear fashion we will approach different events, parables and stories in light of those themes.

As a reading assignment I'm inviting everyone to read the four Gospels by Christmas, taking notes and writing your thoughts as you go. Our objective is to have each class member experience what Bruce R. McConkie described when he said: "The Gospels are where we go to fall in love with the Lord." And to ask ourselves, what can I learn from the gospels about how to live these principles today? I look forward to sharing this experience with you.

The first two lessons of the year are available now on YouTube. Lesson One explores the theme of Forgiveness and Reconciliation by looking at the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Lesson Two explores the theme of Grace with a close reading of the Story of the Good Samaritan. Here are the links:

Forgiveness and Reconciliation: The Parable of Two Sons

How Grace Works in Real Life: The Good Samaritan