Study of Matthew

[metis]

But I will lift you in prayer today! May your "strength be renewed like and eagle, may you run and not grow weary and walk and not faint"

Nice words but did you at least get the license number of that truck?

and may the leaves cease in about a month.

They're still coming down and now mixed with ice on my driveway and lawn, so I don't know whether to rake 'em or use the snow-blower on 'em.

 

[metis]

Well... "papa" is extremely happy! My daughter and her family are coming over from Texas and my other daughter and her family are flying in from Australia (my son and his family lives close by) and the 10 grandchildren. It will be 2 weeks of a great family get-together compete with a Thanksgiving camp-out with my extended family of brothers, sisters and their offspring. The tribes will complete the feast with quail falling from Heaven... errrr turkeys and that deep fried.

Congrats!!!

BTW, did I tell ya we almost moved to Australia back in the early 1970's?

So I will preempt Metis with some thoughts as I don't know how much time will be available. Sorry Metis.

No worries (that's Australian for "no worries") because we don't have a session next week and then only one after that until mid-January.

Enjoy your company!

 

[Kenny]

Yes, the canon of the Tanakh was to include only those prior to Hellenization as my post stated, but the Christian scriptures were written afterward. I reviewed what I wrote and it appears you may have read it wrong.

Did I mention that I now wear glasses?

 

[metis]

In the "Protestant" arm, we believe the word "pray like this" is different from "pray this".

In Catholicism it's both, as besides praying the Lord's Prayer at every mass it is also considered to be an ideal prototype of prayer with it's words and order, according to Augustine.

 

[Kenny]

In Catholicism it's both, as besides praying the Lord's Prayer at every mass it is also considered to be an ideal prototype of prayer with it's words and order, according to Augustine.

We do sing and recite the Lord's prayer at times too! It's a great prayer.

 

[metis]

Worry will change your outlook, open the door to sickness and ulcers, and cause your life to be "chasing after things".

My wife worries enough for both of us.

Seek God, His righteousness, His way of doing things and you will find that things chase after you.

Then why am I so broke? Oh, I think it's because I'm married.

So "Don't worry, be happy".

Yep, I tell my wife that and then all she does is to extend the "honey do" list.


[btw, I in reality married a saint because she would have to be to put up with my craziness]

 

[metis]

We do sing and recite the Lord's prayer at times too! It's a great prayer.

Sometimes one way and sometimes the other.

BTW, a prayer I absolutely love is the "Prayer of
St. Francis" because it just hits me right in the heart, said or sung. Familiar with it?


[Ch. 6 is next]

 

[metis]

Chapter Six Overview

It's a continuation of the Sermon On the Mount, so some very brief highlights:

Show piety and do not "showboat" when doing prayer, giving alms, or fasting.

The Lord's Prayer. [see @KenS post above for its wording]

Do not be anxious about tomorrow or materialistic beyond the most basic needs.

Seek the Kingdom first and foremost and His righteousness will be provided.

 

[Kenny]

Sometimes one way and sometimes the other.

BTW, a prayer I absolutely love is the "Prayer of
St. Francis" because it just hits me right in the heart, said or sung. Familiar with it?


[Ch. 6 is next]

Can't say that I do. Maybe I do but never knew it was St. Francis?

 

[metis]

My Take:

Actions count, not just words. To me, the Sermon On the Mount is not only a way to seek the Lord with words but also is a call to action. Again, one take I have to keep returning to is that Christianity involves taking the "narrow path" that includes going beyond mere belief, which is what the Parable of the Sheep & Goats gets into as well. The "Goats" believe but do not do.

The last item on my last post I have a problem with at the literalistic level, so I wonder if there's possibly another explanation.

There are many devout Christians who live in dire poverty and who sometimes have tragic deaths, and yet are we to believe that God somehow has forsaken them? I think not.

In the early Church, the apostle's shared their provisions, and Acts and the epistles point out that they took care of one another and told their flock to do the same. Since needs were pretty simple back then, maybe it's the Church through God's teachings that made worry and poverty less cumbersome.

In northern Indiana, I've spent some time within the Amish and Mennonite communities, and they extensively actually follow that Christian mandate. It is so impressive how they come together if a person or a community is in need. I had subscribed to the Amish newspaper (now defunct) called "The Budget", whereas these communities would communicate and come together in ways that should make every other denomination jealous. Matter of fact, the single most enjoyable and meaningful service I've ever attended was at a Mennonite church. And they do-- not just pray and sing. And we know the early Church was much this way.

As Christians, it's up to us to provide the basics as best we can.

[Me'tis now passes the collection plate]

 

[metis]

Can't say that I do. Maybe I do but never knew it was St. Francis?

Here:

Lord make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy
O divine master grant that I may
not so much seek to be consoled as to console
to be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love
For it is in giving that we receive
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it's in dying that we are born to eternal life
Amen

I'll see if I can find the song version at YouTube and add it if I can find it.

Ah, here:

 

[Kenny]

My Take:

Actions count, not just words. To me, the Sermon On the Mount is not only a way to seek the Lord with words but also is a call to action. Again, one take I have to keep returning to is that Christianity involves taking the "narrow path" that includes going beyond mere belief, which is what the Parable of the Sheep & Goats gets into as well. The "Goats" believe but do not do.

The last item on my last post I have a problem with at the literalistic level, so I wonder if there's possibly another explanation.

There are many devout Christians who live in dire poverty and who sometimes have tragic deaths, and yet are we to believe that God somehow has forsaken them? I think not.

In the early Church, the apostle's shared their provisions, and Acts and the epistles point out that they took care of one another and told their flock to do the same. Since needs were pretty simple back then, maybe it's the Church through God's teachings that made worry and poverty less cumbersome.

In northern Indiana, I've spent some time within the Amish and Mennonite communities, and they extensively actually follow that Christian mandate. It is so impressive how they come together if a person or a community is in need. I had subscribed to the Amish newspaper (now defunct) called "The Budget", whereas these communities would communicate and come together in ways that should make every other denomination jealous. Matter of fact, the single most enjoyable and meaningful service I've ever attended was at a Mennonite church. And they do-- not just pray and sing. And we know the early Church was much this way.

As Christians, it's up to us to provide the basics as best we can.

[Me'tis now passes the collection plate]

That was an excellent preaching. I will be the first to add to the plate.

 

[Kenny]

Here:

Lord make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy
O divine master grant that I may
not so much seek to be consoled as to console
to be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love
For it is in giving that we receive
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it's in dying that we are born to eternal life
Amen

I'll see if I can find the song version at YouTube and add it if I can find it.

Ah, here:

I remember the song... nice!

 

[Dawnofhope]

Matthew 6 seems clear enough. Be sincere and devoted to God inwardly. Prayer and fasting are outlined as the foundation of our spiritual life. Have faith that if we follow in His ways God will provide us with what we need.
Is that perspective consistent with being a Christian?

 

[Kenny]

Matthew 6 seems clear enough. Be sincere and devoted to God inwardly. Prayer and fasting are outlined as the foundation of our spiritual life. Have faith that if we follow in His ways God will provide us with what we need.
Is that perspective consistent with being a Christian?

Seems like that is a good summary for a Christian for this chapter. Of course, we are reminded that chapters were placed by man so what is written before and after are just as important