What if the Sermon on the Mount was Jesus’ “I Have a Dream” Speech? In it, he shares a vision of what can be, what should be, and, in fact, what will be. He paints the picture of the Kingdom of God with such vivid and grace-filled imagery that it awakens the heart and mind to something wonderful and hope-filled.
How might we hear the hopeful themes of this sermon anew today? How might its powerful message be shared so that we can hear it as the message of grace for the world that it truly is. Below is an attempt to portray the heart of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in a way that pulls from the power and presence of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s writing style. It is not meant to reproduce Dr. King’s content or his specific message, but it is a way to help understand and convey the import and power of Jesus’ words and teachings.
“I have a dream that the world is not what you think.
That the way you see it, the way it is said to be,
Is, at best, a shadow, insubstantial & undefined,
And at worst, a life-destroying deception that robs you of your very identity.
The ways of the world, mired in selfish desire,
Have clouded your minds, and shackled your hearts
Imprisoning you with the illusion of freedom.
But you are not free.
You are bound and held fast,
By the manacles of empty promises birthed from fear.
You think you are in control,
But the control you have is fleeting and false.
You are not truly you, not as God created you to be.
What if I told you that you are more than you think.
You are greater than this world promises.
My beloved, you are serving the wrong master
You are serving a master of falsehoods & lies
Selfish desires, and empty promises;
A master who preaches scarcity and fear.
This master leaves you asking,
Do I have enough? Am…I enough?
Where can I quickly get enough?
How do I acquire enough?
Or work hard enough to get it?
But, my friends, these are the wrong questions.
Life is not about you.
To serve yourself, or money, wealth, power, & prestige,
Is to stay in the dark and wonder where the light is.
It’s to remain in shackles and wonder why you still aren’t free.
The greatest lie that keeps you in darkness
Is “I’ve got this.”
But I have a dream.
I have dream where God’s got this.
God makes you enough.
You are created in God’s image,
In fact, you are God’s children,
Precious and wonderful.
I have a dream.
Where you are loved unfathomably & unconditionally.
Where your value and purpose is defined, not by this world,
But by the God who breathed life into you
And even now has chosen and called you
As family, friends, and disciples.
I have a dream
Where light overcomes darkness
Where hope becomes real
Where the fog that covers this world is lifted
And sunlight streams into hearts and minds.
It’s not where the powerful and prestigious reign
But where the poor, the merciful, & the peacemaker are blessed.
Where the lowly is lifted up
The suffering ones are cared for
and the lost are found and celebrated.
I have a dream
where kindness and compassion
Supersedes self-righteousness.
Where you move from hate and bitterness
To forgiveness & reconciliation.
Where enemies are loved
Rather than retaliated against.
Where you give of yourself for the sake of others
Not for show and notoriety,
But because they are your siblings in need
I have a dream
Where you pray,
Not for worldly things,
But in thanksgiving for God’s grace, and goodness, and gifts.
For this dream to be made real right here and right now…
For Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
I have a dream where worry is a thing of the past
And is replaced by hopeful opportunity
Where grace is not just what God gives to each of us,
But becomes who we are every day.
You see, my beloved, the master you should serve,
Is the God of the dream…
A dream of abundance and hope,
Of love and grace
Of mercy and forgiveness.
Of life and living
You see, this dream is not just a dream.
This dream is not just a hope.
This dream is power made manifest in me and it lives in you.
Can you see it? Can you feel it in your heart?
You, my Church, are stewards of the dream
With Grace & Peace,
Pastor Adam
