Sermon Schedule

This week has been a crazy week for me. Assignment and exam marking, research projects, grant applications, and other work stuff are overtaking my life routines (blogging, included). As the end of year is looming large, I have been taking stock of what I have gone through in my preaching this year. It turns out that I have been and will be doing 24 sermons from two chapters (Matt 5-6) as per the following schedule:

13 April Part 1 Beyond Common Sense
20 April Part 2 Blessed are the poor in spirit
27 April Part 3 Blessed are those who mourn
04 May Part 4 Blessed are the meek
11 May Part 5 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
18 May Part 6 Blessed are the merciful
25 May Part 7 Blessed are the pure in heart
08 June Part 8 Blessed are the peacemakers
22 June Part 9 Blessed are the persecuted
27 July Part 10 The salt of the earth, the light of the world (5:13-16)
03 Aug Part 11 Christians and the law (5:17-20)
31 Aug Part 12 Words that hurt, acts that heal (5:21-26)
7 Sept Part 13 Adultery (5:27-30)
14 Sept Part 14 Divorce and remarriage (5:31-32)
21 Sept Part 15 Say what you mean, and mean what you say (5:33-37)
28 Sept Part 16 Christians, be perfect! (1) (5:38-42, 48)
5 Oct Part 17 Christians, be perfect! (2) (5:43-48)
12 Oct Part 18 Secret Spirituality (6:1-18)
19 Oct Part 19 Pray like Jesus (1) (6:5-14)
26 Oct Part 20 Pray like Jesus (2) (6:5-14)
2 Nov Part 21 Pray like Jesus (3) (6:5-14)
9 Nov Part 22 Pray like Jesus (4) (6:5-14)
23 Nov Part 23 What drives your life? (1) (6:19-24)
30 Nov Part 24 What drives your life?! (6:25-33)

That marks the end of Chapter 6, and by God's grace the series from Matthew 7 will resume in February 2009.

Reading various works of theologians and commentators on Matthew 5-6 has been a very rewarding activity for me. In fact, the experience is akin to drinking from a water hydrant. The depth and breadth of perspectives on this magnum opus of our Lord's teaching is remarkable to say the least. It truly is a great disturbance for me. Re-reading my sermon notes on the above texts make me feel incapable of achieving God's unreachable expectations, and that was the intention, as only when we rest in Jesus' finished work on the cross can we be living our Christian faith with joy and hope.