We have been reading the Old Testament lessons telling the story of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah for the past few weeks. They end today with the account of the conquest of Jerusalem by the Babylonians and the exile of the people. The Gospel account of the Sermon on the Mount also concludes today and the two readings serve as commentary on one another. “Not everyone who calls me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,” Jesus says. Certainly the Jewish people found that simply professing faith in the one, true God was not enough to preserve their kingdom. It was in exile that they re-build Jewish identity around the faith following of the law. Faithful living of the gospel is exactly what Jesus recommends as the “rock foundation” of the Christian life.
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By Church Staff
