“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.” Matthew 6:28b-29

In the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus speaks at length to those who will hear about the contours of a life of discipleship. Perhaps we are most familiar with the Beatitudes (Blessings), beginning with “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (5:3), and less familiar with the entirety of the sermon, a rich text that extends over three full chapters. After much that is practical—turning the cheek, praying in earnest, loving your enemies, comes this word, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear… Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these” (6:25, 28-29).

Herein Christ reminds us to orient ourselves toward the true value of things and to hold lightly the things we cherish most. While we cannot own and control these things, we can entrust them to God. Countercultural to what we learn elsewhere is Christ’s invitation to simplify our lives, to realign ourselves to what matters most, to let go of the need to possess and to control, and, further, to practice the reign of God. This summer in worship we will consider the lilies; that is, we will examine our anxieties and invite the Spirit to loosen our grip so that space can be made in our hearts and minds for what is of true value and we can entrust these to God’s reign.

You are invited to worship with us each Sunday, in person when you are here and via our livestream while you are away! Your presence deepens our learning.