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Jesus teaches us to pray that God's kingdom will come and calls us to seek the it first (Mt. 6:10, 33). This year at Urban Light, we are preaching through the gospel of Matthew, learning what our Lord teaches us about the kingdom of God.

As Christians, we owe our allegiance to one kingdom above all others. Above nationality or political party, we claim Christ as King of Kings. When the early Christians said "Jesus is Lord," they were implicitly claiming that Caesar was not.

What does God's kingdom look like? How does God call us to live in relation to one another and in relation to God's world? What does it mean to take seriously Jesus' call to follow him?

his spring, as part of our journey through Matthew, we are spending three months in the Sermon on the Mount, the largest collection of Jesus' teachings in the Bible. Jesus calls us to truly radical practices like turning the other cheek, being reconciled to those we have hurt, giving to those who ask, cutting out whatever causes us to sin, and going the extra mile. Jesus expects us to put his words into practice. He says our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees.

How do we do this? We do it by training, not trying harder. Jesus quotes the Law, explains the inner life behind the command, and then shares with us practices to escape the cycle of sin. We don't follow Jesus through legalism or through getting rid of guidelines altogether. Jesus teaches us to engage in disciplines that train us for righteousness.

Christian faithfulness is a marathon, not a sprint. We get to the finish line by following Jesus in the little things. Our practices draw us into the life of the Kingdom. Join our community as we practice following Jesus!