Many of us have heard about Jesus’ famous “Sermon on the Mount,” found in the gospel of Matthew – but how many of us know about the “Sermon on the Plain,” found in the gospel of Luke? The differences that jump out are obvious – the Sermon on the Mount is longer, while the Sermon on the Plain is condensed into one chapter – Luke 6. It’s interesting to consider the similarities of these two sermons – they both begin with the Beatitudes and include some of the most direct teachings of Jesus – love for enemies, judging others, a tree and its fruit and the wise and foolish builders. We wouldn’t say that the Sermon on the Plain is the “greatest Hits” of the Sermon on the Mount, but it is a concise way to get at some of Jesus’ most radical teachings and it lays a firm foundation upon which believers can build their life. And What a Life -challenging, joy-filled, obedient, hard, blessed – following in the footsteps of Jesus.

Our Bible Interactions for 2025 explored what Jesus said in this famous sermon and also looked at some ways that Jesus embodied this teaching during His earthly ministry. We dove deep into these teachings; it was amazing to see what God revealed about the unexpected description of what constitutes a solid life. We found that what God has to offer through life in His Son Jesus is radical, life-giving abundant life – so very different from what our world has to offer. We are Built for Life!