So far we’ve talked about believing what Jesus believed (transformed mind), Living as Jesus lived (transformed character), Loving as Jesus loved (transformed relationships). Today we’re looking at ministering as Jesus ministered. In other words, transformed service.
In Mark 6 Jesus confronts his disciple with a ministry opportunity. They have a chance to put into action everything they’ve learned through their recent experience. Alongside Jesus they are faced with 5,000 picnickers in need of a packed lunch. They are about to discover nine important lessons about ministry.
Lesson 1: Ministry means pressure
They’d had little time to rest and recover from their previous ministry encounters and now they were having to step up and do it all again. It had been Jesus’ plan that this was a well-earned break from the crowds, but the crowds had a different plan, a different timetable.
Lesson 2: Ministry is draining
No one is arguing with their need to rest. Even Jesus recognised that. Sometimes ministry takes an emotional and physical toll on us. We need to recognise this and respond properly.
Lesson 3: Ministry is unpredictable
They didn’t invite the crowd they invited themselves. They didn’t plan to offer lunch, but the crowd didn’t plan for it either.
You never know when an opportunity for ministry might arise. The best preparation is to develop Christ-like character.
Lesson 4: Confusion comes with the territory
The crowd just came, they didn’t know what they were going to do, they just wanted to be wherever Jesus was. Interestingly Jesus imposed a degree of order (they sat down in groups of 50). Managing confusion is part of ministry.
Lesson 5: Ministry carries responsibility
Jesus told his disciples: “You feed them.”
Lesson 6: Ministry calls for faith
Without faith we can do nothing. If we do not believe that God is at the heart of our ministry, then we’re working under a false premise. It is vitally important that we allow God to fulfil his purposes through us.
Lesson 7: Ministry calls for sacrifice
What if Jesus had said yes when they asked him: “Are we to buy food for all these people?” More than this, sometimes ministry means sacrificing safety, pride and self-reliance in order to see God’s power released.
Lesson 8: Ministry is about learning as well as doing
Sometimes we excuse ourselves from ministry on the basis that “It’s not my gifting.” But ministry offers us opportunities to learn new things. The disciples had already learned about deliverance and healing, now there was new lesson on the curriculum.
Lesson 9: Ministry involves service
It was the disciples who did the distributing and the collecting.
If these nine things are too many to remember, then let me give you three things about the way Jesus did ministry that might be easier to remember.
#1 Grace: Jesus always did things with grace. Although he and the disciples were probably tired, he still had room for compassion, he still had room to serve.
Bill Hull says: Jesus ministered out of who he was; his influence came from his character.
This was the character of a servant, the character of sacrifice and the character of compassion.
#2 Generous: God doesn’t hold back when, there was more than enough to go around.
#3 Glorious: Not only did the crowd experience the abundance of God’s blessing, they enjoyed it too.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Saturday, March 18, 2006
In the footsteps of Jesus—Love as Jesus loved
To love as Christ loved is the way to break down the walls that separate us and bring healing to broken lives. Jesus didn’t hold anything back and loved until others experienced that love.
Notice, the author doesn’t until others appreciated that love, and he doesn’t say until others responded with love. He simply says until others experienced that love.
Understanding this is one of the greatest challenges of following Jesus Christ. To love as Jesus loved means turning our usual values upside down, but doing so will revolutionise our relationships.
What is love?
Probably the best known New Testament passage on love is 1Cor.13. Best known, but well practiced?
RT Kendall defines the love described by Paul as:
#1 A demonstration in words
Not just any words, but Holy Spirit inspired words. As Paul lays out the essentials of love there is no room for sentimentality, there is only room for the love that lies at the heart of God. It’s his essential character.
When Paul talks of love that keeps no record of wrongs, he’s pointing us towards the grace of God. When love always protects, always hopes, always trusts, always perseveres, Paul points us to the consistency of God who is the same yesterday, today and forever. When Paul says that love never fails he points us to the eternal nature of God’s love for us: I have loved you with an everlasting love. But words are not enough.
#2 A demonstration of works
Throughout history God has both spoken of his love and demonstrated it. Paul said that the ultimate demonstration of his love for us is seen in the sending of his Son, Jesus Christ, while we were still rebels.
Jesus lived out the love of God, and we are called as his followers to do the same.
If you live this way, this way of love demonstrated by Jesus, then you will dazzle the word. “Let your light shine before men,” not to impress them but so that they might “praise your Father in heaven.”
#3 A demonstration of wisdom
What Paul calls love, James calls wisdom.
There were two important aspects to living a life that pleases God in the Old Testament.
Keep the covenant. Not to get God on your side, but to demonstrate your commitment to him.
Choose wisdom as a pattern for life. Without wisdom keeping the covenant becomes a blind act of religious obedience. It has no meaning further than rule keeping. Wisdom shapes a life to walk in the light of the covenant promises. Wisdom forces you to take responsibility.
#4 Demonstration of the will
If you wait until you feel like it, you probably won’t live a life of love that often. RT Kendall says: We must never wait for a mood or a feeling to overwhelm us.
Our moods and feeling can mislead us. We don’t find some people easy to love. If we wait until our hearts towards them change before we love them, the truth is we may never love them. On the other hand if we chose to love them in obedience to God’s will, then maybe we’ll make room for the work of the Spirit in us as we learn to love them as Jesus has loved us.
How did Jesus love?
#1 Unconditionally
Friend of sinners. There isn’t a single person in the whole of the gospels that Jesus encountered and didn’t love.
Lk.14:13 When you give a feast invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind.
#2 Sacrificially
You don’t need me to remind you about the cross. A symbol of the most violent and cruellest forms of punishment ever devised by human beings. And yet the symbol of the church. The symbol of the unending love of God for the same human beings who devised its cruel use. Is there a greater sacrifice that choosing to die for someone else? You might die for a righteous man the Bible says, but surely never for an unrighteous one. But that’s what Jesus did. God could have wiped us out and started over again with a new universe. If he can create it, he can restart it. But he didn’t. He chose rescue over restart. He chose to pay the price of redemption rather than begin again.
#3 Courageously
Jesus believed you were worth the sacrifice. He believed you were worth all that pain and suffering, He believed it was worth his while to give you the choice of where to spend your eternity. He left the choice to you. He told it straight: No-one comes the Father except through me. But he left you the choice. What will you choose?
The challenge to love
Jesus said that we were to love as he loved. Love becomes the practice of our lives. As you seek to practice the love of God, these three steps might help.
Put others before yourself: What’s more important to you—that the work is done or that you are seen?
Accept your part in his plan: When john saw Jesus he recognised it was time for his role to change. He must become greater, I must become less, he told his followers. He even sent them after Jesus.
Be quick to applaud the success of others: It’s remarkable to think that the creator of the universe is your greatest advocate. He’s your personal cheerleader in life. He was willing to be misunderstood, mistreated and misquoted in order to give the chance to shine for him.
Paul says that we shine like stars in the universe of a crooked and depraved generation. And in heaven Jesus cheers you on. When you step out to serve him, to do something in his name, to honour him, then Jesus shouts from heaven, “Way to go!” Of course if he’s more British, he’s more likely to say “Well done, nice try.” But then again, I suspect his enthusiasm for you will get the better of him and he’ll dance and sing and cheer with the best of them.
To love as Jesus loved will transform our relationships. It will transform our relationship both inside and outside the church. It will change the way we relate to each other and it will change the way we relate to the God who loved, who gave his Son for us, who came to die for us and who cheers for us in heaven.
Love as Jesus loved—Way to go church!
Notice, the author doesn’t until others appreciated that love, and he doesn’t say until others responded with love. He simply says until others experienced that love.
Understanding this is one of the greatest challenges of following Jesus Christ. To love as Jesus loved means turning our usual values upside down, but doing so will revolutionise our relationships.
What is love?
Probably the best known New Testament passage on love is 1Cor.13. Best known, but well practiced?
RT Kendall defines the love described by Paul as:
#1 A demonstration in words
Not just any words, but Holy Spirit inspired words. As Paul lays out the essentials of love there is no room for sentimentality, there is only room for the love that lies at the heart of God. It’s his essential character.
When Paul talks of love that keeps no record of wrongs, he’s pointing us towards the grace of God. When love always protects, always hopes, always trusts, always perseveres, Paul points us to the consistency of God who is the same yesterday, today and forever. When Paul says that love never fails he points us to the eternal nature of God’s love for us: I have loved you with an everlasting love. But words are not enough.
#2 A demonstration of works
Throughout history God has both spoken of his love and demonstrated it. Paul said that the ultimate demonstration of his love for us is seen in the sending of his Son, Jesus Christ, while we were still rebels.
Jesus lived out the love of God, and we are called as his followers to do the same.
If you live this way, this way of love demonstrated by Jesus, then you will dazzle the word. “Let your light shine before men,” not to impress them but so that they might “praise your Father in heaven.”
#3 A demonstration of wisdom
What Paul calls love, James calls wisdom.
There were two important aspects to living a life that pleases God in the Old Testament.
Keep the covenant. Not to get God on your side, but to demonstrate your commitment to him.
Choose wisdom as a pattern for life. Without wisdom keeping the covenant becomes a blind act of religious obedience. It has no meaning further than rule keeping. Wisdom shapes a life to walk in the light of the covenant promises. Wisdom forces you to take responsibility.
#4 Demonstration of the will
If you wait until you feel like it, you probably won’t live a life of love that often. RT Kendall says: We must never wait for a mood or a feeling to overwhelm us.
Our moods and feeling can mislead us. We don’t find some people easy to love. If we wait until our hearts towards them change before we love them, the truth is we may never love them. On the other hand if we chose to love them in obedience to God’s will, then maybe we’ll make room for the work of the Spirit in us as we learn to love them as Jesus has loved us.
How did Jesus love?
#1 Unconditionally
Friend of sinners. There isn’t a single person in the whole of the gospels that Jesus encountered and didn’t love.
Lk.14:13 When you give a feast invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind.
#2 Sacrificially
You don’t need me to remind you about the cross. A symbol of the most violent and cruellest forms of punishment ever devised by human beings. And yet the symbol of the church. The symbol of the unending love of God for the same human beings who devised its cruel use. Is there a greater sacrifice that choosing to die for someone else? You might die for a righteous man the Bible says, but surely never for an unrighteous one. But that’s what Jesus did. God could have wiped us out and started over again with a new universe. If he can create it, he can restart it. But he didn’t. He chose rescue over restart. He chose to pay the price of redemption rather than begin again.
#3 Courageously
Jesus believed you were worth the sacrifice. He believed you were worth all that pain and suffering, He believed it was worth his while to give you the choice of where to spend your eternity. He left the choice to you. He told it straight: No-one comes the Father except through me. But he left you the choice. What will you choose?
The challenge to love
Jesus said that we were to love as he loved. Love becomes the practice of our lives. As you seek to practice the love of God, these three steps might help.
Put others before yourself: What’s more important to you—that the work is done or that you are seen?
Accept your part in his plan: When john saw Jesus he recognised it was time for his role to change. He must become greater, I must become less, he told his followers. He even sent them after Jesus.
Be quick to applaud the success of others: It’s remarkable to think that the creator of the universe is your greatest advocate. He’s your personal cheerleader in life. He was willing to be misunderstood, mistreated and misquoted in order to give the chance to shine for him.
Paul says that we shine like stars in the universe of a crooked and depraved generation. And in heaven Jesus cheers you on. When you step out to serve him, to do something in his name, to honour him, then Jesus shouts from heaven, “Way to go!” Of course if he’s more British, he’s more likely to say “Well done, nice try.” But then again, I suspect his enthusiasm for you will get the better of him and he’ll dance and sing and cheer with the best of them.
To love as Jesus loved will transform our relationships. It will transform our relationship both inside and outside the church. It will change the way we relate to each other and it will change the way we relate to the God who loved, who gave his Son for us, who came to die for us and who cheers for us in heaven.
Love as Jesus loved—Way to go church!
In the footsteps of Jesus—Live as Jesus lived
To live as Jesus lived is about a transformed character.
One writer as has defined character: the inner reality and quality in which thoughts, speech, decisions, behaviours and relations are rooted. And when it comes to character the fundamental question is: Who are you no one else is looking?
Bill Hull wrote:
We are called to take seriously the character description of Jesus in the Gospels and Philippians 2:5-8. We are expected to take on that same character and thus influence people around us in the same way Jesus influenced others… The gospel connects belief and behaviour.
The attitude described by Paul is one of humble servant-hood, obedience to God’s purposes. It’s an attitude defined by a character that knows itself, is not arrogant, and has nothing to prove. So often, if the truth were told, human character has to be shored up by power and position. It’s often surface only, and it’s true nature kept deeply hidden. But the gospel brings hope. Jesus showed another way.
Dallas Willard said:
Widespread transformation of character through wisely disciplined discipleship to Christ can transform our world.
How do we develop true Christian character?
If we over spiritualise the idea of Christian character our list would probably look like this:
Pray a lot; read the Bible a lot (preferably in the original languages or at least a very old translation that’s difficult to understand; witness to everyone no matter how hard it is; give all your money to the church.
Now said like that it sounds awful I know, and it hides some if the important truths that we all need to work on. It’s important that we talk with God about our lives, i.e. pray; it’s important that we read the Bible so that we can listen to what God says to us through his word; it’s crucial that we share our story with others so that they too can come to know the love and forgiveness that we’ve experienced; and it’s the way we use our money if often a clue to what’s really important to us. But Christian character is a deeper work of God. To some extent these things are surface issues, they are the result of our character not the sum of our character.
Three Character Qualities
These are just a starting point.
#1 Authenticity
Definition: reliable, trustworthy, genuine.
The authentic Christian character is one that is truly Christ-like. It bears the hallmark of someone who has been with Jesus. Authentic is not fake. It is not made-up to look like something it is not. It is genuine, the real McCoy. Developing authentic character takes time and discipline. It simply cannot be rushed. There may be years of inauthentic character to be demolished.
#2 Integrity
This flows naturally from authenticity. Once we begin to rebuild our character in authentic ways, seeking to follow the example of Jesus in what we think as well as what we do, we see the need for our lifestyles to reflect our faith.
Give me and undivided heart cried the Old Testament poet.
Jesus said we can’t serve two masters and James said beware the double-minded man. Integrity demands a joined up life.
#3 Loyalty
First and foremost to Jesus. Again it flows from the integrity and authenticity.
It means we ask the question “what would Jesus do,” and then we do it! Instead of theories we develop practices. I believe that as we commit to develop these character qualities in our lives, as we live out the implication of them, we will see change. Maybe more so in ourselves than in others, but we see a change.
How do you build character?
Character is built by living out your values, Christian character is built by living out Christ’s values. Two things contribute to this process.
#1 Truth
Rick Warren in The Purpose Driven Life talks about being transformed by the truth.
The Spirit of God, says Warren, uses the Word of God to make us like the Son of God.
In other words, we take on the character of Jesus by the work of his Spirit as we expose ourselves to the truths in the Bible.
In order for this to happen you must:
1. Accept its authority
2. Assimilate its truth
3. Apply its principles
#2 Trouble
No one looks for trouble in his or her life. Most of us know it’s coming, we just don’t know when it’s going to turn up! How we respond to trouble says a lot about our character. If we give in straight away, our character lacks strength, if we give in quickly, perhaps our character lacks depth. If we twist and turn constantly changing direction, perhaps our character lacks focus.
There are all sorts of reasons why you may be facing trouble in your life right now. Some of those reasons require you to take action. It may be you need to change some aspect of your lifestyle, it may be that you need simply to stop doing whatever you are doing that’s bringing trouble into your life. I don’t know. Maybe it’s just a consequence of living a Christian life in a fallen world. Whatever it is, you know this simple truth: Fire refines. To get at the most precious metal you need to drive away the dross. And trouble can do that in our lives. If we allow God to use the trouble we face to refine our lives what will emerge will be the precious metal of a Christ-like character.
You cannot rush character development as we’ve already said, it takes time. A lot of time, a lifetime of time.
Why build character?
In short, character determines influence. If you want to influence your friends, work-colleagues, family members and neighbours for the kingdom of God, then you need to live out the life of Jesus in front of them. Words will only ever be a part of the story. Do you think people were attracted to Jesus just because of his words? They came to see the miracles that’s true, they were amazed by his teaching that’s true too. But they were touched by his character, by the compassion he showed them, the time he gave to them and the love he showered upon them.
He told his disciple to go out and change the world. To influence others for the sake of the kingdom. But influence opportunities can come unexpectedly. And when they do, you must be ready. You can’t suddenly turn on Christian character at the flick of a switch. It must be deeply ingrained.
Have you noticed how long God invested in people before he used them? Abraham was in his seventies, Moses was in his eighties. Joseph spent years in prison, Daniel spent years in exile, and David spent time in Saul’s service. Paul spent 15 years in preparation.
Time is never in short supply when it comes to the work of God in our lives.
I’m convinced that the world will not be won by programmes, but by individual Christians living out authentic Christ-like lives in their communities. We are not perfect; we will not be perfect in this life. But we are sons and daughters of the Most High God and we should live in the light of that call.
One writer as has defined character: the inner reality and quality in which thoughts, speech, decisions, behaviours and relations are rooted. And when it comes to character the fundamental question is: Who are you no one else is looking?
Bill Hull wrote:
We are called to take seriously the character description of Jesus in the Gospels and Philippians 2:5-8. We are expected to take on that same character and thus influence people around us in the same way Jesus influenced others… The gospel connects belief and behaviour.
The attitude described by Paul is one of humble servant-hood, obedience to God’s purposes. It’s an attitude defined by a character that knows itself, is not arrogant, and has nothing to prove. So often, if the truth were told, human character has to be shored up by power and position. It’s often surface only, and it’s true nature kept deeply hidden. But the gospel brings hope. Jesus showed another way.
Dallas Willard said:
Widespread transformation of character through wisely disciplined discipleship to Christ can transform our world.
How do we develop true Christian character?
If we over spiritualise the idea of Christian character our list would probably look like this:
Pray a lot; read the Bible a lot (preferably in the original languages or at least a very old translation that’s difficult to understand; witness to everyone no matter how hard it is; give all your money to the church.
Now said like that it sounds awful I know, and it hides some if the important truths that we all need to work on. It’s important that we talk with God about our lives, i.e. pray; it’s important that we read the Bible so that we can listen to what God says to us through his word; it’s crucial that we share our story with others so that they too can come to know the love and forgiveness that we’ve experienced; and it’s the way we use our money if often a clue to what’s really important to us. But Christian character is a deeper work of God. To some extent these things are surface issues, they are the result of our character not the sum of our character.
Three Character Qualities
These are just a starting point.
#1 Authenticity
Definition: reliable, trustworthy, genuine.
The authentic Christian character is one that is truly Christ-like. It bears the hallmark of someone who has been with Jesus. Authentic is not fake. It is not made-up to look like something it is not. It is genuine, the real McCoy. Developing authentic character takes time and discipline. It simply cannot be rushed. There may be years of inauthentic character to be demolished.
#2 Integrity
This flows naturally from authenticity. Once we begin to rebuild our character in authentic ways, seeking to follow the example of Jesus in what we think as well as what we do, we see the need for our lifestyles to reflect our faith.
Give me and undivided heart cried the Old Testament poet.
Jesus said we can’t serve two masters and James said beware the double-minded man. Integrity demands a joined up life.
#3 Loyalty
First and foremost to Jesus. Again it flows from the integrity and authenticity.
It means we ask the question “what would Jesus do,” and then we do it! Instead of theories we develop practices. I believe that as we commit to develop these character qualities in our lives, as we live out the implication of them, we will see change. Maybe more so in ourselves than in others, but we see a change.
How do you build character?
Character is built by living out your values, Christian character is built by living out Christ’s values. Two things contribute to this process.
#1 Truth
Rick Warren in The Purpose Driven Life talks about being transformed by the truth.
The Spirit of God, says Warren, uses the Word of God to make us like the Son of God.
In other words, we take on the character of Jesus by the work of his Spirit as we expose ourselves to the truths in the Bible.
In order for this to happen you must:
1. Accept its authority
2. Assimilate its truth
3. Apply its principles
#2 Trouble
No one looks for trouble in his or her life. Most of us know it’s coming, we just don’t know when it’s going to turn up! How we respond to trouble says a lot about our character. If we give in straight away, our character lacks strength, if we give in quickly, perhaps our character lacks depth. If we twist and turn constantly changing direction, perhaps our character lacks focus.
There are all sorts of reasons why you may be facing trouble in your life right now. Some of those reasons require you to take action. It may be you need to change some aspect of your lifestyle, it may be that you need simply to stop doing whatever you are doing that’s bringing trouble into your life. I don’t know. Maybe it’s just a consequence of living a Christian life in a fallen world. Whatever it is, you know this simple truth: Fire refines. To get at the most precious metal you need to drive away the dross. And trouble can do that in our lives. If we allow God to use the trouble we face to refine our lives what will emerge will be the precious metal of a Christ-like character.
You cannot rush character development as we’ve already said, it takes time. A lot of time, a lifetime of time.
Why build character?
In short, character determines influence. If you want to influence your friends, work-colleagues, family members and neighbours for the kingdom of God, then you need to live out the life of Jesus in front of them. Words will only ever be a part of the story. Do you think people were attracted to Jesus just because of his words? They came to see the miracles that’s true, they were amazed by his teaching that’s true too. But they were touched by his character, by the compassion he showed them, the time he gave to them and the love he showered upon them.
He told his disciple to go out and change the world. To influence others for the sake of the kingdom. But influence opportunities can come unexpectedly. And when they do, you must be ready. You can’t suddenly turn on Christian character at the flick of a switch. It must be deeply ingrained.
Have you noticed how long God invested in people before he used them? Abraham was in his seventies, Moses was in his eighties. Joseph spent years in prison, Daniel spent years in exile, and David spent time in Saul’s service. Paul spent 15 years in preparation.
Time is never in short supply when it comes to the work of God in our lives.
I’m convinced that the world will not be won by programmes, but by individual Christians living out authentic Christ-like lives in their communities. We are not perfect; we will not be perfect in this life. But we are sons and daughters of the Most High God and we should live in the light of that call.
In the footsteps of Jesus—Believe what Jesus believed
#1 What did Jesus believe about himself?
For anyone who is a follower of Jesus Christ, what they believe about him is crucial to their faith. But that faith is founded upon what Jesus believed about himself. If it were not so, then we could believe whatever we liked about Jesus whether it were true or not.
Three things Jesus believed about himself:
No situation he can’t change
Jairus had a daughter who was sick. He came to Jesus and Jesus changed the situation. A woman “caught in the act of adultery” is dragged into the street to be stoned to death. Jesus changed the situation. Time after time Jesus changed the situation. Blind people saw, deaf people heard, crippled people walked. There isn’t one situation in the whole of the gospels that came before Jesus that he didn’t have the power to change.
No-one is beyond his reach
From priest to public menace, Jesus reached out to them all. He offered everyone he met the same opportunity to build a relationship with God. He knew some would find it difficult—the rich, the religious—but he still offered them the chance. Murderers, adulterers, tax-collectors, thieves, no-one was beyond his reach.
No authority higher than his authority
At the end of Matthew’s gospel Jesus declared: All authority in heaven and earth is mine. That’s pretty complete. If you struggle with the idea of telling the devil that he has no authority in a situation, then you can at least remind him that there is an authority that trumps his authority. The implication of these things is that when Jesus says you’re forgiven, you’re forgiven; When Jesus says you’re a beloved child of the living God, then you’re a beloved child of the living God.
#2 What did Jesus believe about people?
Everyone is worth it
In the Old Testament we are reminded time and time again that we are loved by God with an everlasting love. As far as Jesus is concerned everyone was worth the effort of the cross, everyone was worth the pain and suffering. Everyone deserves the chance to reconnect their lives to the God who loves them so very dearly.
What you are now is not all that you can be
Jesus sees the potential in all of us. As Jon Ortberg puts it, what we experience now is not normal, it’s usual. Normality is the kingdom of God. The confusion, the pain, the suffering, the doubt, all these things are a part of our current reality, but they are not meant to be a part of the ultimate normality of the kingdom. We have something better towards which we can look.
God’s love for you endures
Look at the story of the prodigal son. The father in the story didn’t go looking for his son in the far country, but he did look. When his son finally came to his senses and set out to go home and become a servant, his father was waiting and watching for him. He ran to meet him and welcomed him home as a son. God has done more than this, for he came to the foreign country to look for us. Jesus left heaven and came to earth to show us that God keeps on loving us. As Paul puts it: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
#3 What did Jesus believe about life?
Bill Hull, a pastor and author, wrote that: …to believe what Jesus believed means we hold to the conviction that the life described he described in the Sermon on the Mount is possible right now. (Choose the Life p19)
Here are 5 principles that reflect what Jesus believed about life.
God blesses
Poor, sad, humble or hungry, God blesses. Merciful, pure, peacemaking, persecuted, or mocked, God blesses. As the Old Testament says: Our God is a God who commands blessing.
Followers of Jesus can change the world
Jesus told his followers that they were the salt of the earth, a light that should not be hidden. Salt and light change things. Salt was a preservative, now we use it as seasoning. As to light, you notice when it’s not there. Do you know the difference between light and darkness? Turn a light on and darkness disappears. Turn a light off and darkness closes in. Darkness is not self-generating. It only exists where there is no light.
Life lived for God has high standards
The Sermon on the Mount covers a lot of ground. Jesus talked about anger, adultery, divorce, religious vows, revenge, loving enemies, giving, prayer and fasting, money and possessions and judgement. The opening challenge as he talked about all these topics was that your righteousness must exceed that if the teachers of the law! What a challenge—to live a life that was more righteous that the very people who were guardians of righteousness. Interesting then that at the heart of this sermon on righteousness, Jesus talks about our relationship with God.
A person’s true nature always shows eventually
As Jesus draws to a close he makes a telling observation. First he tells a simple story that everyone will understand. A good tree produces good fruit; a bad tree produces bad fruit. Great, if all we are talking about is trees, or even if it’s a wolf dressed up as a lamb. A little more dangerous than a fruit tree in disguise I’ll grant you, but the principle is okay. But then Jesus says something really shocking. Immediately he says, “And this is also true about those who follow me”. Some are false and some are true, and some of that won’t be revealed until the day of judgement. Human as we are, our tendency is to ask immediately: “Is it me?” Am I one of those who will fall into this category? That’s were Jesus’ last observation about life comes into play.
Life needs a solid foundation
Whatever you are building, build it on solid foundations. Life needs to be built not on the foundations of religious ideas or language or even practice, but on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ himself. If this is your foundation then the question I’ve just raised doesn’t come into play. Why? Because your hope, your faith is built upon Jesus, upon the truths of what he has done for you through his death on the cross. If you have trusted Jesus as leader and forgiver, Lord and Saviour, then your security is found in him.
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