From the Archives - Dec. 2008
This is it. The conclusion to Mission: Possible? If you have not read the first 2 parts please skip down two posts to Part 1. Join the discussion. Let's look at the final part of the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 5 was rough and chapter 6 was only slightly better (or worse depending on your perspective). Let's see where ch. 7 takes us.
"Stop judging so that you will not be judged. Otherwise, you will be judged by the same standard you use to judge others. The standards you use for others will be applied to you. So why do you see the piece of sawdust in another believer's eye and not notice the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to another believer, 'Let me take the piece of sawdust out of your eye,' when you have a beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye. Then you will see clearly to remove the piece of sawdust from another believer's eye.
(Matthew 7:1-5)
Ouch! Jesus pulls no punches here. Right out of the gate He hits the nail on the head of an issue plaguing our jobs, churches, etc. Who reading this has not been guilty of this one? I know I sure have.
The next few verses are like a whirlwind rush to the end. Asking, giving and receiving all are hit on here. Verse 12, also known as the GOLDEN RULE, talks about doing for others what we would have them do for us. Oh that we all truly lived that way. He even talks about knowing a believer by their fruit. Is the fruit the stuff He was talking about in chapters 5-7? What do you think?
Jesus tells us to avoid the wide road to destruction and to go into life through the narrow way but then says, "But the narrow gate and the road that lead to life are full of trouble. Only a few people find the narrow gate." The way He TELLS US to go is full of trouble. Not easy! Uh Oh....
Then He throws this one at us: "Therefore, everyone who hears what I say and obeys it will be like a wise person who built a house on rock."
The chapter comes to a conclusion with this: "When Jesus finished this speech, the crowds were amazed at his teachings."
Well yeah, I am as well. This was the longest discourse Jesus gave that we have on record. It is not a sermon to the unbelievers, to the world so to speak. It is a sermon to us, His children. Many say if we try to live this way we are "socialists, communists, hippies, etc. You can't live in peace with one another, you can't forgive EVERYONE who wrongs you. What about JUSTICE?"
The thing is, Jesus doesn't ask us for excuses. He doesn't say, "Hey try this and if it doesn't work for you no harm, no foul." He call us to obedience. It may be uncomfortable obedience but it is obedience He calls us to nevertheless.
Is it possible? Yes. Is it hard? Yes. What we need is Jesus living in us and through us to accomplish this possible mission. We also need faith! (Hebrews 11:6)
Do you long to see change in your life, church, etc? Let's all try to follow the example of Jesus and truly live our faith! I'll be honest and say I'm not there yet but I want to make the journey. Are you with me?
Showing posts with label Beatitudes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beatitudes. Show all posts
4/27/10
Mission: Possible (Part 2)
From the Archives - Dec. 2008
(If you have not read Part 1 I would suggest you skip to the post just prior to this.)
Let's continue examining the Sermon on the Mount and see if our mission truly is possible.
I will have to admit Chapter 5 of Matthew was really rough. Is Chapter 6 any better?
Verse 1 doesn't sound so bad. Not doing things for public praise isn't a bad idea. In the next verse it says, "So when you give to the poor, don't announce it with trumpet fanfare. This is what hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets in order to be praised by people. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward."
Wait did that say "So when you give?" Why it sure does. Verses 3 and 4 talk about giving to the poor as well. Oh...this is something He actually wants us to do! Not announcing our actions is a key part of these 2 verses. That's not too impossible....is it?
Jesus then talks a bit about prayer and even gives us an example that we affectionately call the Lord's Prayer. It's a beautiful prayer. However there is that one potential stumbling block. That line that says: "Forgive us as we forgive others." How come God keeps throwing in all these things on forgiveness, helping the poor, etc? This is looking like Ch. 5 all over again.
Wait here's a piece on fasting. No problem there. Wait...what's that in verse 19-21....oh no....it says we shouldn't store up treasures on earth, that our heart is where our treasure is and it should not be here but in Heaven. (I will not look around my room, I will not look around my room....oh dang...where did all this stuff come from!)
The rest of chapter 6 talks about not worrying. Reminds me of the old Mad Magazine slogan, "What! Me worry?" I will admit I have been a worrier from time to time. It's been a hard one for me, yet Jesus clearly talks about not doing it.
Where will this all end? Things look even more impossible then before. What does Jesus want from us?
Come back for the 3rd and final part of Mission: Possible?
(If you have not read Part 1 I would suggest you skip to the post just prior to this.)
Let's continue examining the Sermon on the Mount and see if our mission truly is possible.
I will have to admit Chapter 5 of Matthew was really rough. Is Chapter 6 any better?
Verse 1 doesn't sound so bad. Not doing things for public praise isn't a bad idea. In the next verse it says, "So when you give to the poor, don't announce it with trumpet fanfare. This is what hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets in order to be praised by people. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward."
Wait did that say "So when you give?" Why it sure does. Verses 3 and 4 talk about giving to the poor as well. Oh...this is something He actually wants us to do! Not announcing our actions is a key part of these 2 verses. That's not too impossible....is it?
Jesus then talks a bit about prayer and even gives us an example that we affectionately call the Lord's Prayer. It's a beautiful prayer. However there is that one potential stumbling block. That line that says: "Forgive us as we forgive others." How come God keeps throwing in all these things on forgiveness, helping the poor, etc? This is looking like Ch. 5 all over again.
Wait here's a piece on fasting. No problem there. Wait...what's that in verse 19-21....oh no....it says we shouldn't store up treasures on earth, that our heart is where our treasure is and it should not be here but in Heaven. (I will not look around my room, I will not look around my room....oh dang...where did all this stuff come from!)
The rest of chapter 6 talks about not worrying. Reminds me of the old Mad Magazine slogan, "What! Me worry?" I will admit I have been a worrier from time to time. It's been a hard one for me, yet Jesus clearly talks about not doing it.
Where will this all end? Things look even more impossible then before. What does Jesus want from us?
Come back for the 3rd and final part of Mission: Possible?
4/25/10
Mission: Possible (Part 1)
This is from the Archives...Dec. 2008
An examination of the Sermon on the Mount.
My family and I love watching old reruns of the American TV show, Mission Impossible, which ran from 1966-1973. Sure, most of the technology is cheesy now and the special effects are corny, but the show had a fantastic theme and a great premise. A team put together to accomplish the impossible missions.
Do you ever feel like God is calling you to the impossible? I do every time I read the Sermon on the Mount! If you read Matthew chapter 5 you'll find many things that might seem hard to swallow. Some will feel downright impossible.
Just look at how Jesus starts off in Matthew5:3-12. The Beatitudes...or as I like to think of them the way our attitude should be! Sure, some sound easy and nice, like v. 6 which says if we hunger and thirst for righteousness we will be filled. However when you look at v. 5 about being meek, v. 7 about being merciful and v. 9 about being a peacemaker....gulp...those are not easy. Try to encourage someone to be merciful when they are wronged and they are just as likely to turn on you! I know because I've done it...I've turned my anger to the person saying be merciful.
Matthew 5:13-16 doesn't sound that hard. Letting your light shine, being salt, can't be that difficult can it? (Unless you think about that meek, merciful peacemaker thing!)
Right after this, Jesus talks about the Law and how He came to fulfill it. Look what He points out though: In v. 21 He basically says, "Never Murder" and then in v. 22 He says, "But I can guarantee that whoever is angry with another believer will answer for it in court. Whoever calls another believer an insulting name will answer for it in the highest court. Whoever calls another believer a fool will answer for it in hellfire."
We've never done that right? We've never called another believer an insulting name, right? Or a fool?
Makes me want to not open my mouth period!
Jesus goes on to say adultery is looking at a woman with lust in your heart. Verse 39 is easy: "But I tell you not to oppose an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn your other cheek to him as well. " Oh wait.....
Well there is the whole love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you thing......well.....er....yeah........
This doesn't get easier does it? What do you think? Is Jesus trying to tell us another way to live? Yes. Is it comfortable? No!
Here's a question for you....do you want to live that way? The way of the Sermon on the mount? Is it even possible? Come back for Part 2 of Mission: Possible.
An examination of the Sermon on the Mount.
My family and I love watching old reruns of the American TV show, Mission Impossible, which ran from 1966-1973. Sure, most of the technology is cheesy now and the special effects are corny, but the show had a fantastic theme and a great premise. A team put together to accomplish the impossible missions.
Do you ever feel like God is calling you to the impossible? I do every time I read the Sermon on the Mount! If you read Matthew chapter 5 you'll find many things that might seem hard to swallow. Some will feel downright impossible.
Just look at how Jesus starts off in Matthew5:3-12. The Beatitudes...or as I like to think of them the way our attitude should be! Sure, some sound easy and nice, like v. 6 which says if we hunger and thirst for righteousness we will be filled. However when you look at v. 5 about being meek, v. 7 about being merciful and v. 9 about being a peacemaker....gulp...those are not easy. Try to encourage someone to be merciful when they are wronged and they are just as likely to turn on you! I know because I've done it...I've turned my anger to the person saying be merciful.
Matthew 5:13-16 doesn't sound that hard. Letting your light shine, being salt, can't be that difficult can it? (Unless you think about that meek, merciful peacemaker thing!)
Right after this, Jesus talks about the Law and how He came to fulfill it. Look what He points out though: In v. 21 He basically says, "Never Murder" and then in v. 22 He says, "But I can guarantee that whoever is angry with another believer will answer for it in court. Whoever calls another believer an insulting name will answer for it in the highest court. Whoever calls another believer a fool will answer for it in hellfire."
We've never done that right? We've never called another believer an insulting name, right? Or a fool?
Makes me want to not open my mouth period!
Jesus goes on to say adultery is looking at a woman with lust in your heart. Verse 39 is easy: "But I tell you not to oppose an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn your other cheek to him as well. " Oh wait.....
Well there is the whole love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you thing......well.....er....yeah........
This doesn't get easier does it? What do you think? Is Jesus trying to tell us another way to live? Yes. Is it comfortable? No!
Here's a question for you....do you want to live that way? The way of the Sermon on the mount? Is it even possible? Come back for Part 2 of Mission: Possible.
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