In the Life of Christ Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount without leaving us a comfortable place to remain neutral. He does not end with a pleasant illustration followed by a polite invitation to think about it later. Instead, He places before us two gates, two roads, two kinds of fruit, two professions ofContinue reading “The Sermon That Demands an Answer”
Tag Archives: Sermon on the Mount
When Righteousness Reaches the Heart
In the Life of Christ Jesus made a statement that must have startled everyone listening on the hillside: “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20, KJV). The scribes and Pharisees were widely regarded as the religious professionalsContinue reading “When Righteousness Reaches the Heart”
A Righteousness We Cannot Manufacture
In the Life of Christ When Jesus told His listeners, “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20), I imagine the crowd becoming unusually quiet. The scribes knew Scripture, and the Pharisees were meticulous about religious conduct. If they were not righteous enough,Continue reading “A Righteousness We Cannot Manufacture”
Read the Sermon from the Foot of the Cross
In the Life of Christ When I read the Sermon on the Mount, I can easily turn Jesus’ words into a spiritual checklist. Love your enemies. Turn the other cheek. Pray sincerely. Give without seeking recognition. Refuse lust and hatred. Treat others as you would want to be treated. Those commands are so direct thatContinue reading “Read the Sermon from the Foot of the Cross”
When Jesus Redraws the Picture of a Christian
In the Life of Christ Every generation develops a mental picture of what a Christian is supposed to look like. Sometimes that picture is shaped by Scripture. Sometimes it is shaped by habit, tradition, personality, or the expectations of the religious community around us. That is why the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5–7Continue reading “When Jesus Redraws the Picture of a Christian”
When the Storms Reveal the Foundation
In the Life of Christ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” — Matthew 7:24–27 As I come to the closing words of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, I am reminded that He was never satisfied withContinue reading “When the Storms Reveal the Foundation”
When Light Walks into the Room
A Day in the Life “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16 When I read Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:16, I cannot escape the simplicity and weight of them. “Let your light so shine…” He does not say, “CreateContinue reading “When Light Walks into the Room”
When Ordinary Lives Become Preserving Grace
A Day in the Life “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” — Matthew 5:13 When I sit with Jesus on that hillside in Matthew 5, listeningContinue reading “When Ordinary Lives Become Preserving Grace”
Before the Altar, On the Road to Peace
A Day in the Life “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23–24 There are moments in the lifeContinue reading “Before the Altar, On the Road to Peace”
When Obedience Interrupts Ambition
On Second Thought The tension between human ambition and divine intention is as old as Scripture itself, and it quietly shapes more of our spiritual life than we often admit. We are conditioned to pursue progress, recognition, and security, and we frequently baptize those pursuits with spiritual language. Yet Scripture repeatedly interrupts that instinct, invitingContinue reading “When Obedience Interrupts Ambition”