Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Sermon on the Mount Wrap-Up... Or Can We?

In Richard Foster's Streams of Living Water, he says, "If you seek holiness of life, I encourage you to make a friend of the Sermon on the Mount.  It is an expanded commentary on the royal law of love.  And Jesus' life is an expanded commentary on the Sermon on the Mount...  Always appropriate.  Always able.  Always giving the touch that was needed.  Always speaking the word that was needed...  We see Jesus consistently doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done."

He goes on to say that this is purity of heart, and in talking about various things related to Jesus' embodiment of the Sermon on the Mount, he touches on the utopian idea of social justice and our role in it.  Then taking a step back, Foster looks at the whole of Jesus' life and says maybe Jesus was living a utopian dream.  "Perhaps.  And yet this is exactly how Jesus himself lived...  Compassion... Cleansing... raising a child from the dead...  says Jesus, the messianic kingdom of perpetual jubilee is indeed coming, but in a way no one would have guessed."

Would anyone guess that YOU might proclaim freedom to them?  Would anyone guess that YOU would have courage in the face of adversity?  Would anyone guess that YOU would heal, or cleanse, or speak life into someone else?  That's what he's talking about, you know.  He's talking about you and me and regular folks like us proclaiming this freedom that comes from knowing He's got you covered!

So as Easter approaches, and we start looking around our community, let's think about how we might be the proclaimers of freedom for folks wrapped up so tight in the bondage of darkness they get no glimmer but YOU.  Then be light.  Have courage.  Be kind.  Love like Jesus loves!

in Christ,
Jim

p.s. there are a ton of resources on RightNow Media that deal with talking with your neighbor about the Lord, living it out.  Search on outreach, evangelism, or just look up "Perfect Blend".  Work through the videos on your own or with a friend.  Let me know how you are doing!

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