What If Jesus Was Serious?

1. Jesus expects us to take His teachings seriously and live them out

"Jesus did not intend His sermon to be a beautiful ethical theory or a righteous but unattainable ideal. The evidence is overwhelming that He expects us to do what He taught."

Jesus meant what He said. The Sermon on the Mount was not intended as an impossible ideal, but as practical instructions for living in God's kingdom. Jesus calls us to actually obey His teachings, not just admire them from afar.

Obedience is the path to blessing. Throughout Scripture, God's people are given a choice - follow His ways and flourish, or go their own way and face destruction. Jesus concludes His sermon with multiple calls to obedience, emphasizing that merely hearing His words is not enough. We must put them into practice.

This requires faith and courage. Living out Jesus' radical teachings on love, forgiveness, and non-retaliation is challenging in a world that often operates by different values. But Jesus assures us that this narrow path, though difficult, leads to life.

2. Our character and inner transformation matter more than outward success

"If we are to slay the Idol of Effectiveness, we must look for the right fruit both in ourselves and in the leaders we choose to follow. That fruit is not relevance or power or global impact. The fruit of a life lived in communion with Jesus Christ is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control."

Beware the "Idol of Effectiveness". Our culture often equates significance with worldly measures of success and impact. But Jesus is far more concerned with our character than our accomplishments.

Look for the right fruit. The true measure of a godly life is not relevance, power, or global influence, but rather the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc. These qualities flow naturally from a life in communion with Christ.

God judges faithfulness, not effectiveness. The story of Moses striking the rock illustrates how we can appear outwardly successful while being inwardly disobedient. God may work through us or in spite of us, but what matters most is our faithfulness to Him.

3. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you

"To love our enemy, therefore, is to actively seek what is in our enemy's best interest, even if he does not agree, which may explain why he is our enemy in the first place."

Love is active, not passive. Jesus calls us beyond mere tolerance or non-violence to actively loving our enemies. This means seeking their good, even when they oppose us.

Prayer transforms our perspective. When we pray for our enemies, we begin to see them as God sees them - as people made in His image and worthy of love. This makes it difficult to continue hating them.

This is a radical, counter-cultural command. Loving our enemies goes against our natural instincts and the ways of the world. But it reflects the character of God, who loves and blesses even those who reject Him.

4. Ask, seek, and knock - God wants to bless His children

"Jesus is rejecting the common belief that blessings must be manipulated or coerced from God through rituals or demonstrations of piety. Very often, religious people assume God's goodness will be available to them only if they attend church more regularly, give more sacrificially, or pray more earnestly."

God is a loving Father. Jesus portrays God as eager to bless His children, not as a reluctant deity who must be cajoled or manipulated into giving good gifts.

We are invited to boldly ask. Rather than trying to earn God's favor through religious rituals or good deeds, we are encouraged to simply ask Him for what we need.

Trust God's goodness. Even when God says "no" to our requests, we can trust that it's because He loves us too much to give us something that would ultimately harm us. He often wants to give us something far better - Himself.

5. Do not worry or be anxious, but trust in God's provision

"Jesus' countercultural list of who is blessed challenges us in at least two ways. First, it means that no one is beyond God's blessing, and even those society calls "cursed" or "worthless" are to be shown dignity as recipients of God's care. Second, Jesus obliterates our wicked tendency to judge others by their circumstances."

God cares for you. Jesus points to nature - birds and flowers - as evidence of God's faithful provision. If He cares for these, how much more will He care for His children?

Worry is unproductive and unnecessary. Jesus teaches that worry cannot add a single hour to our lives. Instead, we're called to trust God and seek His kingdom first.

This frees us to be generous. When we're no longer anxious about having enough, we're liberated to share freely with others, knowing God will take care of us.

6. Beware of false prophets and prioritize intimacy with God over works

"There will be people, He says, who will plead their case before Him. They will claim to belong to Christ because of the power and magnitude of their words and works. But He will dismiss them with the horrible truth, 'I never knew you.'"

Appearances can be deceiving. Jesus warns that some who appear outwardly godly and successful in ministry may not truly know Him. We must look beyond surface-level indicators.

Intimacy with God is paramount. Jesus emphasizes relationship over religious works. Prophesying, casting out demons, and performing miracles are no substitute for genuinely knowing Christ.

Examine your motives. This warning should prompt self-reflection. Are we serving God out of love and intimacy, or to gain approval and significance?

7. Build your life on the solid foundation of obeying Jesus' words

"The parable reminds us that the most important thing about us—what defines our life and destiny—is hidden from the view of others. It cannot be seen or praised by those around us."

Actions reveal true faith. Jesus concludes His sermon with the parable of two builders - one who builds on rock (obedience) and one who builds on sand (disobedience). Both hear Jesus' words, but only one puts them into practice.

The foundation matters most. While the houses may look similar on the surface, it's the unseen foundation that determines whether they'll withstand the storms of life.

Obedience leads to stability. Building our lives on Christ's teachings provides a firm foundation that can withstand life's trials and difficulties. Mere intellectual assent without obedience leaves us vulnerable.

Last updated: September 9, 2024