Almost a month since I last wrote anything so about time I put fingers to keyboard. Our morning series looking at the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) has continued with sessions looking at prayer, worry, money, judgement and hypocrisy since my last blog. Yesterday we finished the series looking at Jesus' challenge that it is not simply enough to listen to his teaching, or to read it. What matters is that it is put into practice.
Jesus warns about those who look the part (wolves in sheep's clothing, 7:15-20), about those who speak the part (Lord, lord, 7:21) and about those who act the part (prophesy, casting out demons, performing miracles, 7:22-23). He warns us about the dangers of being led astray by those who are not the genuine article. He also issues us with a challenge - do I simply look the part, speak the part, act the part - what's actually going on inside? What's going on with my motives and my attitudes? Why do I do the things I do?
The Sermon on the Mount contains some really challenging teaching because much of it deals with our attitudes and motives as well as our actions (see for example 5:21-32). There is the command to love our enemies. There is the truth that you can only serve God or money - you can't serve both. There is the challenge about who we trust in - and if I trust in God why do I worry so much?
And Jesus concludes with the parable (a story with a point) of the two builders (7:24-27). One builds on rock and his house survives the storm. The other builds on sand and his house falls down. We all know that building a house on sand is not a sensible idea if we want the house to last any time at all. Jesus compares this second (foolish) builder with the person who hears Jesus' teaching and doesn't put it into practice.
