The Way of JesusSample

What Are We Missing?

The Kingdom of God has been announced, the invitation has been given, but what does it actually look like to live in it? What Jesus shows us is that life in the Kingdom isn’t about following a bunch of rules, it’s about becoming more like Jesus. It isn’t about getting ahead, it’s about getting it right with others. The problem we discover with the Pharisees is that they were really good at following the rules, but really bad at caring for people. That’s why, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says:

“For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20 NIV

Again, what were they missing? It’s the reality that we cannot be right with God and wrong with others. If we want to have a strong relationship with God, we’ve got to heal our relationships with His other kids. This is why the ethic Jesus introduced was so others-focused. It’s about how we choose to treat people, even our enemies. 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” Matthew 5:43-47 NIV

This is the biggest difference between the ethics of God’s Kingdom and the ways of the world. We live in a world that says get revenge, retaliate, look out for number one … and maybe be nice to people when there’s some personal benefit. The Golden Rule is good, but it only extends so far. The world doesn’t expect us to pursue reconciliation, offer forgiveness, or love the seemingly unlovable. But this is exactly what distinguishes us as belonging to God. The Pharisees presumed to be children of God because they were children of Abraham. But the true indicator that we belong to God is how we care for others, even when it’s really hard. It’s not a show we put on so people will see—it’s a way of life we adopt so that God gets the glory. Because when people see us, not pretending to love people, but really loving them, even when that kindness is undeserved, we’ll stand out.