The Essential Jesus (Part 9): The Sermons of JesusSample

The Great Communicator

PRAY: Heavenly Father, you know better than anyone what I need to hear right now. Please help me be open to your special communication in this passage.

READ: Matthew 7:1-29

REFLECT: Jesus broke all the rules for effective communicators. The Sermon on the Mount was long (way more than the average attention span of fifteen minutes), delivered outside (without a sound system), and included no jokes (or even a funny story).

Jesus amazed the crowds because he had the one thing no communication coach could ever teach: authority (v. 29). The Son of God was able to communicate the word of God as no one else could. In this last portion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus zeroes in on three main points.

Judging others: Don't do it! Christians must walk a fine line on this issue; on the one hand, they must hate sin, but on the other, they must love the sinner. Easier said than done. Perhaps that's why Jesus suggested we focus on removing our sins first; if we do, there won't be much time for anything else.

Seeking God: Do it! Some people seem to have an "entitlement mentality" when it comes to God; they think he owes them something whether they believe in him or not. Jesus counsels a proactive approach to finding God (vv. 7-8): God blesses those who seek him sincerely (vv. 9-11; see Hebrews 11:6).

False prophets: Watch out! Our world is full of religious gurus who seem good but are dangerous (Matthew 7:15); following the wrong one can have serious consequences (vv. 22-23). To prevent this, we first need to evaluate the actions ("fruit" [v. 16]) of any teacher. Next, we must determine if their message is consistent with God's will, which the Bible most clearly expresses.

Jesus wraps up the world's greatest sermon with a straightforward analogy about houses built on sand and rock. The point? Build your life on the rock-solid words of Jesus. Nothing complicated about that.

APPLY: Do you feel that other people unfairly judge you? When and why? How could you become more accepting of others without condoning their sins?

PRAY: Spend a few moments confessing your sins to God. Are there any things that need to be removed from your eyes?