| I came across this statement from
an unknown source that summarizes the primary lesson from our Gospel
passage for today. "In our choices we find ourselves." It
caused me to ask myself, what choices have I made and what have
I found as a result of having made them? I would invite you to
think about that question in terms of the choices you are making.
Robert Frost once wrote:
"I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and
ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I ...
I took the one less traveled
by
And that has made all the difference."
How we choose to live our life matters. It matters to God; it
matters to others; and it should matter to us. The passage we
have in Matthew 7 this morning concludes the Sermon on the Mount
which is how Matthew collects and presents what he considers
to be the core of Jesus' teachings. Jesus concludes His
instruction by saying it is one thing to hear His words but another
thing entirely to act upon them. The Cursillo movement states
it this way: "If you are going to talk the talk then be
willing to walk the walk"
The choice is ours, and what we choose will greatly determine
what becomes of us. As I attempted earlier to illustrate for
the children lives built upon sand will quickly fall apart when
storms arrive. Only if we have built our life upon the solid
rock of Jesus Christ is there any real hope of surviving the
many obstacles, challenges and temptations life will constantly
offer. This involves much more than simply saying Jesus is Lord
and Savior. It involves living our life based upon truly following
Jesus as Lord. If we take Jesus' teaching seriously then
we will attempt to live our life accordingly. If we believe we
have a covenant with God it is necessary for us to keep our part
of the covenant which means we are to live by the code of the
covenant.
I am indebted to the work of Richard Donovan who provides research
material for those of us who write sermons. He correctly states
that Matthew 7:21–29 refers us back to the teachings of Jesus
in Matthew 5–7. Donovan suggests we should adhere to the following
from these chapters:
- 5:16 — Since we are the light of the world we are
to do good things so that others will see them and know they
are being done because of God whom they will thank. When we
contribute to special offerings, when we bring food and clothes
for others, when we treat someone with kindness and respect,
when we work for justice, when we take time to listen and affirm—in
all of these things others can see God at work.
- 5:17–20 — We are to keep the commandments of
God. There is a purpose for us having the Ten Commandments.
There is much more to them than fighting over whether or not
they can be on a courthouse lawn or wall. They need to be in
our hearts and minds. The Great Commandment summarizes the
intent of the other ten. We are to love God and neighbor with
all that we are and have.
- 5:21–26 — We are to manage anger and conflict so
as to bring resolution without having to resort to violence
or destruction of the other party. Often this means refraining
from saying hurtful things.
- 4. 5:27–32 — We are to maintain proper marital relationships.
Surveys indicate over half of all married women in our nation
are abused. There are also many men who find themselves victims
of their wife's anger. God created us to be helpmates and
to enjoy one another within the relationship of marriage.
- 5. 5:34–37 — We are to be honest. That means telling the
truth. How defeated we are every time we hear of others cheating
or lying. God's rule is not, "it's okay as
long as you don't' get caught." Being able
to trust others is one of the basic foundations of community.
- 6. 5:38–48 — Maybe this is at the center of Jesus'
teachings. We are to act in generous and loving ways. This
is how God acts toward us. This love isn't for a select few,
however. It includes loving those who do not love us.
- 7. 6:1–6 — We are to pray and offer monetary gifts
to help others without drawing any attention to ourselves.
A rich man in the Temple wanted everyone to see how he prayed
and how much he gave. A poor widow quietly gave all she had
which was very little. Jesus said her gift was greater than
the rich man's.
- 8. 6:14–15 — At the heart of being Christian is the
act of forgiveness. God has forgiven us. Jesus told His disciples
their work was to forgive sins in His name and for the sake
of others. This concept is found in the heart of The Lord's
Prayer.
- 9. 6:24-34 — We are told we are to seek to be in God's
Kingdom as a matter of first priority. Another way of stating
this is to constantly be in the presence of God. This requires
conscious effort on our part and it is not always easy to
do. It is at the center of the choice each of us has to make
concerning what we will do with our lives. What we choose will
indeed determine what we discover to be true for ourselves.
- 10. 7:1–5 — We are not to judge others which is different
than saying what they are doing is not right for us. We are
not to condemn others. That is not our right. That is God's
right alone. We must be cautious we do not end up telling
God to treat us the way we treat others unless we perfectly
love others.
More, of course, could be said. These comments are but a brief
commentary on the primary teachings of Jesus. It really doesn't
matter what I or others say, however. It is more a matter of
what each of us will do with these teachings of Jesus.
What we choose will affect our lives but it will also affect
the lives of others. It will make a difference in our community
and in our world. Our example will influence our children and
grandchildren. It will influence neighbors, friends and total
strangers.
Make no mistake about this. Jesus clearly says that how we live
our lives absolutely matters. We will not be judged by what we
say we believe. We will be judged by how our beliefs influence
what we do
What will we build upon? Rock or sand? |
