Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Chapter for January 5 - Matthew 5 - Sermon on the Mount: Jesus didn't tell people to go to church....

click here to read Matthew 5

Ever noticed how Jesus opens the Sermon on the Mount telling his disciples who THEY are? Very little about God, Jesus or the Bible. Instead he tells them who they are. He gives them their identity.  

For example, he says to them, you are the light of the world. Imagine Andrew thinking, "light of the world? I'm not even the light of my family. Peter gets all the attention, I'm in his shadow. And yet, and yet.....this is who he says I am. What does He mean?"

One answer (of many) was shared recently on Facebook by my friend Pastor Mike Murray of United Christian Assembly in Jericho: "Jesus didn't tell people to go to church. He told the church to go to the people."


1 comment:

  1. I also noticed this chapter talks about heart issues. It deals with more than jus "symptoms" but also asks us to deal with the motivation in our hearts. How often do I neglect to go this far? Yet, if I don't I decieve myself thinking that I'm doing OK.

    Lord, may Your light so fill me that You dispell the darkness that lies within my heart. Cleanse me, oh Lord.

    ReplyDelete