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More About Jesus (27)
Jesus said some things I probably would not have written. Without these words, there are many things I would not have learned to do or avoid. I may not have written the words, “Love your enemies” or “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”
What philosopher would give us the words, “Forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34)? What ruler would say, “Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up” (Matthew 15:13,14)? Would any counselor today advise a couple that “someone who looks upon a woman lustfully has already committed adultery in his heart” (Matthew 5:28,29)?
Jesus had some controversial words to say for the society and the religious people of His day. What man would have the boldness to say, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one cometh to the Father but by Me” (John 14:6)? Who is going to say, “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, ye have not life in yourselves” (John 6:53)? How many people would want you to make a sacrifice like the one Jesus petitions of all mankind in Luke 14:26: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple”? How hard would it be to follow Matthew 18:9: “And if thine eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out and cast it from thee. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire”? Then there is the one in Matthew 5:21,22, which would get al lot of responses if it were to be placed in the editor’s column of the Washington Post: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be in danger of judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be in danger of judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger to the hell of fire.”
Some of those words should have been understood by those who knew the law. The heathen had never heard a man speak with such authority. What makes the words of Jesus difficult is one word - TRUTH. Truth is hard to accept. Truth digs deep into our motives and actions. Truth is what those who knew the law failed to practice. Some of the unbelievers Jesus taught did not want to change their course of life. It is Jesus’ words we must digest and obey. There are no other words than His which will bring eternal life (John 6:66). Therefore, we are left with a major decision: Reject or obey His words. Which will it be for you?
