Apprentice 2 Jesus

Sermon on the Mount

  • The both/and of belief

    My reading the end of this year in the daily office reflects on Revelation and Isaiah beautifully. I am drawn to heart-searching conclusions every time. The gospel in Scripture is far more concerned with my ACTIONS than my beliefs. If the Kingdom of God is truly working in me, this is how I ACT. Generally,… Read more

  • The great vision of the Kingdom of God

    Luke’s rendition of the Sermon (on the plain rather than mountain) is stunningly simple. The life of the Kingdom is simple and powerful. Yet… we do not live them out. It begs the question: WHY DO WE NOT TAKE THESE WORDS SERIOUSLY? Go to Luke 6:27-20. Read more

  • The Pharisee in me

    “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisee, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:20) For us, as self-righteous white conservative evangelicals in America, we can all too often quickly declare, “Done. And done. I’m not a Pharisee!” Read more

  • The power of the Sermon on the Mount

    Since reading Dallas Willard’s book, The Divine Conspiracy, about 20 years ago, the Sermon on the Mount has been more influential in my living and study and mindset than any other portion of Scripture, with the possible exception of Ephesians. Can you tell I get something out of it? This is the fascination and wonder… Read more

  • Tasteless discipleship

    “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. (Matthew 5:13) Read more

  • Our grand invitation

    Matthew 7:13–14 (NIV)13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. I recently finished up another journey through the Sermon on… Read more

  • Disordered faith

    Matthew 6:28–31 (NIV)28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here… Read more

  • Is Jesus worth following?

    One of the great phrases I use from Dallas Willard is this: “There is a cost to following Jesus. There is a cost to not following Jesus.” We need to weigh both costs. Read more

  • The “upside down” Kingdom

    Luke takes a different approach to the “Beatitudes” from Matthew. I continue to meditate on those differences. Read more

  • The point of the Sermon on the Mount

    “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… Read more