Previous Post – Forgiving As We’ve Been Forgiven
Over the last week I have been working on revisions for my book on the Sermon on the Mount. The following is a short excerpt that I thought I would share with you all.
“When we have become the community of the Beatitudes, not only are we meant to have hearts transformed by God’s grace and mercy (thus free from such things as hatred), but our primary responsibility is to be the preserving salt and life giving light to others. In other words, even at our own expense, whether we are in the right or the wrong, our first priority is to guard the other person from the corruption of sin, bringing life instead through acts of humility, generosity and grace. That He calls us to do so even before we come before Him in worship, something far more significant to the Jewish people than it is to most of us today, underlines the deep significance and importance this kind of commitment is. For as we do this, resisting the impulse to accuse, to defend and to justify, we instead demonstrate the fulfillment of God’s intention and allow the shalom of His kingdom to break through just a little bit more. Perhaps this is what Jesus meant in John 15:13 when He said ‘Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends’. While clearly a foreshadow of His own sacrifice for us on the cross, I cannot help but believe that He also meant that in the indivisible commitment to love God and others, every part of our life (even unto death) must be given up for the sake of God’s mission to the world. This is what it means to love our neighbors as ourselves.”
Tags: beatitudes, Missional
Umm, yes, Jamie – could you help me incorporate this way of viewing the Sermon on the Mount with my western, individualized form of Christianity?(!) I like what you’re saying, I’m just not sure how to make it work when I close the garage door at the end of the day …
Awesome stuff! And so challenging – to “guard the other” as “first priority” …!!
I’m looking forward to the book. We journey with the lectionary (RCL) in my teaching community, and we’ll be to the Beatitudes in late January … any chance of an advanced copy by then?
Peace
Wayne
We’re just finishing up our series on the SotM at Bloom and I must say… it’s been a powerful and profound journey… can’t wait to see your book on the subject… there’s a good chance I’ll turn our SotM reflections into a book at some point as well
Hey Wayne,
Alas, I think Jesus wasn’t thinking forward when He taught these themes. (wink)
The book isn’t quite that far down the process. My blog series on the SOTM is available here.
Peace,
Jamie
Thanks Andrew. I was just thinking of you all the other day. Hope all is well. I’ll drop you a line soon.
Peace,
Jamie
This is good. Thank you. I think of recent examples of laying down one’s life like the firemen running up the stairs on 9/11. In that extreme example it was hundreds of choices that led them to be able to make that one big one. Training, practice, a certain way of coming to terms with mortality that led them to be able to lay down their life for others in an ultimate way.
The cross was not a big dramatic act out of the blue for Christ. He not only came to lay down his life in that ultimate way, but, in many thousands of ways, he had already laid down his life for his friends. We do not have to think of the extremes when it comes to the greatest kind of love, just what is the loving act in front f us right now to do.
Is it shutting the garage door and instead of checking out with the TV, being on purpose with kids or a spouse? Sure, it can be. It can also be ensuring we have the proper rest we need so we can be more fully where we are when we’re needed to be. For me lately, it’s giving people my eyes and time and not just constantly thinking ahead to the next task.
I loved your tweet yesterday Jamie about organizing our tasks around community instead of the other way around.
What is the next loving thing? Don’t just do that but be there…all the way there. With Jesus, not only as my example, but my helper, may I have the grace to do the next loving thing in front of me.
Thanks Chris. I think you are right about the little things. Not as the end of what it means to be loving, but as the seeds which grow in our hearts and produce mature fruit- fruit that embraces radical love at the expense of even our lives.
Peace,
Jamie
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