In a sermon delivered in 1860, Charles Spurgeon spoke these words: “The penitent man reforms his outward life. The reform is not partial, but in the heart – it is universal and complete.”
That same challenge was presented nearly two thousand years prior to that, when Jesus began his public ministry with a message that has become known as the Sermon on the Mount. Recounted in Matthew, chapters 5-7, the message begins in chapter 5 with what we refer to as The Beatitudes.
In these “blessed are they…” statements, Jesus challenged the world as they knew it at the time, turning long-standing beliefs, and the world, upside down.
Or, did he turn the world right-side up? His message was that position, authority, money are not important in God’s kingdom – what matters is faithful obedience from the heart. His words challenged the legalistic religious leaders of the day, calling them back to the message of the Old Testament, delivered by prophets who taught that heartfelt obedience is more important than legalistic observance.
In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus doesn’t just speak to the crowd. He spoke to their hearts. He saw every face and knew every name. He knew exactly what their struggles were.
Fast forward now with me to Matthew 23:1-36, in which a very similar list is delivered. The difference is that this time it’s aimed directly at the religious leaders, and the message is not “blessed are they,” but “Woe to you!” Just as he spoke to the hearts of those hearing his sermon on the mountainside that day, he speaks now directly to the hearts of the brooding, selfish and angry religious leaders, out for his blood.
He sees through their phony exteriors and looks directly into their hearts. And he calls them on it! It’s the last moments of his life, and he will not abandon the message about who we should be.
Jesus’ first sermon was about repentance/reform. His last sermon was the same topic. His ministry, for three short years, was lived out, loudly proclaiming that same message. Do you remember Spurgeon’s words: “The penitent man reforms his outward life.”
Jesus assured his listeners so very long ago that the way of the world was not the way it could be. And for that message, we killed him on the cross. But he promised that the victory would belong to God alone, and he overcame the grave as proof!
Max Lucado, in his book “Six Hours One Friday,” makes this statement about the love of Jesus for us: “And to prove that His arms would never fold, and His hands would never close, He had them nailed open! And they still are!”
The message of Jesus is still being delivered today. He still seeks us out and speaks to each and every one of us. His message is always about love. Do we hear it with our heart, and do the ears we use belong to the crowd gathered on the mountainside, yearning for hope, or do our ears sting because we belong to the religious righteous?
