Welcome to Episode #147 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our nineteenth mini-series entitled, The Vineyard Owner’s Son.
On this episode, we’re going to hear Jesus address Anger & Lust as recorded in the book of Matthew from what is commonly referred to as the Sermon on the Mount. On our last two episodes #145 & #146, we were introduced to the beatitudes, the disciples being salt and light, and Jesus coming to fulfill the LAW. Let me clarify what I mean by being “introduced to.”
For the past two mini-series, and even before, I have been emphasizing the benefits of engaging the scriptures in some form of meditative prayer for the specific purpose of spiritual formation. Paul noted this spiritual formation in terms of mind transformation in Romans 12:1-2 – I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
I came to understand through my own experience that these are not merely pretty words of religious traditions penned by Paul or his scribe. So much to say here but not enough time to cover in a sound bite; but I’ll try and be brief.
Paul describes and illuminates the path of all believers as established by Jesus himself in Ephesians 4:11-14 – And he [Jesus] gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
FULL STOP: This means stop all movement and assess the situation. Very few, I would even go as far to say extremely few, who read this passage stop to consider what Paul is saying. When I got to this verse in my Podcast overview of the book of Ephesians the Holy Spirit showed up and gave me a FULL STOP. I’ve never been the same since the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to see and my ears to hear.
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