Welcome to Episode #156 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our Twentieth mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount. On today’s episode we’ll be looking at Jesus’ teaching about Anger found in Matthew 5:21-26. When you get this one you may stay on your knees in front of Jesus just a bit longer than you expected.
As I mentioned in our last episode introduction, we’re just getting started in presenting Jesus’ teaching given in what is commonly referred to as the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5 to 7. In this sermon, Jesus is teaching his disciples and laying out for them what it means to follow him in kingdom of Heaven living while in a world of darkness.
Entrance into the kingdom of Heaven is a permanent Supernatural transformation from death to life, from darkness to light. Colossians 1:13-14 – He [God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus opened his sermon talking about character qualities and associated blessings for living a kingdom of heaven life. Let me quote a verse for you to momentarily consider and then I’ll offer you a prompt to reflect upon in your next meditation.
1 John 2:5-6 – By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
Oh my gosh, I just heard the firehose pump kick-in as I wrote out that verse and now see the water line go from flax to taught; straining not to burst, eagerly awaiting the nozzle valve to be opened. Let me quickly cut off the compressor. Whew. No need to drink from a fire hose so early in the episode.
Here’s the skinny, I’ll leave it to you to fill in the text references. What John is speaking of in 1 John 2:5-6 is what all the New Testament writers are trying to inform us of. Let me give you the negative first. Jesus was not sent to earth by his Father to make your life easier in this life.
Now the positive, that for some is a turn-off negative and/or a reason to say there is another way to God than through Jesus. Jesus was sent here by his Father to invite his sheep, those who hear his voice and respond, to willingly follow Jesus into his death to this life. Two passages and then a brief comment.
Luke 14:27, 33 – Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. …33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
What we learn in the gospels and epistles and letters is that through assimilation with him in his death by grace through faith we gain eternal life, rebirth in the Holy Spirit, and the opportunity in this life to experience Union with God the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord.
That Union with God is what John is saying in 1 John 2:5-6 when he says, “whoever says he abides in him.” Jesus describes this abiding in him in John 15. The significance of this abiding in seen in John 17:21 to 23 where Jesus tells his Father this abiding, our Union with God and Jesus Christ, will be a witness to the world that God sent Jesus into the world.
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