The counter-cultural message of Jesus strikes me every time I read it... this revolutionary, God-in-man, God-and-Man, Man-and-God Jesus... it's beautiful...
You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye... BUT I tell you... turn the other cheek.
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...
(The Father) causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Love those who don't love you.
Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of people to be seen by them
Whenever you give to the poor... may it be in secret.
Your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you.
When you pray, don't pray to be seen by others. Don't babble (don't think many words will impress the Father). Your Father already knows the things you need before you ask Him.
Forgive people because Your Heavenly Father forgives people.
Fast, but don't let anyone know.
Don't collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, where theives break in and steal. Collect treasures in Heaven that can't be destroyed or stolen. Where your treasure is shows where your heart is. You cannot be slaves of both God and money.
Don't worry about life, about what you'll wear, eat, or drink. Learn from the wildflowers. They are beautiful. If that's how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, gone tomorrow, won't He do much more for you?
BUT... seek first the kingdom of God... All these things will be provided for you.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD... Calvin said the job of the church - those following Jesus - is to make the invisible kingdom visible... we get a glimpse of the Kingdom of God in Jesus' parables... a mustard seed, a man sowing in his field, a treasure buried in a field, a merchant in search of fine pearls, a large net thrown into the see, a landowner who brings out of his storeroom what is new and what is old... parables whose meaning was vieled, hidden in stories, not meant to be completely understood, but a story with an open ending, encouraging a search for more...
We get a glimpse of the Kingdom of God breaking in when we look at the ministry of Jesus... power to forgive sin, power to raise the dead to life, power of sickness, power over demons...
We see the Kingdom of God break in in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus... sin conquered, death defeated, man redeemed, communion with God restored, abundant life...
So to seek first the Kingdom of God and let everything else fall into to place is more than to walk up to someone with a tract, give it to them, and walk away... it is to know God has saved us to follow in the example of Jesus, the counter-cultural, revolutionary message and example of Jesus... and He takes care of everything else...
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