Episodes
Friday Aug 28, 2015
Command #48 - Do Good To Those Who Hate You
Friday Aug 28, 2015
Friday Aug 28, 2015
Jesus does not even leave it at Rejoice when you are persecuted and Love and pray for your enemies. He goes further still. The three-tiered progression of response to ill-treatment in Luke 6 is incredible and completely impractical. The programme Jesus outlines is impossible by any earthly standards.
Wednesday Aug 26, 2015
Command #47 - Love and Pray For Your Adversaries
Wednesday Aug 26, 2015
Wednesday Aug 26, 2015
As world changing as would be the influence of Christians taking the words seriously, Rejoice and be glad when you are reviled and persecuted (Matthew 5:11-12), Jesus goes on to elevate the relation between Christians and their adversaries to a shockingly ambitious level.
Monday Aug 24, 2015
Command #46 - Be Kind
Monday Aug 24, 2015
Monday Aug 24, 2015
Biblical literalists more eager to find loopholes in the Commands than to obey them will be the first to point out that Jesus never specifically commanded kindness upon his disciples. We could find no better example of straining at a gnat to swallow a camel.
Friday Aug 21, 2015
Command #45 - Store Up Treasure in Heaven
Friday Aug 21, 2015
Friday Aug 21, 2015
The Command, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, may also seem an illusive one. A moment's reflection, however, reveals this as one of the most down-to-earth of all Jesus' Commands.
Wednesday Aug 19, 2015
Command #44 - Seek First God's Kingdom
Wednesday Aug 19, 2015
Wednesday Aug 19, 2015
Among the "spiritual" Commands, few are so illusive as this. Jesus concludes his Do not be anxious about your life discussion of the birds of the air and lilies of the the field in Matthew 6 with the words: Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.
Monday Aug 17, 2015
Command #43 - Do Good, Be Good
Monday Aug 17, 2015
Monday Aug 17, 2015
One of the profound mysteries of the Christian Church is that human goodness has not comprised more focus in its theology. While it is true that greater good has been done throughout history by Christianity than any nation, movement, or creed, one is hard-pressed to find goodness at the center of any doctrinal teaching.
Friday Aug 14, 2015
Command #42 - Forgive 70 x 7 Times
Friday Aug 14, 2015
Friday Aug 14, 2015
If we transplant Peter's question and the Lord's response from Matthew 18 into the sixth chapter where the theme of forgiveness emerges out of the Lord's prayer, we would have a succinct teaching on prayer, forgiveness, and the reach of forgiveness.
Wednesday Aug 12, 2015
Command #41 - Forgive
Wednesday Aug 12, 2015
Wednesday Aug 12, 2015
We noted that forgiveness is one of the least understood components of Christian doctrine. Sadly, it is misunderstood by Christians and non-Christians alike.
Monday Aug 10, 2015
Command #40 - Beware of practicing piety to be noticed
Monday Aug 10, 2015
Monday Aug 10, 2015
Righteousness is one of the more curious character qualities of the committed Christian disciple. Jesus tells us to let our light shine before men, but to pray, fast, and do good in secret. If it is visible obedience by Christians that changes the world, why are we also commanded to be invisibly righteous?
Friday Aug 07, 2015
Command #39 - Pray, Fast, Give, and Do Good In Secret
Friday Aug 07, 2015
Friday Aug 07, 2015
It is fearfully easy to read the Do Not Commands and assume, "Oh, I would never do that." Because the context of examples used by Jesus sometimes seems so ludicrously absurd, we too easily overlook our own glaring presence in the midst of the Gospel pages.