Beyond the Weekend: Taking Jesus Seriously
What if the most famous sermon ever preached wasn't meant to be admired—but lived? Jesus didn't give us the Sermon on the Mount to impress us. He gave it to transform us. This summer, we're diving into Matthew 5 to wrestle with the hard questions: How do I actually love my enemies? What does it mean to deal with anger at its root? How do I live authentically before God, not just before people? Jesus ended with a warning: hear these words and do nothing, and your life is built on sand. But hear them and act—that's building on rock. Are you ready to start building?
Self-Righteousness Without Heart
Read: Mark 3:1-6 Listen: Mark 3
Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to kill?” But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Mark 3:4-5
The Pharisees seek to trap Jesus. They do not care about the man with a shriveled hand. They just want to see if Jesus will break their rules. Their dead religion knows nothing of mercy, only rules and rituals. Jesus is angry about their hardened hearts and grieved because he wants to save them. Jesus wants these religious leaders to draw close to God. But they cannot understand the heart of God, even while Jesus stands right in front of them.
Missing the heart of God is a warning for all of us. We can behave perfectly, know all the right doctrine and Scripture, but have a heart far from God. We may be quick to correct people in our lives, but slow to comfort or encourage. We may expect perfect behavior from our kids, but we can’t show them how to live a life filled with grace and love. It’s easy to value performance over people. Jesus invites us to a better way—one that reflects his heart and character.
TODAY: When do you need to show more compassion? Where do you need to lead with mercy? Remember the compassion and mercy you have been shown through Jesus. Watch this video of Ada Bible Worship singing “Holy Forever” and use the lyrics to prompt you to worship and “Sing the song of ages to the Lamb.”
