|
|
Saturday, September 11, 2004
Seems to me that, in the end of the Sermon on the Mount (which, did you notice, takes three full chapters?) Jesus is informing the people of reality. Now that they've heard the message...
...the message of revolution...
...the listeners have to make some sort of choice.
In verses 13 & 14 we are told that there are two gates: One that is narrow and one that is wide. Oh, and in case you're wondering, He's telling you to choose the narrow one. It's a command of sorts. He doesn't say, "Look at them both and go through the one you want to." Nope. He simply says, "Enter by the narrow gate." Not if you feel like it. Not when you want to. Not if the urge strikes you to.
No. There are some assumptions here, too. That's is personal. I mean, he's talking to "us." That it's urgent. I mean, He's implying "now." That it's a command. I mean, He didn't finish with "please?"
It's also selective. He tells us that most will hop through the wide gate. Which will, knowingly or unknowingly, lead those on it to destruction. Who hops on a freeway that all the signs say, "Destruction, 40 miles ahead?" But, for some reason they will.
But there are some pilgrims who go through the narrow gate. Living the life abundant. Following the leader of the Revolution of Hearts and Minds.
In the closing section, He tells a story that Christians later wrote a children's song about. One with hand motions. One only slightly less annoying than that one about the wheels on the bus. You know, the one about the wise man building his house upon the rock, and rains coming down and floods coming up, and the house on the rock standing still? (Hands up whoever visualized the hand motions! For those that didn't, be relatively thankful.)
Anyway, the choice is between wisdom and foolishness. When the floods of our lives come (and note the storm came on both houses)...well...the wise one will weather them. (All apologies to my surprisingly large and consistent Florida-based readership who are bracing for Hurricane #3).
Narrow gates or houses on rock. Wide gates or shoddy foundations.
There really are only two choices. And the contrasts could not be more clear.
Journal prompt/mind vitamin: If it's so clear cut, why does Jesus tell us that the masses will choose the wide one? What is it about the human condition that draws the majority to live on a shoddy foundation?
Brent 5:28 AM
|