The Hard Sayings of Jesus: Depart from Me

Listen along as we look at the close of the Sermon on the Mount.

Notes//Quotes:

Matthew 7:21-29

Deut 30:15-20

”We learn at least that it is possible to work for Jesus and yet not live under him. We can be intoxicated by the power of Jesus and yet be hostile to his hard Commands. “I never ever really knew you; get out of my face, you doers of the very opposite of my teachings.” They believe that they know Jesus, but apparently they never gave him a chance to know them (“I never really knew you”), that is, they never gave him a chance to come into personal contact with their innermost life (the force of the biblical word “know”). It is strangely possible to serve and even to glorify Christ and yet in one’s own personal life not to obey him. The fact that Jesus says “many” will present their christocentric-charismatic credentials at the Judgment and that even then they will not get in should be frightening to us all. It means that just as a loving manner (sheep’s clothing) is not necessarily the real item, so a Christ-glorifying ministry (“in your name, … in your name.… in your name”) is not always the real thing either.” - Dale Bruner

 

“If I ever reach Heaven I expect to find three wonders there: first, to meet some I had not thought to see there; second, to miss some I had thought to meet there; and third, the greatest wonder of all, to find myself there.” - John Newton

“Obedience to Jesus’ words is not so much protection from troubles as protection in them, just as rock under a house does not shield from storms but supports during them” - Dale Bruner

The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is not meant to be admired but to be obeyed - RT France 

“The focus is on my ability, my creativity, and my potential. These become the pistons driving the engine of self (resulting, Jesus tells us, in the eternal loss of self). No place for weakness exists in this view of reality. More important, no place exists for God. We don’t reject God outright, but we retain the god of Deism, who once did some powerful things but is generally detached from our day-to-day lives. So instead of abiding, we pray for God to give us some of his power. Instead of growing into him who is our head (Eph. 4:15), we ask him to give us some magic (“Just make me stop sinning,” “Just make these temptations go away,” and so on). Instead of entering into the way of weakness, we try to use God to become something powerful.” - Kyle Strobel and Jamin Goggin