Monday, January 17, 2011

Jesus' to-do list

Jesus' "sermon on the mount" in Matthew 5-7 ends with a parable that says that the foundation of our life is whether we put his words into actions or not (Mat. 7,24-27). So I thought I'd compile a to-do list from this sermon. I quickly discovered that a don't-list and a to-be list woud be as relevant, so here they are:

To-be list

  • Poor in spirit
  • Meek
  • Merciful
  • Pure in heart
  • Peacemaker
  • Persecuted for righteousness
  • Insulted and persecuted because of Christ
  • The salt of the earth
  • The light of the world
  • With righteousness that surpasses the Pharisees and teachers of law
  • Forgiving
  • Wise


Don't list

  • Break the commandments and teach others to do the same
  • Be angry with your brother
  • Express contempt
  • Look lustfully at a woman
  • Divorce
  • Swear
  • Resist an evil person
  • Do 'acts of righteousness' to be seen by others
  • Announce gifts to the needy with trumpets
  • Pray to bee seen by others
  • Babble like pagans when you pray
  • Make a show when fasting
  • Store up treasures on earth
  • Serve Mammon
  • Worry about what to eat and drink, the body and what you will wear
  • Worry about tomorrw
  • Judge others
  • Give dogs what is sacred
  • Throw your pearls to pigs
  • Hear and not put the words of Christ into practice


To-to list

  • Morn
  • Hunger and thirst for righteousness
  • Let your light shine before men
  • Practice and teach the Law and Prophets
  • Be reconciled to your brother
  • Settle matters quickly with your adversary
  • Love your enemies
  • Pray for those who persecute you
  • Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect
  • Give gifts to the needy in secret
  • Pray to the Father behind closed door
  • Pray knowing that the Father knows what you need before you ask him
  • Forgive those who sin against you
  • Look good when you fast
  • Store up treasures in heaven
  • Serve God
  • Look at the birds and stop worrying about what to eat drink and wear
  • Seek first his kingdom and righteousness
  • Take the plank out of your own eye before trying to remove a speck from your brother's eye
  • Ask
  • Seek
  • Knock
  • Do to others what you would have them do to you
  • Enter through the narrow gate
  • Watch out for false prophets, judge them by their fruit
  • Do the will of the Father
  • Hear and put the words of Christ into practice


It's a good thing that the list is extensive enough to put all of us on the spot.

It is very clear that faith and action go together, how can we draw power from faith for more action?

0 kommentarer: