Jesus' Sermon on the Mount

The wonderful thing about commuting (and running XLS Ministry Resources) is the chance to read many well written Christian books.

This last few weeks have seen me digesting Don Carson's "Jesus' sermon on the mount and his confrontation with the world" which runs through the terrain of Matthew 5-10.

I left the book impressed with Jesus, desiring to do evangelism at work when I get the chance, and humbled by my failures before God.

I'm not sure any book could get a better review than that, as God's word shines through the writings.

Justice and Righteousness

In many a good argument Justice and Righteousness seem to be taken as seperate ideas.

Doing the right thing can be played against doing the just thing.

With God there is no such distinction. In Isaiah 42, the same Servant who brings justice to the earth has people in the coastlands waiting for his law (see v4).

There is a strong link between Jesus' bringing of justice and the personal changes that each of us go through as we are reformed to be more like him. As we are living rightly, God is using us to bring justice.

This easter we remember the radical love shown on the cross to sinners who did not deserve it. Christ died for his enemies, while they were his enemies. But we also remember that they are being changed and reformed into good friends.

Grace was never cheap, the crucifixion makes that clear, but Christ, the perfectly righteous, brings justice by taking away the sins of his people and teaching them the righteousness he practiced.

Jesus is someone we can go to for self-affirmation. His sacrifice makes us of real worth, but it shows that there was a problem so large that he needed to die.