"You have heard that it was said...But I say to you..." Matthew 5:21-22
In our information rich culture, we hear a lot of things said about the practice of following God with our lives. Some teachers point straight to the heart of Jesus and do it very well.
In the sermon on the mount, Jesus brings several statements with the words "You have heard that was said." Those words are quickly followed by "But I say to you..." anytime Jesus speaks we should sit up and take a note, especially here when he is about to speak as our authoritative teacher, and completer of the law. These statements point to the original intention behind the laws given, the very heart of Jesus.
The Pharisees got caught in the weeds in their efforts to adhere to the law. Their motives became about keeping up an outward appearance, and they completely missed the washing of their own inward attitudes of self-righteousness. As we follow Jesus in practice, let's make sure we are following his intent behind what he has said. If we don't apply his intentions to our hearts, we risk missing him and the whole point altogether. Weigh what you hear and what you do against what Jesus actually said.
Is there anything you practice that isn't really what Jesus has actually said? Is there some way in which you have missed the heart of Jesus in the way you follow him?
