How do you cover Jesus’ teaching?
Our readings are a sample rather than a summary.
From Matthew we have the sermon on the mount. Probably Jesus’ most famous teaching – direct and to the point – includes the Lord’s prayer.
From Matthew and Luke we have various parables, including the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son, the two most famous.
Over the centuries people have come up with all manner of ways to live right, to get the most out of life, to get to the top, to win the rat race, to find happiness, to live your dream, and so on, depending on what your objective is. We have a wealth of Conventional Wisdom, but what is it actually worth?
In all his teaching Jesus counters Conventional Wisdom. He is teaching us how to live the Christian life – the life God wants – the life we’re designed for. This is the way to get the most out of life, to find happiness, to live right but it is very different to Conventional Wisdom. In fact Jesus turns Conventional Wisdom on its head. Christianity is about what we believe and what we do. The belief leads to the action. The point of Jesus’ teaching is the point of the parable of the Good Samaritan: “Go and do likewise.”
Content.
Coventional wisdom says get revenge. Jesus says, Forgive so as to be forgiven.
Coventional wisdom says strive for riches. Jesus says strive for God and if he blesses you with wealth it is for you to share with the poor.
Coventional wisdom says the more you pray the more likely God is to heed you. Jesus says, What you pray is more important than how much you pray. When you pray, mean what you say.
Coventional wisdom says you can get kudos from people knowing you’re right into spritual disciplines. Jesus says, “Don’t do it for people to look up to you; do it for God alone.” You are the one who benefits from spiritual disciplines and who suffers from not doing them. Cf: physical fitness.
Coventional wisdom says, “Look after yourself and those who look after you, and get back at those who get at you.” Jesus says, “Look after everyone even if they hurt you and love as God loves.”
Coventional wisdom says, “Make life as comfortable for yourself as you possibly can.” Jesus says, “Life isn’t going to be comfortable. Endure it cheerfully for my sake and with my enabling.”
Jesus’ message was not easy for people to take in. often a direct statement is easy to oppose or reject. That’s why Jesus used pictures and stories. They make people think. Some of the things he talked of are hard for us to get our heads around so he used earthly representations of heavenly things. Stories have a way of getting past our critical faculties. While we’re identifiying with the characters the message gets through. And stories make the teaching practical, giving us ways to put it into practice.
The Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son.
Both speak of the Father’s heart. We put people into in-group and out-group categories. We classify people as acceptable and unacceptable. God doesn’t do that. All are acceptable to him. God knows two groups: those who respond to his love and those who don’t. He keeps wooing those who don’t and we can play a part in helping them to see what God is doing, how he’s made the way for them to come to him and how he’s willing to receive them like he’s received us.
The older son could have reflected that he didn’t know his father’s heart. Although he’d never left home he’d never got to know his father at all. Although he’d seen his father give his brother his inheritance early, seemingly without question, he didn’t detect the generosity behind that action. He saw it as indulgent rather than loving and disapproved of his father for doing it. He also rejected his brother – ‘this son of yours.’ He completely missed his father’s love for him.
The younger son could have had a similar thought but he must have had some inkling of his father’s love to have returned at all. In their shame-based culture the son would have lost all face through his actions. He had nothing to lose by going back, except the possibility of having his stupidity rubbed in his face. His repentance is commended. The father would have lost face by forgiving him. But his live overcame any worry about what others might think. Here again Coventional Wisdom of shame is inverted by God’s wisdom of love.
The Good Samaritan shows God’s love for the unfortunate; the Prodigal Son shows God’s love for those whose misfortune is their own doing.
Living the life.
If we are to follow Jesus teaching we will be doing it. James 1:22ff tells us not to be hearers only but doers. How do we respoind when we come across someone in need? The Good Samaritan wasn’t expecting to have to make a detour for some hapless traveller but he did it out of compassion. He rearranged his schedule, paid for the man’s care out of his own reseources and followed up to see how he’d got on. Is that the sort of thing we do? For many of us, our time is the thing we are most protective of. But Jesus says, if we don’t have time for people, we don’t have time for him. (see Matthew 25). Have you come across someone who needs a friend? Jesus may be saying the friend they need is you.
Follow the example of the Good Samaritan and go out of your way to show love to those whose needs you are able to meet.