The key to understanding the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is in Jesus' closing statements.
After teaching the true intent of the law--to bring one closer to God and to others by truly following the meaning of the commands--he ends by saying that those who hear his words and practice them are wise.
Jesus teaches us that it's the practice of his words that pleases him. It's the process of obedience we undergo that's important, not the end result. Too often we focus on end results--what we didn't accomplish. But for Jesus, the real accomplishment is the process.
To be pleasing to Jesus, practice his words. Practice makes perfect.
Sermon: Practice Makes Perfect
|