Trading It In

Talk about getting your attention! In His famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said something that would have been hard to ignore. He said, “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” (Matthew 5:29-30 ESV) 

I am guessing that the audience was a little taken aback by these words. In the context, Jesus had just shared the beatitudes – the famous statements that describe the cost of following Him. He said things like, Blessed are those who mourn, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, and blessed are those who are pure in heart. He made a number of statements that describe people who give up things for His sake, and the impact it can have on their lives.

Thankfully, we do not believe that Jesus was encouraging individuals to start sharpening their swords for an amputation. But He was saying something that is essential for each of us. If we want to pursue a life that honors God, we are going to have to give up something. We are going to have to “deny ourselves” in order to follow Jesus. He was teaching something that we do not talk a lot about in our “you deserve it” society. He was teaching about denying oneself, denying your appetites, being faithful, and choosing to look away from evil instead of embracing it. This is a wonderful part of the sanctification process. It is like the prodigal son who looks down hungrily at the pig slop and thinks, My father has something better for me.

It is a wonderful exchange – to give up the empty, painful, unsatisfying things that this world offers – for His banqueting table. It is the ultimate upgrade! Jesus was certainly saying in His sermon to take sin seriously and not get comfortable with it. He was also saying, I have something so much better for you. As we go on this journey of striving to look more and more like Jesus each day, let’s remember that we are blessed when we take God at His Word.

Expectantly,