We at Sanctuary have a keen interest in the Sermon on the Mount. Giving ourselves to a lifestyle of worship and intercession for our city can put us in a dangerous place, one that could cause us to lose sight of the big picture of the kingdom and its advancement. Someone said one time that it is easy to pray for "revival" in the city and forget that we are praying for actual people! "We don't pray for people, we pray for revival...". Now that is a scary way of looking at this.The passages in Matthew 5-7 give us lots to consider about how we live our lives in and out of the prayer room. Meeetings are meetings, and should never be mistaken for a life well lived in and of themselves. Jesus was serious when he walked through this most amazing of sermons that living this way will make a difference before God.
My favourite part of the sermon is actually the final section, subtitled "the wise and foolish builders".
24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
A few things are clear from his closing counsel. He tells those who were there listening that they need to take it seriously...all of it. It is often missed in teaching I have heard that Jesus means for them to take the words He has just spoken and build on them in a lifestyle redirected. There is no suggestion that you can pick the parts you like and employ only them. He presented in one block of thought and then counsells them to take it ALL and build well.
As well, Jesus makes it clear that you will be tested in your life and building well on this will allow you to stand firm. It is not question of IF you are tested, but WHEN! Everyone is going to experience the storms that can shake the foundations of life and send us adrift. Sickness, tragedy, economic loss...you name it. It comes to all of us at some point. And, death is a guarantee for absoultely everyone regardless. You will stand before the "ultimate storm" that is a Holy God determined to review your life and reward for how you lived.
The return of Jesus to the earth is another "storm" that some generation will be chosen to live through. Increasingly we believe it is much closer than you think and are choosing to live like great trouble is coming for the earth. Living well is wisdom in any hour of history but is really wise in the face of a crisis unlike any the world has seen.
Living a life of hidenness and intergrity is critical. Killing someone is obviously wrong. But, Jesus said that the same spirit is at work in you when you have anger in your heart against someone. Jesus said: "when you fast...", not if you fast. These are hard teachings. They can be easily turned into law and be used to beat us further into bondage, the very thing Jesus was working against. But, they are HIS teaching on how best to live and they produce good things in those who will build on them.
Staying steady in Sanctuary is all about living this out in secret AND in the prayer room. Be generous with the needy. Don't worry about money. Don't judge but pray and keep praying for those who need the help. Watch your heart. Love God with passion. Go for meekness. Live well. For a long time. Do it for years. Decades. Don't give up. Ever. Stay steady.
Brian Creary
Ministry Director
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