GETTING READY FOR THE WEEK
SUNDAY, MARCH 16
READING: MATTHEW 7:1-12
SO THIS IS LOVE?
As we continue through the heart of the Sermon on the Mount, it’s helpful to step back and see where we are in Jesus' teachings. Right now, we’re in the "meat" of the sermon—where Jesus is calling us to live in greater righteousness—not just in our relationship with God, but also in how we treat others.
Matthew 7:1-12 focuses specifically on how we engage with people, especially when they’re difficult. Let’s be honest—not everyone is easy to love. People will frustrate us, disagree with us, and even challenge our beliefs. Human nature has never been perfectly unified. So how do we encourage and hold one another accountable in a way that reflects Christ’s love—without slipping into self-righteousness or a judgmental spirit? How do we truly live out the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?
Perhaps the key is in remembering how God has loved us—even in our own mess, our own flaws, our own moments of failure. When we grasp that, it transforms the way we see and treat those around us.
Matthew 7:1-12 focuses specifically on how we engage with people, especially when they’re difficult. Let’s be honest—not everyone is easy to love. People will frustrate us, disagree with us, and even challenge our beliefs. Human nature has never been perfectly unified. So how do we encourage and hold one another accountable in a way that reflects Christ’s love—without slipping into self-righteousness or a judgmental spirit? How do we truly live out the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?
Perhaps the key is in remembering how God has loved us—even in our own mess, our own flaws, our own moments of failure. When we grasp that, it transforms the way we see and treat those around us.