Foundations

We begin a journey through the Holy Bible, a systematic yet practical study through all 66 books, from Genesis to Revelation. We will learn about the inspiration of God's Word that was penned by some 40 men, from all walks of life, over a period of about 1,500 years. The truths we find can correct us, lead us in the right paths, and equip us for every good work when we are willing to obey.

Having given three calls for commitment, which ended with the Golden Rule, Jesus now gives a hard invitation. This is a challenging call to become committed disciples, solutions and answers and to reach the world for Him. It is a pointed challenge that asks, "Are you going to be part of the problem or part of the solution?"

Jesus told His followers to make a commitment to look up. That is how we receive the spiritual disciplines and values that come from God. Jesus used continuous verbs for asking, seeking, and knocking in order to challenge His disciples to look up continuously and with perseverance. Seeking is repeated and intense asking, and knocking is repeated and intense seeking. Jesus was calling His disciples to be people who are passionate for God. He promised that everyone who asks, seeks, and knocks in this way will be answered. Then Jesus summed up His ethical teaching with one sentence: Do to others what you would have them do to you.This is known as the Golden Rule.

Jesus taught His disciples to look inward and realize that His eight beatitudes would make them the salt and light the world needs. He also taught them to look around, apply those blessed attitudes to their relationships, and then to look upward and receive from God the spiritual disciplines and values they needed to continue being fruitful disciples. The last part of the Sermon on the Mount is a challenge: "What are you going to do about what you know?"

This passage addresses anxiety, but at its core it is really teaching about values, or priorities. When we worry, we are showing what we value and how much we trust God to care for us. Every disciple of Jesus should have a "priority target," with a black circle in the center representing the rule of God over their hearts. Everything outside that center should be prioritized by the King of kings as He shows us what is right. Whatever we are tempted to worry about will be provided by our heavenly Father.

One of the reasons people have so many problems is that they do not have the right values. Disciples who have the right attitudes within them are living with the right values. That is why they can have a salt and light influence in the world; their priorities are based on eternity and not on earthly treasures.

Like giving and praying, fasting also must be vertical, directed toward God and not to impress others. As with the other disciplines, God will reward what He sees, the motives of our heart. As giving provides an opportunity for us to measure our commitment to God, fasting gives us an opportunity to measure the degree to which we value the spiritual more than the physical aspects of our lives. It also demonstrates the sincerity of our prayers.

Jesus taught His disciples how to pray with a prayer we often call "The Lord's Prayer." But this prayer really should be called "the Disciples' Prayer" because Jesus never prayed it Himself. He said this is how we should pray. Jesus tells us to pray in a place where we can shut the door and be alone, where there is no one to impress but God.

Jesus has taught His disciples to consider the blessed attitudes that must be in their hearts, and He has taught them to apply those beatitudes in their relationships. Now in Matthew chapter 6, He urges His disciples to look in another direction toward their relationship with God. They are to live their commitment as disciples by following certain spiritual, or vertical, disciplines and values.

If we follow Jesus and have His attitudes, we will be changed. We will become the salt of the earth and like lights that shine in the world. That means that we will not live the same way that others live. We will do more because we have Jesus living in our hearts. We will have a greater love than the world knows and show greater grace and mercy than the world understands. In so doing, we will become like our Father in heaven.