June 13 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus said many difficult things. The church has had long discussions about the question how we should interpret these sayings. Some say that Jesus preached these radical commandments in order to make us feel guilty: when we feel guilty, we will turn to Christ and ask for the grace of forgiveness.

Others say that Jesus gave the rules in the Sermon on the Mount only for those who are advanced in Christian living. But other commentaries on this sermon try to interpret Jesus' words in such a way that an ordinary Christian "can live with them."

However, the Lord Jesus seemed to have had a different idea. He said that there are only two kinds of hearers or readers. Some hear and do, while others hear and don't do what they are told. The person who obeys is wise, but the person who does not do what Jesus said is a fool.

The purpose of grace is obedience. Grace does not mean that you're OK and I'm OK, and everything is all right because God loves us all. Grace means, indeed, that God accepts sinners. "Just as I am without one plea ... I come." You may come and I may come. But once I am in his company, he does not leave me "just as I am." He teaches obedience.

Some people say, "God loves you," and they paint smiles on their faces, as if to say that now all the lights are green. But the love of God never means a go-ahead for sinners. Once you experience God's love, you can never be the same again.

Only fools think that you may listen to Jesus without doing what you hear him say. And fools, in God's book, are people who do not really believe. Therefore they do not act. But a wise person is a God-fearing person who has been taught by the gospel how to obey the law.

REFLECTIONS

Jesus tells us to be hearers and doers of the Word. What does that look like in your life?

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.