No, Seriously...

I've been thinking a bit about Jesus in the past few weeks.

Probably more than a bit.

I've been thinking about some of the wacky things he said. All the stuff that we brush aside far too easily. All the things that really make us scratch our heads and conclude that he must have meant something else.

Because if he really meant what he said, that would just be crazy.

A good number of these statements and instructions can be found in the Sermon on the Mount. Over the next few week or two, I want to start thinking about these things.

I want to start thinking about them as if I've just heard them for the first time.

The Bible is tough that way for us Christians. We've read it so many times...heard so many sermons...read so many books. It just loses its zip sometimes.

What was meant to cut only slightly bumps. What was meant to wound is deftly deflected. Right or wrong, we've learned to justify things. To think inside the box. To tame the Bible. For no matter how eccentric a command or instruction may be, we know just what it is getting at. Whatever it says, it just doesn't bother us that much anymore.

I envy a person who knows nothing of Christianity and gets to read the Scripture for the first time. What excitement. What sorrow. What pain. What joy.

What adventure.

But me? I've read and heard some of these passages so many times I could say them in my sleep.

Which is why I want to take us back to Jesus' words and try and see if we can take him completely seriously. Even if it seems silly.

Because maybe sometimes God wants us to consider what seems silly.

Perhaps in some way that is a lot closer to the Truth than our domesticated truths could ever be.