Imagine you are on a hillside in Galilee. Jesus is seated, surrounded by his disciples, a huge crowd circled around them. Jesus has been teaching for awhile. He is building towards a climax, a moment of decision. He ends his sermon with a series of vivid images, all in pairs. First there are two gates opening to two roads, one is smooth like a Roman highway and one is narrow and rocky like a mountain path. Which one will you choose? Next there are two vines on two trees. Which tree’s fruit will you choose? Then there are two groups of people, one with all the right credentials, and one group who “get” Jesus, know him, and understand what he is talking about. What group do you choose to be with? Finally there are two builders building two houses, one on sand and one on rock. The person who builds on the rock, didn’t just hear Jesus’ message, but puts it into action. What house do you choose to live in?
It is getting to be decision time. Jesus looks towards Jerusalem. We look at our lives. And what do we choose? Do we take the easy road or the rocky mountain path? Do we eat the fruit of worldly success or the fruit of servant hood and generosity? Do we join the right group according to society’s standards or the Jesus group that includes everyone? Do we build our lives on sand or rock? Do we take all that we have considered as we listened to Jesus on the hillside and translate his vision into our way of living?
If you were there that day on the Galilean hillside, listening to Jesus, what would you choose? No doubt you would have been impressed, but would you have “Yes, I choose to follow Jesus?
Pastor Terry
(Some thoughts from We Make the Road by Walking, Brian McLaren)