Articles
Amazed
“And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matt. 7:28-29).
This comes at the very end of the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount. Did you notice that when the people heard Him, they heard Him as one having authority. Further, they were astonished or amazed at what He said. He who spoke is the Creator of the earth. He is the judge. He is the Savior. Yes, they should have listened to Him as one having authority. What He said should have astonished them.
I wonder, do we hear Him as one having authority? And when we hear Him, are we astonished? Have we become so “this-world” minded that His word is no longer heard? Not audibly, but with understanding and a view to making a difference in our lives? Are we amazed when we read what He said? For example, the beatitudes, do they amaze us? When He speaks the parable at the end about the wise and foolish man, are we amazed at His practical illustration?
He teaches us how to be stable when the wind and rain come. He tells us that rain will come. Will we have a solid foundation? When we hear Him warn about wolves in sheep’s clothing, are we astonished? Do we listen to one who has authority? When He tells us how to keep our heart pure, are we amazed? Do we hear Him as One having authority? When He instructs us how to get along with others, are we amazed? Do we listen to Him as One having authority? When He tells us where true treasures are, do we stand amazed? Do we hear the One who has all authority?
Are we amazed today what the One who has authority communicates to us? Satan may not get us in the bed of the adulteress. He may not seduce us by the bottle. He may not dupe us with the trinkets of this world. But if he can distract us from being amazed at the teaching of the One who has authority, he will accomplish what he wants just the same.
Do we really “stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene?”
