Missional Jesus not only drew a crowd, he summoned people to get with the kingdom mission and vision. In other words, he called people to “make a decision” or, what is better, to come to him and with him work for the kingdom of God.
The Sermon on the Mount, the most significant sermon ever preached, comes to a flourishing finish with a parable-like story that simultaneously reveals and summons people to follow Jesus. To follow Jesus means to get attached to him personally, to spend time with Jesus, and to participate with him in the mission of God: the kingdom of God.
1. Missional Jesus simply doesn’t think everyone wants to follow him; in fact, he thinks many don’t.
2. Missional Jesus warns about false prophets — who are known by “fruit”. Most everyone agrees that fruit is a metaphor for living before God with love and peace and justice and holiness and goodness, etc.. And this fruit grows because the life inside the tree is the life of God. Those who are most severely criticized by Jesus are those who say they are religious authorities but actually work evil. (Such living blatant contradictions, and who doesn’t fear this for himself or herself, make the next generation suspicious.)
3. Missional Jesus summons people to do the will of God. In other words, the Sermon on the Mount is a sermon whose intent is to enlist will-of-God-doers.
The Narrow and Wide Gates
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
A Tree and Its Fruit
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”