I am a Jesus Pusher! “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). Jesus called everyone, even the ordinary people, to a higher standard than the professional religious people practiced. The heart of the Scriptures tells us that we cannot live without Him. The Scriptures consistently make us conscious of our helplessness. This consciousness releases Jesus to source us to a new level of living. The scribes and Pharisees developed an oral tradition about the Scriptures. The Pharisees adjusted the impossible standard of the Scriptures, establishing laws they could accomplish. Jesus highlights this in the next section of this chapter (Matthew 5:21-48). The following section is a revelation of the inner content of the Kingdom of Heaven. In my helplessness (poor in spirit), the Living Word embraces me. The Living Word brings a revelation of the Written Word to the relationship. In this intimate communication, the strength of His nature flows through me, for when He communicates truth, He shares Himself! The Living Word calls me through the Written Word.
The issue always rests on my response to Jesus! Am I willing to merge with Him until He is my life? Serving Jesus by doing certain required things is the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. They accomplished keeping specific regulations but had no intimate relationship with God. Jesus calls us to a Living Word and Written Word intimate relationship that would reproduce His life in our world. I am a Jesus pusher!