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Jesus' Life-code

“A good measure, 
pressed down, shaken together, running over,
will be put into your lap,
for the measure you give
will be the measure you get back.”

Jesus gathered his “People of the Way” (Acts 9:2) and began teaching them what’s called the Sermon on the Plain.

The sermon taught what one should do to live the lifestyle of his followers: Love your enemies; Don’t Judge others.

While this seemed like a basic biblically grounded code for living, the world of the People of the Way” lived in violent, evil, circumstances of a structured society.

Justice was unfairly carried out, as Jesus’ trial and crucifixion indicate.

This is 2025 and we live in a violent world different only from the forms of evil around us.  

How, then, can we seriously practice what Jesus taught about resisting the evils around us?

Resisting evil is not something one does alone

The life-code given by Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain, is spoken to a group; the People of the Way.

This group is intended to care for each other as they carry out Jesus’ life-code while resisting evil.

A contemporary example for Methodists is John Wesley’s “classes” formed for mutual support while attempting to renew the Anglican church.

In 2025 as we continue to resist the social and unjust evils around us, living as contemporary People of the Way must include gathering for worship and prayer.

During this time of gathering for mutual support, we receive support from others, empowering us to face the evils around us once more.

As someone said to me: gathering for worship and prayer is renewing my spiritual batteries for the coming week.

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