Do Hard Things Challenge 5

So often we live with a VERY LOW bar of expectation. We find ourselves continually meeting expectations, but never raising the bar to a new level of challenge. Instead we do whatever we can to get away with doing the least we can and still "succeed". This may be in our school work, chores, relationships, obedience, or in our walk with Christ. We choose not to be challenged. We choose not to raise the bar. We choose not to live up to Christ's expectations.

But what are Christ's expectations? What do they look like? We get a good feel for what Christ expects when we look at Matthew 5:38-48

Truth 1: Christ’s expectations are opposite (v39, 44, 46-47)
-different from, and often opposite to, man’s expectations
-Key Phrase: “But I say to you”

Truth 2: Christ’s expectations are selfless (v39-42)
-lead us to consider a person’s spiritual and physical needs over our own.
-not retaliating as an example of Christ in our lives, giving freely, praying for someone that others would say “don’t deserve it.”
-Christ's commands to "Love your neighbor as yourself" and "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" are impossible if we are living selfishly.

Truth 3: Christ’s expectations reflect God’s character (v44-45)
-Key Phrase-”so you can be sons of your father in heaven”-Have you ever heard the phrase "you are your father's son"? It basically means that, based on the characteristics I see in you, I know who's you are. Shouldn't people be able to see God our Father in us so much that they say "you are your Father's son"?

Truth 4: Christ’s expectations are individually unreachable (v48)
-That’s why he gave us the Holy Spirit and the Church! But how often do we really rely on the Helper that Christ promised us and delivered to us? How often do we lean on the Body of Christ during the week (outside of Wednesdays and Sundays or people in our immediate family?) We can't expect to live up to the HIGH bar that Christ has set without utilizing the helpers Christ has given us.

You might be wondering where in your life you have failed to raise the bar at all, let alone to a Christlike level. These 5 questions provided by the authors of Do Hard Things (Alex and Brett Harris) will help you see where you need to raise the bar. I challenge you to do it and see what happens!

5 Questions for Evaluation

1. What areas of my life do I not care about that I know I should care about?

2. In what areas have I fallen short of God’s standards and my own potential?

3. In what areas have I settled for just getting by when I know I could do better if I really tried?

4. In what areas have I decided that things “will always be this way” without ever putting in the kind of effort that really changes things?

5. If you decided to measure every area of your life by “excellence, not excuses,” what kinds of changes would the people around you start to notice?