Amazed

My favorite hymn is "I Stand Amazed in the Presence." Here are the words to the first verse.

I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene

And wonder how He could love me - a sinner, condemned, unclean.

Now let me say a word about Matthew 7:28-29.

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

That's the reaction after Jesus finished the Sermon on the Mount. Of course, I'm drawn to the word "amazed."

But their amazement was not necessarily accompanied by belief. To say the crowd was amazed means that they were astounded or impressed by what he said. That does not equate with believing in and committing to Jesus. Jesus spent the last few minutes of the Sermon offering response options: claim to believe but not have fruit that proves it or claim to believe and have fruit to substantiate the claim. Those who love Jesus, call him Lord, and claim to follow him will obey him.

Being amazed isn't enough. I can sing the first verse of the hymn over and over and it really tells you nothing except that I'm impressed the Jesus loves me.

But hear the chorus: Oh, how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful! And my song shall ever be: Oh, how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful is my Savior's love for me!

Being amazed is one thing. Proclaiming his love for me is another. Proclamation is a fruit of Christian living. A person who has entered a transformational relationship with Jesus (there is no other kind) will proclaim the truth to everyone they can find.

The verse is the truth. The chorus is the proof that I've embraced the truth.

I think Jesus found three responses to his Sermon. The teachers of the law bowed up at his drastic contrast to their typical teachings. They walked away looking for ways to shut him up.

A second response was the majority response. They were amazed but not committed. They were curious but not ready to join the kingdom movement.

The third option was to be amazed, committed, and transformed. Only a few made this response. A few dozen, maybe. But God changed the world through them. Within the next three years Jesus trained a few to take the challenge of sharing the Gospel. And they did. Thousands were added on the Day of Pentecost. Some were added every day.

A wave of transformation swept across the world and across time until it reached me.

I stand amazed! And I'll proclaim his transforming love.