The second group of words is this: death, darkness, decrease. Death, darkness, decrease is a realm of life that brings you away from wholeness, and towards disrepair okay? Away from wholeness, and towards disrepair. Death, darkness, decrease. In the Torah, you were given choices all the time. It says: I give you this day two choices; choose life instead of death, blessings instead of curses, increase instead of decrease. It wasn't talking about literally dying. It's talking about: choose to live in God's way, so that you enter into the realm of life. Choose away from death, and towards life. Choose away from destruction, and towards wholeness. Jesus is simply making an observation about life, and He's simply saying: most people don't have what it takes to stay on the high road. Most people don't have what it takes; and that's true of every area. How many people, percentage-wise are winning financially? Very, very few. Very, very few. As a matter of fact, one recently survey in US News World Report said: that for every dollar we make, we're spending $1.02, which that means this: normal is broke. Most people aren't winning financially.
What percentage of marriages are mutually enriching, mutually edifying, mutually uplifting? What percentage of marriages are actually thriving? Very little. If your marriage is thriving - you are awesome, that is great! You are in a blessed minority. 50% of marriages end in divorce, another 25% are just holding on. You're talking about a one in five proposition! Jesus is essentially stating the obvious. He's saying: this life I'm talking about, most people do not have what it takes. Most people don't have what it takes to bless their enemies. Most people don't have what it takes to de-escalate criticism and strife. Most people don't have what it takes to be a peacemaker. Most people don't have what it takes to always forgive. Most people don't have what it takes to turn the other cheek. Most people don't have what it takes to do what I'm talking about doing. Most people.
This is a sermon. What I find fascinating about this sermon, is that there are thousands of people in attendance, and He does not end it with an altar-call. I find that fascinating - He does not end this sermon this way. He doesn't end it by saying: now here's what we're going to do at the end of this sermon. I'm going to give you an opportunity to come forward, and accept Me in your heart as your Lord and saviour; and we've got this specific prayer that hasn't been made up yet. If you'll just pray it, you'll have your ticket-punched, and one day you'll get to go somewhere else. That's not how He ends the sermon. As a matter of fact, He doesn't give an altar-call at all! What's wrong with Jesus? Does He not care about people's souls? He's got thousands of people in front of Him, and He doesn't do that? What's wrong with Him?
Instead, He ends the sermon with a question - He simply says this: If you hear these words of Mine, and you put them into practice, you'll find that it's going to solidify your life; and no matter what storms in life you face, you're going to find that you're going to land on your feet. But if you hears these words of Mine, and do not put them into practice, you're going to find that it's going to make your life very shaky - like a sandy foundation. No matter what storms you face in life, you're going to tend to land on your face.
Essentially He's saying: the people who listen and do - they face the same obstacles as people who listen and don't do; but the people who listen and do, tend to land on their feet. People who listen and don't, do tend to land on their face. He ends the sermon with a choice: feet or face, rock or sand? He ends it with a lifestyle choice.
Now here is the basic flow of thought, every sermon has a basic flow of thought. So essentially this is Jesus' outline okay, so this is this scripture in context. First thing He says in the flow of thought is: don't get what you want from others by judging them. Judge not, lest you be judged. In other words, don't try to get what you need from others by judging them; a good wife would do this! Don't you love it when your husband says that to you? Because now that you feel like total crap, you'll just do what he wants, and love him? Of course not, that doesn't really work right? He says: don't get what you need by judging. Then He says: don't get what you need by manipulation. Once people figure out you're manipulating them, they'll turn on you and eat you alive - don't do that.