At this point Jesus’ sermon is essentially complete. In this paragraph, and the ones that follow, Jesus is bringing things to a close, but that hardly means these words are unimportant. Quite the opposite. Here Jesus challenges all of his listeners to action. Having heard all that he has taught, we face the vital question regarding how we will respond, or if we will respond. His words call us to embrace what he has said and to bow in surrender before him, believing the good news and living a life shaped by that good news.
