When Jesus said,
“Love your neighbor as yourself,”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“Do not be angry with your brother or sister,”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“Let your word be ‘Yes, yes,’ or ‘No, no,'”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“Love your enemies,”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“Beware of practicing your piety before others,”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“Do not build up treasures on earth,”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“Woe to you who are rich now,”
He meant it. 

When Jesus said,
“You cannot serve God and wealth,”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“Do not judge,”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you,”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“Give all you have to the poor, and follow me,”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“It is what comes out of the mouth that defiles,”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“Forgive not seven times, but seventy-seven times,”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“Let the little children come to me,”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“It will be hard for a wealthy person to enter the realm of God,”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“All things are possible with God,”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“Put your sword back in its place,”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“God, forgive them, for they know not what they do,”
He meant it.

When Jesus said,
“It is finished,”
He meant it.
For the moment. 

When Jesus said,
“I am with you always,”
He meant it.
Unto the end of the age. 

A poetic venture into the Gospel of Matthew – with a guest appearance by the Gospel of Luke.