The upshot of it all

Jesus ends the Sermon by calling people to do what he has taught. Some soften his words: “He said, ‘Do this,’ but he didn’t mean we have to obey his words.” Others see a different motive: “Jesus’ aim is to drive us to our knees, not make us obey his words.” These common approaches fail the words of Jesus because in the Sermon Jesus calls his followers to do what he teaches. Those who don’t do what he says, in fact, are condemned as foolish. The entire Sermon the Mount, which Augustine said was the “perfect standard of the Christian life,” then drives home one haunting question: Will you follow me?— Sermon on the Mount, pages 20-21 (emphasis original)