Food for thought: Taking Jesus seriously

From Soul Graffiti: Making a Life in the Way of Jesus by Mark Scandrette:

Are we apprentices of Jesus when we say we are, or when we begin to do the things he taught? Are we willing to take Jesus seriously as the kind of teacher he intended to be? Hearing the message of Jesus in a way that can be good news for us in the here and now begins with an appreciation for the fact that he spoke with authority. Very simply, Jesus expected to be obeyed. He did not present an esoteric theory of God or the afterlife merely to stimulate the intellect. He believed he held the words of eternal life and that people would ignore his teachings at their own peril. And yet Jesus did not exercise the kind of power that would force people to obey him against their will. His teachings could only take root in the lives of free people--people liberated to surrender themselves to his authority and the reign of God.