The Sermon on the Mount ends with the words, "And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching." For over two millennia, the astonishing words of Jesus from the Sermon Mount have transformed the lives of incalculable numbers of people living obediently to the way of kingdom life proclaimed by the Lord. Jesus knew full well the power of His words during His earthly ministry and prophesied, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words will never pass away."

As readers embark on A Radical Journey to the Higher Country, they will travel with brothers and sisters--prophets, poets, and mystics past and present--who have been transformed by the power of the Messiah's astonishing words from the Sermon on the Mount and throughout the New Testament. A tapestry of noted voices pertaining to the themes of kingdom life, revealed by Jesus in the great sermon, is weaved carefully in this devotional format to encourage every follower of Jesus.

As travelers journey upward to the higher country by way of guideposts and waypoints, they will arrive at the summit of the Sermon Mount, finding strength and empowerment to live intentionally, by the grace of God, to illuminate the way of Jesus in this turbulent world.