What Jesus Said
Exploring the Sermon on the Plain
George H. Donigian

What does it really mean to follow Jesus?

Many people understand Christian discipleship as saying the right words, making the right promise, or offering the right prayer. But Jesus himself described discipleship differently—as a way of living, a set of everyday practices rooted in love, generosity, forgiveness, and service.

In What Jesus Said: Exploring the Sermon on the Plain, George Donigian guides readers through Luke 6:17-49, Jesus’ foundational teaching on right living. Unlike the more familiar Sermon on the Mount, Luke’s Sermon on the Plain makes no assumptions about the reader’s background in Jewish tradition—making it a remarkably accessible entry point for anyone seeking to understand what Jesus actually asked of his followers.

Chapter by chapter, Donigian unpacks the core actions of discipleship: loving even enemies, giving generously, forgiving freely, withholding judgment, and bearing fruit through service. Interactive Nexus sections throughout help readers connect these ancient teachings to the rhythms of their own lives, and a full small group and Sunday school guide makes this an ideal resource for communities of faith ready to go deeper.

Whether you are exploring Christian faith for the first time or looking to move beyond the familiar into something more demanding and more rewarding, What Jesus Said invites you into the life Jesus described—and lived.

Buy What Jesus Said today, and take your first steps toward a new understanding of discipleship.

Includes a study guide for small groups and Sunday school classes.

Praise for What Jesus Said

“I strongly recommend this insightful and inspiring resource.” —United Methodist Bishop Kenneth L. Carder

“Intellectual artistry.” —Dr. Susan T. Henry-Crowe, UMC Judicial Council president

“Will help you grow in your discipleship.” —Dr. Kevin Watson, Asbury Theological Seminary

“Helps us see Jesus as embodying the characteristics that all people—Christians and otherwise—should aspire to in our present, fractured age, including hope, love and forgiveness.” —Gregory S. Clapper, Ph.D., The University of Indianapolis

“ . . . walks us through key themes that illuminate the path of discipleship.” —Rev. Dr. Lyn Pace, Duke University Chapel

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