#1241 Matthew 7 Part 5 Foundations

 

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

The Authority of Jesus

28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.  Matthew 7: 24-29 ESV

Matthew 7: 24-29

Hears these words of mine and does them - Throughout this message, Matthew 5-7, we have seen that it is not just what you say, nor is it what you can convince others to say about you. Jesus has separated vain appearances from fact, ritual from reality. He has made it a matter of the heart, word and deed, it all has to line up, everyone falls short, everyone depends upon grace, but grace doesn't only justify, it also sanctifies. We will also see from both Jesus's teaching and that of the apostles that this supplies a much more magnificent and even impossible definition of righteousness and love. We live in a culture that defines love by want, by sentiment, passion, lust, but Christ says, "if you love Me, keep my commandments." There are churches who talk about "loving" people through their sin, and rather then confront it or ask them to leave, they let it continue. I'm sorry, but you being passive with me, you being accepting of my sins, condoning what God hates, how is that love? I'm heading towards a meeting with a Holy and just God, a God Who says that people who do what I am doing will in no way enter the kingdom of heaven, and you are sending me towards eternity, believing that I can call myself a child of God, hold onto my sins and yet walk through the narrow gate? And somehow you think you're a loving person. You don't love me; you love you, and you want me to admire you, feed your ego, and face an eternity outside of God's infinite mercy, knowing only His infinite hatred of sin. That's the legacy of those who preach another gospel, who say look at what we did in Your name, who leave out the whole counsel of God.

22“The Son of Man must suffer many things,” He said. “He must be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” 23Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.… Luke 9: 22-24

…21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls. 22 Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. 23For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror,…

…24and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so— not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer— he will be blessed in what he does. 26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.… James 1: 21-26

…22Judas (not Iscariot) asked Him, “Lord, why are You going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?” 23Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words. The word that you hear is not My own, but it is from the Father who sent Me.… John 14: 22-24

Built his house on the rock - Who is this? The one who hears the words and does them, not the ones who claimed to perform signs and wonders.

…34Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. 36No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.… Matthew 24: 34-36

…19We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation. 21For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.… 2 Peter 1: 19-21

It had been founded on the rock - He just said what the rock was in this context, hearing and doing His word. We do what we really believe most in, and we may struggle, but the person who doesn't battle at all, who never enters the war, they are going to follow the crowd and their appetite, be blown around by every strange wind of doctrine. The person who truly believes in God's word will be a follower, a practitioner of Christ's teaching. Many came to Christ in name, many came for the fish and the bread, but He said, "blessed are they that mourn, and hunger and thirst after righteousness." Those that hear the gospel, "God's story", the story of redemption, hear about their sin and realize that they are bankrupt "poor in spirit", these are blessed because they realize they have nothing to offer God except the sin which makes Christ's sacrifice necessary. You have nothing, but He is everything. The revelation that comes from God is the sure foundation.

…16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.… Matthew 16: 16-18

And great was the fall of it - You can sit in church and hear the words of Jesus, but then be like the guy who looked in the mirror and walked away forgetting what manner of man he was. Hearing without obedience is really just defiance; it's a barren tree. You are saying, "I'm a fig tree", but there's never any figs to prove it. It is like a tree with no root, such is the house on sand; it's a terrible foundation, a confidence that is poorly founded. Some trust in a  repeat after me prayer they said, a feeling they had, and emotional experience that made them cry, but when every thing else is destroyed, it's God's word that remains, and those who not only heard, but built accordingly.

…5The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. 6He will be the sure foundation for your times, a storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure. 7Behold, their valiant ones cry aloud in the streets; the envoys of peace weep bitterly.… Isaiah 33: 5-7

19Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. 21In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.… Ephesians 2: 19-21

…1Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. 2But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. 3He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.… Psalm 1: 1-3

…18Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share, 19treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. 20O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so-called “knowledge,”… 1 Timothy 6: 18-20

As One Who had authority - In order for me to say what God has said, I have to quote scripture or receive some other form of divine revelation. Jesus was God, deity with humanity added to it, the God man. He was the Word become flesh to dwell among us. When He speaks, it is God speaking, His will is one with the Father's. He could say what the Bible said and perfectly what it meant; He did that throughout the whole Sermon on the Mount, and it is incredible.

13children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ ”… John 1: 13-15

…29My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30I and the Father are one.” 31At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him.… John 10: 29-31

…48There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not receive My words: The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it. 50And I know that His command leads to eternal life. So I speak exactly what the Father has told Me to say.”… John 12: 48-50