Introduction

Good morning, beloved family of God. It's a beautiful day the Lord has made and we're here to rejoice and be glad in it. We are gathered in the house of our Lord, not by accident, but by divine appointment. Each one of us carries a purpose, a calling, a divine destiny that God has placed in our hearts. And today, we are here to learn, to grow, to be transformed by the powerful, life-changing Word of God.

Our sermon today focuses on a profound and transformative passage from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7, verses 24-27. We will be contemplating on three pivotal points: Hearing God's Word, Heeding God's Instructions, and Handling Life's Storms. These are not just points on a sermon, but they are life principles that God is inviting us to embrace and live by.

Pope Francis once said, "Obeying God is listening to God, having an open heart to follow the path that God points out to us." This is a call for us to plant ourselves firmly in the Word of God, to make it our home, our guide, our comfort. And so, as we open the pages of the Bible today, let's allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate our hearts and minds, to bring us revelation, understanding, and wisdom.

Let us read from Matthew 7:24-27:

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

What a powerful passage! It speaks of the importance of not only hearing God's Word but also putting it into practice. It reminds us that when we build our lives on the solid foundation of God's Word, we will be able to withstand the storms of life.

Let us bow our heads in prayer as we invite the Holy Spirit to guide us in this time of reflection and learning.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word that is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. We ask that You open our hearts and minds today, that we may not only hear Your Word but also put it into practice. Help us to build our lives on the solid foundation of Your Word, that we may withstand the storms of life. We invite Your Holy Spirit to guide us in this time of reflection and learning. In Jesus' name, we pray, amen.

Let’s get started!

Hearing God's Word

The Bible is more than just a book. It's a living, breathing testament of God's love, His promises, and His instructions for us. When we open its pages, we're not just reading words on a page, but we're listening to the voice of God speaking directly to us.

Father and child: Imagine a father speaking to his child, giving him advice, guiding him, and teaching him how to navigate through life. That's what God is doing every time we read the Bible. He's our Heavenly Father, speaking to us, His children, guiding us, and teaching us how to live according to His will. But how do we hear God's Word? It starts with opening the Bible. It's not enough to just own a Bible, or to have it sitting on a shelf collecting dust. We need to open it, read it, meditate on it.

The Bible is not like any other book: It's not meant to be read in one sitting, or just once in a while. It's meant to be read daily, to be studied, to be pondered upon. It's like food for our souls. Just as our bodies need daily nourishment, so do our souls. And the Bible is the spiritual food that nourishes our souls, that keeps us spiritually healthy and strong.

Understanding what we read: The Bible can be complex, with its various genres, its historical and cultural contexts, and its deep theological truths. That's why we need the Holy Spirit to help us understand what we read. The Holy Spirit is our teacher, our guide, our interpreter. He helps us understand the truths in the Bible, and how to apply them in our lives. He gives us wisdom and insight, and helps us see things from God's perspective.

Preaching and teaching: We also hear God's Word through the preaching and teaching of the Word. God has given us pastors, teachers, and leaders to help us understand His Word, to explain it to us, and to show us how to apply it in our lives. When we listen to a sermon, or a Bible study, or a teaching, we're not just hearing the words of the preacher or teacher. We're hearing the Word of God, spoken through them. They're like vessels, used by God to communicate His Word to us.

Active listening: It's not just about sitting back and listening. It's about actively engaging with the Word, about asking questions, about seeking answers, about wrestling with the text. When we read the Bible, or listen to a sermon, we should be like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, who "received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." They didn't just accept what they heard, but they searched the Scriptures, they examined the Word, they tested it against what they knew to be true. And that's what we should do too. We should be active listeners, active readers, active learners. We should engage with the Word, wrestle with it, question it, seek answers, and allow it to challenge us, to convict us, to transform us.

What’s the point?: Hearing God's Word is not just about gaining knowledge, or accumulating information. It's about being transformed by the Word, about allowing it to change us, to shape us, to mold us into the image of Christ. When we hear God's Word, it's like a mirror that reflects who we are, that shows us our true selves, our strengths and weaknesses, our sins and shortcomings. And as we see ourselves in the light of God's Word, we're challenged to change, to repent, to grow, to become more like Christ.

A communal activity: We hear God's Word together, as a community of believers, as the body of Christ. When we gather together for worship, for Bible study, for fellowship, we're not just individuals reading the Bible or listening to a sermon. We're a community, a family, hearing God's Word together, learning together, growing together. And as we hear God's Word together, we're not just learning about God, or about the Bible. We're learning about each other, about our shared faith, about our shared struggles, about our shared journey. We're building relationships, strengthening our bonds, deepening our love for each other.

Heeding God's Instructions

As we continue to reflect on the words of Matthew 7:24-27, we are drawn to the significance of heeding God's instructions ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO