Foundations Of Life

Every person is building on a foundation. Your thoughts, dreams of your heart, words you speak, things you do, are the materials which make up the structure. Jesus does not say some are good and some bad. He says some are wise and some foolish. There's coming a testing time. This message should be a caution to our carelessness. Give us courage to keep on the alert when so many are so indifferent to responsibilities of service. We are to rescue the perishing, care for the dying, regardless of the seasons.

2 keywords: verses 24-27, heareth and doeth.

What he wanted them to hear is found in chapters 5, 6, and 7

1. Happiness is not based on possessions but character. Chapter 5:5-8. Meekness, a hunger and thirst for purity of heart. Some of the qualities of Christian character.

2. Chapter 6:24, decide what master will serve.

3. Chapter 6:33, put God first and other things of life will come.

I. In Hearing this Sermon, It Should Do Three Things.

1. Stir our feelings. Without feelings you are dead.

2. Stimulate our interest. Isaiah 1:18, thinking.

3. Inspire us to some action. Matthew 7:21, John 6:40

4. Many refuse to let the sermon move them to action.

II. Two Foundations: Rock and Sand

1. Perishable or imperishable? Building a life is like building a house.

2. Sand: it refers to wide dry riverbeds of Palestine. Once in a generation it floods. Small clear stream flows continually. It was easy to build on. Convenient to live by the stream. There's a way of least resistance.

3. Rock: work was burdensome, many obstacles. Burdensome to get material. Living was a little harder. Less convenient to the things of the world. It was a great temptation to build on sand. The easy way of life.

III. Principles Jesus Taught are not Easy to Build on.

1. Not easy to keep our heart pure.

2. It's not easy to maintain a forgiving spirit.

3. It's not easy to return good for evil.

4. It's not easy to pray for those who despitefully use us.

5. Jesus said to do it anyway.

6. It's hard to pray for God's will to be done when it applies to your own life. It's a lot easier to pray for others.

7. It takes consecration to the things of God: to put God's interests before your own. To walk the narrow way.

8. Temptation to say it doesn't matter. Foolish to look as if consistency to the things of God isn't worth it. 1 Corinthians 3:13

9. it's easier to drift along listening to the voice of inclination instead of commands of duty.

10. Everyone is building.

a. 1 Corinthians 3:8

b. go along fooling ourselves and others but not God.

c. Wrong will not stand in life, or anytime.

11. Jesus warns of the testing that is sure to come.

a. Rock foundation which is Christ himself.

b. Psalm 1:1-3

c. in the summertime trees are full. In the winter Christians can still be green.

d. Sand foundations: they breakdown, they run away, they go to pieces, their times of testing. They are unstable.