Hearers Vs. Dooers

JULY, 2003

TURN TO MATTHEW 7 .....

-PRAY .....

ONE OF THE FINEST PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN AMERICA (NEWTON HIGH SCHOOL IN MASSACHUSETTS) WAS OFFERING A CLASS ENTITLED “THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE”. THE MAN WHO WAS GOING OT TEACH THIS CLASS DECIDED TO SEE HOW MUCH HIS STUDENTS ALREADY KNEW ABOUT THE BIBLE, SO HE STARTED A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BIBLE. HE QUICKLY FOUND OUT HIS STUDENTS HAD SOME INTERESTING IDEAS .....

-SODOM AND GOMORRAH WERE LOVERS

-THE GOSPELS WERE WRITTEN BY MATTHEW, MARK, LUTHER AND JOHN

-EVE WAS CREATED FROM AN APPLE

-JESUS WAS BAPTIZED BY MOSES

-ONE STUDENT WHO WAS IN THE TOP 5% OF HIS CLASS ANSWERED THE QUESTION,

“WHAT WAS GOLGOTHA?” WITH ..... “GOLGOTHA WAS THE NAME OF THE GIANT WHO SLEW THE APOSTLE DAVID.”

THIS STORY ILLUSTRATES IN A HUMOROUS WAY SOMETHING THAT IS NO LAUGHING MATTER .....

-THESE STUDENTS WERE TOLD ABOUT SCRIPTURES BUT DIDN’T LISTEN !

-THEY HAD HEARD BUT NOT HEEDED GOD’S WORD !

IT RECONFIRMS THAT: -THE BIBLE IS THE BEST SELLER BUT THE WORST READ BOOK IN THE WORLD

-IT’S THE MOST POPULAR BUT LEAST UNDERSTOOD BOOK EVER !

PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE LOST INTEREST IN HEARING WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS .......

LET ALONE OBEYING IT ! ! !

WE USED TO PUT OUR CHURCHES AT THE CENTER OF TOWN WITH BIG CLOCKS ON THE OUTSIDE SO PEOPLE WOULDN’T BE LATE FOR CHURCH .....

NOW WE HAVE TO GET SPECIAL PERMITS TO EVEN HAVE CHURCHES AND THE CLOCKS ARE ON THE INSIDE SO THE SERMON DOESN’T GO TOO LONG !

WE’VE BECOME A PEOPLE WHO MARK OUR BIBLES BUT OUR BIBLES DON’T MARK US ! ! !

OUR GENERATION IS DESCRIBED JUST LIKE SO MANY GENERATIONS BEFORE US ......

-ISAIAH’S GENERATION HEARD THE SAME SAD COMMENTARY PAUL’S GENERATION HEARD .....

Acts 28:27

27 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

THE SAME COULD BE SAID TODAY ! ! !

-WE HAVEN’T LEARNED A THING ! ! !

JESUS HIMSELF ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE IN HIS VERY FIRST SERMON .....

-THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

-THE PEOPLE WHO HEARD THIS MESSAGE WERE AMAZED .....

-IN THIS MESSAGE JESUS GAVE PRINCIPALS AND IDEALS TO LIVE BY ! ! !

Matt 7:21-29

21 "Not everyone who says to me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me on that day, ’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’

23 Then I will tell them plainly, ’I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

24 "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.

25 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.

26 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.

27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,

29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

LUKE’S ACCOUNT BEGINS WITH JESUS ASKING ......

“WHY DO YOU CALL ME LORD, LORD, AND DO NOT DO WHAT I SAY ?”

RIGHT AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT JESUS MAKES A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO “HEAR AND WALK AWAY” AND PEOPLE WHO “HEAR AND OBEY” ! ! !

-BETWEEN “HEARERS” AND “DOERS” ! ! !

HE SAYS THERE ARE MANY WHO ARE SELF DECEIVED OR JUST PLAIN PHONIES ! ! ! ! !

-THE TEST ISN’T WILL YOU SAY LORD, LORD ?

-THE TEST IS WILL YOU DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER IN HEAVEN ?

“GOOD DEEDS” AND “GOOD INTENTIONS” DON’T PROVE A THING .......

-A FALSE PROFESSION WILL LAST UNTIL JUDGMENT DAY !

-IT’S THE HEART THAT MATTERS TO GOD ! ! !

-COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANS ARE JUST LIKE A COUNTERFEIT BILL ......

-SUPPOSE YOU RECEIVE A COUNTERFEIT BILL AS CHANGE

-THINKING IT’S GENUINE, YOU USE IT TO BUY GAS ON THE WAY HOME

-THE STATION OWNER USES IT TO PAY HIS EMPLOYEE

-HIS EMPLOYEE BUYS FOOD WITH THAT SAME COUNTERFEIT BILL

-FROM THERE IT GOES TO THE BANK AND THE BANK SAYS .....