Doing What He Said
Matthew 5-7 – Sermon on the Mount – Living from the Heart
Matthew 7:24-29 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.
-As we wrap up our survey of the Sermon on the Mount, I’d like us to focus on Matt. 7:24. “…everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Again, the whole purpose of this series was to take a look at what these words of Jesus are so we can do them with His help.
-So I’d like to journey back over the past 5 months and encapsulate the main truths that came from the heart and mouth of Jesus that day.
1. Reversal of Fortunes: Matthew 5:1-12 – We talked about the Beatitudes (the Blesseds), and rather than making them all prescriptive, we recognized that Jesus is telling His listeners that no matter what they go through in life, no matter how unjustly or harshly others may treat us, we are blessed because of who we belong to. We have entered the Kingdom of Heaven by faith in Jesus and our name is written in the Book of Life. We now belong to the King of the Universe! We may be broken, poor, defrauded, dispossessed, grieving, etc., but our hearts have been transformed by the One who knows us and loves us! We have a blessed life b/c of our relationship with Jesus!
2. Right Side Up in an Upside Down World: Matthew 5:13-16 - Ordinary people with messy lives are invited into the kingdom of heaven. The door is open wide for all who desire to accept God’s rule and reign in their lives. And furthermore, God wants to use our lives to impact those around us. He calls His followers salt and light to a world that needs to taste and see that the Lord is good, no matter how hard this life can be!
3. The Reliability of God’s Words: Matthew 5:17-20 - God’s words are reliable and require our full attention. He came to fulfill the words He spoke ages ago in the Jewish Law. We can never hope to measure up on our own, which is why Jesus came to this earth and provided the way for us. He put obedience within our reach. We can honor God with our lives because Jesus lives in us and the HS is changing us so we can live according to God’s standards and enjoy close relationship with Him. Kingdom life is at work in us! We are a new creation in Christ!
4. Anger Management: Matthew 5:21-26 - If your anger is controlling you, then you are completely out of harmony with the kingdom of heaven. Peacemakers are called sons and daughters of God! Haters and those controlled by anger and rage do not look like sons and daughters of God. But Jesus didn’t just say, “Don’t be angry.” He has already given them new life and new hearts as they have entered the kingdom of God. So they have everything they need to overcome the wrong thinking that can lead to wrong actions. Jesus does not just say to avoid bad actions, such as murder. Deal with the heart issue of anger before it grows into something very sinister and destructive!
5. Fifty Shades of Grace: Matthew 5:27-32 - We all need help to know God and to recognize His image in others. We all need help to keep ourselves away from sin. God helps us learn to close the windows of our hearts to the wrong things, but open them to Him and His love. The help we need comes from above. His grace is enough for us! God wants to come into our lives and help us become more like Him – the way He designed us.
6. Word Breakers & Will Benders: Matthew 5:33-37 - One of the gifts God has given us is verbal communication. We can use it for harm or for good. We can use it to manipulate people to get our own way (swearing/promising), or we can use it to speak truth and life so people can choose God for themselves. Don’t try to be a will bender by being a word bender. Be a knee bender! Surrender yourself to God and speak the truth in love!
7. Gracious Living: Matthew 5:38-42 - Do you value people more than possessions? Are you willing to serve beyond what is required or expected of you? How open-handed are you when it comes to helping those in need? Jesus isn’t calling us to be a doormat that people walk all over, but He is calling us to hold the door so people can look in and see how great and how gracious our God is.
8. Perfect Love: Matthew 5:43-48 - When we receive God’s love for us completely with no qualifications, recognizing that we do not deserve it, nor can we offer anything for it, something changes within us. We are able to do what was humanly impossible – love others perfectly, completely – even if they are hostile towards us. Jesus does not call us to do what he did so much as to be as he was, permeated with love. Then the doing of what he did and said becomes the natural expression of who we are in him. It's all about the heart and our willingness to give and receive the love that comes from the heart of God.
9. An Audience of One: Matthew 6:1-6; 6:16-18 - We all need to help those in need and we all need to pray and fast, as Jesus taught. However, we may need to revisit our motives and purposes from time to time. What is your motivation for giving to those in need? What is your motivation for communicating with God? Why do you miss meals on purpose and spend time with God instead? Is it for attention so people will think well of you? If so, ask God to help you realign your motivations with His purposes. He wants to use you to bless others, and He also wants to be as close to you as the breath you breathe when you speak out a prayer to Him.
10. Learning to Pray: Matthew 6:7-15 - When you pray…. Don’t do it for the wrong self-serving reasons. Don’t do it without really connecting with your Father who is in heaven. Don’t be impersonal, manipulative, demanding, or overly wordy. Don’t substitute prayer formulas or meaningless catch phrases for personal communication with your loving Father. Instead, show loving respect when you pray. Surrender yourself to God’s plan, asking Him to do whatever He wants in and through you. Show your trust in God’s ability to provide for you by asking Him for what you need today. Pray with humility, being generous with forgiveness towards others as you ask God to forgive you. And finally, ask God to help you pass the test when you face temptations. Ask Him to help you make right choices that honor Him and to deliver you from the evil one. Ask Him to lead you in the way you should go. Most of all, remember that prayer is all about relationship with God. Prayer is the means God has given us to touch Him. I pray that you will arrange your life around staying in touch with Him.
11. Rewards and Treasures: Matthew 6:19-21 - Your heart will be where your treasure is. Treasure the things that last forever and invest your whole heart into those things. The most rewarding treasure is not what people think of me – now or when I’m gone. It is not how large my bank account or retirement fund is. It is not what I possess that will satisfy me, but who I love. Do you love God? Hard to love someone you cannot see, but He will reveal Himself to you if you seek Him. If you begin to give and receive His love, then you will be capable of giving genuine love to people. Love is the lasting treasure of the heart that is capable of transport to heaven. So, when you fast and pray and give do it in the context of a loving relationship with God.
12. Two Masters, One Heart: Matthew 6:22-34 - We serve what we love, but we only have one heart to give. We cannot help but serve our treasures. But loving money is a dead end road! It produces stress and worry. It is self-centered and pulls in the opposite direction from loving and trusting God. Trusting and treasuring God will bring you closer to Him and help you love Him more. It will help you be more generous to those around you who are in genuine need – even when you don’t think you can afford it. Trust will help you get rid of that load of worry you drag around behind you all day.
13. I Can See Clearly Now: Matthew 7:1-5 - Judging returns with the same intensity it was delivered. Judging blinds us to our own condition. Judging begins with me. F.B. Meyer once said that when we see a brother or sister in sin, there are three things we do not know:
First, we do not know how hard he or she tried not to sin.
Second, we do not know the power of the forces that assailed him or her.
Thirdly we also do not know what we would have done in the same circumstances.
So, while God calls us to discern truth from error and call sin what it is, if we are truly living from the heart then we will become more generous with mercy and stop condemning others for not measuring up to our standards.
14. The Dog-Life is Gone! Matthew 7:6-12 - Our life has meaning and purpose. God created us to have friendship with Him and one another and to enjoy His goodness forever. But we can’t force our way into people’s lives or even impose our standards on them. As we learn to trust our heavenly Father for results, He will impart the grace we need to love and respect those around us. Treating others the way we would like to be treated will do far more to help them want to ask questions about God, and to begin to seek Him for themselves. Be nice! Be smart! Golden rule!
15. Staying the Right Course: Matthew 7:13-20 - Jesus gave us directions to heaven. Use the narrow gate. Stay on the narrow road. He Himself is the gate. He is the road that leads to life. But the journey will not be a leisurely vacation – not if you are really going to do things His way. Beware! Watch out! There are those who desire to lead you down the wrong path. Whatever their motives, their hearts are on the broad path that leads to destruction. They have no real interest in doing what the Father wants. Look at the fruit of their lives and if it’s bad fruit, avoid them. And while you’re at it, look at your own life. Be sure you are on the right road, the narrow path that leads to life.
16. Clean Hands and Pure Hearts: Matthew 7:21-23 – Neither words or works alone can save us. Heart change is what the Lord requires, and that only happens when we surrender ourselves to Him. Relationship with Him as our Leader, Forgiver, and Friend is what will get us into heaven. Just calling Him Lord and relying on our good works will not change us or prepare us for His kingdom. We must come to Him on His terms.
-As we seek to pull all this together, remember that Jesus is not creating new laws to replace the old ones. It’s not about following rules. It’s about following Jesus with a heart that has been changed by His love! When He changes our hearts it will spill over into our everyday lives so that whether we are working, playing, home building, making friends, responding to problems… whatever comes our way, we will be sharing kingdom life with others. We will be giving and receiving love with our Lord, and also with those around us.
-So Jesus is saying, “People matter to Me! Handle with care. Treat others the way I have treated you! Go the extra mile! Be generous! Pray! Nurture the inner life so you will be able to navigate the outer life in a way that honors your Father in Heaven! Put the kingdom of God first in your life. Seek the King and His righteousness. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Keep your anger under control. Keep your thought life pure. Don’t look at other people as if they are objects. Remember I made them and love them! Don’t use your words to manipulate other people. Don’t criticize others. You don’t know their struggle. Instead, love and accept them. Invest in what lasts forever, which is the giving and receiving of love. Don’t be led astray. And do all these things with the inner strength I give you. Live from the changed heart I have given you! Live honorably. Keep your heart right!”
-This is a lot to handle all in one meal. But I hope you hear the Lord’s heart amidst all these words. He loves you! He loves this world. And He is at work in us and through us as He prepares us for the next world – heaven! Surrender to Him and your life will be blessed!
