Dr. Bradford Reaves
Crossway Christian Fellowship
Hagerstown, MD
www.mycrossway.org
We are drawing the closing words of Jesus’ in our study of the Sermon on the Mount. Next week I have some concluding thoughts. Of the 36 messages I preached from these 3 chapters in the Gospel of Matthew, I believe today’s are the most significant for us to grasp and apply to our lives. Since the beginning of our series, I’ve repeated the theme Jesus preached throughout this message as he contrasts the truth of God’s Kingdom against the false religious system of his day. This false teaching precluded that man’s entry into the Kingdom of God was based on one’s own righteousness and following religious tradition and not based on faith in God alone. The Bible calls these doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1-3), and it repeatedly warns us not to be deceived.
We’ve considered the conclusion of Jesus' sermon for several weeks, starting in verse 12. These should be sobering words. Words that should give us pause and take an honest inventory of our relationship with God. Jesus’ calling is to be neither deceived nor ignorant. Nor should we be caught off guard by those he mentions in verse 22, which we studied last week. Instead, he is telling his listeners there is a stark difference between the faithful of the Kingdom and the deceived of the world.
The world is easily drawn into false religion and steadily drinks its poison. Why? Because apart from Christ, we are spiritually dead in sin, and that sinful nature always looks for the easy fix. Jesus calls this the broad way. 1 John 5:19 says, “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” We are resistant to God’s truth, His Word, and His calling. 1 John also says, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12).
False religion is not always dressed in devils and pentagrams with witches gathered around evil scenes. False religion disguises itself with the truth. It is deceptive, labeling itself with Christian labels and phrases. The Sermon on the Mount is designed to unmask this deception.
With that, we’ve considered the differences over the last few weeks: Two Gates - Narrow and Wide. Two Fruits - Good and Bad. Two Eternities - Heaven and Hell. And now today, with Jesus’ concluding words, Two Foundations - Sand and Rock.
First, Jesus tells us to enter through the narrow gate, for the wide gate and the broad way lead to destruction; there are many - the crowds, if you will - go that way. The narrow way, with which you must enter with difficulty, forsaking yourself, is hard to enter and follow but leads to life.
The false teachers - ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing - lead the masses down the broad way. False prophets who teach a false gospel. Jesus warns us that we’ll know them by their fruits, easily unmasked when we look at their words and their lives. Verbal profession - mere words alone will not save you.
Now, back at verse 22, Jesus says there will be many who say, “Lord, Lord, did we not do this or do that in your name...” and he responds (v 23), “I never knew you; depart from me your workers of lawlessness.” Religious performance, even doing signs and wonders, will not save you. This should be shocking, and sadly, it will be shocking to “many” (v21).
Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. (Psalm 6:8)
The sad reality is that there will be ‘many’ people who will be shocked by these words at the final judgment because they chose to live in a state of self-deception. All of this should bring us personally to a place of self-examination.
The defining factor is his pronouncement, which is found in verse 23, “I never knew you.” This is what we must understand first. When Jesus said, ‘I never knew you,’ he wasn’t referring to a knowledge of our existence. Biblically, the use of the word ‘knew’ refers to a deep intimacy. Genesis 4:1 tells us that Adam ‘knew’ his wife, and they conceived. There’s a deep relationship associated with that. Likewise, when Jesus says, “I never knew you,” he says, “Despite your religiousness, I never have a relationship with you.”
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works...” (Ephesians 2:10)
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22)
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? (James 2:14)
The real question Jesus poses is not whether they’ve heard the gospel (although that’s important); it is not if they’ve said a prayer or raised their hand to ‘accept Jesus’ (although that’s important too). It is not if they’re a member of the church, attend church, or even preach a sermon. It’s about the result in their life - what did they do with their faith and life given to them?
That brings us to the final words of Jesus' sermon which brings everything to a stunning conclusion:
“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.” (Matthew 7:24–27)
Now, here again, we find ourselves with two different situations: Two men - wise and foolish, two houses, two foundations, and two results. They both built a house and a picture of the life that you built. A life has a framework, structure, strength, legacy, stresses, and results. They both built the house in the same location.
The houses were basically the same. The same type of house, the same location, and built in the same way, and facing the same storm. From the outside, they look exactly the same. There is only one difference between them, and that is the foundation they were built upon - that is the only distinction the Lord makes in this closing illustration. That difference will only be revealed on judgment day.
There is no pretending with God. You may be fooling people now, but one day, everything will be revealed. The entirety of your life will come into full view. Your foundation - what you built your life upon - will be exposed when you stand before the Lord. That in itself should wake you up!
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart. (Proverbs 21:2)
And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27)
I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, (Matthew 12:36)
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. (Revelation 20:12–13)
The only distinction between the two houses and the only distinction between those who hear “well done, my good and faithful servant” and “depart from me, I never knew you” is the foundation on which the house is built. One builds on the rock - Petra. The other builds on sand - ammon. The result is the house built on the rock stands firm, while the house built on sand collapses. So what is the difference?
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (Matthew 7:24)
Here is the true believer and follower of Jesus Christ. Not only does he hear Jesus’ words - or even agree with them, but he does them. He lives them out literally in his daily life. The rock is the Word of God. Immediately, I think of Peter’s confession of Christ outside of Caesarea Philippi.
Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:16–18)
There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. (1 Samuel 2:2)
The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he. (Deuteronomy 32:4)
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:2)
He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. (Psalm 62:6)
Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. (Psalm 71:3)
My friends, it cannot be more clear than it is here. Anything other than what you do for the Lord is going to one day collapse around you. There is nothing in your life that you can count as solid as building your life on the foundation of the Lord. Money will fail you: education, politics, spirituality, sex, comfort, success, fame, health, and even religion; all of those things are sinking sands that will not provide you with one bit of foundation when the day of judgment comes. The one who builds on the rock will agonize through the narrow gate, forsaking all but Christ.
For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. (1 Corinthians 3:11–13)
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:4–5)
So that leaves the one who built a house on the sand. What did Jesus mean by sand? It has no foundation. There is no obedience in his life. There’s no truth. There is no sacrifice. It is the self-centered, self-focused kind of living. No regard for purity in his heart, no integrity, no love for the Law of God or the things of God. There is no pattern of holiness. They want to get their house up quickly so they can go about life doing the things they want and enjoy.
There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth. (Proverbs 30:12)
Let me give you the marks of a firm foundation:
1. The Reality of Jesus Christ. Who is Jesus to you? Is he just a good idea or the true Lord of your life? So Jesus is telling us that access to heaven hinges upon us really knowing Him through a deep personal relationship that, in turn, makes Him know us. It’s one thing to say, “I know Jesus,” and another to say that He knows you. The latter is crucial.
2. Submission. A firm foundation is yielded to Christ; someone on the sand looks for their life their own way. There is an innate hunger for the Word of God in the life of the believer. It is the realization that apart from the Word, we starve
But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ (Matthew 4:4)
3. Motive. A firm foundation is built on a life of worship. Church attendance arises from a hunger to worship and hear God’s word. A sandy foundation comes to church because they are pressured to or think it's for religious fulfillment.
But the hour is coming, and is now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23–24)
4. Humility. A firm foundation is built upon the righteousness of Christ within us. A foundation built on sand is built on our self-righteousness. No matter how good you think they may be, your good works are worthless apart from faith in Christ.
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
5. Forgiveness. A firm foundation practices radical forgiveness. A sandy foundation is holds grudges and refuses to forgive.
When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. (John 6:14–15)
Prayer. A firm foundation will live in a constant attitude of prayer because they know they need constant communion with God. A sandy foundation sees prayer as impractical. Jesus taught us how to pray in Chapter 6.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8:26)
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Transforming Faith. The result of faith built on a foundation of rock will be realized in the outward behavior and life expressed by the believer. The life built on the foundation of sand will continue to live unchanged by the Word of God.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing, you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
We do not boast beyond the limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, (2 Corinthians 10:15)
There was a man who impatiently waited behind a woman driving slowly. His Christianity was proclaimed by the myriad bumper stickers on his car. Well, this man was becoming increasingly incensed as the woman in front of him missed two lights, distracted as she was by her conversation on the telephone. He began raising his hands, shaking his fists, honking his horn, and turning the air blue with profanity at such a volume that you could hear it outside the car.
When he could take it no more, he accelerated around the woman’s vehicle, only to be pulled over by a police officer who had observed his antics. The officer insisted that the man get out of his vehicle and sit in the police cruiser. Stunned, the man exclaims, “What are you talking about? All I did was try to get through this traffic! You can’t pull me over for yelling at that woman!”
As the officer checked out the man’s license and registration, the officer gave the man a really good-looking over. When the officer released him, the irate man assured the officer that he would never hear the end of it – that he had been pulled over for no reason. To which the officer responded, “I’ll tell you why I pulled you over, sir. When I saw your car and the bumper stickers and how you acted, I thought you must have stolen the car.”
Where are you standing right now? You already know. One day, all that we stand upon will be exposed. Will you be found to be standing on the rock of Jesus Christ or the folly of the world’s empty promises? The question is, will you move from the eroding sands that are in your life and place yourself on the rock of Jesus Christ?
