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 .....
“SORRY, THIS ISN’T THE REAL THING.”
-THAT BILL MAY HAVE BEEN USED TO DO A LOT OF GOOD FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT IN THE END IT IS EXPOSED AND REJECTED BY THE BANK AS A COUNTERFEIT !
-A “COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIAN” MAY DO MANY “GOOD WORKS”, BUT WILL STILL BE EXPOSED AND REJECTED AT THE TIME OF GOD’S JUDGMENT !
SIMPLY PUT ..... WORDS ARE NO SUBSTITUTE FOR OBEDIENCE ! ! ! ! !
-HEARING ISN’T ENOUGH
-SEEING ISN’T ENOUGH
-STUDYING ISN’T ENOUGH
-ONLY HEARING & OBEYING MAKE A PERSON A “REAL CHRISTIAN”
IN LEVITICUS GOD TELLS MOSES TO ANOINT AARON AS PRIEST .....
-GOD INSTRUCTS HIM TO SACRIFICE AN ANIMAL AND TAKE IT’S BLOOD AND SPRINKLE AARON’S RIGHT EAR, THUMB AND BIG TOE
-IT’S AS IF GOD IS SAYING THAT A “BLOOD SPRINKLED EAR” ISN’T ENOUGH .....
-THE BLOOD MUST TOUCH HANDS AND FEET TOO ! ! ! ! !
-CHRIST’S SACRIFICE MUST BE MORE THAN SIMPLY “HEARD”
-IT MUST EFFECT OUR STEPS AND OUR DEEDS ! ! !
THAT THOUGHT IS REPEATED TIME AND TIME AGAIN IN SCRIPTURES .....
-PAUL
Rom 2:13
13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
-JAMES
James 1:22-25
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror
24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-- he will be blessed in what he does.
-JESUS
Luke 11:27-28
27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you."
28 He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."
AND THAT MEANS OBEYING ALL OF GOD’S WORD ! ! ! ! !
-SELECTIVE OBEDIENCE ISN’T OBEDIENCE AT ALL .....
-IT’S CONVENIENCE ! ! !
IN ORDER TO DRIVE THAT POINT HOME JESUS GIVES THE ILLUSTRATION OF 2 BUILDERS
-ONE HE CALLS WISE
THE OTHER IS CALLED FOOLISH
-THERE WAS NO OTHER OPTION ! ! !
THESE TWO BUILDERS HAD ONE THING IN COMMON .....
-THEY WERE BOTH BUILDING !
EVERY PERSON HERE TODAY IS BUILDING A LIFE THAT WILL NOT ONLY BE TESTED WITH THE “STORMS OF LIFE” BUT ULTIMATELY JUDGED BY THE “MASTER BUILDER”
-ONLY A LIFE OF OBEDIENCE WILL PREPARE YOU FOR BOTH ! ! ! ! !
THE ULTIMATE QUESTION WILL BE, “WHAT DID YOU USE FOR A FOUNDATION ?”
-THE KJV SAYS ONE BUILDER BUILT ON “THE EARTH” AND THE OTHER BUILT ON
“THE ROCK”
IN HIS PARABLE JESUS USES THE BUILDING OF A HOUSE TO ILLUSTRATE HOW DIFFERENT PEOPLE BUILD THEIR LIVES
A HOUSE IS A COMMON NEED TO US ALL .....
-IT PROVIDES : -SHELTER
-REST
-SAFETY
-A PLACE OF COMPANIONSHIP WITH OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS
BUT BEFORE A PLACE OF TRUE SHELTER, REST, SAFETY AND COMPANIONSHIP CAN BE YOURS ..... A “ROCK” MUST BE FOUND ! ! ! ! !
ONE DAY JESUS ASKED HIS DISCIPLES WHO PEOPLE WERE SAYING HE WAS .....
-THEN HE ASKED THEM WHO THEY THOUGHT HE WAS .....
-PETER SID, “YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.”
-JESUS SAID, “YOU’RE RIGHT. AND UPON THIS “ROCK” I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH.”
-CHRIST AS SAVIOR IS THE “ROCK” TO BUILD YOUR LIFE UPON ! ! !
-UNTIL THAT “ROCK” IS FOUND, ALL BUILDING IS IN VAIN ! ! !
JESUS BEGINS WITH THE “WISE BUILDER”
Luke 6:47-48
47 I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice.
48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.
JESUS USES 3 THINGS TO CHARACTERIZE A “WISE BUILDER” .....
-SOMEONE WHO COMES ..... HEARS ..... PUTS INTO PRACTICE
-COMES TO HIM AS SAVIOR
-HEARS HIM AS TEACHER
-OBEYS HIM AS MASTER
THE BUILDER WAS WISE BECAUSE .......
HE PLACED NO FAITH IN AN “EARTHLY” FOUNDATION
HE SPARED NO EFFORT IN GETTING TO “THE ROCK”
-LUKE’S ACCOUNT SAYS, “HE DUG DOWN DEEP .....”
-THAT “ROCK” YOU CAN BUILD YOUR LIFE ON IS WITHIN REACH OF ALL WHO WOULD ONLY BE WILLING TO DIG DEEP ENOUGH ! ! !
-THERE MAY BE MANY LAYERS BETWEEN YOU AND THAT “ROCK” .....
-SIN
-PRIDE
-HABITS OR LIFESTYLE
-RELATIONSHIPS
-PAST FAILURES
-FEARS
-ETC.
-IF YOU STOP AT ANY LAYER YOU’LL NEVER GET TO THE “ROCK” !
AFTER FINDING THE “ROCK” THE WISE MAN BUILT HIS HOUSE UPON IT ! ! !
-TOO MANY SEEM SATISFIED JUST TO DISCOVER JESUS AS A “ROCK OF SALVATION”
AND THEN FAIL TO BUILD UPON IT ! ! ! ! !
-THEY REST BUT THEY DON’T BUILD
-THEY BELIEVE BUT THEY DON’T ACT
-THEY HEAR BUT THEY DON’T OBEY
THIS “WISE BUILDER” WASN’T DISAPPOINTED WITH THE COST OF BUILDING HIS HOUSE ! ! !
-HIS GOAL WAS ACCOMPLISHED
-SHELTER
-A PLACE OF REST
-A PLACE OF SAFETY
-A PLACE FOR HIS FAMILY
AND BECAUSE HE BUILT ON THE “ROCK” HE WAS NEVER DISAPPOINTED .....
2 Tim 2:19
19 God’s solid foundation stands firm...
NEXT JESUS CONTRASTS THE “WISE BUILDER” WITH THE “FOOLISH BUILDER”
THE FOOLISH BUILDER WAS WISE ENOUGH TO KNOW HE WANTED AND NEEDED A PLACE OF SHELTER, REST AND SAFETY .....
-BUT HE WAS FOOLISH ENOUGH TO BELIEVE HE COULD HAVE ALL THAT WITH A FOUNDATION MADE ON “EARTH” ! ! !
-AND HE WAS FOOLISH ENOUGH TO PLACE NO FAITH IN WHAT HE COULDN’T SEE ..... THE “ROCK” HIDDEN BENEATH THE SAND
SO WHEN THE “STORMS OF LIFE” HIT .....
-EVEN THOUGH HE HOPED HIS HOUSE WOULD PROTECT HIM .....
-HIS HOPE DID HIM NO GOOD ! ! !
HE WAS “FOOLISH” BECAUSE .......
• HE KNEW THE “ROCK” WAS THERE .....
-HE JUST THOUGHT HE COULD DO AS WELL WITHOUT IT ! ! !
1 Cor 3:11
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
• HE STARTED TOO SOON .....
-HE BEGAN BUILDING WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DIGGING
THE SAD PART IS THAT HE DIDN’T FAIL DUE TO : -LAZINESS
-INDIFFERENCE
-LACK OF GOOD INTENTIONS
-LACE OF EFFORT
HE FAILED BECAUSE HE LACKED THE PROPER FOUNDATION .....
-LOVING JESUS
-SURRENDERING HIS LIFE TO JESUS
-SERVING JESUS
-OBEYING JESUS
THE POINT JESUS WAS TRYING TO MAKE IS CLEAR .......
-THERE IS NO WISER PERSON THAN THE ONE WHO HEARS AND OBEYS ! ! !
-AND THERE IS NO BIGGER FOOL THAT THE PERSON WHO HEARS WITHOUT OBEYING ! ! !
THE BIBLE HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT ITSELF .......
-IT SAYS THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL LEADS TO ETERNAL LIFE
1 Pet 1:23
23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
-IT SAYS THE BIBLE IS THE SOURCE OF .......
-PEACE
Ps 119:165
165 Great peace have they who love your law
-WISDOM
Ps 119:98
98 Your commands make me wise
-COMFORT
Ps 119:52
52 I remember your ancient laws, O LORD, and I find comfort in them.
-HOPE
Rom 15:4
4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
-JOY
Ps 19:8
8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart.
-SALVATION
1 Cor 15:2
2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
IF YOU DISREGARD THIS BOOK ......
-YOU TAKE IT, CLOSE IT, AND THROW IT AWAY .....WHAT’S PLAN “B” ? ? ?
BUT IF YOU HEAR WHAT THIS BOOK SAYS AND THEN DO WHAT IT SAYS ......
-IT WILL TEACH YOU : -HOW TO BE HAPPY
-HOW TO HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS
-HOW TO RAISE YOUR CHILDREN
-HOW TO TREAT YOUR SPOUSE
-HOW TO HANDLE YOUR MONEY
-HOW TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS
-HOW TO LIVE ! ! !
IT WILL COMFORT YOU IN SORROW
STRENGTHEN YOU WHEN YOU’RE WEAK
REBUKE YOU WHEN YOU ARE WRONG
AFFIRM YOU WHEN YOU ARE RIGHT
ENCOURAGE YOU WHEN YOU’RE WEARY
REASSURE YOU WHEN YOU DOUBT
GIVE YOU WISDOM FOR THE PRESENT AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
IT DESCRIBES THE PLACE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY
MOST IMPORTANTLY ..... THROUGH THIS BOOK I GET TO KNOW THE ONE I’LL SPEND ETERNITY WITH ! ! !
I WANT TO CONCLUDE WITH SOME PROMISES FROM GOD .......
Isa 28:16
16 So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.
Prov 10:25
25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.
John 13:17
17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
I Jn 2:17
17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
