"IN THE MUD OR UNDER THE BLOOD"
MATT. 7:24-29
Mat 7:24 Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock.
Mat 7:25 And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house. And it did not fall, for it was founded on a rock.
Mat 7:26 And everyone who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them shall be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
Mat 7:27 And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the wind blew and beat on that house. And it fell, and great was its fall.
Mat 7:28 And it happened, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His doctrine.
Mat 7:29 For He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
A. The end off Matthew chapter seven is the conclusion to the greatest message that was ever preached; "The Sermon on the Mount". chapters 5-7. It is undoubtedly the most radical sermon that was ever given.
A. It had a radical view of man happiness and how to gain it. (The beatitudes)
1. A person’s spiritual is more important than his physical. 5:3
2. It will bring you more joy to comfort than be comforted. 5:4
3. It will bring you more joy to be meek than macho. 5:5
4. It will bring you more joy to hunger after righteousness than food. 5:6
5. It will bring you more joy to show mercy than obtain mercy. 5:7
6. It will bring you more joy to make peace than war. 5:
7. It’s better to rejoice over being done wrong than to take revenge.
8. It will bring you more joy to live your life for others.
9. Getting even with people will make you miserable. It is not an eye for an eye and tooth for tooth. Smite you on one cheek. . . sue you to take away you coat . . compelled to go one mile . . .
10. Love thy enemies. . bless them that curse you. . do good to them that hate you.
11. Examine you motives.
12. After this manner pray. . . .
13. Lay not treasure upon earth.
14. Judge not. . .cast the beam. .
15. About optimist (Ask, and it shall be given. . seek. . .)
16. Narrow gate vs. strait gate.
17. Wolves in sheep clothing.
18. By their fruit you shall know them. .
AND THE BIGGY:
20. About worry: . . . . . but seek ye first the Kingdom of God.
NOW THIS GREAT SERMON IS CONCLUDED BY chapter 7:24-29 AND IT HAS TO DO WITH ONE OF THE GREAT PRINCIPALS IN THE WORD OF GOD. IT ALSO DEALS WITH ONE OF THE GREATEST PROBLEMS FACING MANKIND.
Explain the Parable:
Where are you building?
EXAMPLE: In California there is an area that people goes out and builds 3 million dollar home. They put the very best of every thing in those homes. There is nothing wrong with the quality of their building. The problem is not WHAT they are building but WHERE they are building. The problem is the foundation. The rains come and the three million dollar house goes sliding down the hill.
Now you would think they would be smart and say, "Oh! I don’t believe this is a good place to build but NO, they build it all over again and it will last until the RAINS COME AGAIN.
It would seem to me that what the Savior is saying is - It is not only important how you build but WHERE you build.
Now don’t get me wrong - It is very important WHAT you are building but MORE important is WHERE you are building.
YOU ARE EITHER BUILDING IN THE MUD OR UNDER THE BLOOD.
1Co 3:9 We are God’s coworkers. You are God’s field. You are God’s building.
1Co 3:10 As a skilled and experienced builder, I used the gift that God gave me to lay the foundation for that building. However, someone else is building on it. Each person must be careful how he builds on it.
1Co 3:11 After all, no one can lay any other foundation than the one that is already laid, and that foundation is Jesus Christ.
1Co 3:12 People may build on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw.
1Co 3:13 The day will make what each one does clearly visible because fire will reveal it. That fire will determine what kind of work each person has done.
1Co 3:14 If what a person has built survives, he will receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If his work is burned up, he will suffer the loss. However, he will be saved, though it will be like going through a fire. {God’s Word Trans.}
There are 2 words that I want you to underline in the text: It is in verse 24, "heareth - doeth"
Mat 7:24 Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock.
They are found again in Verse 26. Read these verses again.
Mat 7:26 And everyone who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them shall be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
There is a mentality in the world today that once you have heard the Word of God that somehow you have done what God wants you to do. Let me make a statement. Hearing the word of God is not God’s standard for your life. The standard is not to hear the Word of God but to Obey the Word of God. Now, I didn’t say that the hearing of the Word of God is not important. "Faith coming by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." However, you have done nothing lasting when you simply hear the Word of God.
T/S TODAY I WANT US TO LOOK AT 2 THINGS: FIRST LET’S LOOK AT HOW MUCH IMPORTANCE GOD PLACE ON BEING OBEDIENT TO THE WORD.
SECOND, I WANT US TO SEE HOW TO BE OBEDIENT TO GOD’S WORD.
I. HOW IMPORTANT DOES GOD CONSIDER IT TO BE OBEDIENT TO HIS WORD?
A. James 1:22- 25 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
James says that hearing and not obeying is being deceived.
B. Moody said, "Revival is a new beginning in the life of a believer in their obedience to the Word of God."
D. Have you ever noticed how deeply the Bible teaches that Obedience is God’s standard. Even a casual reading of God’s Word will convict you of this truth.
1. Luke 6:46, "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
2. Luke 8:21 . . . . . . .My mother and my brethren are these who hear the word of God, and do it.
3. Do you sing, "Oh how I love Jesus"? Well, Jesus said in John 14:15, "If ye love, me, keep my commandments.
4. John 15:14, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatever I command you."
HEARING THE WORD OF GOD IS NOT GOD’S STANDARD FOR YOU LIFE, OBEYING THE WORD IS GOD’S STANDARD FOR YOUR LIFE.
E. Give the example of Saul in the Destruction of the Amalekites. Then I Sam.15:22,23, " And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to harken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
SAUL HAD DONE 95% OF WHAT GOD HAD SAID.
II. HOW DO YOU OBEY GOD?
Now I want you to hear this part of the message very carefully. If you don’t you will leave here feeling condemned and feeling like you are totally helpless to do what God want you to do. No way to be perfect! True! but we can be obedient.
THERE ARE THREE CHOICES YOU MUST MAKE IF YOU ARE GOING TO OBEY GOD.
1. I Choose to be obedient. It starts in the heart not in the head.
2. Choose to obey God whether anyone else does or not.
3. Choose to obey God no matter what the cost.
WHERE DO YOU GET THE POWER TO OBEY? It come from the Holy Spirit that dwells within you.
A. Should you walk down an isle and confess Jesus? Obey.
Should you make the Word of God the central part of your everyday life? Obey.
B. Should you be obedient to be baptized. Obey.
C. Should you join a New Testament church? Obey
D. Should you take the business of witnessing to those around you seriously? Obey
E. Should you pray without ceasing? Obey
