The Wise And Foolish Man Series

The Great Commission

Part 21 – Sermon on the Mount – Mere Professing

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith – www.PS127.org

WELCOME

INTRODUCTION TO SERMON

† Beatitudes - We are the Salt, staying pure with God’s Holy Word

† We are the Light, showing that Word to the World

† Hate is same as murder - Lust the same as adultery

† Divorce, Oaths - The Law of Love, Giving

† How to Pray - Fasting

† Treasures in Heaven

† Worry & Anxiety - Judge Not

† Receiving from God

† Narrow & Broad Way

† False Prophets - Mere Professing

INTRODUCTION

Matthew 7:24 – 29 Wise and Foolish Man

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.

Last week – Mere Professing.

• Is there a commitment with you to God?

• Or do you just believe in God?

“All who believe in Christ Jesus are saved” should have been translated, “All who are committed to Christ Jesus are saved.”

Even the devils “believe” and tremble.

Where is your commitment?

Who or what have you made Lord of your life?

Jesus after speaking to us in the sermon last week, saying that mere professing did not mean relationship, tells us in the last days MANY will cry “Lord, Lord”.

And Jesus will have to reply to them, “Away with you, for I do not know you.”

We have discussed the difference between knowing “of” someone, and actually having a relationship with someone.

There are those who battle with knowing the difference in society today.

Many stalkers have formulated in their own thinking that they actually have a relationship with the ones they are stalking.

Like so, many today think they have a relationship with the one they are professing.

Jesus tells us to know the difference.

Do you merely believe in Jesus, or are you committed to Jesus Christ?

We closed last week with “Depart from me, you who do evil.”

We begin this week with Jesus saying to us, “THEREFORE”,

1. EVERYONE WHO HEARS THESE WORDS OF MINE

a. Commitment to Christ is our Salvation

i. Jesus wants relationship NOT religion.

ii. Jesus wants to be the Lord of your life.

iii. Unless we belong to the Kingdom, we cannot lay claim to the benefits and blessings and promises, etc…

iv. But when we make the decision in our hearts to surrender our lives to Him, we become citizens of the Kingdom of God. And Jesus becomes Lord, and our perfect Father.

b. Salvation is a FREE gift which comes by FAITH

i. Salvation is FREE, to believe costs little, but to be committed costs everything.

ii. Because of God’s Grace, our Faith in the Lord is what saves us. Not words, nor deeds. We cannot speak ourselves into heaven, nor can we buy or work our way there.

iii. Our Faith in Him alone.

c. FAITH comes by hearing the Word of God

i. Romans 10:17 “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”

ii. Luke 7:50 “Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you;”

iii. Ephesians 2:8 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—“

iv. 1 Peter 1:8-9 “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

d. We are given a measure of Faith – a seed

i. Romans 12:3 “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”

2. BUT ONE MUST DO MORE THAN JUST HEAR

a. Those who hear AND (lit. DO THEM)

b. NO OTHER FOUNDATION

i. Galatians 1:6-10 “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”