Live Wisely

Scripture

Matthew 7:24–27 ““Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 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. 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. 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.””

Intro

Following the instructions

God has ordered the world and He tells us to live fully

These words of mine

The Beatitudes

Living counter to culture

Salt and Light

Live boldly and let your light shine

Righteousness to exceed the Pharisees

The Law was not to be abolished but fulfilled

Matters of the heart; doubling down on the Law

Anger

Lust

Divorce

Lying

Retaliation

Love for your enemies

Matthew 5:48 “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Giving in secret

Praying in secret

Fasting in secret

Forgiveness

Treasure in heaven

Work for eternity

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness

No need to be anxious, God will provide

Do not cast judgement on others

Be discerning without making pronouncing a ruling

Ask, Seek, Knock; God is your provider

God gives good gifts to those who seek Him

Treat others as you would be treated

The gate is narrow and hard that leads to life

Guard yourself against false prophets

Discern their fruit, don’t be led astray

Know God

Declaring the name of God is not the same as knowing Him

Doers of the Word

God has given us the words of life

John 6:68 “Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,”

God’s not just talking to talk

God has given us the instructions we need

We may not understand it all

Protection from the storm

Storms will come

“Wait. Aren’t we saved by faith and not by works?”

Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

James helps balance this out: James 1:22–25 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

Building takes time

Rome wasn’t built in a day

Building a tent would be easier and quicker, but not better

We have a choice

How now shall we live?

Let me give you a war analogy. We know that we are in a battle, not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of wickedness. When we do not do what God has said then we put our selves outside of the battle lines and in direct line of fire from the enemy. When we do what God says, then not only are we equipped with the armor of God for battle, but we also fall in line with the army of God. We are protected by each other, but even more so, by our Commander, God, who is not at the back yelling commands, but is at the front leading the charge.