Trusting God's Way

Trusting God’s Word: that when he says to live a certain, it’s the better way

Matthew 7:24–27 ““Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.””

“My words” – referring to the words that he had just given.. what we know as the Sermon on the Mount. Open a fortune cookie and you might see the Golden Rule part of the SoM: Treat others as you would want to be treated.

These words that Jesus is referring to are the monologue that he gave that paints a totally radical way for people who follow after him to live.

V19 – Don’t lay up for yourself treasure here on the earth. Find out about those things that we could do on earth that God will reward us for in heaven.

V25 – Don’t be anxious about what you eat, or wear, God-cares for us. But seek first the Kingdom of God. Don’t worry about tomorrow, God’s got that.

Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you. Slap you on the check let them slap the other one.

If you have lust sexually for someone, you’ve already committed the sin in your heart.

If you have hate in your heart = murder in God’s eyes.

These things are the words that Jesus is referring to. And when we don’t put them into practice, when we know what we are supposed to do, but do not do them, Jesus says that it’s like building our lives on the sand: on a shaking foundation that we think is solid, and will hold our emotions up and everything, but it’s not.

For example, God doesn’t want us to have lust or hate in our hearts. Where does the lead us? To death and destruction. And unhappiness and even JAIL, and addiction.

There’s no life where sin is.

Proverbs 14:12 - There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

Jesus is wanting us to not only listen to his words, but to put them into practice and this “obedience” brings about a blessing: a better way to live life. Not maybe in the world’s eyes, but in God’s.

So where in our lives do we feel like things aren’t holding up? I’m falling into sin a lot, or I’m consistently not happy, or there’s addiction.

What in our lives do we not see the life of God in? Fruits of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience; purity; righteousness.

NUMB to the PRESENCE OF GOD!

Let’s repent. Confess your sin, He is faithful and just and will forgive us and purify us. Remember the blood of Jesus that washes our sin and the body broken for our wholeness.

Read the headings of Matthew 5–7 : is there anything here that we feel like we could work on?

Pray, ask God to help you obey.