Fake Followers and Faulty Foundations

RECAP

Let’s do a quick recap of the last few weeks:

Jesus gives us a choice -

Matthew 7:13–14 ““Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

Jesus warns us of false prophets -

those who would want to wrongly influence us and lead us astray.

Matthew 7:15–20 ““Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”

We talked about preaching last week but music is just as dangerous. There is a message in music and often times it can have a similar impact as preaching. We build doctrine off of it and we live by it.

In some ways it’s worse because you probably forget 80% of what is preached to you but you can hear one note from a song you last heard in 1992 and sing it word for word for the next week.

Well, today’s text may seem like Jesus is changing directions, but He’s not. This all points back to that choice in verses 13-14.

We talked about False Prophets…now we are going to talk about:

Fake Followers and Faulty Foundations

I am going to warn you up front. This is one of those messages where the majority of you will think to yourself, “He’s not talking about me…He’s talking about them.”

I want us all to put down our presuppositions and consider the fact…maybe he is talking about me.

Main Point: The only real faith is a faith that endures!

It stands the test of time - storms don’t wash it away, fires only refine it, trials merely test it, and tribulation only troubles it but it doesn’t faulted, it never fails…it endures to the end and will lead to the crown of life.

You ever been told that you are safe - maybe from a layoff or sports cut…you’re safe - sense of relief

What about the other side of that…you’re not safe…

Main Text

Matthew 7:21–29 ““Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ “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.” And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was…”

Breakdown the text, verses 21-28

Unsaved Christian

How do I know I am safe? I could give you some basic answers about conviction when you sin, desiring God and the things of God, fruit of the Spirit in your life, the Beattitudes...

wrong question…this isn’t just about being safe/saved

We are called to something so much more than that.

We are called into a relationship!

Max - shirt covered vs seeing a picture…the difference between knowing and knowing about. You can’t spend time with him without leaving with him all over you. People know when you’ve been around him.

you don’t get that from the picture

the narrow gate - the choice to follow faithfully with a faith that endures.

The real proof of your salvation is enduring to the end

Trials validate your faith. Do you have a faith that endures?

How well do you endure? Can you handle trials?

We’ve become soft spiritually which manifests in us being soft mentally, emotionally, and physically. So we do one of two things

1. We fake hardness which comes across as being callous or lacking empathy

2. We succumb to the softness which makes us useless in a battle.

But even this is born of relationships

-facing trials in Christ produces strength in us

-Peter in Christ pre trial denies Him during the first one

-Peter in Christ after trials - crucified upside down for he faith

John MacArthur Instagram video

SOTM starts with the expectations: Beattitudes, Law and Prophets, Spirit of the Law. Can’t do any of that in our strength. Transitions to the practical that we are to do faithfully in His strength. Ends with the outcome and a picture of what happens when we do it in our own strength vs His.

Remember, not by might nor power, but by MY SPIRIT says the Lord. As

Our problem church is that we make ALL OF IT about us.

Even the things we do for Christ, we make it about us instead of about Him and we’ll be shocked when He says I never knew you…we were too busy knowing ourselves.

I have to serve in places I like

I have to spend on what I want

What about my time

My hurts

My pains

My fears

My wants

My needs

Me

Me

Me

Jesus would say I purchased you with My blood! You belong to Me. I want to care for you but I need you to make Me first.