the mount. - wise & foolish builder

INTRO

Architecture School

Learned how to build a house (Draw it on the whiteboard)

Footing

Foundation Wall

Floor

Walls

Roof

Ask: what’s the most important part of the house?

Sometimes people think it’s the foundation

The most important factor in building something is what you build it on.

This is exactly what Jesus is trying to tell us in his final words of this famous sermon, called the sermon on the mount.

Head

In Matthew 7:24–27 he says

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. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 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. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

We’ve spent the last two months walking through this sermon that Jesus spoke to what we can assume is hundreds or even thousands of people who were considered his disciples. Meaning they intentionally chose to literally follow him around and learn from him. And for whatever reason, in this specific moment Jesus decided to pause, sit down, and teach them about the arrival of God’s Kingdom and how they can experience Heaven on Earth.

He started by talking about the blessed life and how what they initially would have thought of in regards to a blessed life wasn’t at all what the blessed life looks like in God’s Kingdom. He said…

Blessed are the poor in spirit

Blessed are those who mourn

Blessed are the meek

Blessed are the merciful

Blessed are the peacemakers

Blessed are the pure in heart and the ones who hunger for righteousness

And then goes on to explain what this means and what it actually looks like to live out this upside down kingdom that God has created.

He taught them that they have a role in God’s covenant to renew the world by being a light in the darkness

He clarified that God’s “laws” are less about a list of rules, and more about a posture of our heart

He challenged them to reconsider how they respond when they’re wronged because getting even is far less important than displaying the character of Jesus

He pointed out that futility of earthly “treasure” and encourages them to focus on building God’s kingdom rather than their own

He calls them out on their hypocritical judgement of the people around them

He warns them of the danger that comes from a leader whose fruit doesn’t match their claims, and the consequences that are coming for a disciple whose fruit doesn’t match their claims.

And this is just a fraction of what he teaches and then the wraps up then whole thing with one statement

You have a choice to make

Are you going to take all that you’ve heard and begin to practice it? Or is this just going to be another message you’ve heard, another series you’ve sat through, another Sunday, another student gathering, another opportunity to follow Jesus, that you let by?

In James 1:19-25

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

The “Christian” life that we so often live where we simply come to church and hear some stuff and maybe feel good, or feel like we learned something, and go on about our life the way want is foreign to Jesus.

I can not call him Savior without calling him Lord and I can’t call him Lord without surrendering my life to the way he’s called me to live.

Heart

Professor Story

During my architecture schooling, my professor told us a story about how when he’s was working for a firm, he got a job to design a Bennigans. he got the whole building designed and when they went to start the build, they had a hiccup. Someone along the way either failed to test the soil or failed to do it in the right location on the property. When they began the excavation for the build, they realized they soil was too soft and was unbuildable. They sat down with the engineers, the smarter ones, and came up with two solutions. Sell the land and find a new location to build the restaurant, or dig deeper to find soil strong enough to build their foundation on. They had to dig so far down, that they ended up driving telephone poles into the ground until they hit the bedrock so they could build on it

Many of us never dig deep enough to find the one thing that’s strong enough to build our lives on.

We try building our lives on surface level things like:

Video Games

Skill and ability

Education and intellect

Popularity

(MS) Some of y’all are building your life on your Fortnite level

(HS) Some of y’all are building your life on what you believe is the ideal life after high school and college. Everything you do revolves around making sure you get to the right college, so that you get the dream job, so you can live the “perfect” life

Some of y’all are building your life on your boo. You’re either in a relationship, coming out of a relationship or starting a relationship. Your life is built on being in a relationship and when you’re not, the walls of your life feel like they’re crumbling.

Some of you have built your life on the approval of others. And any time someone is upset with you or you find out that someone isn’t your biggest fan, the walls of your life begin to feel like they’re crumbling. The very thought of letting someone down, upsetting someone, or someone not liking you, doesn’t just hurt your feeling, it crushes your spirit

This is part of the conversation of pre-marriage counseling, that what you build your marriage on matters, but eventually love will fail, emotions will fail, looks will fail, being best friends will fail, liking each other will. In every one of those situation your partner can do something to destroy that foundation. But if you build your marriage on God, it’s the one thing that can withstand all of the challenges you’ll face, and the same is true about our life.

Every other thing we try to build our lives on will fail us eventually. But God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His word is just as true today as the day it was written. His character doesn’t change. He’s omnipotent, omnipresent, & omniscient. He’s all knowing, all-powerful, and outside of time.

The most important factor in building something is what you build it on. What are you building your life on?

For some of you, you’ve already experienced the rain fall, and the wave and winds beating against the house

DO

Jesus doesn’t say do it perfectly, he says, whoever hears, and practices these things.

Jesus expects our practice not our perfection

Middle School Discussion Questions

Before the Message (Icebreakers / Set Up)

If you could build your dream house, what is one thing it has to have?

What's something you've worked really hard to build or create (LEGO set, Minecraft world, art project, etc.)? What made it successful?

Read Matthew 7:24-27

Jesus compares our lives to a house. What do you think He might be trying to teach by using that example?

After the Message

In Jesus' story, what was the biggest difference between the two builders?

The storms came to both houses. What does that teach us about following Jesus?

James says we shouldn't just listen to God's Word—we should do what it says. Why do you think that's sometimes hard?

What's one thing from the Sermon on the Mount (or today's message) that you could actually practice this week?

What are some things middle school students can accidentally build their lives on instead of God? (Popularity? Sports? Video games? Friends? Being funny? Grades?)

If someone watched your life this week, what would they say you're building your life on?

High School Discussion Questions

Jesus says the difference between the wise and foolish builders wasn't what they heard—it was what they did. Why do you think it's possible to know a lot about Jesus without actually following Him?

The storms hit both houses. What does that tell us about hardship, suffering, and following Jesus? How does this challenge the idea that following Jesus makes life easier?

The message suggested that we often build our identity on things like relationships, achievement, approval, sports, academics, or our future. Which of those is most tempting for people your age, and why?

Think about the "foundation" of your own life. What do you naturally turn to when life gets difficult? What does that reveal about what you're really trusting?

James warns that hearing God's Word without obeying it is self-deception. Why do you think it's so easy to confuse Bible knowledge, church attendance, or Christian culture with actual discipleship?

Looking back over the Sermon on the Mount, what teaching from Jesus has been the most challenging for you? Why do you think that one stands out?

The message said, "I can't call Him Savior without calling Him Lord." What does it practically look like for Jesus to be Lord—not just Savior—in the everyday decisions of a high school student?

Is there an area of your life where you know what Jesus is asking of you, but you've been hesitant to obey? What's making obedience difficult?

If you intentionally built your life on Jesus this school year, what would actually change in your priorities, habits, relationships, or schedule?

Close by sharing one specific step you want to take this week to move from simply hearing Jesus' words to putting them into practice.