The Sermon on the Mount - 4th set of twins
The Sermon on the MOUNT
4TH SET OF Twins Mt. 7: 24-27 4/18/07 A.M.
Jesus concludes His sermon with four warnings, each featured by paired contrasts: two ways (vv. 13–14), two trees (vv. 15–20), two claims (vv. 21–23), and two builders (vv. 24–27).
The division between true and false is drawn at different points in the four scenes, so that the whole complex forms a searching basis for self-evaluation.
First (13–14), Two ways; a straightforward contrast between the saved and the lost; the two gates and the two ways lead respectively to destruction and to life.
Secondly (15–20), Two trees; a more subtle division which falls within the group of professed disciples, the test is not the prophets’ profession but their fruit, the two types of fruit they bear, good & bad
Thirdly (21–23)Two claims; is more searching; two claims of righteousness, one accepted, one rejected, those who apparently believe themselves to be genuine disciples and can appeal to their charismatic activities to prove it, but nonetheless turn out to have no real relationship with the Lord these are self-deceived. Acceptance depends on whether Jesus knew them.
Finally two builders (vv. 24–27). is a further division on the basis of behavior. Both wise and foolish are depicted as hearing these words of mine; the difference is in putting them into practice forming the two foundations on which we can build our lives, one will stand the tests, the other will fail
We have in these preceding verses the instructions of Christ. THEREFORE or THAT BEING THE CASE, these are the results of the choices we make;
Concerning the path for our life,
Our choice of leaders to follow,
And our choice of a profession of faith or obedience to the faith.
MT. 7:24-27 24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
Christ is still speaking to us today. Through His Word, through His Spirit, through His ministers
Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them
To do Christ’s sayings is;
Conscientiously to abstain from the sins that he forbids,
And to perform the duties that he requires.
Our thoughts and affections,
Our words and actions,
The temper of our minds, (our attitudes)
And the tenure of our lives, ( course or nature)
Must be conformable to the gospel of Christ;
That is the doing he requires.
Not only the laws he has enacted, But the truths he has revealed must be done by us.
We can’t claim to believe them, if we do not endeavor live up to them.
1 TIM 6:18 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
We must hear and do
Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them
I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
Every one of us has a house to build, and that house is our hope for heaven.
It should be our #1 concern,
To make our calling and election sure
There is a rock provided for us to build this house upon, and that rock is Christ.
He is laid for a foundation,
Isa. 28:16; 16 Therefore thus says the Lord God:
“Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation,
A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation;
Whoever believes will not act hastily.
And other foundation can no may lay,
1 Co. 3:11. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
By hearing and doing the sayings of Christ,
We build our hopes entirely upon Christ;
We make it our constant care to conform to all the rules of godliness,
And therein depend entirely upon Him for assistance, and acceptance with God,
PS.127:1 1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
We must ground our hopes of heaven upon the fullness of Christ’s merit,
For the pardon of sin,
The power of his Spirit to a life pleasing to God,
For sanctification, justification, redemption
And the continuation of His intercession on our behalf,
For the fulfillment of His promises of good & eternal life.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them
There are many who;
Profess that they are Christians,
Hope to go to heaven,
Think they will go to heaven,
But despise this Rock,
And build their hopes upon the sand;
Which is done without obedience to the word of God
2 Tim.3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!,…. 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8
2 TIM.2:5 5 ….. if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
We must build our hopes of heaven according to the rules set forth in the word of God
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them
will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:
Every thing besides Christ is sand.
Some build their hopes upon their worldly prosperity,
Others upon their external profession of religion,
And the performances they go through in that profession,
And the reputation they have got by it.
They may be called Christians,
May be they were baptized,
They may go to church & hear Christ’s word preached & taught,
Say their prayers,
And do nobody any harm, they may be good people
But our righteousness is nothing apart from God
PS. 16:2 2 ……My goodness is nothing apart from You.”
and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house;
That there is a storm coming that will try what our hopes are built on;
The trial is sometimes in this world;
Sickness, grief, temptations, testing, chastisements,
Tribulation and persecution because of the word,
Then it will be seen, who only heard the word, and who heard and practiced it;
With or w/o True comfort and satisfaction in trouble,
With or w/o Defense against temptations
With or w/o Help in a time of persecution.
However, when death and judgment come,
Then the storm of all storms comes,
And it will undoubtedly come,
Regardless what we may think
Then every thing else will fail us but the things & hopes of God,
And then, we will reap the ETERNAL results of the foundation we have laid
For the Day ;
It will try every man’s work
1 Co. 3:13 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
John 12:48 the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.
It will discover the foundation,
Hab. 3:13. 13 You went forth for the salvation of Your people,
For salvation with Your Anointed.
You struck the head from the house of the wicked,
By laying bare from foundation to neck. Selah
Those hopes which are built upon Christ the Rock will stand,
And He will keep the wise builder thru the storm of God’s judgment;
They will be his preservation, from eternal damnation and eternal torment
Those hopes that where foolishly built upon something other than Christ,
Will certainly fail them on a stormy day;
Will not stand in the hour of death, and in the Day of Judgment;
They are as the spider’s web, He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand,
Job 8:13 - 15. 13 So are the paths of all who forget God;
And the hope of the hypocrite shall perish,
14 Whose confidence shall be cut off,
And whose trust is 4a spider’s web.
15 He leans on his house, but it does not stand.
He holds it fast, but it does not endure.
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4 Lit. a spider’s house