Sunday, December 15th, 2019 - AM - Foundations that Last (Mt. 7:24-29)

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

Sub-Sub-Title: Will the Real Captain Marvel Please Stand Up?

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Mt 7:24–29)

“Lord Jesus, you are the Lord of the universe, and we say you are the Lord of our lives. Yet we know how easy it is to say “Lord, Lord” and then go our own way and not obey you. Make us people who live what we say. Melt our stubborn hearts and humble our pride so that we submit to you as Lord in every way and obey you wholeheartedly. We pray this in the name of Jesus, who is our strong foundation. Amen.” [Stott]

Introduction:

What a way to end a Sermon!

These were the closing words of our Saviour’s most famous sermon upon the mount. Some preachers concentrate all their powers upon an effort to conclude with a fine thing called a peroration; which, being interpreted, means a blaze of rhetorical fireworks, in the glory of which the speaker subsides. They certainly have not the example of Christ in this discourse to warrant them in the practice. Here is the Saviour’s peroration, and yet it is as simple as any other part of the address. There is an evident absence of all artificial oratory. The whole of his hill-sermon was intensely earnest, and that earnestness was sustained to the end, so that the closing words are as glowing coals, or as sharp arrows of the bow. Our Lord closes not by displaying his own powers of elocution, but by simply and affectionately addressing a warning to those who, having heard his words, should remain satisfied with hearing, and should not go forth and put them into practice. As according to usual experience a preacher warms to his subject as he advances, and becomes more intense as he nears his final sentences, we are bound to give the more earnest heed to the words which are now before us, with which the Lord of all preachers concluded his memorable discourse. [C. H. Spurgeon, “The Two Builders and Their Houses,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 16 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1870), 121.]

We now come to the third illustration and application of our Lord’s teaching on the Sermon on the Mount. He has emphasized the importance of making the right decision and living the real profession. Now He turns to the basic issue of a reliable foundation in life. Not many preachers would finish a sermon in this manner. It was an abrupt, startling, and dramatic conclusion, and the hearers went away, says Dr. George Buttrick, “with the crash of doom reverberating in their ears!” Each person who heard the great utterance and the closing illustration knew at once that the analogy had a personal application. The man who found himself firm on the rocky foundation went home with a quiet assurance in his heart. The hearer who discovered he was resting on a sandy foundation was profoundly disturbed as he mentally visualized the disintegration of a house in the face of rain, wind, and flood, and heard the sound of rending timbers and crumbling walls. [Olford, EPO, v. 7]

Illustration - THE STORM TEST

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house.... Matthew 7:25, 27.

It is the storm that shows up the structure. The floods reveal the foundations. Counterfeit Christianity and fair-weather faith go down before the tempest. Paul puts it another way: "The day shall declare it... and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is" (1 Corinthians 3:13). Whether foundation or superstructure, will it stand the test of rain and flood and fire? [Havner, All the Days]

I hope to convince you to count fully the cost of discipleship, and avoid any shortcuts. Rather, build brick by brick, solidly on each other, “line upon line...precept upon precept...here a little...there a little....” Then you will one day have a work for God that can withstand the test of eternity!

Main Thought: If you would be a follower of Jesus, build your life on the Bible! Follow Christ’s Blueprints for Building your life on the Rock of Scripture and you’ll find that God’s Word will enable you to withstand the storms of life.

Jesus concluded His message with a poignant picture of the “Telios” of the disciple who puts His teachings to practice in contrast with those who do not. By doing what He taught (contextually, the Sermon on the Mount), His disciple can withstand the inevitable storms of trials and persecutions that attend discipleship. On the other hand....

Sub-intro:

At this point in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is not concerned to add further instruction, but rather to ensure a proper response to the instruction he has already given. So Jesus confronts us with himself, sets before us the radical choice between obedience and disobedience, and calls us to an unconditional commitment of mind, will and life to his teaching. He warns us of two unacceptable alternatives, first a merely verbal profession (Matthew 7:21–23) and secondly a merely intellectual knowledge (vv. 24–27). [John Stott, Dale Larsen, and Sandy Larsen, A Deeper Look at the Sermon on the Mount: Twelve Sessions for Groups and Individuals: Living out the Way of Jesus, LifeGuide in Depth Bible Studies (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Connect: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2013), 164.]

“Matthew concludes the Sermon on the Mount with a parable, the first parable of Jesus in Matthew.” [Jeannine K. Brown, Matthew, ed. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton, Teach the Text Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2015), 85.]

In this concluding section of the sermon, the third picture of contrasting responses to the kingdom presents opposite approaches to home construction (cf. Luke 6:47–49). House building as a metaphor is found elsewhere in Scripture.15 In light of Matt. 13:55 and Mark 6:3, it is plausible that Jesus had personal experience in house construction. As in the previous two pictures, the reality portrayed by the vivid language of the storm is the final judgment,16 not the “storms of life’s trials” (contra Augustine, Sermon on the Mount 2.25.87; H. Betz 1995: 566; Hendriksen 1973: 381). The picture of the two gates/ways portrays the end of life’s journey as either life or destruction (Matt. 7:13–14). The picture of the two trees/fruits portrays the bad trees (false prophets, 7:15, 22) as thrown into the fire (repudiation on the last day, 7:19, 23). Here in 7:24–27 judgment is portrayed as a storm (cf. Prov. 10:25) and resulting flood where lives/houses either withstand or succumb to the scrutiny of divine justice.

15 See Deut. 28:30; Ps. 127:1; Prov. 10:25; 12:7; 14:11; 24:3; Jer. 22:13–14; and esp. Ezek. 13:8–16, which denounces false prophets as those who build a defective wall that falls down during a storm. Sirach 22:16–18 uses building metaphors for wisdom, among them a wooden beam that will not be shaken by an earthquake. Contrast the metaphorical builders of shoddy walls in CD 4.19; 8.12, 18; 19.24, 31. See also 1 Cor. 3:10–15. 16 Cf. Gen. 6–7; Matt. 24:39; Ps. 66:10–12; Isa. 28:2, 17; 29:6; 30:27–30; Ezek. 13:10–16; 38:22; 1QH 3.14; 2 Bar. 53.7–12. [David L. Turner, Matthew, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 221.]

Context: One might outline the Illustration’s of Jesus’ message this way:

I. Jesus’ Illustration (7:13–27)

A. The two roads (7:13–14)

1. The broad highway to hell (7:13): The gate is wide, and many choose this way to destruction.

2. The narrow road to heaven (7:14): The gate is narrow, and only a few ever find it.

B. The two animals (a condemnation of false prophets) (7:1)

1. They pretend to be sheep (7:15a): They seem harmless.

2. They prove to be wolves (7:15b): They tear you apart.

C. The two kinds of disciples (7:21–23)

1. True disciples (7:21a): On judgment day, the true disciples will be separated from the false ones.

2. False disciples (7:21b–23): On judgment day, the false disciples will be condemned.

a. The wondrous deeds they will say they did (7:22) : They will say they prophesied, cast out demons, and performed miracles in his name.

b. The wicked deeds Christ will say they did (7:21b, 23): They disobeyed the Father, and God will say he never knew them.

D. The two trees (7:16–20)

1. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit (7:16, 18).

2. A bad tree cannot produce good fruit (7:17, 19–20).

E. The two builders (7:24–27)

1. The structures (7:24, 26)

a. One man built his house on solid rock (7:24) .

b. One man built his house on shifting sand (7:26) .

2. The storm (7:25, 27)

a. The house on the rock stood firm (7:25) .

b. The house on the sand fell flat (7:27) .

[H. L. Willmington, The Outline Bible (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999), Mt 7:13–27.]

In the Two Gates Jesus divided us from the immoral majority; in the Two Prophets he divided us from false prophets and false evangelicals; now in the Two Houses he divides us from what is false in those still left. He has of course been dividing us from the false in ourselves in all three Warnings. For in all three, Jesus is addressing us and asking us to separate from that in us which is falsely secular, falsely prophetic, or falsely evangelical. But in this Third Warning the knife is sharpest and its bite deepest. [Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary: The Christbook, Matthew 1–12, Revised and Expanded Edition., vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007), 359.]

The two ways illustrate the start of the life of faith; the two trees illustrate the growth and results of the life of faith here and now; and the two houses illustrate the end of this life of faith, when God shall call everything to judgment. There are false prophets at the gate that leads to the broad way, making it easy for people to enter. But at the end of the way, there is destruction. The final test is not what we think of ourselves, or what others may think. The final test is: What will God say? [Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 31.]

Body:

I. Christ’s Great Homebuilding Metaphor (Matt. 7:24-27)

“Wise Carpenters Contrasted with Morons”

A. The Wise Home-Builder (Matt. 7:24-25)

Note - See Prov. 9:1ff; 24:3

1. Hears & Does Christ’s Teachings (Matt. 7:24a)

Matthew 7:24 KJV 1900

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them,...” (Mt 7:24)

Note - “These sayings of mine...” puts Christ’s words on the level of Holy Scripture, compared with His authority in v. 29, He has equated Himself with the very deity. He is the God-Man.

Doctrine - The Bible is simply God's Word about Christ. Christian doctrine is simply systematized truth about Christ. If the sinner had to wait until he could understand one doctrine of the atonement, let alone get all the scholars together on the subject, he would die in his sins. But the simplest soul can behold one dying on a tree and find life in a look at the Crucified One. [Dennis J. Hester, comp., The Vance Havner Quotebook: Sparkling Gems from the Most Quoted Preacher in America, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1986), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 70-71.]

Note - Obedience to His word is not optional if you are to follow Him

Obedience as the necessary result of true hearing was emphasized in the OT (Deut 28:15, 31:12; Josh 1:7–8; Ezek 33:31–32), Judaism (m. ʾAbot 3:18; b. Sanh. 106b), and the NT (Matt 12:50; Rom 2:13; Jas 1:22–25; 2:14–20). Both the Hebrew and the Greek connote the message that one has not truly “heard” (ἀκούω) until one has “obeyed” (ὑπακούω). “To do” (ποιέω) occurs nine times in 7:17–26, where the emphasis is on putting Jesus’ teaching into practice via a lifestyle centered on the will of the Father. Here both verbs are present tense to stress the ongoing nature of obedience; it is lifelong What we do determines who we are! [Grant R. Osborne, Matthew, vol. 1, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010), 275.]

2. His Work Withstands the Inevitable Storms of Discipleship (Matt. 7:24b-25)

Matthew 7:25 KJV 1900

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

“Therefore ...I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” (Mt 7:24–25)

Note - phronimos -

In the Gospels it appears in didactic contexts (parables and imagery of Jesus): Matt 7:24, of one who does Jesus’ words and has “comprehended the eschatological situation of mankind” (H. Preisker, TLZ 74 [1949] 89); [Horst Robert Balz and Gerhard Schneider, Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1990–), 440.]

7:25. The Greek here is extraordinarily vivid. The picture is one of torrential rains and hurricane-like winds. Such weather would not be unusual in Palestine during the winter months (cf. Job 1:19; Isaiah 28:16, 17). The floods refer to mountain torrents that can fill up the valleys, cut new channels, and sweep everything before them. They symbolize Satan's attacks against a believer's faith. But any believer who follows the Lord Jesus in the obedience of faith will stand firm during such times of crisis. [Thoralf Gilbrant, ed., Matthew, (Springfield, IL: World Library Press, Inc., 1988), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 139.]

Note - Pluperfect - Lit., “it had been founded upon the rock” - τεθεμελίωτο

In the quadrangle of Stanford University them once stood a magnificent memorial arch, built so solidly it seemed it would stand forever. A major earthquake, however, reduced it to rabble—and close inspection showed that the builder had used chips and rubble for foundation material! By contrast, the great architect Frank Lloyd Wright was given the challenge of building the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, one of the most earth-quake-prone cities in the world. Wright’s investigation showed that a solid foundation could be “floated” on a sixty-foot layer of soft mud underlying the hotel, which would provide a shock-absorbing but solid support for the immense building. Shortly after the hotel was completed it withstood the worst earthquake in fifty-two years, while lesser buildings fell in ruins around it. Today in the Word [March 1]. Copyright © 1989 by Moody Bible Institute. All rights reserved. Used by permission. [Stephen F. Olford, Institutes of Biblical Preaching, Volume Seven (Memphis, TN: Olford Ministries International, 1988).]

B. The Moron House-Wrecker (Matt. 7:26-27)

1. Hears & Does Not Christ’s Teachings (Matt. 7:26a)

Matthew 7:26 KJV 1900

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

“And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not,...” (Mt 7:26a)

What is commendable even in the foolish builder.

(1.) He was not a neglector of religious things altogether.

(2.) He heard the sayings of the great Teacher: ver. 26.

(3.) It is clear, also, that he heard with sufficient attention to understand.

(4.) He was also greatly influenced by what he heard.

(5.) He felt the importance of making provision for the future. Of building a house to protect himself from the inclemency of the approaching season.

(6.) He actually selected a site, commenced the building, and stayed not, until it was finished.

(7.) There is nothing said disparagingly respecting the external appearance of the house. He expended sufficient time and toil in its erection.

It is obvious that the foolish builder, in plain terms, heard, understood, was interested, and was greatly influenced by the teaching of the Savior, and all these were features worthy of commendation. [Jabez Burns, Sketches of Sermons on the Parables and Miracles of Christ: The Essentials of Saving Religion, &c. (New York: Robert Carter & Brothers, 1849), 13–14.]

Is there any word in which hearing and doing are summed up? There is such a word, and that word is obedience. Jesus demands our implicit obedience. To learn to obey is the most important thing in life. Some time ago, there was a report of the case of a sailor in the Royal Navy who was very severely punished for a breach of discipline. So severe was the punishment that in certain civilian quarters it was thought to be far too severe. A newspaper asked its readers to express their opinions about the severity of the punishment.

One who answered was a man who himself had served for years in the Royal Navy. In his view, the punishment was not too severe. He held that discipline was absolutely essential, for the purpose of discipline was to condition those in service automatically and unquestioningly to obey orders, and on such obedience their lives might well depend. He cited a case from his own experience. He was in a launch which was towing a much heavier vessel in a rough sea. The vessel was attached to the launch by a wire cable. Suddenly in the midst of the wind and the spray there came a single, insistent word of command from the ofﬁcer in charge of the launch. ‘Down!’ he shouted. On the spot, the crew of the launch ﬂung themselves down. Just at that moment, the wire towing-cable snapped, and the broken parts of it whipped about like a maddened steel snake. If any man had been struck by it, he would have been instantly killed. But the whole crew automatically obeyed, and no one was injured. If anyone had stopped to argue or to ask why, he would have been a dead man. Obedience saved lives.

It is such obedience that Jesus demands. It is Jesus’ claim that obedience to him is the only sure foundation for life; and it is his promise that the life which is founded on obedience to him is safe, no matter what storms may come. [William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Third Ed., The New Daily Study Bible (Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 2001), 337–338.]

2. Witnesses the Ultimate Destruction of His Works by the Inevitable Storms of Life (Matt. 7:26b-27)

Matthew 7:27 KJV 1900

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

“And ...[he] shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” (Mt 7:26–27)

In the Syrian summer, when the soil is baked hard by the intense heat, any spot will serve equally well as the site of a house. No one can say whether his neighbor has built well or ill;—only the builder knows. But in the winter the rain falls in torrents and the valleys are filled with foaming floods, which sap all foundations that have not gripped the living rock. To believe about Christ is not enough; we must believe in him. We must come to him as a Living Stone and become living stones, 1 Pet. 2:4–8. We must not only listen to him; we must obey him. There must be living, unbroken unity and fellowship between him and us. Then we may proceed to erect the structure of godly and holy living which shall grow into a holy temple in the Lord, 1 Cor. 3:10–15. May we receive, with meekness, the engrafting of the Word, which is able to save the soul! [F. B. Meyer, Through the Bible Day by Day: A Devotional Commentary, vol. 5 (Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1914–1918), 25.]

As Stephen Olford once said, these “Counterfeit Christians” who build on a “Sandy Foundation” have a “Deceptive Appearance...a Defective Obedience…and a Destructive Experience” in the end.

Note - sand in greek rhymes with mammon

Note - Future = Last (Eschatological) Judgment - ὁμοιωθήσεται

Application: Life has many storms: 1.The Beating Rains of Trouble; 2.The Flowing Waters of Sin; 3.The Chilling Winds of Fear [Mayshack, 175 Sermon Outlines]

To Build on a Firm Foundation, the Late Dr. Adrian Rogers said, “You must HAVE the Word of God...You must HEAR the Word of God...and You must HEED the Word of God.”

II. Christ’s Marvelous Didactic Authority (Matt. 7:28-29)

“Truth Contrasted with Tradition”

A. The Marveling Crowds (Matt. 7:28)

Matthew 7:28 KJV 1900

And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

“And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:” (Mt 7:28)

1. Christ Completed His Message (Matt. 7:28a)

Note - Explain “Telios”

'I came away on Tuesday,' writes Cobden in 1857, 'after listening for two hours and a half to Disraeli. I wish there could be some Bessemer's power invented for shortening the time of speaking in the House. My belief, after a long experience, is that a man may say all he ought to utter at one "standing" in an hour, excepting a budget speech or a government explanation, when documents are read. The Sermon on the Mount may be read in twenty minutes; the Lord's Prayer takes one minute to repeat; Franklin and Washington never spoke more than ten minutes at a time.' [References.—...F. E. Ramsdell, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lx. 1901, p. 139. [Sir W. Robertson Nicoll and Jane T. Stoddart, ed., The Expositor's Dictionary of Texts, Volume 1, Part 2: Ecclesiastes through Mark, (New York: George H. Doran, 1910), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 833.]]

2. The Crowd Marveled at His Teaching (Matt. 7:28b)

A very picturesque term describes the reaction of the people: exeplēssonto, "to be beside oneself, to be frightened to death" or "struck dumb with amazement" (BAGD, "ekplēssō"). In other words, the crowds were almost knocked out of their senses with amazement and wonder at the teachings of Jesus. [Thoralf Gilbrant, ed., Matthew, (Springfield, IL: World Library Press, Inc., 1988), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 141.]

Note - “Impf. ind. pass. (G1742) to amaze, to astound; pass. to be amazed, to be astounded, to be beside oneself. Impf. indicates continued amazement, as though the people returned to their homes still pondering what it all meant (DA).” [GNT Key]

Three Classes:

The astonished—“When Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine.” Matt. 7:28.

The critical—“And he taught them in their synagogue, … and they said, Whence hath this man this wisdom?… Is not this the carpenter’s son?” Matt. 13:54, 55.

The trembling—“As he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled.” Acts 24:25.

When Lot was safe out of Sodom, judgment came.

When Noah was safe in the ark, judgment came.

When the church is gathered home, judgment will come.

[D. L. Moody, Notes from My Bible: From Genesis to Revelation (Chicago; New York; Toronto: Fleming H. Revell, 1895), 208–209.]

B. The Explanation of Their Complete Astonishment (Matt. 7:29)

Matthew 7:29 KJV 1900

For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

“For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Mt 7:29)

1. They Encountered Christ’s Bold Authority (Matt. 7:29a)

Note - Impf. Periphrastic Ptc. - διδάσκων

AUTHORITY - People today accept the concept of individual autonomy. Truth has been relegated to “whatever is true for you is true.” Because the possibility of absolute truth has been widely rejected, people now depend on “personal truth.” But we can’t make up for the loss of absolute truth by creating our own truth. We are simply wrong too often. Jesus concluded his sermon with a challenge about foundations. Those who heard him were impressed by his authority. But amazement doesn’t equal acceptance or submission. People who agree in theory that a house should be built on a solid foundation may still go out and construct their lives on a swamp. Part of sharing the gospel with someone involves helping them really look at the foundation of their lives. We must also be able to demonstrate our own foundation. People need to hear and see that we have made Jesus’ teaching the basis of our lives. [Bruce B. Barton, Matthew, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1996), 144.]

2. In Stark Contrast with the Lack Thereof from the Scribes (Matt. 7:29b)

Note - Remind of the background concerning “Scribes” and “Pharisees”

Illustrations - “Do you believe that these things will really work?”

Hawaii Chair - In his 1931 classic Epic of America, James Truslow Adams defines the American dream as the ability of both men and women to reach their fullest potential. The American fitness dream follows the same idea, but with a slight addendum: minimal time and effort. That's where the Hawaii Chair makes its retail mark, because, honestly, who has time to go to the gym? With the Hawaii Chair, you can "take the work out of your workout," keeping fit while you sit at your desk. How? A 2,800-r.p.m. motor positioned beneath the seat simulates the hula motion at multiple speeds to tone muscle. It claims to be ideal when handling all work-related tasks, from answering phone calls to filing papers. But as Ellen DeGeneres discovered, pouring a glass of water proves to be a stretch.

Ginsu Knife - In 1978, Americans became fascinated with the idea that a single knife could slice through food as strong as a wooden two-by-four. Who was eating said food, we're not sure. But that's where the Ginsu knife, a cutting contraption that "will last forever," came in. Ginsu Products Inc. put together an inflation-friendly package — the Ginsu knife, matching carving fork, personal six-in-one kitchen tool, six steak knives and a precision spiral slicer — all for a low Carter-era price of $9.95 plus shipping. Then the company went even further with a 50-year warranty from the sale date. Unsatisfied customers can still send back their Ginsu for a replacement or refund to "Ginsu Products, Inc.: 59 West Shore Rd., Warwick, RI 02889." But don't expect much in return. Egomania Salonspa Inc. has since taken over that office space. By the sound of that company name, their products have no chance at cutting through a tin can.

Mighty Putty - More than 50 years after Silly Putty made its way into the toy aisle, the late infomercial maven Billy Mays introduced a product that was far from child's play. Mighty Putty starts off as a construction worker's version of Pillsbury dough. Cut it to size, knead it, and watch it change color from a dormant green to an activated white. Mighty Putty looks harmless, until you apply it to the edge of a coffee mug or any other everyday epoxy project. Within seconds, you have a handle where there previously was no handle. Mays also places the putty on a hitch that pulls an 80,000-lb. tractor. With that type of strength, and the ability to "seal leaks instantly," what was BP waiting for? With Mighty Putty, Tony Hayward could have had his life back much sooner. [Time Magazine’s 25 Worst Infomercials]

Conclusion:

The picture is clear. All the work that the scribes and pharisees had done would come to naught, and many would be destroyed by their false teaching. A disciple of Christ has a great responsibility to walk humbly in the truth and light, and live openly in God’s true righteousness before a wicked and hateful world. By this shall all men know...

If you would be a follower of Jesus, build your life on the Bible! Follow Christ’s Blueprints for Building your life on the Rock of Scripture and you’ll find that God’s Word will enable you to withstand the storms of life.

Is your life built upon the sandy foundation or are you building upon the Rock, Christ Jesus? If there is any doubt in your mind, may God give you profound restlessness until you settle the issue. Oh, that your testimony might be the words of that great hymn of faith, written in 1834, as Edward Mote thought about the “gracious experience of a Christian”:

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand. [Olford]

Addend:

Theology in Application

In the average church we might delineate six groups (half unbelievers and half “believers”): (1) those who want little to do with Christianity but are there due to parental pressure and the like; (2) those who are neutral and somewhat open but have different priorities; (3) seekers who are interested and searching but not yet ready to convert; (4) quasi-Christians who attend regularly and seem to be believers but have not entered into an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ and have not yet become active in the church; (5) young Christians who are open and starting to grow; and (6) mature Christians who earnestly seek to follow the Lord. This section is addressed to the latter three, especially groups four and five. Jesus concludes his Sermon on the Mount the way he began it, with both promise and challenge. To him there are not really six categories but only two—the path of obedience and the path of disobedience Only the former has any hope for eternity.

1. The Path You Take Determines Your Destiny

The middle two categories above (the seeker and the quasi-Christian) have the mistaken idea that it is all right to be neutral, to want to get to heaven but yet hold on to the things of this world. Jesus makes it clear that such will not in the end suffice. As Senior points out,25 there are two themes in this conclusion: there are only two kinds of people, and they will have to face judgment before God. The so-called “neutral” followers are not followers at all. Without taking the narrow path through the narrow gate there is nothing to look forward to except destruction. There is no real “life” now, but especially no eternal life to come. Yes, the narrow path is one of sacrifice and suffering, but the end result will be more than worth it. Those who choose the easy way reject the life of discipleship Jesus demands.

2. Maintaining the Purity of the Church

False prophets/teachers are a great danger to God’s people, and that is precisely because they present themselves as genuine sheep, yet are actually ravening wolves whose purpose is to destroy the church. A perusal of the rest of the NT makes this clear: John normally emphasizes the unity of the church (John 10:16; 17:11, 20–26) but in 10:1–13 Jesus warns of the false shepherds/hired hands who will steal the flock and abandon them when the wolf/Satan comes. Paul in Acts 20:29–30 warns the Ephesian church of “savage wolves” who “will not spare the flock,” and he does so again in Eph 4:14. The problem of false teachers dominates Colossians, Phil 3:1–4:1, the Pastorals, 2 Peter/Jude, 1 John and Revelation (especially the churches of Ephesus, Pergamum, and Thyatira).

We must at all times be on the watch for deviations from orthodoxy. Yet we must do so carefully, separating the cardinal doctrines (e.g., the Trinity, deity of Christ, substitutionary atonement, the return of Christ) from those on which we should agree to disagree and maintain a larger unity (e.g., spiritual gifts, the millennium or rapture, mode of baptism, the Calvinism/Arminianism debate, gender roles). Too often we are fighting the wrong battles while true heretics steal our sheep.

3. The Insufficiency of Church Activity without Obedience

Jesus uses the example of charismatic activity stemming from false prophets and their followers. They have duplicated the powerful ministry of Jesus and his disciples—prophecy, exorcism, and miraculous acts of power—but their lives show that they have never put into practice what Jesus demands of true followers, namely, the lifestyle demanded in this Sermon. So when they stand before the eschatological Judge at the great white throne (Rev 20:11–15), they will discover that their stance before God has been nothing but pretense. Jesus by no means is opposed to such acts of power, for he frequently performed such works himself. But such deeds must flow out of a life characterized by a superior righteousness (5:20), and without that such deeds are worthless.

This applies closely to many quasi-Christians. They attend faithfully and have some involvement in the church, but they have never actually given themselves over to Jesus, and their lives/fruits show this. In the final analysis, they are “rotten” trees that produce no true fruit. Quasi-Christians have only two possibilities: some will be saved “only as one escaping through the flames” (1 Cor 3:15); that is, they will get to heaven but have virtually no rewards to show for what they have done with their lives in the church.26 But all too many will face a Matt 7:23 destiny: “I never knew you. Depart from me, workers of evil.” This is too high a price to pay; shallow so-called “Christians” are playing games with their eternal destiny and must be warned. I believe a major purpose of every pastor must be to wake up the slumbering “Christians” (Rev 3:2–3; 16:15) and get them on the path of following the will of the Father (cf. Rom 12:2; 1 Pet 4:2)!

4. Building Lives on the Solid Rock of Obedience to Christ

Jesus alone provides the teaching that leads to eternal life. So the one who listens must choose between the temporary satisfaction of worldly ways and the final reality of Christ. Everything built on this temporary world is doomed, both now (new cars last but a few years; the palaces of previous centuries lie in ruins) and especially in eternity. So we dare not be unprepared like the five bridesmaids (25:1–13) or hide the talents God has given us (25:14–30). Rather, we must be disciples who act and follow the ethical guidelines of our Master.

The emphasis is on obedience, not just adherence to Christ. As 5:19 says, “whoever keeps and teaches them [Jesus’ commandments] will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” We must put feet to our claims and live our beliefs, remembering that those “who endure to the end will be saved” (10:22; 24:13).

5. Jesus’ Incredible Authority

The Sermon has presented the laws of the kingdom and demanded a superior righteousness (5:20) for the citizens of the new covenant community. The conclusion (vv. 28–29) cements that with the realization of Jesus’ incredible authority on the part of the crowds. The Sermon is powerful both in content and form, and the foundation behind it is neither rabbinic tradition nor even the Torah itself. The authority comes from within, from the messianic authority of his Person. In Jesus, God has spoken in an entirely new way. The crowds could be linked with the “seekers” above, for they are interested in Jesus and his authority; yet they fail to respond as he demands. They form the audience and correspond to many readers of Matthew’s gospel. They are being called to repentance and to participation in the gospel message.

25 Senior, Matthew, 109.

26 See 1 Cor 3:10–15, which is a strongly debated passage, and it is important to be as clear as possible. (1) The concern is the “building” of the church; not the general works of the believer. (2) The passage is dominated by indefinite pronouns such as “someone,” “each one,” “anyone” and shifts the focus from Paul and Apollos to the leaders of the Corinthian church who were building out of their so-called “wisdom” a church made of perishable material (wood, etc. = worldly wisdom) rather than imperishable material (gold = the cross of Christ). So the “fire” of the final judgment that “tests [and reveals] the quality of each person’s work” (v. 13) will demonstrate whether one’s work in the church survives into eternity (= “reward”) or is “burnt up” (= “loss”). Paul does not define what the “reward” is; in fact, Scripture as a whole fails to do so. But it is clear that it refers to what we take into eternity as opposed to what is only a temporary, earthly benefit. This is frequently called “saved by the skin of one’s teeth,” Anthony C. Thiselton, The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NIGTC; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000), 315 (cf. 307–15); cf. also Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987), 136–45.

[Grant R. Osborne, Matthew, vol. 1, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010), 277–279.]

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