Two Builders: Wise or Foolish - PowerPoint Presentation

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Two Builders: Wise or Foolish

The Sermon on the Mount Series [32]

Matthew 7:24-29

©

September 18, 2016

Pastor Paul K. KimSlide3

OVERVIEW OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT:

JESUS

’ RADICAL CALL TO OBEDIENCE

THEME

of the Sermon on the Mount: “Do not be like them.” – Matt 6:8Be radically different in your CHARACTER. [5:3-12]Be radically different in your CONDUCT. [5:13-7:12]Be radically different in your CHOICES. [7:13-7:23]CONCLUSION: Put them into PRACTICE! [7:24-29]Slide4

24

 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and

does them

will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 

25 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.26 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. 27 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.” 28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.Matthew 7:24-29Slide5

TWO BUILDERS: THE SIMILARITIES

24

 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and

does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the

rock... 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house... 26 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.

27

 And the rain fell,

and

the

floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that

house

...  

(vs. 24-27)

Both builders

hear the words of Jesus’ teaching and are building the same kind of house [i.e., the Christian life]

.

Both houses

look quite secure in good weather [i.e., nothing to test of the integrity of each house]

.

Both houses

are struck indiscriminately by

floods and

storms [i.e., trials, hardships

, and ultimately

the final

judgment day of the Lord]

.Slide6

TWO BUILDERS: THE DIFFERENCES

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. . . like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

25

 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. 26 . . . like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 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.” (vs. 24-27)

Only one builder

takes time to build a strong foundation.

The wise (v.24): builds it on rock patiently.

The foolish (v.26): builds it on sand in hurry.

Only

one house

withstands floods &

storms.

The wise (v.25):

it

does not fall.

The foolish (v.27):

it

falls with a great crash.

The subtle difference

hinges not on hearing but on

OBEDIENCE

.

The wise (v.24): puts them into practice.

The foolish (v.26): does NOT put them into practice

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24

 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine

will

be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 

25 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. 26 And everyone who does not hear these words will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 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.

” (vs. 24-27)

NOTICE THE SUBTLE DIFFERENCE...

JESUS DID

NOT

SAY:Slide8

24

 “Everyone then who hears these words of

mine

and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 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. 26 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.

27

 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.” (vs. 24-27)

NOTICE THE SUBTLE DIFFERENCE...

JESUS

SAID

:Slide9

THE ROOT OF OBEDIENCE: FOUR LEVELS OF HEARING THE WORD

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So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Rom 10:17)

Level 1: Hearing the Word superficially.physical hearing

“roadside soil” (Mark 4:15)

bears no fruit/obedience

Level 2:

Hearing the Word

for knowledge only

.

mentally responsive hearing

“rocky soil” (Mark 4:16)

bears no fruit/obedienceSlide10

THE ROOT OF OBEDIENCE: FOUR LEVELS OF HEARING THE WORD

17

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Rom 10:17)

Level 3: Hearing the Word with feelings only.emotionally responsive hearing

“thorny soil” (Mark 4:18)

bears no fruit/obedience

Level 4:

Hearing the Word

with realization in heart that leads to action

.

wholeheartedly responsive hearing [i.e., surrendering the will]

“good soil” (Mark 4:20)

bears fruit/obedience —thirty, sixty or even a hundred timesSlide11

HOW CAN WE APPLY JESUS’ TEACHING ON ON TWO BUILDERS

?

We

are

to examine ourselves on SELF-DECEPTION by looking at your obedience/fruit. Evaluate whether you are building wisely or foolishly.Repent from self-rationalization, if any.23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!    Try me and know my thoughts!24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,    and lead me in the way everlasting!Psalm 139:23-24Slide12

HOW CAN WE APPLY JESUS’ TEACHING ON ON TWO BUILDERS

?

We

are

to improve our hearing of the Word by surrendering ourselves wholly to THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST. Resist the temptation of substituting hearing for doing [obedience].Get rid of obstacles in your heart when hearing the Word.28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.Matthew 7:28-29Slide13

HOW CAN WE APPLY JESUS’ TEACHING ON ON TWO BUILDERS

?

We

are

to obey what we HEAR FROM SCRIPTURE—put them into practice. Start with the lessons you’ve learned from the Sermon on the Mount.Aim for practical application in your daily Quiet Time.22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24

 For he looks at himself and goes

away

and at once forgets what he was like. 

25

 But the one who looks into

the

perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer

who

forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

James 1:22-25Slide14

Needed:

Prayerful

, Relational, Obedient Listening

So

what is the way in regard to scripture? How do we receive this text? Here's how: by listening and responding and submitting. “Let it be to me according to your word” is the way I read this text. Our reading of this text is a personal listening to a personal God. We listen to God speak our lives into being. We listen to the story that provides a narrative shape and meaning to a life of following Jesus in the conditions of the world. It is a prayerful, relational, obedient listening. But that's not the American way of reading. Too many of us read only for information, for know-how, to better ourselves, to prepare for a job, for a profession. When we need a break from that, we read for diversion, for entertainment. — Eugene PetersonSlide15

THREE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS

FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE

What one insight hit home for you from Jesus’ teaching on building your Christian life on a solid foundation? What will you do about it?

What would it mean for you to surrender yourself wholly to the Lordship of Jesus Christ?

What is your first step toward putting Jesus’ words into practice as you follow Jesus daily? Slide16