Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / The Sermon On The Mount
Raising The Bar By Choosing Wisely 05/18/08
Message: ‘Raising the Bar by choosing wisely’ pt.2
Text: Matthew 7:13-29
Introduction:
· 2 Kinds of Gates
· 2 kinds of fruit
· 2 kinds of followers
· 2 kinds of foundations
· 2 kinds of authority
2 weeks ago, I said that the #2 is significant in Scripture…that’s especially true here at the end of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Some of the most important truths Jesus will teach about the Kingdom of God are found here.
Jesus has been comparing 2 standards for life in the Kingdom:
· One standard set by the Pharisees and the other religious leaders in Jesus’ day
· and another standard set by God Himself.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has been encouraging us to choose wisely, to choose His standard for Kingdom living….But we like sheep have all gone astray. As I said 2 weeks ago…the people of ‘the way’ have lost their way.
So Jesus ends his Sermon on the Mount by telling us to choose wisely between the 2 options…and there are only 2:
· the way of the world
· or the way of God
And they are choices that we will make many times each day.
Review
To help us follow the standard God has set, Jesus ends his Sermon on the Mount with a series of challenges to choose wisely.
I. 2 Kinds of Gates Matthew 7:13-14
2 weeks ago, we looked at the 2 gates, the 2 roads, resulting in the 2 destinations. Jesus tells us to choose wisely the gate and the road we travel on in this life…because they have very different destinations.
Transition: Once we’re on our journey, we have other choices to make…each, equally important.
II. 2 Kinds of Fruit Matthew 7:15-20
Read: Matthew 7:15-20
Jesus tells us that there will be many voices offering different solutions to life’s problems, each proclaiming to have the truth. How can we guard ourselves against someone who wants to lead us astray? Jesus says examine their fruit.
There are 2 kinds of fruit a person can produce…bad fruit and good fruit. Seems pretty straightforward doesn’t it? The problem is, those who would lead us astray are very good at disguising their bad fruit. So we must learn to see past the façade.
There are two areas in which we are to inspect the fruit of those who want to guide us on our journey.
1. We should examine how they live
· Do they display righteousness?
· Do they demonstrate humility?
· Do they exhibit faithfulness?
· Do they live to serve others?
· Does their walk match their talk?
2. We should examine what they teach
· Is it consistent with the teaching found in Scripture?
· Is it man-centered? Does it focus on us, our interests and on what we do or is the focus on God, His Glory and His will?
· Is it appealing to the ears, does it sound too good to be true, does it always make you feel good or does it often cut to the heart, make you grieve over your sin?
· Is it flavored with Scripture but often you hear ‘this isn’t in the Bible but I’ve seen it and I know it’s true.’ Or is the Bible the only and final standard on which everything is measured?
· Is it producing true disciples of Jesus Christ, are people growing in their sense of purpose and direction or are they merely being entertained by the charisma of the teacher?
This is especially important with TV and Radio preachers. There is no loss of evangelists and Bible teachers who would lead us astray. Perhaps not all of them do it intentionally, but we should choose wisely who we listen to and follow.
Because Jesus says we won’t know the false prophets and teachers by their appearance.
· They’ll look good,
· They’ll have large, successful ministries,
· They’ll inspire hope,
· They’ll care for the needy,
· They’ll use just enough Scripture to get your attention…
but beware: they are wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Read: Matthew 24:24 ‘For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect…’
Jesus’ words have certainly proven true over the centuries and even more so today with the number of modern day prophets/teachers who promote and teach an emphasis on signs and wonders rather than on the Word of God.
This is why it’s vitally important to be connected to a local church. You can’t simply watch someone on TV, or listen to them on the radio and know what’s going on in their life. More on this later.
A brief word about Good Fruit.
Read: Colossians 1:10 ‘And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.
A true prophet, a faithful guide on your journey, will be involved in doing the work of the Lord in a selfless way.
· He will not be in it for his own glory.
· He will not be in it for profit. (Rabbi at SEVROC)
· He will be a servant of God who seeks to serve others.
· He will teach sound, Bible centered doctrine.
· HE will care about you for who you are not for what you can do for him.
Transition: Jesus is telling us to choose wisely those we allow to guide us on our journey of faith. But, he also speaks to those on the journey.
III. 2 Kinds of Followers Matthew 7:21-23
Read: Matthew 7:21-23
It’s been said that these are the most frightening words in all of Scripture. ‘Not everyone who says Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven….I never knew you…away from me…’ When Jesus says these words…there is no second chance.
We’re not only to look at others to see if they are true or false prophets, we’re to look at ourselves to see if we are true or false followers…this isn’t as easy as it would seem.
Jesus is comparing 2 kinds of followers:
· those who believe they have earned heaven because of what they’ve done. (Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?)
· and those who, by faith alone, have been granted access to heaven.(only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.) God’s will is that we would place our faith in Jesus alone for salvation. See Ephesians 2:8-9.
Do you see? Listen to the different reasons given for entrance to heaven.
· They say: Didn’t we prophesy in your name? Instead of ‘Jesus spoke to me the words of life and my heart was broken. He delivered me from the fear of death.
· They say: Didn’t we perform many miracles? Instead of ‘He who healed the lame, gave sight to the blind and raised the dead has made me whole, opened my eyes to spiritual things and has given me life by his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead.
Do you see the difference? The emphasis is always on what they have done and not what God has done…even if what they did was for Jesus. That’s one of the problems I see with the signs and wonders movement, the emphasis in too much on the miracles they do and not enough on God and His Word.
Sidebar: A word about signs, wonders and miracles.
· It’s interesting that Jesus mentions this right after he talks about false prophets. Many ‘prophets’ today are teaching a signs and wonders doctrine.
· Jesus never acknowledges that these people ever really did miracles.
· Even if they did them, it shows that signs, wonders and miracles can be done by non-Christians….proving that they mean nothing in the eternal scheme of things since Jesus tells them ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers.’
Jesus tells us what’s important, He tells us the main thing, HE tells us the sign of real power in a Christian’s life: obedience, not signs, wonders and miracles, obedience. That’s the mark of a true follower of Jesus Christ. Obedience is the natural overflow of a life submitted to God. Obedience reveals who we are…and who we belong to. Obedience reveals the power of God at work in us.
We need to make a choice to live for God rather than try to do things for God. He doesn’t want us to do more…he want wants more of our lives.
Transition: This is demonstrated in verses 24-27.
IV. 2 Kinds of Foundations Matthew 7:24-27
Read: Matthew 7:24-27
These aren’t just Jesus’ words on another topic. He’s cautioning us about ignoring the words he’s just spoken in his sermon.
I’m reminded of a similar passage in the Book of James.
Read: James 1:22 ‘Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.’
In Jesus’ illustration each house looked the same from the outside.
· They had the same framing, the same # of rooms, the same layout, the same paint and fixtures.
· But they had different foundations. And as Wes and Walt know…without a solid foundation…you won’t even get a permit to build.
In Jesus’ illustration, both homes were built but when the storm came…only one house survived.
The real foundation of our life is proved in the storm’s of life. Merely hearing God’s Word isn’t enough to provide a strong foundation in life. We must do His Word…live it out…be obedient.
Read: John 16:33 ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome
the world.’
Jesus is telling us that choosing wisely will result in trouble, will lead you to some very difficult storms in your life…many of you know exactly what I am talkoing about. But, when you choose to be obedient, when you choose to act upon God’s Word,
· He will be your safe harbour in the storm,
· He will be the good shepherd who leads you to quiet pastures and still waters.
And that comes through obedience…through putting into action what you’ve heard from God’s Word.
· Kind of places a great responsibility on what you do each week after you leave here on Sunday?
· You’ve heard from God’s Word…will you put it into action in your life?
So, why do peoplefall when the storms of life come? Because they have nothing to stand on.
· They’re all house and no foundation.
· They’ve built a great life for them and the kinds, but one w/o obedience to God.
ILL: In 1938 a hurricane threatened the New England coast. People feared that the railroad bridge at White River Junction would be destroyed. The danger was averted when some thoughtful person backed a line of loaded freight cars onto the bridge. The bridge withstood the force of the winds because of the weight that it bore. (Robert C. Shannon, 1000 Windows)
The weight
of your responsibility to be obedient to God in all things may be a heavy
burden on your shoulders. But that weight may be the very thing that keeps
you from being swept away by life’s storms.
ILL:
Eleven miles off the coast
of Scotland stands the Bell Rock Lighthouse. It’s the world’s oldest
surviving sea surrounded lighthouse. It was built on an acre of solid rock
in the middle of the North Sea. Waves and storms have been crashing onto
this lighthouse for 200 years. But it still stands strong as a beacon of
light because of its solid foundation.
· That’s what I want for you.
· That’s why I have spent a year on just 3 chapters in God’s Word.
· I want your life to be like that!
· I want you to be able to stand strong for God in life’s storms!
Jesus is pleading with us to choose well so that we may weather the storm and be stronger because of it.
Transition: Jesus now makes one final comparison.
V. 2 Kinds of Authority Matthew 7:28-29
Read: Matthew 7:28-29
God doesn’t need signs, wonders or miracles to get peoples attention…all he needs is His Word. How do I know? Listen again to verses 28-29
Read: Matthew 7:28-29
Jesus’ audience couldn’t help but notice that He taught with an authority lacking in the religious leaders. Jesus spoke with an inherent authority…the authority of God’s Word.
Whenever God’s Word, Scripture, is presented as it truly is, it will amaze and astonish people… it alone will lead people to faith.
Read: Romans 10:17 ‘…faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of God.’
Conclusion Rise above spiritual mediocrity!
Well, we’ve come to the end of the series and I would like to go full circle by asking you a question I asked in the first message in this series.
‘How’s your spiritual walk with God?’
Are you struggling?
· Then put into action what you’ve heard from Jesus in this series…his foundation will help you weather the storms.
Are things going well for you?
· Then refuse to take your foot of the gas and just ‘coast’ through your spiritual journey. Because there’s a great danger in ‘coasting,’ it’s called ‘mediocrity.’ It happens when you’re in a spiritual lull, you just live as if you’re trying to get by on the minimum daily requirement of spiritual nutrition.
· It’s the ‘Just enough to get by’ attitude that signals the slide into mediocrity.
Whenever we settle for and become content with mediocrity, we’re no longer compelled to reach for the bar, the standard God has set and instead we accept less than what God wants for us and expects of us.
Hearing w/o doing is the sin of mediocrity, of living to ‘just get by’ spiritually.
· We become complacent.
· We begin to just listen to God’s Word rather than be motivated by it to action.
· We lose our passion, our hunger and thirsting for the presence and power of God in our lives.
ILL:
David Livingstone was one of the
greatest missionaries who ever lived. He moved to Africa, married his wife
Mary in Africa in 1845, and never stopped pursuing excellence for the
Kingdom of God during his lifetime.
There was a time when Dr. Livingstone was approached about the possibility of a missionary society sending some more men to help him in his efforts to reach the people of Africa. They wrote him a letter that read, “Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to know how to send other men to join you.”
Livingstone wrote back, “If you have men who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all.” (Robert Simmons)
· Passion,
· Excellence,
· Rising above mediocrity
is what the Sermon on the Mount is all about.
So, are you ready to raise the bar of spiritual expectations and actions in your life?