The Bridge Church
Upside Down Kingdom - The Wise and Foolish Builders
November 17, 2024
Locations & Times
Englewood SKY Academy
871 S River Rd, Englewood, FL 34223, USA
Sunday 8:00 AM
Sunday 9:15 AM
Sunday 10:45 AM
What foundation are you building your life upon?
1. Foolish Builder: A person that hears but doesn't obey God's Word
2. Wise Builder: A person that hears and obeys God's Word
Bible + Application = Transformation
"Jesus did not preach in order to be admired for his homiletical skills. He preached to produce obedience." - Sinclair Ferguson
3. Everyone who builds their life on Jesus can withstand any storm
What foundation are you building your life upon?
MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS:
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
https://thebridgevenice.churchcenter.com/people/forms/500390
I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
https://thebridgevenice.churchcenter.com/people/forms/500390
I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
Dig Deeper:
1. Have you ever built a house or seen a house being built? How does it begin?
2. What other things in life have to be built? Do those also have to begin the same way?
3. Read Matthew 7:24. What does Jesus mean when He says, “these words of mine”? What is He referring to?
4. Read Matthew 7:25. Provide non-literal examples of when rain falls, rivers rise, and winds blow in life.
5. Read Matthew 7:26. What is a fool? Is the person foolish because they don’t hear or because they don’t act? Why is that important?
6. Provide examples of what you might hear from God’s Word. Why might someone only hear and not act?
7. How does our culture collectively live on a weak foundation of shifting sand? How is it both temporary and shaky?
8. Read Matthew 7:27. How does this house collapse? Why is that included?
9. How does the shifting sand of this world create an insecure life?
10. Reread Matthew 7:24. What is wisdom? Why is it wise to build your life on the truth of God’s Word?
11. Who took more time building their house – the foolish builder or the wise builder? Why?
12. Discuss how the Bible + application = transformation. Describe a time when you’ve seen that in your own walk with Jesus.
13. How is application different than just listening, or even agreement?
14. Read James 1:22. What does it mean to be a “doer of the word”? What does it not mean?
15. Read James 1:23-25. What does it mean to look “intently”?
16. Look back through the Sermon on the Mount. What instruction does Jesus give to us? Would you describe what He tells us to do as easy or challenging? Why? How, then, is it ever possible to apply the Word of God to our lives?
17. Read Matthew 5:45. Are storms of life inevitable? How do the storms of life reveal our foundation to ourselves? How do the storms of life reveal our foundation to others?
18. Read 1 Samuel 2:2. Describe a time when a storm in your life helped you grow your foundation in Jesus Christ.
19. Read Matthew 7:28-29. What does "astonished" mean? Do you think all of those in that original audience, those that “heard the Word,” from Jesus in the flesh, went on to be doers of the Word?
20. What is one take away from this sermon that you can intentionally live out this week? Share with others what that is and when you plan to do it!
21. What has been your favorite part of this sermon series? What do you plan to take away from it?
Live It Out:
What really matters is what you cannot see. What foundation are you building your life upon? Is your life built on the truth of God’s Word or the shifting sands of a lost world? If you are a follower of Christ, are you reading and applying God’s Word? This week, read back through the Sermon on the Mount. Choose at least one area where you see a need to apply the Word of God to your life. Go to the Father in prayer and say: Jesus, I know that Your Word, plus application, equals transformation. I come to You, asking You to continually change me from the inside out so that I can apply Your Word to my life.
If you are seeking truth today, read the Bible. Most skeptical people don’t read the Bibles for themselves. Read it and be open. Go to the Father in prayer and say: God, if you are real, please speak to me through Your Word. Reveal yourself to me.
If you have been building on the sand, Jesus is ready to start the rebuild. The Bible says, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” You know God is real and His Word is true, but if today you realize that Jesus needs to be your Lord, Your Savior, you need to turn to Him and accept all that He is and follow Him. Go to the Father in prayer and say: “Lord Jesus, save me. I can’t save myself. I believe that you lived, died, and rose again. I repent of my sin, and I believe in You. I give You my life.”
1. Have you ever built a house or seen a house being built? How does it begin?
2. What other things in life have to be built? Do those also have to begin the same way?
3. Read Matthew 7:24. What does Jesus mean when He says, “these words of mine”? What is He referring to?
4. Read Matthew 7:25. Provide non-literal examples of when rain falls, rivers rise, and winds blow in life.
5. Read Matthew 7:26. What is a fool? Is the person foolish because they don’t hear or because they don’t act? Why is that important?
6. Provide examples of what you might hear from God’s Word. Why might someone only hear and not act?
7. How does our culture collectively live on a weak foundation of shifting sand? How is it both temporary and shaky?
8. Read Matthew 7:27. How does this house collapse? Why is that included?
9. How does the shifting sand of this world create an insecure life?
10. Reread Matthew 7:24. What is wisdom? Why is it wise to build your life on the truth of God’s Word?
11. Who took more time building their house – the foolish builder or the wise builder? Why?
12. Discuss how the Bible + application = transformation. Describe a time when you’ve seen that in your own walk with Jesus.
13. How is application different than just listening, or even agreement?
14. Read James 1:22. What does it mean to be a “doer of the word”? What does it not mean?
15. Read James 1:23-25. What does it mean to look “intently”?
16. Look back through the Sermon on the Mount. What instruction does Jesus give to us? Would you describe what He tells us to do as easy or challenging? Why? How, then, is it ever possible to apply the Word of God to our lives?
17. Read Matthew 5:45. Are storms of life inevitable? How do the storms of life reveal our foundation to ourselves? How do the storms of life reveal our foundation to others?
18. Read 1 Samuel 2:2. Describe a time when a storm in your life helped you grow your foundation in Jesus Christ.
19. Read Matthew 7:28-29. What does "astonished" mean? Do you think all of those in that original audience, those that “heard the Word,” from Jesus in the flesh, went on to be doers of the Word?
20. What is one take away from this sermon that you can intentionally live out this week? Share with others what that is and when you plan to do it!
21. What has been your favorite part of this sermon series? What do you plan to take away from it?
Live It Out:
What really matters is what you cannot see. What foundation are you building your life upon? Is your life built on the truth of God’s Word or the shifting sands of a lost world? If you are a follower of Christ, are you reading and applying God’s Word? This week, read back through the Sermon on the Mount. Choose at least one area where you see a need to apply the Word of God to your life. Go to the Father in prayer and say: Jesus, I know that Your Word, plus application, equals transformation. I come to You, asking You to continually change me from the inside out so that I can apply Your Word to my life.
If you are seeking truth today, read the Bible. Most skeptical people don’t read the Bibles for themselves. Read it and be open. Go to the Father in prayer and say: God, if you are real, please speak to me through Your Word. Reveal yourself to me.
If you have been building on the sand, Jesus is ready to start the rebuild. The Bible says, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” You know God is real and His Word is true, but if today you realize that Jesus needs to be your Lord, Your Savior, you need to turn to Him and accept all that He is and follow Him. Go to the Father in prayer and say: “Lord Jesus, save me. I can’t save myself. I believe that you lived, died, and rose again. I repent of my sin, and I believe in You. I give You my life.”
Reading Plan:
Monday: Matthew 7:24-25
Tuesday: Matthew 7:26-27
Wednesday: Matthew 7:28-29
Thursday: James 1:22-25
Friday: Matthew 5:45
Saturday: 1 Samuel 2:2
Monday: Matthew 7:24-25
Tuesday: Matthew 7:26-27
Wednesday: Matthew 7:28-29
Thursday: James 1:22-25
Friday: Matthew 5:45
Saturday: 1 Samuel 2:2