INTRO...

We are finishing up this series || I pray you have been encouraged, challenged, convicted, and that Jesus has taught you some things along this journey that started on March 10 with the “Happiness is…” series through the Beatitudes || We have covered a lot of ground…and the point is not content, input of information…it isn’t just being reminded of some of the truths that maybe you have heard over your lifetime…Jesus made it clear this whole thing is about the motivations of our heart. || and as we have been convicted, challenged and encouraged…he has one last reminder, one last instruction for us to hear today…and it ends with obedience.

UNPACKING THE TEXT...

MATTHEW 7:24-29
- It is clear Jesus is telling us that we need to actually do the things he commanded us to do, and that obeying is actually proof that we heard
- Jesus is ending his list of comparisons between 2 things ||

2 WAYS: narrow/wide gates
2 TREES: Fruit/no fruit (regarding false teachers and false followers)

- Jesus told this illustration to close his teaching…about hearing and obeying what you have heard…he mentions

2 BUILDERS
2 HOUSES
2 FOUNDATIONS
2 OUTCOMES

A. 2 BUILDERS
One that is wise and one that is a fool || these are people who hear Jesus’ teachings, the wise man hears and obeys, the fool hears and doesn’t obey

B. 2 HOUSES
Both are built the same way, no indication that one house was better or stronger than the other || the houses represent their lives…the life lived in obedience to Jesus’ words and the life lived in disobedience to Jesus’ word

C. 2 FOUNDATIONS
Rock or sand || the foundation represents whether or not we are obeying what Jesus commanded or not, living our lives [founding our lives], on the truth of Jesus’ teachings and then actually obeying what he says…or only hearing without actually obeying his word || the key here is ‘obeying what Jesus tells us to do’…
…listen to what Luke records in a parallel passage to MT ||

[LK 6:46-49]
“46 Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

D. 2 OUTCOMES
Jesus has taught this whole sermon, and now he is reminding them that the person who hears and does what he says is the wise man. A true follower. A true citizen in the Kingdom of Heaven. || but…he is clear that those sitting there, hearing what he is teaching and then walking away without doing it, is a fool. They are not true followers. They are not true citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.

- AND there are consequences…for Those that walk away from this moment, after hearing all that Jesus said, and then obey him and his teaching…their lives would withstand all that comes at them (even eternal things, judgments) || the wise man’s house did not fall…withstood the storm (rain, flood, winds) || but the fool…the one that hears all that Jesus said, then walks away and does his own thing, does not obey what Jesus commanded…that man’s house fell (disaster)…it could not handle the storm (rain, flood, winds)

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER…

KEY THOUGHT: “OBEY what you HEAR Jesus say…”
- This is not a hard passage to understand. It is actually very straightforward. || don’t just hear these words and walk away, obey what you heard…do what Jesus said to do…

Q: HOW does Jesus Speak to Us?
- Jesus speaks primarily through His Word… (can speak through others, circumstances, in our conscience) || This means in order for us to hear Jesus, we need to be reading his word and listening to his teachings/commands. || but Jesus doesn’t just stop at reading and hearing, just consuming information or knowledge…he actually says the key to reading/hearing, is that we obey what he tells usto do. || REAP…read, examine (Q’s who is God/what does he do…Who am I/what do I do), APPLY (what is Jesus saying to me/what does Jesus want me to do? || OBEDIENCE), then Pray… || this should be a daily discipline in your life as a disciple

Q: WHAT is the proof of our love, that we are true disciples?
- When we KEEP/OBEY the commands of Jesus we prove we love him

[John 15:4-11]
“4 Abide [stay connected/remain] in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

- When we obey him and love him we are abiding in him, staying connected to him || as we abide/remain connected to him we will bear fruit (progression in JN 15…no fruit, some fruit, more fruit, much fruit, abiding fruit)
- As we abide and bear fruit (through obedience) we will bring Glory to God (one of our bricks)
- All of this proves we are his disciples!!… || a person who is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus and on Mission with Jesus…this is a disciple. || but Good News! We are not left to do this on our own and in our own strength and power…

Q: WHAT has Jesus done to help us obey?
He has given us the Holy Spirit!…

[John 14:15-17]
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

- Isn’t this great news!?!?
- I love that Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit to help us obey, a helper, the Spirit of Truth, and he dwells in us and with us
- It wasn’t until after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension that the disciples received the Holy Spirit (Acts)…and Jesus was true to his word on this promise!

So, What did Jesus say in His sermon that he wants us to obey?

- Obviously, there are many commands to obey in the Bible…but for the sake of simplicity, lets just review what Jesus has asked of us in this sermon that he just taught
- As I reread ch 5-7 this week, I identified at least 29 things he has said for us to be/do
- So, I want you to listen to these (follow along with the text) and then identify at least three specific things that you need to obey: (Immediately and Completely)
- As I read these summaries, I want you to answer two questions:

1. WHAT IS JESUS SAYING TO ME THROUGH HIS WORD?
2. WHAT DOES JESUS WANT ME TO DO?

THE LIST...

(1) Be Poor in Spirit (humble) recognizing your spiritual bankruptcy
(2) be mournful of your sin (heart and actions)
(3) be meek in actions and words
(4) hunger and thirst for righteousness (don’t be fooled by other pursuits) (5) be merciful
(6) be pure all forms
(7) be a peacemaker
(8) endure persecutions and hardships, false accusations, and rejoice in the midst of them
(9) be salt (character)
(10) be light (conduct that blesses others and causes them to give glory to God)
(11) Be faithful with God’s word (reading and telling)
(12) my righteousness should exceed that of the pharisees and scribes (not just hearers but actual doers)
(13) don’t sin in my anger, be reconciled to my bro/sis…this type of anger is like murder…don’t settle for it
(14) don’t lust it is adultery (covet things) deal severely with it (gouge eye/cut hand)
(15) be faithful to your spouse, w/o excuses keep my oaths and vows both physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually
(16) have a deep love for people and see reconciliation instead of retaliation
(17) love the people that hate me, pray for them,
(18) be faithful, generous and motivated by God’s pleasure instead of man’s approval
(19) give generously because God gave generously to me…pray, fast, be faithful in the basic spiritual disciplines to please and glorify God, not impress people
(20) invest in spiritual wealth not earthly wealth
(21) trust in the Lord in all things (food, clothes) and don’t be anxious or worry
(22) be very aware of your blindspots and insufficiencies as you help others with theirs (grace and truth in confrontation)
(23) be faithful an centered on God and his provision, his plan, his purposes, and remember he is good
(24) Treat others in a way that I would want to be treated
(25) there are 2 gates/ways and I must choose the right one…narrow leads to life (few find this path because it is filled with difficulty and challenges)…wide leads to destruction (easy, many choose this path)
(26) pay attention to the people I am learning from, there are false teachers (bible/world/influencers/political people/general knowledge) that will lead me astray, they are wolves dressed in sheep skins so be alert!
(27) bear good fruit (obey)
(28) don’t just settle for knowing facts about Jesus, we need to be known by Jesus (false followers),
(29) be a wise man/woman by doing what Jesus has told us to do…this proves I am a disciple, it proves my love for him, it glorifies God

Q: TO OBEY JESUS…What do you need to do? || identify and obey