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Be Doers of God’s Word, not Hearers only… (Pg.1)

From Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV) “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.”

 

First I want to ask the older ‘saints’, that as a child attended Sunday School… What song from back in those days does this story bring to your remembrance?

(Remember… The rains came down and the floods came up?)

This song’s roots are from the story Jesus told about two people who hear of how Jesus came to save us, and to teach us how we can live a life blessed by God.

Person #1… (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.

— Q1. I ask you to check-off from these behaviours, what you think a servant of God does?

(All these were taught by Jesus in Matthew chapters 5; 6; & 7.)
— We will discuss each behaviour in it’s turn, later…

☐ Boasts of all the good things they do. (#5:3)       ☐ Turns to God when in distress. (#5:4-5)

 ☐ Are willing to do evil to succeed. (#5:6)       ☐ Judges others harshly. (#5:7)

☐ Tries to see another’s point of view. (#5:9)       ☐ Keep their Faith a secret. (#5:13-16)

☐ Yields to sin for the sake of peace. (#5:10-12)     ☐ Obeys God’s Word. (#5:19-20)

☐ Doesn’t control their anger, and holds grudges. (#5:21-24)

☐ Lusts after others, thinking it is only a natural sexual appetite. (#5:27-28)      

      ☐ Meets violence with more violence, and disrespects authority. (#5:38-42)

☐ Tries to do good to his/her enemy, knowing God loves them also. (#5:43-48)

☐ Insists on living in comfort.       ☐ Hears Jesus’ Words.       ☐ Does Jesus teachings.       

— It is interesting that Jesus starts His sermon in Matthew 5, with a list of things to do.
Then in Matthew chapters 6 &7, Jesus teaches about our attitudes in all our doings…

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Be Doers of God’s Word, not Hearers only… (Pg.2)

— As such, Jesus warns us that some will claim to follow Him, and yet will not truly believe, indeed He will not accept them as His followers… and so they will be lost.

Matthew 7:21… “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

— This judgement falls those like Person #2… the ones who build their houses on the sand.

SEE Matthew 7:26-27… 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.”

— These are the ones who entertain attitudes opposed to those of a true believer…

They: Are willing to do evil to succeed…     Judge others harshly…    Keep their Faith a secret…
Yield to sin for the sake of peace…      Don’t control their anger, and hold grudges…
Sexually lust after others…      Respond to abuse with violence, and disrespect authority…
Believe they’ve only ‘one life to live’, so live for self-pleasure…   They insist on living in comfort.

— Q2. Think about these FAULTY ATTITUDES… Are they not EASY TO FALL INTO?
                        (Indeed it is our fleshly, human nature to think like this…)

Jesus warns us about those who live like this in (Vs.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.”

— Q3. What does the picture Jesus draws here, say to you about life and this sort of living?

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— Q4. On the other hand, about what Jesus asks of us if we are to follow Him…
(a) Do you think it is too much, or too hard?
(b) Can you testify of any good that came from following Jesus’ teachings?

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These studies end with Matthew 7:28-29 (ESV) 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.

— Q5. And a final question in response to Jesus’ sermon…

What authority do you give Jesus in your life?

*As these studies end, I pray they’ve helped us all grow in our relationship with Jesus… (KRK)*

 

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Added notable scripture (Pg.3)

The truth about following Jesus…       

(Supporting verses for ‘Be Doers of God’s Word, not Hearers only’…)

1st John 1:5-7 (ESV) This is the message we have heard from him (Jesus) and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (6) If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. (7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.