Message Notes

INTRODUCTION

1. We have come to the end of “The Sermon on the Mount”

2. Many were the great truths taught by the Lord Jesus

3. What should we do with these great teachings?

24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Matthew 7:24-29

THE CHALLENGE TO BUILD A STRONG HOUSE OF FAITH

1. The Lord Jesus likened Faith to a House

2. He gave two illustrations:

a) A wise man building his house

b) A foolish man building his house

THE WISE MAN’S HOUSE

1. He recognizes the need to do the following:

a) To come to the Lord for His wise sayings

b) To give heed to His teachings

c) He builds upon a solid rock

2. He knows and prepares for the storms of life

a) Some storms are very severe

b) But the well-built house remains intact despite the storm

THE FOOLISH MAN’S HOUSE

1. He also comes to the Lord for instruction

2. But he does not give heed to what he has been taught

3. He has built his house on sand

4. When the storms of life come, his house would be destroyed

THE RESPONSE OF THE PEOPLE WHO HEARD THE LORD JESUS

1. His teachings:

a) Authority
This was obvious

b) Depth of thought
This was obvious too

c) The power behind the authority was God Himself

2. Comparison to the other teachers in Israel

a) These were called “scribes”

b) They had so-called “expert knowledge of the Scriptures

c) They can cite many texts from memory

d) But they lacked spiritual authority

THE CHALLENGE FOR US TODAY

1. Review Matthew 5-7

2. Pick up the major teachings points that are relevant to you

3. List them and determine to heed what the Lord teaches

4. Be challenged:

a) To be corrected

b) To cultivate faith

c) To cultivate character

5. Consider the Disciples of the Lord

a) They became outstanding apostles

b) They achieved much for the Lord and the Church