SERIES OVERVIEW
The fifth, sixth and seventh chapters of Matthew’s Gospel are known, collectively, as “The Sermon on the Mount!” It has been called “The Greatest Sermon of All Time!” The teaching is very similar to Luke 6:17-49 which is referred to as “The Sermon on the Plain”. Scholars agree that this indicates these were common teachings and themes that Jesus spoke of frequently from place to place. Anything Jesus felt was important enough to repeat clearly deserves some deep study and application on our part. The Sermon on the Mount and The Sermon on the Plain form a short Discipleship 101 course for us. What are the BASICS of what it means to truly be a FULLY DEVOTED follower of Jesus? What should we do? How should we speak? How should we act? How should we treat others? What should our motives be? In November and December, Pastor G will take seven weeks to dig deep into these incredibly important teachings of Jesus in his new message series: MAUNA: Teachings from the Sermon on the Mount.
Here, in Week Seven: True Christianity!
Pastor G recaps the whole series and takes us through Matthew 7:24-29.
MESSAGE NOTES
Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine … ~ Matthew 7:24a
Akouó (GREEK) ~ Hear (ENGLISH)
Carries with it the idea of HEARING with
COMPREHENSION and taking ACTION.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. ~ Romans 10:17
From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked.” ~ Luke 12:48b
Do not become partners with those who do not believe, for what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship does light have with darkness? And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? And what mutual agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said, “I will live in them and will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Therefore “come out from their midst, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” says the All-Powerful Lord. ~ 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. ~ Matthew 5:48
Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. ~ Mathew 7:24
But his bow will remain steady, and his hands will be skillful; because of the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel … ~ Genesis 49:24b
Sela‘ (HEBREW) ~ Rock (ENGLISH)
fissure or split in a mountain, providing security, hiding, protection
Tsur (HEBREW) ~ Rock (ENGLISH)
a more massive rock, a very safe, and virtually impenetrable rock,
a mountain, a stronghold, a fortress, a sure foundation
The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, but it did not collapse because it had been founded on rock. ~ Matthew 7:25
Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ~ Matthew 7:26
The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, and it collapsed; it was utterly destroyed!” ~ Matthew 7:27
Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.” ~ Luke 6:46-49
When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed by His teaching, because He taught them like one who had authority, not like their experts in the law. ~ Matthew 7:28-29
Exousia (GREEK) ~ Authority (ENGLISH)
Refers to power or authority, especially spiritual power and moral authority and influence.
For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they were all drinking from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were cut down in the wilderness. These things happened as examples for us, so that we will not crave evil things as they did. So do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” And let us not be immoral, as some of them were, and twenty-three thousand died in a single day. And let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes. And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come. So let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall. No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it. ~ 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” ~ Joshua 24:14-15
GO DEEPER
ALOHA GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
READ: Luke 12:42-48
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) How does this passage fit in with the greater lessons taught by Pastor Greg throughout this entire series? What is expected of us by Jesus until He returns?
2) Often people’s Christianity stops right after they say the sinner’s prayer. They feel their sins have been forgiven, they have the promise of eternal life and so they just go back to living the same life they lived before they met Jesus, assuming they are saved, assuming they are destined for eternal life in heaven. Is that the same picture Jesus is painting here in this passage or is He expecting something more from those who say they are His followers?
READ: 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) What does Paul mean when he says in verse 14 “do not become partners with those who do not believe?” Do you have a different translation? What does it say? How seriously do most Christians you know take this command and warning? How many relationships do you know that are greatly strained largely because it is a union of a believer with a non-believer?
2) Paul also quotes God from Isaiah 52:11 and Ezekiel 20:34,41 when he exhorts us to come out from the midst of unbelievers and be separate? What do you think he means? Are we not to have any interaction with or friendship with those who are not followers of Jesus? Or does Paul mean something else with this command? If so, what?
READ: Matthew 7:24-27 and Luke 6:46-49
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Pastor Greg shared some Hebrew history that showed Jesus and His words are “the rock” that He is referring to in these teachings. In your own words, how would you describe what the sand is in this story? In what ways do people build their lives on sand or build without any foundation?
2) If you meet someone who has built their house on sand, what advice would you give them?
READ: Matthew 7:28-29
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Have you ever heard a teacher or professor or another speaker like that, who speaks with that kind of voice of authority? They are clearly an expert on their subject and when they say it, you have a peace and security that they really know what they are talking about and you can take their words to heart? Share it with your aloha group.