1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,960 Good morning everyone. You know, as I was thinking 2 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:08,960 about the last time I prepared a sermon and preached, I have 3 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:12,280 always found it very difficult that when I go up to preach, 4 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,600 even no matter how much time I spend in prayer and think I'm 5 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:20,080 ready to to present the message, those steps are very hard to 6 00:00:20,080 --> 00:00:21,960 climb. And that is no different this 7 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,280 morning. So my my prayer has been for the 8 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:27,560 message this week. My prayer has also been that 9 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:31,480 that that God will use me to speak to you in a very powerful 10 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:36,000 way. And as we near this is now the 11 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:40,320 last sermon of, of the sermon of the Mount, which this is one of 12 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:42,880 the most difficult passages that that I've preached. 13 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,840 I've preached on this passage before and I have found it very 14 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:51,200 difficult to, to, to, to be encouraged by this at sometimes 15 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:54,360 because I always feel like I, I'm, I'm, it's never enough like 16 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:55,360 that. I fail. 17 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:57,680 I always fail even with my best intentions. 18 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:03,120 So my prayer this morning and as we dive into this, we want to go 19 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:07,040 through the Sermon of the Mount and we are now in the last, this 20 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:09,360 is the last message for the Sermon of the Mount. 21 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:10,960 And so we're going to dive right in. 22 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:16,880 And I so appreciate the way Jesus started this sermon in 23 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,160 chapter 5 and I want to start it the same way. 24 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:22,720 Chapter 5 verses 3 through 12. And it says this. 25 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:23,960 And this is the way he starts it off. 26 00:01:23,960 --> 00:01:28,320 He says blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the 27 00:01:28,320 --> 00:01:31,960 Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for 28 00:01:31,960 --> 00:01:35,880 they will be comforted in. Blessed are the meek, for they 29 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:39,320 will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and 30 00:01:39,320 --> 00:01:41,960 thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 31 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,120 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy, and 32 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:48,960 blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 33 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:52,920 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of 34 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:56,120 God, and blessed are those who are persecuted because of 35 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,240 righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. 36 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:04,280 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and 37 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:08,639 falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me, but 38 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:12,160 rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven 39 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,720 for the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before 40 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,760 you. Now that is the way Jesus 41 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:20,400 introduced the Sermon of the Mount. 42 00:02:20,640 --> 00:02:23,680 I want to just quickly recap a few of the chapters as we lead 43 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:26,560 up to the last sermon today, just to kind of bring us all up 44 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:31,520 to speed as to where we're at. So in chapter 5, verse 16, just 45 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:34,120 I'm just summarizing this just to kind of give you an idea. 46 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:36,480 Jesus tells us to let our light shine. 47 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:42,440 And in five Matthew 5, chapter 73 through 20, Jesus is telling 48 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:44,640 us that we are to keep his commandments. 49 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:50,000 And in 521 through 26 to deal with anger and resolve conflict. 50 00:02:50,920 --> 00:02:56,320 And in 527 through 32 to to maintain proper marital 51 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,360 relationships. And in five verses 34 through 52 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:04,160 37, to speak honestly and let your yes be yes and your no be 53 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,800 no. And in five chapter 30, chapter 54 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:12,280 5, verses 38 through 48, to act in generous and loving ways, 55 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,880 even towards our enemies. And in chapter 6, verses one 56 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:19,360 through 6, to help the needy and pray in secret. 57 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:24,040 In chapter 6, verses 14 through 15, we are to forgive the people 58 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:25,360 that have harmed us or to hurt us. 59 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:29,720 And in chapter 6, verses 24 through 34, to seek first the 60 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:32,440 Kingdom of heaven. And in Chapter 7, verses one 61 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,040 through 5, we are to refrain from judgement. 62 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:38,440 And as I was preparing for this message, I came across a 63 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:41,360 commentator and he referenced CS Lewis. 64 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:45,400 And this is a quote by CS Lewis. And when I read this, it just 65 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:47,960 hit me between the eyes. And I, I trust it will. 66 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,040 It will you as well. CS Lewis was asked about the 67 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,200 Sermon of the Mount. And this is what CS Lewis said, 68 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:56,200 he says. And this is what the commentator 69 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:59,120 writes. CS Lewis was once criticized for 70 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:01,000 not caring for the Sermon on the Mount. 71 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:05,640 He replied as to caring for the Sermon of the Mount, If caring 72 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:11,200 here means liking or enjoying I, I suppose no one cares for it 73 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:15,560 who can like being knocked flat on his face by a sledgehammer. 74 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:19,839 I can hardly imagine a more deadly spiritual condition 75 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:23,560 spiritual condition than that of a man who can read these 76 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:28,520 passages with tranquil pleasure meaning where it does not even 77 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:31,080 affect them. Lewis was right. 78 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:34,800 Studying the Sermon of the Mount can be, can be a devastating 79 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:37,920 experience. It exposes the depth of our sin 80 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:39,840 and the shallowness of our commitment. 81 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:43,760 But the pain in it, the pain that it inflicts, is meant to 82 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:47,160 heal, not to destroy. In fact, the Sermon on the Mount 83 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,160 could be called a Christian's job description. 84 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:54,640 It is the most complete summary we have of Jesus's ethical 85 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:58,440 expectations for his followers. That to me was heavy. 86 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,960 Oswald Chambers also writes this about the Sermon of the Mount. 87 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:06,200 The Sermon on the Mount is not a set of rules and regulations. 88 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:10,480 It is a picture of life that we live when the Holy Spirit is 89 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:12,840 having his unhindered way with us. 90 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,200 What can we be that moldable that the Holy Spirit will have 91 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:20,200 his way in US? And with that, I want to turn to 92 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:22,600 today's text. And if you have your Bibles with 93 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:25,760 you, turn with me to Matthew Chapter 7. 94 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:28,600 And we're going to be reading the last verses of this chapter, 95 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:32,160 verses 21 through 29. And it says this. 96 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:37,640 Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord will enter into the 97 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:41,600 Kingdom of heaven, heaven, but only the one who does the will 98 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:45,120 of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 99 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:48,600 Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your name? 100 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:51,800 And did we not drive, O demons in your name and perform many 101 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:54,360 miracles? Then I will say, I will tell 102 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:59,440 them plainly, I never knew you away from me, you evil doers. 103 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:04,640 Therefore everyone who has, everyone who hears these words 104 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:08,400 of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who 105 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:12,200 built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams 106 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:14,680 rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house. 107 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:18,200 Yet it did not fall because it had built. 108 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:20,640 It had been built on a foundation of rock. 109 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:24,040 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put 110 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:27,440 them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house 111 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:30,880 on the sand. The rain came down, the streams 112 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,920 rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house, and a 113 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:38,280 fell with a great crash. When Jesus had finished saying 114 00:06:38,280 --> 00:06:41,040 these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching because 115 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:44,520 He had taught as one with authority and not of the 116 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:47,480 teachers of the law. Let's pray before we begin. 117 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:51,560 Father in Heaven, we come before you again this morning. 118 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:53,520 And Lord, thank you for the songs that have already been 119 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:55,800 sung. And my prayer this morning is 120 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:58,920 that our hearts may be open to receive your word. 121 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:01,720 And Lord, we invite you here this morning. 122 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:05,200 I pray, Lord God, that you will fill every corner, every room, 123 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:07,440 and our thoughts with your spirit. 124 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:11,360 Lord, I pray that what the people here today will not be 125 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:12,880 for me, but will be only from you. 126 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:16,040 And Lord, I pray that as I preach this message, if there 127 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:18,680 are, if there is something else that you would want me to say or 128 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:21,480 to lead me into, I pray, Lord God, that you will just take 129 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:24,720 over and speak. Lord, Lord, may our hearts be 130 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:26,960 here. May our hearts and ears be 131 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:29,960 attentive to you this morning. Be with us all in Jesus name I 132 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:35,520 pray, Amen. I'm, I've broken this path, this 133 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:37,360 message up in three different parts. 134 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:41,000 The first part here is in verses 21 through 23. 135 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:44,600 And I want to read them again because I find these very heavy. 136 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:47,040 After all that Jesus has said up until this point. 137 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,560 This is how he concludes the Sermon of the Mount 21 through 138 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:54,360 23 says again, not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord will 139 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:56,840 enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who 140 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:58,640 does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 141 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:02,880 Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy 142 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:06,360 in your name, in your name, Dr. O demons, and in your name 143 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:10,040 perform many miracles that I will tell them plainly, I never 144 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:12,280 knew you away from me, you evil doers. 145 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:17,960 One thing that really that stands out as you read these 146 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:24,000 verses here is that the people here as they respond to Jesus's 147 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:26,560 words, not everyone who calls me Lord Lord will enter into the 148 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:28,880 Kingdom of heaven. These people who hear these 149 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:33,640 words are shocked and they say, did we not do all these things 150 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:35,880 in your name? Have we not been busy for the 151 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:37,679 Kingdom? Have we not done all these 152 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:41,280 things in honor of you if that's what what they're saying here. 153 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:45,720 But we, we quickly find out that Jesus points them, points that 154 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:48,960 he points us out to them that this is not done with the right 155 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:50,320 heart, not with the right attitude. 156 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:54,880 If you were to look at anyone in this church, no matter who it is 157 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:57,280 and you see them somewhere out in the street and they're 158 00:08:57,280 --> 00:09:01,840 casting out demons or they are, you know, healing the sick. 159 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:04,760 They, you see somebody who is a paralegic and you see somebody 160 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:06,720 make this person walk these miracles. 161 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:09,120 These are the kind of miracles that these people are talking 162 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,240 about that they were doing in Jesus name. 163 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:17,200 Would you not think and and say those people are of God, those 164 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:21,200 people are serving Christ and what does Jesus say about all of 165 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,920 that? Here A depart from me. 166 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:30,840 I never knew you away from me, you evil doers is what he is 167 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:33,600 saying. Think about what that would feel 168 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:37,880 like. The question that comes to mind 169 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,000 is what is the condition of our heart? 170 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:46,800 In Matthew 7 just before we read or the the scripture verse for 171 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:52,360 today it says this. Just as you can Ida tree by its 172 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,600 fruit, you can ID the fruit of our actions. 173 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:02,320 You see they did not do these things with the right motive and 174 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:05,240 with the right heart. We have seen, we people have 175 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:09,000 done this in the past as well, that you do things for your own 176 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:13,960 self gain, for recognition, all these things when, if, if this 177 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:16,000 is the reason, if this is the condition of a heart and This is 178 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:19,240 why we are doing things. These are the words that we will 179 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:22,760 hear from Jesus away from you. I never knew you. 180 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:27,280 Our desire should be to follow and to do the will of the Father 181 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:29,360 and to do those things in His name. 182 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:34,360 No matter what we do on our own without the Holy Spirit, it 183 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:38,000 means nothing. And Isaiah 64 tells this about 184 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,720 our best intentions. No matter what your intentions 185 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:44,800 are, if they are not driven and and and guided by the Holy 186 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:49,320 Spirit, it means nothing. Isaiah 64 says this. 187 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:53,720 All of us have, all of us have become like one who is unclean 188 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:58,920 and all our righteous acts that means with your best intentions 189 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:01,920 are like filthy rags. They mean nothing. 190 00:11:03,680 --> 00:11:06,840 They will shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind, our 191 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:11,760 sins sweep us away. This powerful metaphor 192 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:16,040 illustrates that even our best human efforts and good deeds are 193 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:19,720 tainted by sin and fall short of God's perfect holiness. 194 00:11:21,560 --> 00:11:25,280 The point here is not the point. The point is not here that what 195 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:27,560 we are sorry. The point here is not what they 196 00:11:27,560 --> 00:11:29,240 were doing, but what they lacked. 197 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:33,080 They did not have a relationship with Jesus and we see in these 198 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:35,640 same verses this Jesus that is talking. 199 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:39,800 This will be the judge that we will stand before one day and be 200 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:41,480 and give an account for what we have done. 201 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:47,800 Jesus here will be our judge. Verse 21 I want to highlight 202 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:51,640 that now where it just where it says this not not everyone who 203 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:54,400 hears The Who says to me Lord Lord will be entered the Kingdom 204 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:57,320 of heaven. But it says this, but only those 205 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:00,600 that do the will of my Father. That's the key. 206 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:02,840 Only those that do the will of my Father. 207 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:07,560 And what that means is, first of all, do we have a personal 208 00:12:07,560 --> 00:12:12,920 relationship with Jesus? Ephesians 2, verses 4 through 10 209 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:16,600 says this. Because of His great love for 210 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:20,960 us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even 211 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:23,320 when we were dead in our transgressions. 212 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:27,200 It is by grace that you have been saved, and God raised up 213 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:30,560 Christ and seated Him at the heavenly realms in Jesus Christ, 214 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:35,440 in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable 215 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:39,760 riches of His grace expressed in His kindness to us in Jesus 216 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:42,040 Christ. For it is by grace that you have 217 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:45,880 been saved through faith, and this is not from ourselves. 218 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:49,600 It is the gift of God, not by works, so that you can boast. 219 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:54,520 For we are God's handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do 220 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:57,720 good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 221 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:00,000 So what is the will of the Father? 222 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:04,280 John 639 through 40 says this. And this is the will of him who 223 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:07,680 sent me, that I shall lose none of those who have been given to 224 00:13:07,680 --> 00:13:09,760 me, but raise them up on the last day. 225 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:13,440 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks at the sun 226 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:16,840 and believes in me shall have eternal life, and I will raise 227 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:21,280 them up on the last day. Jesus died for our sins. 228 00:13:21,680 --> 00:13:24,960 He rose and he stands in the presence of God as our advocate 229 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:28,680 when we mess up and when we do things wrong and we confess our 230 00:13:28,680 --> 00:13:32,800 sins, our Jesus is there as the advocate, as our personal 231 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:36,680 advocate to say to the to to say to God that I have paid for 232 00:13:36,680 --> 00:13:39,800 those sins. And then with that, when we 233 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:42,280 confess that Jesus is our Lord and Savior and we accept them as 234 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:45,960 our Lord and Savior, Jesus then sends the helper to help us. 235 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:50,960 And we never, and we see this. The probably the best place to 236 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:55,480 see the Holy Spirit in action is when we see that after Jesus 237 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:00,160 rose from the dead and was ascended into heaven, he tells 238 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:03,280 his disciples, go and wait for me. 239 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:06,920 Go and wait until I send the Holy Spirit to help her. 240 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:10,640 And we see that the Jesus disciples, they sent, they are 241 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:14,200 off waiting, praying. And then Jesus sends or God 242 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:17,560 sends the Holy Spirit. And it is only until then that 243 00:14:17,560 --> 00:14:21,280 they were told then that that they were empowered to preach. 244 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:26,040 And there Peter preaches a sermon and on while he was 245 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:28,960 preaching, it says that 3000 souls were saved. 246 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:33,840 And as a result of that, even that says that God would add to 247 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:37,520 the to the number daily. Had Peter preached without the 248 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:39,280 Spirit, what would have happened? 249 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:44,440 They needed, he needed the Holy Spirit, God's power and the 250 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:48,640 Spirit's power to be able to, to preach this message in a way 251 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:52,160 that took everything out like the sin away from us and allowed 252 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:55,480 us to be, to be presentable through the Spirit. 253 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:58,760 What God did for us is what makes it acceptable through the 254 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:04,400 Spirit. Jesus said forgive. 255 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:07,600 And one thing I want to back up just here a little bit is that 256 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:13,040 not only does he prepare and empower us, but we are to be, to 257 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:15,880 bear fruit and be obedient to reflect Jesus and her action and 258 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:19,560 their attitude. We see this also present when 259 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:22,920 Jesus was with his disciples and they were, they were, they were 260 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:27,400 taking in the Lord's Supper. It says there that the disciples 261 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:29,640 were arguing among themselves, who would be the greatest? 262 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:36,120 And here Jesus, who is God in the flesh, he puts on a robe or 263 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:38,520 a garment and he washes his disciples feet. 264 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:42,520 This is the type of attitude and action that we are to have. 265 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:47,120 And I will never, ever, ever understand this, how this works. 266 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:50,080 And I I understand that it's only through the Spirit. 267 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:53,920 But when Jesus was being nailed to the cross, and I want you to 268 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:57,480 picture that Jesus being nailed to the cross while being nailed 269 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:02,600 to the cross, Jesus prays. Father, forgive them for they 270 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,960 know not what they do. Who prays like that? 271 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:10,840 Who prays like that? Last week, Mr. Hebert was here 272 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:13,680 and he was talking about how they had been driving somewhere 273 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:16,280 and while he was driving somebody cut off in front of 274 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:18,080 them and they were both not happy. 275 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:21,320 How easily are we offended and hurt? 276 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:26,560 And here Jesus, who had every right in my eyes to to be angry, 277 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:31,000 to be upset, and to be in pain, is praying for on behalf of the 278 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:36,960 people that are persecuting him. That is what the Spirit does in 279 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:40,120 us when we have Him, when the Spirit is leading and guiding 280 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:47,600 us. Matthew 724 through 27 says this 281 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:51,120 continuing on here, it says, therefore everyone who hears 282 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:54,160 these words of mine and puts them into practice, it's like a 283 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:56,160 wise man who built his house on the rock. 284 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:59,880 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and 285 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:03,440 beat against the house, yet it did not fall because it had its 286 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:06,520 foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these 287 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:09,720 words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a 288 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:11,920 foolish man who built his house on the sand. 289 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:15,520 The rain came down and the streams rose, and the winds blew 290 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:19,319 and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. 291 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:24,640 As we're reading here, it is describing 2 houses that are 292 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:29,040 being built here at the same time and I'm sure some of us 293 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:31,240 have driven down some of these subdivisions where you just see 294 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:34,160 like these cooker cookie cutter houses that are being built. 295 00:17:34,360 --> 00:17:38,680 You drive by, they all look exactly the same and that is 296 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,480 what's being described here as well as the believer and the non 297 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:43,480 believer. We can come to church here on a 298 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:46,000 Sunday morning and we may all look the same. 299 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:49,440 We put our best effort. We look the Christian part, but 300 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:52,120 we have an inspector that inspects her heart. 301 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,920 Just as a building inspector will know the difference between 302 00:17:55,920 --> 00:18:00,160 a house that is built on a solid foundation or as a foundation 303 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:02,600 that's built on stand as being described on here. 304 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:10,440 Jesus sees right into her heart. Jesus knows exactly what our 305 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:17,000 motive is and why we are here. God is our inspector. 306 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:22,960 Jesus's true followers not only hear his words, but act on them, 307 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:26,160 allowing His message to make a difference in our lives. 308 00:18:26,360 --> 00:18:30,600 In his teaching, Jesus explained that a true follower, by acting 309 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:33,720 on his words, is like a person who builds a house on solid 310 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:36,200 rock. The one who builds on rock is 311 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:38,680 hearing and responding. That's the key part here. 312 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:41,600 What Jesus is teaching us here in the Sermon of the Mount we 313 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:44,160 are to apply into our daily life. 314 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:48,600 Practicing obedience builds the rock on a solid foundation of 315 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:50,920 Jesus's words to weather the storms of life. 316 00:18:51,360 --> 00:18:54,760 Rain, waters, floods, winds, their foundation, their 317 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:57,240 foundation on solid rock will be unaffected. 318 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:01,360 And when we read the last part of this verse here again it 319 00:19:01,360 --> 00:19:04,440 talks about the rain came down and the streams rose and the 320 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:06,600 winds blew and it beat against the house and it fell with a 321 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:10,200 great crash. Often times this verse is 322 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:14,600 referenced to the storms of life we talk about, you know, we, we 323 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:16,960 lost a loved one or we've been someone was diagnosed with 324 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:19,920 cancer or all these heavy things that are true. 325 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:22,040 They are storms of life. They are storms in our life. 326 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:26,240 But the way this is described here in verse 27, it fell with 327 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:28,760 the great crash. It all came down. 328 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:33,360 There was nothing left and I, I, I think this also speaks to the 329 00:19:33,360 --> 00:19:36,640 coming judgement of Christ. When we stand before God, what 330 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:41,400 will what will our actions where out of what heart did? 331 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:44,840 Did we did we do what we did? Sorry, that was a bit of a 332 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:49,560 tongue twister there. We are to apply what Jesus has 333 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:52,200 taught not only in the Sermon of the Mount. 334 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:53,440 We have the commandments as well. 335 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:57,280 We build our life on those commandments and we build our 336 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:00,440 life on those teachings and we put them into practice. 337 00:20:03,360 --> 00:20:07,760 Verse 27 and 28 or 29 say this. When Jesus had finished saying 338 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:10,800 these things, the crowds were amazed at the teaching because 339 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:13,680 He had taught as one who had authority and not as their 340 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:16,720 teachers of the law. See how up until this point, 341 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:20,520 when Jesus was Jesus was preaching, they had already seen 342 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:23,200 that Jesus had driven out demons and in fact that's why He was 343 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:25,840 popular or what the people had heard about that and they were 344 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:27,320 now coming to listen to Him and speak. 345 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:32,400 But they make this claim that Jesus had that had was teaching 346 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:34,560 with authority. And they they're right about 347 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:37,080 that because later on, many of these people will still be 348 00:20:37,080 --> 00:20:38,800 around. We will see also. 349 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:42,360 And we have the New Testament here as a witness of what Jesus 350 00:20:42,360 --> 00:20:44,000 did. And we know that he had 351 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:47,680 authority because we know that when Jesus was with his 352 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:51,000 disciples in the boat and the storm was there, that Jesus calm 353 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:55,240 the storm, the winds and the waves obeyed Jesus. 354 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:59,960 That's authority. And we know that Jesus also rose 355 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:02,920 people from the dead. The little girl in that talks 356 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:06,040 about in the Gospels as well, Jesus rose her from the dead. 357 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:12,520 Again, the authority of Christ. And we also see that in multiple 358 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:15,040 times, and they have not seen this yet, but we have the 359 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:19,560 account that two times that Jesus fed the multitudes where 360 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:21,880 thousands of people were fed with just a little food. 361 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:26,000 And we also read that Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. 362 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:30,760 And we also get to see a little side of Jesus's compassion for 363 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:32,360 the dead. Even though, no, even though 364 00:21:32,360 --> 00:21:36,440 Jesus knew that he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, yet 365 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:40,560 he wept. We see the, the, the, the, the 366 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:44,080 heart, the love that he had for his people as he wept. 367 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:48,400 And we again we see the authority that Jesus had when he 368 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:51,640 when he was crucified and he rose on the third day defeating 369 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:55,680 death. Jesus said to Jesus said to him, 370 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:57,720 I am the way and the truth and the life. 371 00:21:57,720 --> 00:21:59,760 No one comes to the Father except for me. 372 00:21:59,960 --> 00:22:06,960 This is John 14 through 6. The question I have for us today 373 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:11,160 is not do you know Jesus? The question I have for you 374 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:15,760 today is does Jesus know you? That to me, when I was preparing 375 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:21,120 for this sermon, it just goes, it's a reflection of why have I 376 00:22:21,120 --> 00:22:22,960 done what I have done up until this point. 377 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:27,600 Apparently all these people, when we read the beginning of 378 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:31,200 these passages here, were serving God at some capacity. 379 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:37,000 And we're convinced, they were convinced that they were doing 380 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:41,120 this for God. Those words were heavy. 381 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:43,200 I never knew you'd depart from me. 382 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:50,880 So does Jesus know you? And I know that as if you're a 383 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:53,440 believer and you are someone who has given their life to Christ, 384 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:58,120 that sometimes as life goes on and you know, when you're, when 385 00:22:58,120 --> 00:23:00,120 you first become a believer, everything is new and fresh and 386 00:23:00,120 --> 00:23:02,960 you're excited and all these things are like you, You absorb 387 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:05,520 everything. As time goes on, sometimes 388 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:07,000 things become a little bit mundane. 389 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:11,640 We kind of lose focus. And I liken that to a story that 390 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:14,800 you find in the Gospels and Luke, and it's about Peter. 391 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:20,320 And, you know, Peter here is with Christ and they are near 392 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:23,760 the end of Jesus's ministry. And Jesus is telling the people 393 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:25,760 that now this is what's going to be happening. 394 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:27,080 You know, I'm going to be arrested. 395 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:28,920 I'm going to be brought before the people and I will be 396 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,920 crucified. And Peter will just not have 397 00:23:31,920 --> 00:23:34,200 this. Peter is saying, no, this will 398 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:36,760 never happen. And if it means if this is 399 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:38,760 what's going to happen, I will follow you to the end. 400 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:43,520 And then Jesus confronts Peter and he says, Peter, before day 401 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:46,120 breaks, you will have denied me three times. 402 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:51,360 So my question to us is here as believers who have maybe become, 403 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:58,280 you know, maybe not asleep, but maybe tired, have we denied 404 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:05,360 Christ, maybe not with words, but with their actions, not in 405 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:08,800 maybe not in a very physical way, not in a very, you know, 406 00:24:09,120 --> 00:24:13,720 bright or like a loud way. But has the Holy Spirit prompted 407 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:15,800 you And we have somehow dismissed that? 408 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:22,480 This is a question that I, I want you to ask yourself and you 409 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:24,680 have to be brutally honest with yourself. 410 00:24:25,120 --> 00:24:28,080 Where am I at in my relationship with Christ? 411 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:31,240 I have given him as he is my Lord and Savior. 412 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:38,800 But Jesus says we will be known by our fruit, and we know that 413 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:44,080 once after Jesus was crucified, or just before Jesus was 414 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:49,320 crucified, it was bitten. It was known to Peter that he 415 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,240 heard that rooster crow and Jesus and Peter realized right 416 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:55,400 away what Jesus had told him. And it says that Peter went away 417 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:58,000 and he wept bitterly. And that is what we are to do 418 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:01,120 when when we deny or when we have denied the Spirit, that we 419 00:25:01,120 --> 00:25:04,000 confess, that we bring that before God and we ask God to 420 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:06,160 forgive us. And then there is also another 421 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:09,760 beautiful story of this. When we read what we read about 422 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:13,760 Peter is after Jesus was crucified and resurrected, he is 423 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:17,480 again with his disciples and Peter is there. 424 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:21,480 And Peter, I wonder how Peter must have felt at that time, 425 00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:24,680 being there with Jesus, knowing what Jesus said that he would do 426 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:26,480 and he was right where Peter had denied him. 427 00:25:27,120 --> 00:25:30,440 What does Jesus do when we confess our sins? 428 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:35,560 Jesus restores you. And Jesus tells Peter three 429 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:40,680 times, Feed my sheep. Peter, do you love me? 430 00:25:41,360 --> 00:25:45,680 Feed my sheep. Peter, do you love me, feed my 431 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:49,480 sheep. This is a powerful illustration 432 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:54,680 of of what it looks like when we have denied the Spirit and when 433 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:56,840 we have confessed that and brought that before Christ and 434 00:25:56,840 --> 00:26:00,000 asked for forgiveness, we continue on. 435 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:05,680 We don't do things perfectly. In fact, we, we mess things up 436 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:08,120 more often than we than we do things right. 437 00:26:08,640 --> 00:26:11,960 But with the Spirit in US, it makes it acceptable for God. 438 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:19,520 There's also for those of you that, or maybe there's some of 439 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:22,200 you who today that have not confessed Jesus as Lord and 440 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:25,120 Savior. And this is the, the point of 441 00:26:25,120 --> 00:26:27,960 the message here today is that I want this to be clear. 442 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:32,600 You are not saved by your works, but you are saved by the grace 443 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:35,880 of God. It is only when we are saved by 444 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:39,240 the grace of God and we have the Spirit that we are able to live 445 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:42,280 out the character of God through the Spirit, empowered by the 446 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:45,880 Spirit. And we see this, that it's only 447 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:48,400 by grace that you've been saved. In the on the story or in the 448 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:52,280 story of the thief on the cross, Jesus is now hanging on the 449 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:56,120 cross dying, and he's in between two other thieves. 450 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:01,080 And as Jesus is hanging there, one of the thieves looks at him 451 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:05,840 and he recognizes Jesus for who he is and he confesses Jesus as 452 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:08,560 and he tells the other thief that we deserve what we've got. 453 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:12,880 But this man is innocent and he all he says to Jesus is Remember 454 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:15,200 Me when you enter into your into your Kingdom. 455 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:28,640 And at that point he hears these words that I'm sure just saying 456 00:27:28,640 --> 00:27:33,000 deep into the soul. Today you will be with me in 457 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:35,520 heaven. Today you will be with me in 458 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:38,080 paradise. What words? 459 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:45,480 We are not saved by works, but believing that Jesus came and 460 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:49,480 died for our sins, that he was raised from the dead and when we 461 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:53,280 confess our sins we accept him as Lord and Savior and we become 462 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:56,600 children of God. We are not saved by works, but 463 00:27:56,600 --> 00:28:00,440 we are expected to bear fruit and reflect Christ in our in our 464 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:03,360 life by obeying his commandments and living out the sermon of the 465 00:28:03,360 --> 00:28:05,640 Mount. In our day-to-day life, we don't 466 00:28:05,640 --> 00:28:08,760 do this perfectly, but by the power of the Holy Spirit in us, 467 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:11,880 making it acceptable before God the Father. 468 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:17,480 My challenge to you today is that you do an inventory and 469 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:19,560 reflect. Where is your life? 470 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:24,160 Have we gotten tired? Are we just kind of going 471 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:27,520 through the motions? Today's a new day. 472 00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:32,240 We can confess that before Christ, before God and Jesus 473 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:36,080 will restore us. And this may happen more often 474 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:40,560 than you think because we all fall short, but God is there to 475 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:42,560 forgive us when we bring up before him. 476 00:28:45,040 --> 00:28:46,680 And I want to leave you with this final verse. 477 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:49,280 That's the from John chapter 15, verses 4 through 5. 478 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:55,600 It says this remain in me as I also remain in you. 479 00:28:56,480 --> 00:28:58,560 No branch can bear fruit by itself. 480 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:02,200 It must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit 481 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:05,760 unless you remain in me. I am the vine and you are the 482 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:07,760 branches. If you remain in me and I in 483 00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:11,720 you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do 484 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:17,520 nothing. Let's pray, Lord God, we come 485 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:19,240 before you, Lord, with a thankful heart. 486 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:25,440 And Lord, we are so grateful that when we mess up and we do 487 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:28,800 things with the wrong motives, and when we recognize that, we 488 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:32,040 can bring that before you and we can confess that, and you are 489 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:34,920 quick to forgive. And my prayer for all of us here 490 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:38,320 this morning is that we will do an inventory of our heart. 491 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:41,080 Where are we at with our relationship with you? 492 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:46,000 Lord, I pray that you will rekindle our spirit, renew our 493 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:48,240 spirit. Lord, give us again a zeal and a 494 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:51,560 hunger for you. Lord, I pray that we will be 495 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:54,880 diligent in seeking you out as well through prayer and 496 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:56,600 meditation and scripture and fellowship. 497 00:29:56,600 --> 00:30:00,240 Lord, may you be with us as we journey on. 498 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:04,160 Lord, may you give us the strength to carry on, and Lord, 499 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:09,040 I pray that the promise that you give us through your word that 500 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:13,160 we will cling to those. I pray this all in Jesus name, 501 00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:13,640 Amen.