Well, listen guys, I am I, I am really excited.
I'm glad that you guys came and and joined us here this morning.
Before we get at the. The message Let me start off by
by reading the passage. That that we're going through.
We're finishing up. The Sermon on the Mount.
So if you have your. Bibles, feel free to.
Turn to Matthew Chapter 7, verses 24 through 29, and this
is like I said, this is what we're going to be looking at
today. It says everyone then who hears
these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who
built his house on the rock. 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.
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 and the.
Rain fell and the floods came and the winds.
Blew and beat against the house and it.
Fell, and great was the fall of it.
And when Jesus finished these things, the crowd, the crowds
were astonished at his. Teachings for he was.
Teaching them as one who? Had authority.
And not as their scribes. So like I said.
I'm really glad that you guys. Came and joined us this morning.
I know that today, maybe throughout the year, today's.
For some people, you know, maybe it's a harder day to get
motivated to. To to go to church.
I mean, I'm a. I'm a sports.
Fan myself and so. You guys that are sports?
Fans, you know that. The sports world is is electric
today. You probably have.
Plans. Maybe you're going to go to a.
You know, a a, a sports pub or you're going to go home, make a
bunch of snacks, Tuck. In and and and and.
Prepare to watch. As you know the.
The US and Estonia take on each other in that.
Curling quarterfinal match that we've all been just.
Waiting for and. I I tell you what, I this is
like the 4th. Time I've gotten to preach on
Super Bowl Sunday. I always use that joke, it
always makes me laugh. And feel like I'm funny.
So thank you for for. Laughing.
Anyway, so this is the the last week that we're going to.
Spend on the Sermon on the Mount.
Now we started this back in July, so.
For seven months, we've been going methodically through the
greatest sermon ever preached by the greatest teacher that ever
lived. And one thing has become crystal
clear in this study, the standard that God demands is
righteousness. That's something we've seen
throughout all of these months of this of of this Sermon on the
Mount. Now if you weren't here for all
of it, Jesus said in chapter 5, he said, for I say to you that
unless your righteousness. Exceeds the.
Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means
enter the Kingdom of heaven and. And I'll tell you, I think some
of us as we. Read that as we learned that it
seemed like a an impossibly cruel and and unfair standard
because what we also learned was that God views hatred in our
hearts equally to murder and he views our lusting after someone
the same as committing adultery. But then we learned that Jesus
also said the the reward in heaven was great, and said
blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for
they shall be filled. So we understand that the
standard for heaven is perfection, which none of us can
attain, and yet true righteousness is available, but
can only come from Jesus. And then for the last few weeks,
Jesus has laid out some comparisons.
In in these last three or four weeks.
We saw so these comparisons of an easy path and a hard path we
a tree that bears good fruit and one that bears no fruit.
One that was people that that believe they know Jesus and
people that Jesus himself says get away from me.
I never knew you. So through the totality of the
Sermon on the Mount, we see that that Jesus is telling people to.
Live a life. Centered on God, a life that
that honors him because it's full of love and and grace and
wisdom and not hypocrisy or selfishness.
And so that's where we will end this Sermon on the Mount with,
with Jesus giving us a final comparison to.
Potential ways to build. That life on a solid foundation
or a foundation of shifting sand.
But although although he compares them as two different
foundation options, both are facing the same situation.
Powerful floods and and storms of.
Life Now Jesus is a masterful teacher.
He he brilliantly uses imagery that we can relate to and I
think this is one of the best. In fact, John was He was telling
me about a trip to India that he went on years ago.
Where they shared. This passage with the the.
Locals who could. Genuinely grasp the dynamic.
That they were teaching about. Because they.
Could. Truly relate to the imagery here
of wind and water changing the the structural dynamic of of
buildings right this makes sense to people because societies have
have always spawned near water and it's crucial to life and.
Society a solid foundation. Right, a solid foundation must
be achieved. For anything built.
Upon it till to last and and so you know these people that
related to them they could relate to it because they knew
that it would be terribly unwise to put your effort and resources
toward building somewhere that would easily.
Collapse and so as a good. Teacher.
Jesus. Doesn't skip over something so.
Important. See we.
Can't ignore in these passages today.
What we can't ignore in these passages today is that.
Whatever kind of builder you. Are whatever kind of foundation
you build upon the storms and the.
Floods are coming. I worry.
I worry that often we. We talk so much about how
wonderful eternity with Jesus will be that we might forget to
tell the the new people that we're sharing our faith with
that being a Christ follower does not insulate us.
From facing trouble in this. Life, in fact, as believers
were. Promised trouble right in John.
1633 Jesus says. In the world you will have
tribulation. Christians just like everyone
else. Will face.
The storms in in life, the difference is.
How we are equipped to? Weather the storms based on the
foundation. That we have built.
See, we are the builders. We get to choose to be a builder
who? Concerns himself with a solid
foundation or a builder who ignores the issues and builds on
sand. And that's what we're going to
look at today. That's our our first point here
today is the builder. That obeys.
And so again, our our, the passage that we're in is Matthew
7, verses 24 through 25. This is well, this is the.
Passage. We're in for this point.
Goes on to 29 for our for today but.
It says everyone then who hears these words.
Of mine and does. Them will be like a wise man who
builds. His house on the rock.
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. So when Jesus refers to in this
passage, these words of mine, he's specifically talking about
the totality of his of, of his Sermon on the Mount, all of
these things that we've been studying since Matthew 5, these
these principles for Kingdom living that we've been going
through. But then in in James 1/22 it
says but be doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving
yourselves, and that's referencing.
All of. God's Word, because all of it is
immensely valuable. Now we've shared this passage
from the sage many times because we love God's Word and we and we
love that how how useful it is. But here's what it says in
Second Timothy 3. 16 and 17, it says.
All scripture is breathed out by God.
And it's profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness that the man of
God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
So. All.
Of his clarifications on sin that we've looked at in.
In the the. The book of of Matthew.
And his specifically in the Sermon on the Mount, all of his
clarifications on sin, his feelings on.
Divorce How we should treat our neighbor.
How we should approach things like prayer and giving, All of
it is good and. Profitable, but he's telling.
Us that that these difficult, challenging things that he's
just preached. About are to be obeyed.
By his disciples. Now often we might read through
a chapter and and then. Go on to the.
To the next one, but this this comment.
Here I hope will. Prompt us to be mindful of the
importance Jesus. Put on.
His message to us and and, and so he makes this this very
direct point in his first sentence.
Where he tells us. To to not only be hearers of the
word, but doers of it as well. So we cannot skip over the
obedience. Factor in this right?
See, we have a tendency when we look at this, at this passage, I
think we have a tendency to focus on the foundation in the
story which. Of course, that's good, right?
The foundation is great, but sometimes we we gloss over the
the the issues of obedience or rebelliousness.
Of the hearer. And back in chapter 6, we saw
Jesus make it plainly clear that he does not.
Want us to be hypocrites, people?
Who who hear him and say that we believe and follow him but don't
actually? Live it out in our.
Lives. He wants us to truly follow Him.
It's also plainly clear that we are unable to live perfectly and
yet. Guys, we are.
Expected to strive to live. Righteous lives.
There's this this. This book, it's it's like a
we'll. Call it an instruction book
called the Didichy that was written in the in the late 1st
century, early 2nd century and it's believed to have been
written. By the apostles themselves,
However, it's not scripture, right?
It it's not it's not the same as the Bible, though it is very
helpful for believers to to read, to negotiate how
Christians would conduct themselves.
This is This is what the apostles wrote about how to.
How to how to do these things that that they are teaching and
so a couple of excerpts. That we have from it here.
We a couple of excerpts that we have here.
Are in in Part 1 it says. There are two ways, one of life
and one of death. But the difference between the
two ways? Is great, and I believe that
great difference is at the. Heart of our.
Lesson here today. It goes on in part 4.
It says You shall hate all hypocrisy and everything which
is not pleasing to the Lord. Do not in any way forsake the
commandments of the Lord, but keep what you have received,
neither adding there to nor taking away therefrom and then
in. Part 6 it says.
See that no one causes you to err from this, from this way of
the teaching, since apart from God it teaches you.
For if you are able to bear the entire yoke of the Lord, you
will be perfect. So we could see.
From the. From from what they wrote.
There, and from what we are looking at in scripture, there
is no room for us as. Believers to ignore or.
Or disregard the expectation. That we would be obedient.
To what Jesus tells us to do. In fact, disobedience has
significant consequences. So in our passage today, Jesus
is saying. That when we.
Hear his words and. Obey them we are.
Wise in that we are like the man who builds his house.
Upon the rock. Well, what does that mean?
To build your house upon the rock?
I think it would be safe to say that a man's house in this
context could be considered. The the whole.
Of his life, his family, his trade.
It's the centerpiece of his lived existence.
More importantly, it's the. Core of his.
Belief system What his principles?
Are what he holds to. The rock could be nothing else
than the firm foundation of repentance and obedience, the
submission of our will to Jesus Christ, and our faith in.
Him alone for the forgiveness of our.
Sins in Ephesians 2, verses 19 through 21.
It says so then you are no. Longer strangers and.
Aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the Saints and
members of the household of God built.
On the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets.
Christ. Jesus himself being the
cornerstone in whom the whole structure, being joined
together, grows into a holy temple.
In the Lord a cornerstone as. As you are probably aware.
Is the first stone set in the construction of a of a masonry
foundation. It's the point everything else
is is measured and positioned off from.
So what we're talking about is a man who orients his life on
Jesus and the teachings of the disciples and and Jesus says
that approach is wise because that life oriented in Jesus does
not fall when the storms come and beat on the House and and
blow violently against it. And when we.
Consider in the context. Of that verse that we.
Read a few minutes ago from John 1633 that in this life.
We will face tribulation, guys. We, we, we will face some.
Terrible hardships in life, we'll.
Face sickness. Terminal illness We're going to
face death. Marital.
Strife we're going to face. Job pressures and, you know,
money. Problems we're going to face
riots and Internet vitriol and. And just hate all and, and
things like that all the time, right?
And, and when we see the rest of the world facing these things,
we see them. Continue to break down and.
Things. Get worse.
We, we. We.
Always seem to be. Able to see a progressively
worse side of people no matter. How they, how bad they get, we
can see progressively worse sides of them and and people are
unsure of what to expect and they're full of fear and anxiety
and anger. But that shouldn't be the case.
For God's church, not when we have Jesus Christ as the
cornerstone. Of our belief system, here's
this this. Odd this Christian author Jean
Edward Beth. He says one of the greatest
paradoxes in Christian history is that the church is most pure
in times of cultural hostility, when things are easy and good.
That is, when the church most often goes astray, when
Christianity seems identical with the culture, and even when
the church seems to be enjoying its greatest earthly success,
then it is weakest. Conversely, when the church
encounters hardship, persecution, and suffering, then
it is closest to its crucified Lord, then there are fewer
hypocrites and nominal believers among its members, and then the
faith of Christians burns most intensely.
The. Closer that we are as a body of
believers to the. Foundational cornerstone, the
more secure we are. Now we'll talk about why Jesus
is the foundation here in a few minutes, but before that, I want
to. Look at what?
Jesus says about those who hear his words.
And don't obey. That's our second point here
today is the. Builder that ignores.
And and again continuing on in Matthew 7.
Now to verses 26 and 27. This is 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 and the rain
fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against
the house and it. Fell and great.
Was the fall of it, Matthew Henry in his in in his
commentary, said some build their hopes upon.
Worldly prosperity. Others upon an outward
profession of religion in this passage in Matthew 7 in 26.
The word foolish. In this verse is the.
Greek The Greek word morose, which is the root word for the
word. Moron.
But in this case it's it's it's. Closer to.
Heedless or blockhead, as in lacking care and attention, See
building your hopes upon world prosperity, as Matthew Henry
said. Is is foolish in this manner
because it should be plainly obvious to mankind that we
cannot count on our social status to keep us from
experiencing heartache. Our fancy sports car doesn't
alleviate us of the the pain of seeing a a loved one struggle
through addiction. Our job title or our lavish
lifestyle doesn't allow us to. Skip over family problems or.
The death of a loved one. And yet.
We see that kind of thought, that kind of thing all the time.
This idea that when we finally achieve a certain dollar amount
in our in our. Bank account or when we.
Get past a a. Particular number of.
Followers on social media, we get this new job.
Title or. Promotion or or job prospect
even that that somehow life gets all figured out and that and and
the the problems are much smaller because we could throw
money at it or or something. 2009 Sports Illustrated article
said that 78% of NFL players face bankruptcy or financial
hardship within two years of retirement.
And 60% of. NBA players face a similar.
Problem and I think that we can all.
See evidence that the status and fame of Hollywood doesn't have
a. Fix to the storms of.
Life these things. This this.
World, this worldly prosperity always fails to fulfill the
actual. Needs people have when the
storms of of life Rage Against us.
Another commentary on this. On this passage that we're.
In that I was looking at this week made the point that the
lack of care and attention. That this builder gave.
Means that he that he did not intentionally.
Choose to build on the. Shifting sand, but did so
because he was simply unconcerned about the value of
an educated decision. See, it's not that.
He's stupid this this builder. Isn't simply making the wrong
choice, he is willfully neglecting to even consider that
it matters at all. He hears about Jesus, and he
hears about. Heaven and and an afterlife and
he just kind of shrugs his his shoulders and is like, whatever.
I guess we'll figure that out. Someday, you know, for many.
People today, they are so. Utterly unconcerned about the
moment after their death that they.
Completely ignore the fact that that decision truly matters.
And I say from this pulpit all the time that the decision.
That you personally make about Jesus Christ and who he says He
is and what He. Did in his life the examples
that he set the decision you make about him is the most.
Important decision that you will ever make.
It's I'm telling you guys, it's more important than than what
you're going to do with your life.
Think about this. We always ask our, you know,
little kids, what are you going to do when you grow up?
You know, things like that. Or we we have a tendency to put
so much importance on on these trivial worldly things.
This is the most important. Thing it is more important than
what you're going to do for the rest of your life, what what
career you're going to chase, what school you're going to go
to. It's more important than the
than the person that you're thinking about marrying.
It's more. Important about then, then what?
Interest rate you get on your. Loan or where you're going to
Where are you going to buy a house?
What neighborhood you're going to live in?
This is the single most. Important decision, any of us.
Will ever make now for. Many I think they fall into.
The the. Category of agnosticism, which
in the in the plainest of terms means that they don't know.
What? To think about God or or that
they don't believe that we can know.
About God and yet. Psalm 19 verse one says the
heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above.
Proclaims his handiwork guys you.
Can know and you must make a decision.
See this. This means that.
A person can simply look up at the stars or look at the things
in nature and see evidence of God's glory, and that glory is
evidence of his existence and so.
If we could see that. God exists, then we can know
that an all powerful God would also want us to know him and to
know about him. A similar passage to that one we
just read in in Psalm 19 is in Romans chapter one, verse 20.
And it says for his invisible attributes, namely his.
Eternal power and divine nature. Have been clearly perceived ever
since the creation of the world in the things that have been
made. So they are without excuse.
The they in that last sentence are are the people who ignore
the need to make this decision. The ones who say I don't, I
don't know that we can know. God or I just.
Don't know what to believe. They're without an excuse you.
Have to make a decision about him.
So the evidence of Him is plain that we can see in this in this
passage, the evidence of Him is plain.
But then it goes on to let us know in the in the next two
verses that we have. A decision to make.
In verses 21 and 20. Two it says for although.
They knew God, they did not honor him as God.
Or give thanks to him. But they became futile in their
thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Claiming to be wise, they became fools that that passage.
There in in Romans it goes on and it says that they traded.
The glory of the immortal. God for the temporal things.
Of the world. And what happens?
What happens? When you build.
Your house upon the sand, our passage says at the at the end
of it is said or of of that. About the guy who who who
ignores it, it says great. Was the fall of it of his house,
and in Luke 649 it says. But the one who?
Hears and does not do them is a lot is like a man who.
Built a house. On the ground without a
foundation, when the streams broke against it, immediately
it. Fell, and the ruin of that house
was great. Placing our.
Our trust in vanity. You know, placing our trust in
finances and like prosperity and health, social status in in the
in the temporal things of culture in the world not only
fails guys, but. According to this it fails.
Big Proverbs 10 verse 25. I don't have it up on the on the
screen it says when the whirlwind passes.
The wicked is no more. That's a there's a sense of
finality. There, who remembers the footage
from Hurricane Katrina back in? In 2005, some.
Of you guys, I'm sure you, I'm sure you do.
Right, for those of you who who don't.
Remember Hurricane Katrina? Was a a Category 5 hurricane
with 175 mile per hour sustained winds and a storm surge of nine
meters. Of water.
Right, 9 meters of of water and that storm smacked directly into
New Orleans, LA which. Happens to be a city that's
built on the coast and and through the use of dikes.
And and levees. The city actually sits 6 feet
below sea level, and so now we're.
We're talking, we're talking like 11 meters of water on top
of this city, 11 meters of water that's blowing at 175 miles an
hour. When the stream broke against
it, immediately it. Fell and the ruin.
Of that. City was great, the ruin.
Of that house was great, guys. That's the imagery that Jesus is
using. To warn us to choose wisely the
Foundation. That that we're going.
To that, we're going to. To to make.
That's what we face when the storms of life come and and we
don't have our foundation in Jesus.
Now, some of our storms might not.
Look like a category. Four or five hurricane with 30
feet of storm surge, right? But some of them do you know?
2000 people, nearly 2000 people died in in Hurricane Katrina and
some of those 2000 people that that died in that storm.
Had lived through. Other storms previously in their
life, but they weren't prepared. To withstand this storm 1st.
Call of my law enforcement career was a juvenile suicide, a
young man who faced a storm that he didn't feel that he could
withstand my entire career was. Full of people facing.
Crises that didn't have a proper foundation to withstand the the.
Rain. And the, and the wind and the,
and the, the flood of life's storms and they were often
overwhelmed and, and many of you guys can relate either in your
own lives or in the lives. Of your loved.
Ones our society is is. Full of people who've.
Chosen poorly in how to. Build their foundation.
As I pointed out the beginning of.
Of of this today both. Of the builders in the story.
Faced the storms. The difference was in the
foundation determined in their obedience in following Jesus.
Now a few minutes ago I said that I would talk about why
Jesus is the foundation so. So let's look at that for our
Third Point today. Jesus is the foundation because
He is the one. Who speaks with authority?
We continue on in our. Last two verses of.
Our of our passage today and and of the Sermon on the Mount.
It says. And when Jesus finished these
sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for
He was. Teaching them.
As one who had authority. And not as their scribes.
It says that the audience was astonished at his teaching
because he taught as one with authority.
So what does that mean that Jesus and, and his message has
authority? Well, you know, in my life as a
as a pastor and as a boss, as a police officer and as a father.
I've I've wielded. Authority when I, you know, have
had to, you know, yell at my my kids to stop forcing each other
to smell their feet. They know I'm the dad, I'm the
boss, right. That you recognize my authority
when I was a police officer and I'd show up to a.
A bar fight and I'd. Jump out and I'd, you know, yell
at everybody to stop. Fighting.
They didn't always obey. But they, they, my authority was
clear. And it was.
Pretty much in your face. Margaret.
Thatcher, who is a A. Former Prime Minister of
Britain, she had this famous saying that said I love this.
It said being in charge is like being a lady.
If you have to tell people you are, you aren't Jesus.
Doesn't need to tell anyone that he is God of the universe and
worthy of submitting. To we can.
Know we can know about Jesus and his and his teachings because of
scripture. The entirety of the Bible is
about Jesus. The Old Testament predicts and
and set the stage for his arrival in the New Testament
tells about his life and the fulfillment.
Of, of of. Prophecies through Him.
It's 66 love letters to mankind about God's plan for us for
about about our falling away from Him and into sin, about His
desire and His plan to reconcile with us and how we should
approach our relationship with Him and with our fellow man.
Whenever God's Word is presented as it truly is, with its
inherent power, it will astonish people and set itself.
Apart from the mere opinions. Of man the gospel is a life
changing story unlike anything else here's something that
Charles Spurgeon said and I just.
Love this quote many of you guys.
Have read this before. He said the word of God is like
a lion. You don't have to defend a lion.
All you have to do is let the lion loose.
And the lion will defend itself, the Gospel of John says.
That the word became. Flesh and dwelt among us.
Jesus is the word of. God and His authority is
established and evident in His life and message.
Jesus is the foundation that we should build upon because it is
only through His life, death, and resurrection that we even
have any hope of withstanding the storm.
We. Obey Him when we repent and
believe that His death on the cross and His victory over sin
and death in his resurrection. Broke.
Death's claim on us. So this audience of his was
astonished because they had sat and listened to religious
leaders speak before, right? It it said he wasn't like the
scribes, The scribes and. Pharisees, as we can see.
Throughout, the Gospels misunderstood much of what
they'd read in the Old Testament.
They misunderstood the heart of God.
And so, as they taught, their message carried no authority,
and the people could often see that Jesus is.
The authority, he was different. There are two authoritative
statements made in this passage. About each builder for the one
obeying Jesus. Teaching is wise, and obeying
Jesus teaching leads to eternal blessing for the other.
Ignoring Jesus teaching is unwise, and ignoring Jesus
teaching teaching. Leads to destruction.
Here's another quote from Charles Spurgeon says if any
soul will be lost emphatically, it is he who has been for years
a hearer only a hearer where thousands of others have
believed unto eternal life over the cell of such a man, right?
He knew his duty, but he did it not.
And that cell will be built in the very center of Gehenna.
It is the innermost prison of hell.
Willful rejection of Christ ensures woeful rejection from
Christ. So what then for us, Jesus
authority is readily. Apparent to us as well.
So what is the? Application for us in our lives
today. Guys, it's the very same we.
Can either choose to submit and obey him, or we can ignore what
should be plainly. Obvious to us, remember.
The the wise and the foolish man were both engaged in precisely
the the same. Job they had the same.
Goal and and and to a considerable extent achieved the
same design both of them undertook.
To build. Houses.
Both of them persevered in building.
Both of them finished. Their houses.
The likeness between them is very considerable.
The two houses likely look similar.
The difference, though, is their unseen foundation, right?
What's what's in the heart for the wise builder?
It looks like submission and. Obedience, let me give you a
just a couple of sort of clinical.
Definitions of that submission means internal, willing attitude
of surrendering one's will and honor, usually rooted in love,
respect, and trust. We talked about this in Sunday
school just this morning. We had a great conversation
about it. The other definition of
obedience is it's it's generally an external action of complying
out of obligation or fear. That fear in this situation is
is a is a. A rightful respect and fear.
Of God and and what disobedience brings.
It's both. Of these because we should.
Want to submit willingly and we should know that we are.
Required to obey Jesus is the authority, but for the foolish
builder, it's. Business as usual, ignoring the
gathering clouds and the and the signs of the storm, settling for
unfounded hope based on luck or chance while knowing that.
That neither of those is real. When the storm comes, church,
withstand the storm because your foundation is already.
Built. On the rock, I think that's the
concept that Paul. Really understood when he.
When he wrote in in Romans chapter.
Eight, he said. For I.
Consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth
comparing with the glory. That is to be revealed to us.
Sermon on the Mount came with some some.
Tough topics as we faced the reality of of sin, right?
I know that for for a lot of you, just like me, we sat here
listening to to Jesus clarify what sin is and we had to nod
our heads knowingly, right? Because we knew he was right.
We knew that we had committed atrocious sins against him when
we sort of passed him off in our.
Flesh as being something that. It wasn't such a big deal.
He well, the last. Couple weeks we talked about
false teachers and. False believers and those things
were a gut punch to us, that was.
Hard to listen to and to and to apply in our life and to
consider. That he could be talking about
us. It's.
Been tough because this foundation must.
Be set properly once Jason the the the the perspective.
Church planter in our in in Tremont.
When we were sitting in our on our teaching meeting earlier
this week, we were talking about how tough these things were and
he referred to him as spiritual. Rebar and I thought, man, that
is that is good these these. Things are very hard.
For us to to deal with, but they're important part.
Of our foundation they give it rigidity to withstand the storm
and we. We benefit.
Greatly from doing this. The proper.
Way in desiring to follow Jesus example, he told us blessed are
those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
For they shall be filled. This means guys, this this means
that God himself is at at work in your heart.
It means that our trials and grief and suffering in this
life. Are not the full story the glory
of. God that He wants to share with
us for eternity. Is the whole story.
Our foundation for that, our hope, is built on nothing less
than Jesus, blood and. Righteousness will you guys pray
with me Lord God I I again I stand in awe that.
I know that. All of us in our.
Humanity have. Ignored plain truths from you.
There are times in my own life for everybody here in this room
today listening. There's times when we knew.
The way to to. Conduct ourselves.
We knew the choices to to make, and we knew that choosing a
certain way would honor you. And yet in our flesh, in our
sinfulness, we we knowingly and intentionally chose something
selfish. We chose to go a different,
different way. Lord, I'm thankful that you've
given us your, your, your word here that we can look at these
contrasts and that you are, that you've told this, this, this
information. This story to us in such a way
that we. Can have understanding that we
that that there are plain and simple truths that we can
observe about you and that we can then go and learn more.
About you from your word. What an amazing.
Situation that we. Have all of that going.
For us, Lord, after we've. Never earned any of it.
Only by your goodness do you give us the ability to make.
Those choices. And and give us that information
that we can come to know you and know about your heart and the
reason why that you are the way you are or help us to have that
perspective as we understand how distant we are from you in our
sin and wreck our hearts, Lord, wreck our our our the the
foundation, the home that we've built on on nonsense on the
things of the world. Lord, when those store if if it
takes storms to come and crumble that so that we.
We. We rebuild on the foundation of
of you then then by all means, Lord, send the storms because if
it glorifies you and in the process.
We are. Redeemed in it because we come
to know you and. Put our full.
Faith in you, Lord, and then it is for your.
Glory, and for our good and for that.
We are thankful and so we give this day to you, Lord, in the
name of your precious Son Jesus, Amen.
Would you stand and sing with
us? As we sing of.
Christ the solid rock.