1 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:08,640 We are finishing the Sermon on the Mount, the mountain of a 2 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:10,560 sermon, the greatest sermon ever preached. 3 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:15,280 Jesus showing and explaining what does the Kingdom of God 4 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:17,680 really look like. Well, to me it looks like this, 5 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:21,360 or to me it looks like that. Well, to Jesus it's defined 6 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:23,000 plainly. He makes it clear. 7 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:26,960 He makes it simple as we look through the Sermon on the Mount. 8 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:29,680 You can read the sermon on the mountain in about 15 minutes. 9 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:32,320 If you haven't done that, make sure you do Chapter 5, Chapter 10 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:37,120 6, Chapter 7 of Matthew. You can even read it out loud. 11 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,440 Read it at the pace that you could even imagine. 12 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:40,960 Maybe Jesus preached it that day. 13 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,840 He's seated on the mountain, the others are standing in front of 14 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:45,160 him. You can even read it with that 15 00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:47,800 cadence. Do your best to imagine this 16 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:49,600 scenario. He preached it not just for 17 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:51,840 them. He preached it also for you. 18 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:54,840 He gave those blessings. He starts the sermon off with 19 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,800 repentance. Blessed are those who mourn. 20 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:01,080 Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are the meek. 21 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:04,000 He's talking about people who know about their need for God, 22 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:07,960 not the people who go. I'm great, I'm good, and I guess 23 00:01:07,960 --> 00:01:10,840 God would be helpful for the whole eternity thing, but other 24 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:12,800 than that, I'm really not looking for much. 25 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:15,280 That's not what Jesus is describing right out of the 26 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:16,960 gate. He brings humility. 27 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:21,120 So for secularists who will give a tip of the hat to Jesus, be 28 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:23,320 like, you know, his Sermon on the Mount, if everybody just did 29 00:01:23,320 --> 00:01:25,400 that, then the world would be great. 30 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:28,600 Well, yes, that's true. But what they typically mean 31 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:30,920 when they say that is if everybody would just love their 32 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:32,280 neighbor as they love themselves. 33 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:35,600 Which is also true, but also impossible without the power of 34 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:38,040 Christ in you. Which is impossible to have if 35 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:41,240 you're not first poor in spirit and a repentant soul who has 36 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:43,760 been transformed by the grace of God. 37 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:46,800 So you can't have one part of the Sermon on the Mount without 38 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:49,480 the entire sermon on the mount. Most importantly, without the 39 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:50,920 beginning of the sermon on the Mount. 40 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,320 That part that includes your repentance. 41 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:57,120 You mourn over your sin, and then you shall be comforted. 42 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,520 As opposed to let me take this good philosopher named Jesus. 43 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:01,920 He was a good man. What? 44 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:03,280 Really. Why was he crucified? 45 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:05,720 Oh, I'm not so sure about that. But he was. 46 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:09,199 He was a good guy, and I like some of his teachings. 47 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:12,440 So Jesus goes on after these blessings and calling to 48 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:14,160 repentance. He calls his people. 49 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:17,640 He calls you the salt of the earth, the light of the world. 50 00:02:17,640 --> 00:02:20,280 He then says that I didn't come to abolish the law. 51 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:24,120 I came to fulfill the law. And then he brings the standard 52 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:26,920 of the law that everybody thought was really strict, and 53 00:02:26,920 --> 00:02:29,520 he raised the standard. You've heard you're not supposed 54 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:31,360 to murder. I tell you, you can't even hate 55 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:33,120 anybody. You've heard you're not supposed 56 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:35,360 to commit adultery. I'm telling you, you can't even 57 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,520 lust goodness. How is this possible? 58 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,480 Well, it's only possible in Christ. 59 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:44,680 It's only possible when you have been transformed, Not when you 60 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,560 have a different perspective, but when you have an entirely 61 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:50,000 different foundation, which is what we're going to get to 62 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,320 today. Jesus talked about divorce. 63 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:56,120 He raised the standards again. He talked about making oaths. 64 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,600 He talked about retaliation. He talked about loving your 65 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,200 enemies. He taught about giving to the 66 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:03,400 needy. These is this is what the 67 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:06,040 Kingdom looks like. The Kingdom is full of love, and 68 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:07,960 the Kingdom is the right way to live. 69 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,600 And yes, I will acknowledge to the secularist point, yes, 70 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,840 anyone who attempts to obey the Sermon on the Mount, although 71 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,000 they'll do it imperfectly, just like Christians do it 72 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:20,920 imperfectly, It will bless the world, It will change a person's 73 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,480 life. And yes, they will get closer 74 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,400 into Kingdom principles because the best way to live anything 75 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,360 that a person does well, any truth that a person stumbles 76 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:33,320 into, that piece of truth, is God's truth. 77 00:03:33,920 --> 00:03:36,360 They just happen to stumble upon a Kingdom principle and they go, 78 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,360 I'm building my life upon this. Hey man, that's actually a good 79 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:40,920 thing. Just so you know, that's just 80 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:44,920 one tiny sliver of light that's shining out of the radiant sun, 81 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:46,600 which is the entire Kingdom of God. 82 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:49,160 You're getting one glimpse of it, and I'm glad it's blessing 83 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:52,680 you, and of course it will. However, there's more, and also 84 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,240 you need more. You need the whole Kingdom. 85 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,880 Jesus wants to bless your entire life with his will in his way. 86 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:02,600 And his blessing again includes repentance. 87 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:06,800 So he taught us about fasting. He taught us about laying up 88 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:10,080 treasures in heaven instead of here on earth. 89 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:13,040 And then he tells us in the Kingdom, you don't worry about 90 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:14,840 your life. You know what? 91 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:16,399 Which part am I not supposed to worry about? 92 00:04:16,399 --> 00:04:18,680 The whole thing. Don't worry about your life. 93 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:20,640 Don't worry about what you're going to eat or what you're 94 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:22,720 going to drink. Jesus says, look at the birds. 95 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:24,960 You're worth a lot more than all the birds. 96 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:27,400 This is what it's like to have a Father in Heaven. 97 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:29,200 Don't be anxious for tomorrow either. 98 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:31,200 Tomorrow can be anxious for itself. 99 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:34,320 That's not your jurisdiction. Don't judge anyone with 100 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:36,160 hypocrisy. Don't judge anyone with 101 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:38,720 condemnation. Don't judge anybody where you 102 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:42,160 hope for their downfall. Am I not supposed to judge at 103 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:43,640 all? We found out we are supposed to 104 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:46,200 judge. It's impossible to live without 105 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:48,360 living a life of judgement. We're always to make 106 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:51,000 assessments. Jesus says judge not, and then 107 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:54,840 he literally says don't give your pearls to pigs or to dogs. 108 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:59,240 How am I supposed to know who a dog and a pig is unless I use 109 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:01,840 the J word right? I'm always I've got to make a 110 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:03,560 judgement. But it's not one that would 111 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:06,000 condemn. It's not one that would reject 112 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,600 eternally and say that you're hopeless and I don't want to do 113 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:11,920 it from a place of hypocrisy. So the bank robber has no 114 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:14,840 jurisdiction telling the man who's lying on his taxes not to 115 00:05:14,840 --> 00:05:17,440 steal. That's the judgement that Christ 116 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:20,000 is pointing out. He says first take the log out 117 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:21,640 of your own eye, you bank robber. 118 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:25,240 And now, yes, you can help to get the spec, the smaller thing 119 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:28,360 out of someone else's eye. Didn't mean to minimize lying on 120 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:31,560 your taxes there. Like it's it's a small speck, 121 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:34,240 like it's all fire that I don't want to play with. 122 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:37,680 But the point is he's saying yes, judgment is an obvious 123 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:40,320 thing that has to happen. He then goes on to say beware of 124 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:43,520 false prophets. Aren't we supposed to judge? 125 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:45,280 Of course we are. You've got to judge and be 126 00:05:45,280 --> 00:05:47,920 willing to say that's a false prophet or that's a false 127 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:50,360 teacher, or at best, this person's misguided. 128 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:52,640 And I'm watching them. I'm watching them. 129 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:55,720 I'm not going feed me whatever you have to say because your 130 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:58,480 ministry has good fruit. I don't care if your ministry 131 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:00,720 has good fruit. I care if your character has 132 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:02,880 good fruit. And if I can't get close enough 133 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:05,960 to judge your character, that doesn't mean I condemn you, but 134 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:09,280 it just means I have to honestly say I don't know about you. 135 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:12,480 I don't know about you. I see you drive out demons. 136 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,040 I praise God for that. I see you heal the sick, and I 137 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,440 praise God for that. But I don't know your character, 138 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:21,720 so I can't fully trust and endorse you. 139 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:24,280 Why? Because many will do many 140 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:27,440 wonderful signs. Jesus says great and mighty 141 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:30,200 things will happen, he says. But a tree is known by its 142 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:32,640 fruit, so he's wrapping up his sermon. 143 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:34,240 Here. A tree will be known by its 144 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:36,480 fruit. A good tree can't be bear bad 145 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:38,480 fruit. But we clarified the false 146 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:41,760 prophet, the false teachers, and there are many. 147 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:43,920 We don't judge the fruit of their ministry. 148 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:46,040 We judge the fruit of their character. 149 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:47,960 That's the fruit that he's talking about. 150 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:49,840 Because the fruit of their ministry might be very good. 151 00:06:49,840 --> 00:06:52,040 Why? Because God is good, and God can 152 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:53,920 draw a straight line with a crooked stick. 153 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:57,880 And still we have to judge character and who a person is 154 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:00,240 and the teaching out of their mouths. 155 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,880 And if it's too vague, that should be a red flag to us. 156 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:07,600 Didn't intend to recap anything as far as false prophets, but 157 00:07:07,840 --> 00:07:10,000 it's important. It's a needed reminder in the 158 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:11,960 world we live in. I'm sure you'll you'll you'll 159 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:13,600 find somebody else this week on Instagram. 160 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:15,280 They'll come across your feed. We found out. 161 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:16,520 That's another thing with false prophets. 162 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:19,640 They always find you. False prophet will always come 163 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:21,280 and get you. You're minding your own 164 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:23,400 business. And then a false prophet wants 165 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:25,080 to gather people unto themselves. 166 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,160 A shepherd will rescue, but a shepherd is not greedy for his 167 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:31,640 own glory or a prophet always. A false prophet. 168 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:35,760 Always will be. So Jesus then warns us about He 169 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,720 says, not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will enter the 170 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:41,880 Kingdom of heaven. What a what an absolutely 171 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:45,520 horrifying thing to imagine. Not everyone who says to me 172 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:47,000 Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of heaven. 173 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:48,480 Lord, didn't we do this? Didn't we do that? 174 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:51,480 Didn't we do this? Some argue and and say that 175 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:52,880 these verses were to be separated. 176 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:54,880 He's talking about false prophets and he's talking about 177 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:56,960 false converts. I lump it all in together and 178 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:58,440 say I don't want to be false anything. 179 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:01,240 I just want to walk in faithfulness to the Lord. 180 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:03,920 And yes, we should always judge a tree by its fruit. 181 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:08,080 And now we come all the way to the very end of Jesus's Sermon 182 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:11,440 on the Mount in verse 24 of Matthew Chapter 7. 183 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:13,600 Read along with me. I'm reading from the ESV. 184 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:20,000 By the way, Matthew 7, verse 24. Everyone who hears these words 185 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:24,160 of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his 186 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:27,520 house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the 187 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:32,000 floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it 188 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:36,039 did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 189 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,360 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do 190 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:42,760 them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 191 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,400 And the rain fell, and the floods came and the winds blew 192 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:49,720 and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall 193 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,320 of it. Heavenly Father, we humble 194 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:57,440 ourselves before your word today, knowing that we need that 195 00:08:57,440 --> 00:08:59,960 we want to be the man who builds this house on the rock. 196 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:05,080 God, bring revelation, bring light and bring strength. 197 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:06,760 Bring all the faith that's needed. 198 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:10,600 We have nothing to offer today except a humility and a poorness 199 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:12,920 of spirit. Everything else good that will 200 00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:15,640 happen will come from you. And then we will even use that 201 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:20,400 equipment that you provide. You are the one who's got to 202 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:22,960 till the field of our heart. You're the one who's got to 203 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,800 plant the seed in our heart. You water the seed in our heart 204 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:27,760 and then you also make it bear fruit. 205 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:31,440 God, you're so glorious and gracious to do it all. 206 00:09:31,680 --> 00:09:33,560 We receive it. That's our posture. 207 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:35,800 Our posture this morning is one of submission. 208 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:40,720 We are receptive. You won't find a a rolling eye. 209 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:46,920 You won't find a hard heart. Make a soft and pliable fit for 210 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:49,120 your service. In Jesus name. 211 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:50,720 We thank you. Amen. 212 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:55,520 Everyone then, who hears these words of mine and does them. 213 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:59,240 Everyone who hears these words of mine, these words of mine 214 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:02,640 that Jesus talking about, is the sermon that he's just preached. 215 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:06,120 He's finishing the sermon. And most translations even put a 216 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:08,520 a therefore there. Maybe your Bible has that he 217 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:10,920 says. Therefore, everyone who does 218 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,640 these words of mine, he's connecting this thought to the 219 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:18,040 past 15 minutes of his sermon. He's going, therefore, so early 220 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:20,720 in my walk with the Lord, I would come to just this passage 221 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:23,240 and I would think everyone who does these words of mine, it's 222 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:26,760 like the whole Bible and yes, like walk in obedience to all of 223 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:29,640 God's commands. But in context, Jesus is saying, 224 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:33,000 therefore, everyone who does what I've just been preaching 225 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:36,600 and teaching for the past 15 minutes, that sermon, that 226 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:39,280 message of the Kingdom, those are the words he's talking 227 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:41,600 about. Everyone who does these words of 228 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:46,840 mine, That's the one who's like a wise man and builds his house 229 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:49,320 on the rock. He's talking about the sermon 230 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:51,400 that he's preached. Jesus has already told us in 231 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:55,000 this sermon you can't serve 2 masters and now he's telling us 232 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:59,040 you can't have two foundations. There's only one or the other. 233 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:02,200 You're building on rock or you're building on sand. 234 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:05,040 Jesus is the master of black and white, contrary to popular 235 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:10,400 belief. Wide gate, narrow gate, good 236 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:14,960 tree, bad tree. But here he teaches us the how 237 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:17,520 of it all. He he doesn't just say don't be 238 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:19,920 a good tree or or or don't be a bad tree. 239 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:22,360 He doesn't say do be a good tree or don't be a bad tree. 240 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:25,040 He doesn't just say don't go on the wide path and do go on the 241 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:27,280 narrow path. He goes very specific and he 242 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:29,040 goes. Now you're probably wondering 243 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:32,240 how right? How what does it look like? 244 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:34,200 Well now he spells it out for us. 245 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:37,680 The how is made plain for the listener who was hearing him and 246 00:11:37,680 --> 00:11:39,400 wanted to make sure they're on the narrow path. 247 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:41,280 They want to make sure they're bearing good fruit. 248 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:43,680 He gives the secret. It's who hears these words of 249 00:11:43,680 --> 00:11:48,440 mine and does them obedience to the words of Jesus. 250 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:50,440 Particularly in the Sermon on the Mount. 251 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:53,560 That is the how that leads to the good fruit. 252 00:11:53,560 --> 00:11:55,640 That is the narrow path. What? 253 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:59,000 Where is the narrow path? Well, Jesus is the path, He is 254 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:00,400 the gate. He is the door. 255 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:05,160 And also walking in obedience to him is what builds life on a 256 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:10,280 solid foundation. Both people heard the message. 257 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:12,560 Jesus doesn't say. The wise man is like the one who 258 00:12:12,560 --> 00:12:15,400 heard my message and the foolish man is the one who didn't hear 259 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:18,080 my message. Both people heard the message of 260 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:19,880 Jesus. This is scary. 261 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:21,800 This makes everybody accountable. 262 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:25,040 Both people heard the message. Oh, I've been. 263 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:27,200 I've been hearing the word of God since I was a child. 264 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:29,640 That doesn't that doesn't help you. 265 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:33,080 John Michael. Yeah, Barry and Denise Clark 266 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:35,000 taught the word of God to me since I was a child. 267 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:36,800 That didn't. That didn't do it for me. 268 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:40,880 It's only obedience that builds my life on the foundation of the 269 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:42,600 word of God. Now, is that the ultimate head 270 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:44,480 start? Yeah, that's a bit of an 271 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:47,320 understatement to say that I had anyone who had parents who 272 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:49,720 taught them the word of God. To say you were privileged would 273 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:51,520 be like the understatement of the Millennium. 274 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:54,320 You know, we that's there is no greater privilege. 275 00:12:54,560 --> 00:12:57,400 It is the greatest head start in life that a person could 276 00:12:57,400 --> 00:12:59,680 possibly have. That is a wonderful gift. 277 00:12:59,680 --> 00:13:02,440 And we receive that. And still we don't get to ride 278 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:05,040 on anyone else's faith. We don't get to build on anyone 279 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:06,960 else's foundation. My life is its own. 280 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:11,080 I'll stand before the Lord all by myself, as will you. 281 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:15,440 So both people heard the message of Christ in his example here. 282 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:19,120 Both were in church. Both had heard the words of 283 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:21,680 Christ. But one obeyed and one didn't. 284 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:25,320 Why does this happen? It's because it's harder to 285 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:27,880 build on rock than it is to build on sand. 286 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:31,840 To build on sand. I can just start laying things 287 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:35,640 on top of it and it's going to be fine for today, and it's 288 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:37,520 probably going to be fine for tomorrow. 289 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:40,480 It's actually going to be fine all the way up until it's not. 290 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:43,560 But I won't know until it's too late. 291 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:45,040 I'll go. It's fine. 292 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,960 Look, it's fine. Look, it's fine. 293 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:52,040 Look, it's fine. Look, it don't judge me. 294 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:54,840 That's where I'll go. That's where I'll finally go 295 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:56,920 when it all falls down. Don't judge me. 296 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:00,360 Well, I wasn't judging you, but I'm devastated for you. 297 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:03,000 And I do want to help you rebuild. 298 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:05,600 Well, come help me rebuild like this. 299 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:07,360 And I'm not going to help you rebuild on sand. 300 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:10,600 I'll help you rebuild on Christ. Well, then you're judging me. 301 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:13,800 No, there's just no other way to build. 302 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:16,560 There's no other way to build. I'm not going to build on sand 303 00:14:16,560 --> 00:14:18,600 because I know what's going to happen with the next storm. 304 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:21,400 Oh, so you're just going to leave me to myself, then? 305 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:23,920 No, that's that's clever gaslighting on your part. 306 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:26,640 But I love you enough. And I know The Rock enough to 307 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:29,400 know what's best. And I want to apologize for the 308 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:31,520 Rock. I want to give you the highest 309 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:33,600 and the strongest possible foundation. 310 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:35,040 I'm going to build you a better house. 311 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:38,560 Do you want that? No, because that's hard. 312 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:41,680 Well, I agree it is hard. Pick your heart. 313 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:44,400 Choose. Choose your heart. 314 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:48,320 It's hard to crucify your flesh and follow the will of God. 315 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:51,360 But it's really hard to not have a heavenly Father as you go 316 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:54,560 through this life and to not walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. 317 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:59,200 So pick your heart. And ultimately the eternal heart 318 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:01,920 becomes an easy comparison to make. 319 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,520 But it is harder to build on rock than it is to build on 320 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:08,720 sand. On sand, I just lay stuff on top 321 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:10,960 of it. It's going to be fine until it's 322 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:12,720 not. I might notice some cracks in my 323 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:14,320 drywall. So when you have foundation 324 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:17,480 issues, you might have a crack and you can patch it, but it'll 325 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:19,640 crack again. And you can patch it but it'll 326 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:21,600 crack again because you don't have a drywall issue. 327 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:24,920 But that's my temptation is like, oh, this is just a a 328 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:26,840 drywall thing. Let's hang a picture here, 329 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:29,120 right? This is the best way to to fix 330 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:31,240 my life. What's the What's the next book 331 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:33,360 I need? What's the next podcast I need 332 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:35,680 to listen to? What's the next philosophy. 333 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:38,760 So I start build, I start piece mealing my life, and I'm hanging 334 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:40,640 pictures to cover up all these cracks. 335 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:45,360 So far it kind of works. The problem is the storm hasn't 336 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:47,640 come yet. But when the storm's coming, and 337 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:50,640 it is, Jesus said it's an intense storm. 338 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:53,960 There's wind that comes, there's rain that falls. 339 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:56,640 There's floods that rise. And they all beat against the 340 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:59,200 house. Notice that both houses got beat 341 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:02,480 against. I live in Christ and I my house 342 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:04,440 will never be beat against. That is a lie. 343 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:06,720 That is not true. It's not biblical. 344 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:10,840 Living in Christ, you will have things that beat against your 345 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:13,080 house. Your life will be beat against, 346 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:16,400 just like everybody else's. The difference is when the storm 347 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:19,880 is gone, you won't be. That's the difference. 348 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:24,120 When the storm is gone for the person in Christ, you won't be 349 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:26,000 gone. But outside of Christ, when I 350 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:30,600 haven't built on the foundation of obedience to the words of 351 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:34,360 Jesus, let's keep clarifying what building on the rock means. 352 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:39,440 It's not I know stuff, but obedience to the words of Jesus. 353 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:41,480 That is what makes all the difference. 354 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:45,240 There are many people who sit in church for decades, and they're 355 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:49,840 not built upon the rock. They know the word of God. 356 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:55,040 They can recite the Scriptures. They may worship with with great 357 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:59,920 enthusiasm, but that does not equal obedience to the words of 358 00:16:59,920 --> 00:17:02,240 Jesus. In particular, in the Sermon on 359 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:05,160 the Mount, how do you how can you judge maturity? 360 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:09,480 How can you judge fruit? Open Matthew 5-6 and seven and 361 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:11,400 see if the Holy Spirit won't start talking to you about some 362 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:13,720 things in your life. You're going, whoa, let me go 363 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:16,720 somewhere else in the scripture. Let me go compare myself to 364 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:20,119 maybe some some really, really obviously flawed Old Testament 365 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:23,359 saying like, oh man, at least I'm not David in that situation, 366 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:25,400 man, look at this guy, Look at this guy. 367 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:28,560 Instead of Jesus saying the standards here, this is what the 368 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:32,360 Kingdom is like. This is what my people do, and 369 00:17:32,360 --> 00:17:35,040 this is what I empower my people to do. 370 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:37,520 So I've got the cracks in my drywall. 371 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:40,960 Maybe my doors aren't closing properly after a while, and 372 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:44,560 eventually the flood comes, the wind comes, and the house is 373 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:48,680 exposed for what it always was. It was a poor imitation for a 374 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:51,480 good structure. It was false. 375 00:17:53,120 --> 00:17:57,560 This is your life and this is my life outside of obedience to the 376 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:00,760 words of Jesus. It's a little bit of brokenness 377 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:02,120 here. It's a little bit of brokenness 378 00:18:02,120 --> 00:18:04,320 there, but you tell yourself that's life. 379 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:08,680 But God has stability and God has comfort for you. 380 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,600 God is much more compassionate towards you than you are to 381 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:14,600 yourself. He wants better for you than 382 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:20,560 what you want for you. His sermon, Jesus's sermon, will 383 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:24,600 rescue your whole soul, your whole mind, your whole spirit, 384 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:27,480 and your whole body. But digging on the rock, digging 385 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:31,760 into the rock is hard. Building on the rock required. 386 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:35,440 Digging into the rock. It was uniting with the rock and 387 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:37,840 then receiving the strength from the rock. 388 00:18:39,120 --> 00:18:41,960 Jesus said it in his sermon back in verse 13. 389 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:44,400 Here, Chapter 7. Enter by the narrow gate. 390 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:46,680 For the gate is wide and the way is easy. 391 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:49,880 That leads to destruction and those who enter by it are many. 392 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:52,960 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard. 393 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:56,480 That leads to life and those who find it are few. 394 00:18:56,760 --> 00:18:59,080 The interesting thing about the Sermon on the Mount is it 395 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:00,960 travels with you throughout your Christian walk. 396 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:06,160 You don't outgrow it. So everybody, wherever you are, 397 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:08,880 you feel like man. John Michael wrote this sermon 398 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:10,920 for me. Yes, I did. 399 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:13,240 And just like I write every sermon for you. 400 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:15,680 But the Sermon on the Mount will always travel with you. 401 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:17,920 Some of you mature Saints, you've been walking with the 402 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:20,040 Lord for a long time. This stuff hits you right 403 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:22,160 between the eyes. In fact, the more mature you 404 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:24,040 get, the harder it hits you. Go. 405 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:27,640 Oh Lord, help me. That's the humility that comes. 406 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:30,280 The closer you walk with the Lord, the more you know you need 407 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:32,400 the Lord and some of you who are younger than the Lord. 408 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:35,440 You going, this is hitting me like and it's not going to stop 409 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:37,440 hitting you. The Lord has another place for 410 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:40,440 us to go, another place for us to grow, because he's good, 411 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:44,760 because he loves us, and because he is renewing our minds so that 412 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:46,480 our ways actually would be His ways. 413 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:49,640 That our thoughts actually would be His thoughts. 414 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:53,760 But building on the rock requires digging into the rock, 415 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:56,240 uniting with the rock and then receiving the strength of the 416 00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:57,800 rock. Jesus said enter by the narrow 417 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:00,880 gate, for the gate is wide and the way is easy. 418 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:04,840 It's sandy to build on that the way that leads to destruction. 419 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:08,320 Those who enter by it are many. The gate is narrow and the way 420 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:10,920 is hard. That leads to life and those who 421 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:14,240 find it are few. Living life without the comfort 422 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:16,880 of a heavenly Father is hard. We said that, but denying your 423 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:18,960 flesh. Is also hard. 424 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:21,760 So pick your heart. Both houses get the same storm. 425 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:28,280 Both lives get the same storms. Both the obedient to Jesus life 426 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:31,000 and the disobedient to Jesus life face a world that is 427 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:35,680 broken, where the devil is bad and where things go wrong both 428 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:39,440 lives face all of it. Storms will come into your life. 429 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:44,920 Obedient Christian storms will come into your life, but God 430 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:48,840 will never leave you, Proverbs 2416 says. 431 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:52,840 For the righteous falls seven times and rises again. 432 00:20:54,120 --> 00:21:00,000 But the wicked stumble in times of calamity, the righteous fall. 433 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:03,080 Yeah, over and over and over. The difference is the 434 00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:06,920 resurrection power of Jesus. The resurrection power of Jesus. 435 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:09,800 The resurrection power of Jesus. So will your life fall? 436 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:12,000 No. Will the house fall? 437 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:14,160 No. Will you stumble? 438 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:17,000 Sure. So the idea here, The 439 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,520 implication, though, is that the wicked stumble and they don't 440 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:22,200 get up. The wicked fall and they stay 441 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:25,200 down. Can't you think about times in 442 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:27,560 your life? Can't you testify to all those 443 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:28,800 times where the Lord picks you up? 444 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:31,760 Can't you testify, for those of you who have walked in obedience 445 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:34,880 to Jesus testify to the strength of the rock? 446 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:38,280 The same storms you saw hit other people's lives You go on. 447 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:40,360 I don't know how people do it. That's it. 448 00:21:40,360 --> 00:21:43,680 That is a common sentiment among mature believers they share with 449 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:44,800 one another. I don't know how people live 450 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:47,560 without Jesus like I don't. I don't know how you could 451 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:50,120 possibly do it. And the answer is you can't. 452 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:52,240 It's not. It's not actual life. 453 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:53,720 It's despair. It's anxiety. 454 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:55,040 It's fear. It's terror. 455 00:21:56,120 --> 00:21:59,080 It's it's it's an extreme vulnerability. 456 00:21:59,960 --> 00:22:02,120 I have no covering. I have no house. 457 00:22:02,360 --> 00:22:07,640 I have no foundation. But the foundation makes all the 458 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:10,960 difference. Interesting thing to note here, 459 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:12,760 with the foolish man in his building. 460 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:17,640 The foolish man isn't always rebellious, but he's often times 461 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:20,960 just thoughtless, just often times not deliberate, just often 462 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:23,560 times not thinking it through. He's not paying attention. 463 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:27,240 He thinks his way is easier. He thinks it requires less of 464 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:29,120 him. But he doesn't see that it's 465 00:22:29,120 --> 00:22:31,160 actually going to require everything from him. 466 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:35,800 It will demand his entire life. So what's the outcome of the 467 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:38,520 life that's built on the rock? And what's the outcome of the 468 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:43,840 life that's built on the sand? They stand, one stands, one 469 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:45,920 falls. But what's the eventual outcome? 470 00:22:46,200 --> 00:23:05,920 Go to Revelation Chapter 21, the outcome of the life that's 471 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:11,240 built on the rock. What is the the final word on 472 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:13,800 it? Revelation, chapter 21, verse 473 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:17,680 one. Then I saw a new heaven and a 474 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:20,000 new earth. This is the revelation that God 475 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:25,240 gave to John, the revelation of Jesus Christ to John when he was 476 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:28,400 exiled on the island of Patmos. Then I saw a new heaven and a 477 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,920 new earth for the 1st heaven and the first earth had passed away 478 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:35,480 and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, New 479 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:39,000 Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a 480 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:42,400 bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from 481 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:47,040 the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with 482 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:51,280 man. He will dwell with them, and 483 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:56,280 they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as 484 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:59,160 their God. He will wipe away every tear 485 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:01,640 from their eyes, and death shall be no more. 486 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:05,040 Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore. 487 00:24:05,360 --> 00:24:07,240 For the former things that passed away. 488 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:10,480 Saints, we can't comprehend how beautiful that moment will be 489 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:14,680 when we heard that spoken. And he who is seated on the 490 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:18,320 throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. 491 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:22,320 Also he said, write this down, for these words are trustworthy 492 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:24,960 and true. And he said to me, it is done. 493 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:29,160 I am the alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. 494 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:33,360 To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life 495 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:36,840 without payment. The one who conquers will have 496 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:42,320 this heritage, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. 497 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:46,680 What a powerful and beautiful promise for the life that's 498 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:48,800 built on the rock. What's coming. 499 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:52,640 He wants us to taste and see all that we can taste and see now 500 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:54,840 all that we can receive by faith. 501 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:58,360 Now the Lord says yes. He gives his his yes and his 502 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:00,040 Amen. Even in the world that's broken, 503 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:02,480 even where the devil's bad? Even where things still go 504 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:05,440 wrong, we still look forward to the day when all things will be 505 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:08,280 made finely and totally and completely perfect. 506 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:10,560 But in the meantime, we walk in peace. 507 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:12,760 In the meantime, we have a life where we don't worry. 508 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:16,360 In the meantime, we have a king who cares for us still. 509 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:19,440 But what's the outcome of the life that's not built on the 510 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:21,000 rock? You're curious about that one, 511 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:24,480 too. Look in chapter 20, turn back a 512 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:28,960 page. Revelation 20, verse 11. 513 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:35,680 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. 514 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:39,120 You do not want to be at the great white throne. 515 00:25:39,120 --> 00:25:41,720 Judgement, Saints. The great white throne judgement 516 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:44,880 is a different judgement. It is not for the sheep, it is 517 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:47,960 for the goats. Then I saw a great white throne 518 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:50,960 and him who was seated on it from his presence. 519 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:55,640 Earth and sky fled away and no place was found for them. 520 00:25:56,360 --> 00:25:58,880 So this is the fearful judge sitting on the throne. 521 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:00,880 The same one who died on the cross. 522 00:26:01,120 --> 00:26:03,880 This is him who will judge the living and the dead as we recite 523 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:07,360 in the Apostles Creed. He's so terrifying that earth 524 00:26:07,360 --> 00:26:10,240 and sky flee from his presence. The problem is they can't that. 525 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:12,800 Where can they go? There's nowhere to hide from his 526 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:14,320 presence. You make your bed in hell. 527 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:16,960 He is there. You ascend to the heavens, He is 528 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:19,560 there. So even earth and sky run in 529 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:21,440 terror from him. But they can't escape. 530 00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:22,920 There's no corner to hide behind. 531 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:26,440 And I saw the dead, great and small. 532 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:30,880 That means rich and poor, influencer and not Super Bowl 533 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:35,160 champion and not and everything in between. 534 00:26:35,360 --> 00:26:37,360 Pick your famous, pick your preference, pick your 535 00:26:37,360 --> 00:26:39,440 politician, and pick your nobody. 536 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:43,520 I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne and 537 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:48,160 books were opened. Then another book was opened, 538 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:52,120 which is the book of life, and the dead were judged by what was 539 00:26:52,120 --> 00:26:55,320 written in the books according to what they had done. 540 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:58,240 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it. 541 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:01,800 Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were 542 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:04,640 judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 543 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:09,600 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. 544 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:12,440 This is the second death, the lake of fire. 545 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:15,440 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of 546 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:20,120 Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. 547 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:25,520 This is horrifying. Back to chapter 21 and verse 8. 548 00:27:30,360 --> 00:27:34,240 But As for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, As 549 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:38,520 for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, 550 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:42,000 and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns 551 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:45,480 with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. 552 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:53,240 The stakes are so high. So Jesus's sermon is not a 553 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:56,200 suggestion. It's not a, you know, do your 554 00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:57,840 thing. Just know that I love you. 555 00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:00,560 Yes, know that he loves you. And know that he is the one who 556 00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:03,720 judges the living and the dead. That he is the one who on that 557 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:06,080 day people will say to the mountains cover us. 558 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:07,840 They'll say to the hills fall on us. 559 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:11,520 Please bury me. Where could I go to run, Hide me 560 00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:16,800 from the wrath of the Lamb. But on that day, once our time 561 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:23,080 has run out. When our heart stops beating in 562 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:26,520 that moment, you know people say foolish things like to be absent 563 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:28,280 from the body is to be present from the Lord. 564 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:32,040 That is for the Christian. That is for the one who has been 565 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:35,600 rescued by Christ. That is for the one who actually 566 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:39,000 loves Jesus. If you don't love Jesus now, why 567 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:40,440 would you think you would love him later? 568 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:46,360 If you don't love him now, he's not yours later, so only for the 569 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:50,840 one who truly loves and fears the Lord and walks in obedience 570 00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:53,360 to him. That builds the foundation on 571 00:28:53,360 --> 00:28:54,720 the House that won't be destroyed. 572 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:58,120 But on that day, on the Judgement Day, every house will 573 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:02,560 be assessed, books will be opened, records have been kept, 574 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:09,480 records are being kept, and on that day the Lamb's book of life 575 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:13,920 is also opened. And if the name has been blotted 576 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:16,560 out, that person goes into the lake of fire. 577 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:20,560 I'm going to read to you from Second Corinthians. 578 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:28,280 You turn there, Second Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 579 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:36,680 10, Second Corinthians 5, verse 10. 580 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:41,880 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so 581 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:45,600 that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in 582 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:51,040 the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of 583 00:29:51,040 --> 00:29:57,640 the Lord, we persuade others, but what we are is known to God, 584 00:29:59,280 --> 00:30:01,040 and I hope it is known to your conscience. 585 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:04,800 We're not commending ourselves to you again but giving you 586 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:08,120 cause to boast about us so that you may be able to answer those 587 00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:10,760 who boast about outward appearance and not about what is 588 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:13,840 in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves 589 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:15,920 it is for God. So for some context and some 590 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:19,640 clarity on the language here Paul was saying, hey the the 591 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:21,880 wicked will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ. 592 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:25,520 Therefore we persuade men we plead with them and now he's 593 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:28,920 making a quit a quick sidebar to talk about his ministry again. 594 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:31,560 He's going look these conflicts these issues that are happening 595 00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:34,120 about well you follow this person or you listen to them or 596 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:35,600 I I'm Paul's not my favorite guy. 597 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:38,920 I like to listen to so and so. So he's, he's making a sidebar 598 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:41,280 teaching here. For if we are beside ourselves 599 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:43,320 or foolish, then it's for God's sake. 600 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:45,440 If we're in our right mind, it's for your sake. 601 00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:47,880 For the love of Christ controls us. 602 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:52,080 Because we have concluded this, that one has died for all, 603 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:55,440 therefore all have died. This is the good news. 604 00:30:55,440 --> 00:30:57,000 This is the substitution of Jesus. 605 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:00,920 One died for all. Therefore, by faith, all died 606 00:31:01,560 --> 00:31:03,320 appropriately under the judgment of God. 607 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:06,680 We've already suffered according to the mercy and grace of 608 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:11,040 Christ, and he died for all that those who live might no longer 609 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:15,440 live for themselves but live for him who for their sake died and 610 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:17,440 was raised. So this is the argument that's 611 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:19,000 made. It's very logical, it's very 612 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:22,800 simple. Christ is the substitution and 613 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:25,320 God the Father said, I put the sin of the whole world on him 614 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:28,760 and I punish it completely and fully and totally. 615 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:31,960 And therefore we all died. So don't we have to die for our 616 00:31:31,960 --> 00:31:33,680 sin? We did on the cross. 617 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:35,560 Yeah, but I didn't experience it. 618 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:36,960 Yeah. Welcome to mercy. 619 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:41,400 Welcome to grace. Therefore, your reasonable 620 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:44,640 response to worship and obedience to him would be. 621 00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:46,760 Well, then I'll live for the one who did it for me. 622 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:48,400 Exactly. Exactly. 623 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:49,920 Now you've got it. That's the point. 624 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:53,560 Jesus did it all for you. Now give it all to Him. 625 00:31:54,280 --> 00:31:57,720 Worthy is the lamb. Not just for me to sing, but for 626 00:31:57,720 --> 00:32:01,960 me to live in obedience to from now on. 627 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:05,040 Therefore we regard no one according to the flesh, even 628 00:32:05,040 --> 00:32:07,520 though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh. 629 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:10,080 Now he's making a sidebar, teaching in like we don't honor 630 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:13,480 people because of their how great their ministry looks or 631 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:17,520 how powerful it seems to be. Therefore, if anyone is in 632 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:21,800 Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. 633 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:25,720 Behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who 634 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:30,360 through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry 635 00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:36,560 of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God was 636 00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:39,480 reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their 637 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:43,120 trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of 638 00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:47,000 reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for 639 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:53,200 Christ making his appeal, God making His appeal through US, We 640 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:59,880 implore you on behalf of Christ be reconciled to God for our 641 00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:04,320 sake. He made him to be sin who knew 642 00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:09,440 no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 643 00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:14,720 Because the stakes are so high. Knowing the fear of the Lord, 644 00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:17,960 Paul says We persuade men. He says because of the coming 645 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:22,160 judgment, judgment, hell and eternity are supposed to be 646 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:25,240 motives. It became uncool for a while in 647 00:33:25,240 --> 00:33:28,440 the church, like, well, it's the goodness of God that leads 648 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:31,160 people to repentance. That is absolutely a verse in 649 00:33:31,160 --> 00:33:33,200 the Bible. Congratulations on finding it. 650 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:35,120 I'm glad you read it. I'm glad you believe it. 651 00:33:35,320 --> 00:33:38,120 Did you know it's not the only verse in the Bible that compels 652 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:40,960 people to repentance? Did you know there is a a whole 653 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:43,600 picture and we should take all of it and not just go? 654 00:33:43,840 --> 00:33:47,000 I like that. Well, I like it too, but we got 655 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:49,640 to like the whole Bible and the whole teaching of the word of 656 00:33:49,640 --> 00:33:52,320 God. And Jesus, the one who says he's 657 00:33:52,320 --> 00:33:54,800 going to cut off branches and throw them into the fire, 658 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:58,920 believes in all of it. So all of that is actually the 659 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:02,000 goodness of God that leads people to repentance. 660 00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:05,280 So if you want to understand the goodness of God, you can't leave 661 00:34:05,280 --> 00:34:07,960 out the judgment of God because God is not good. 662 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:12,400 If God is not judging, God is just open. 663 00:34:13,440 --> 00:34:14,840 It's not the same thing as being good. 664 00:34:16,520 --> 00:34:20,280 So God has standards, but God is also the savior, and God also 665 00:34:20,280 --> 00:34:23,960 makes his own sacrifice. The stakes are so high. 666 00:34:24,159 --> 00:34:28,360 Imagine what if you could travel back in time to the year 2001. 667 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:33,920 It's the 11th of September and you're in New York City. 668 00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:40,440 Maybe it's 7:00 AM, Maybe it's 8:00 AM. 669 00:34:41,679 --> 00:34:44,120 Some men are boarding some flights in Boston right now, or 670 00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:48,360 in about 20 minutes, different men will be getting on different 671 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:50,239 flights. And you step outside of the 672 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:53,440 World Trade Centers and you're there and you've come from the 673 00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:56,719 future. What are you going to do this 674 00:34:56,719 --> 00:35:01,280 morning as thousands and thousands and thousands of souls 675 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:03,600 walk up into these buildings? So you're just going to go, you 676 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:06,520 know what? I don't want to offend anybody. 677 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:10,280 You know, like they might see it differently than I see it and 678 00:35:11,520 --> 00:35:13,320 and maybe they won't understand what I'm saying. 679 00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:15,040 No. What would you do knowing what 680 00:35:15,040 --> 00:35:17,920 was coming to those souls within just a couple of hours, knowing 681 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:20,160 what was going to happen? Would you not make a fool of 682 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:22,360 yourself? Would you not be eagerly 683 00:35:22,360 --> 00:35:25,360 pleading? Would you not be dragging and 684 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:29,920 mourning and weeping to get whoever to to convince by some? 685 00:35:30,120 --> 00:35:33,760 And you know it looks crazy, but wouldn't you still do it by some 686 00:35:33,760 --> 00:35:36,240 standard, by some? Oh, what if you could get one 687 00:35:36,240 --> 00:35:38,920 man, one woman? These grandmothers, these 688 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:42,600 grandfathers, these husbands, these wives, these sons, these 689 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:45,200 daughters, these souls, these people? 690 00:35:45,240 --> 00:35:46,840 Surely not all of them are Christians. 691 00:35:47,240 --> 00:35:49,560 Surely not all of them. Eternity is secure. 692 00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:52,280 Would you not plead? Would you not be desperate? 693 00:35:52,280 --> 00:35:54,960 And when some people dismiss you, go there's another psycho 694 00:35:54,960 --> 00:35:56,840 on the streets this morning. You wouldn't. 695 00:35:56,840 --> 00:35:59,840 You wouldn't be fazed by that. You would just focus on the next 696 00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:00,200 person. Go. 697 00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:02,080 Please listen to me. Don't go. 698 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:05,640 Please don't go. You would have done the same 699 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:08,520 thing in any situation if you could go back in time. 700 00:36:09,360 --> 00:36:12,800 If you could go back to Europe the night the Titanic was going 701 00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:16,680 to set sail, knowing what would happen four days later when 702 00:36:16,720 --> 00:36:19,000 thousands of people would sink to the bottom of the North 703 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:22,600 Atlantic, you would do anything. But don't get on the ship. 704 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:27,480 Don't get on the ship. Seems like just another day for 705 00:36:27,480 --> 00:36:29,560 them, but for you, it'd be so different. 706 00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:34,720 Knowing the fear of the Lord, you would compel others. 707 00:36:35,120 --> 00:36:37,800 Knowing that eternity is at stake, and if a few people 708 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:40,440 ignored you, it wouldn't faze you. 709 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:44,360 Every life is going to be tested. 710 00:36:44,480 --> 00:36:47,560 Every life is going there. It might not be through a 711 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:51,480 surprise, it might be a little bit more predictable, but we 712 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:53,840 don't know. We don't get to predict. 713 00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:58,520 We're really unsure. So it might not be in dramatic 714 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:03,080 terror event fashion, it might not be in famous unsinkable ship 715 00:37:03,240 --> 00:37:05,720 fashion, but it's all we're all going the same route. 716 00:37:06,240 --> 00:37:10,280 Everybody's exiting this place, everybody's going to die. 717 00:37:10,680 --> 00:37:14,920 And for the church, this is a motive that we live with Saints. 718 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:17,640 We're we're to be aware of our limitations. 719 00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:19,920 We're to be aware of our temporary status on the earth, 720 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:21,880 knowing that we're secure forever. 721 00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:26,840 But this compels us to preach the message of Jesus and to obey 722 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:29,560 the message of Jesus even all the way up. 723 00:37:29,560 --> 00:37:31,440 Where I can't wait. When we get to it at the end of 724 00:37:31,440 --> 00:37:35,560 Matthew, all the way at the end of chapter 28, go into all the 725 00:37:35,560 --> 00:37:41,520 world, make disciples, and teach them to obey everything I have 726 00:37:41,520 --> 00:37:44,040 commanded you. What are you, some kind of like 727 00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:46,080 Christian nationalist? No, no, no, I'm a Christian. 728 00:37:46,080 --> 00:37:49,000 Everything. Everybody should obey everything 729 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:51,520 that Jesus says. Well, I don't see it that way. 730 00:37:51,520 --> 00:37:55,000 Well, I am still compelled to do everything I can to persuade 731 00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:56,720 you. Knowing the fear of the Lord, 732 00:37:57,200 --> 00:37:59,600 knowing that you really are going to stand in front of the 733 00:37:59,600 --> 00:38:01,160 one who will judge the living and the dead. 734 00:38:01,920 --> 00:38:05,920 And knowing that he will throw people that he loves into the 735 00:38:05,920 --> 00:38:08,120 lake of fire. And it will be their rightful 736 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:10,680 judgment that I deserve, that they deserve, that we all 737 00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:12,720 deserve. Knowing that that's coming. 738 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:16,280 I have more motive, I have more courage and I have more love. 739 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:20,640 I actually have desire that because there is a test that 740 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:23,760 comes to every house. There are tests that come in 741 00:38:23,760 --> 00:38:27,240 life and there's a test that coming that comes afterlife. 742 00:38:28,480 --> 00:38:30,520 And the test is the Lord Jesus himself. 743 00:38:30,960 --> 00:38:35,320 Will he say well done or will he be saying depart from me, you 744 00:38:35,320 --> 00:38:38,400 worker of lawlessness? Because that's the distinction 745 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:41,560 that he makes. Remember Jesus told us earlier 746 00:38:41,560 --> 00:38:43,840 in the Sermon on the Mount he didn't come to get rid of the 747 00:38:43,840 --> 00:38:45,480 law. And here he is at the end of the 748 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:48,840 sermon saying whenever he was referencing false prophets and 749 00:38:49,040 --> 00:38:52,120 and false converts, he says depart from me, you worker of 750 00:38:52,120 --> 00:38:55,920 lawlessness, you worker of lawlessness. 751 00:38:56,480 --> 00:38:59,080 So it was it was the sin as his evidence. 752 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:00,920 That's what's recorded in the books. 753 00:39:01,320 --> 00:39:04,840 It's lawlessness. It's not you did your best. 754 00:39:05,160 --> 00:39:07,520 It's actual sin. It's actual lawlessness. 755 00:39:07,520 --> 00:39:13,080 It's actual disobedience to God. We're going to close with this 756 00:39:16,720 --> 00:39:20,200 and Psalm one, which we read is our magnification this morning. 757 00:39:21,600 --> 00:39:24,960 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, 758 00:39:25,760 --> 00:39:29,600 nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of 759 00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:34,680 scoffers, But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his 760 00:39:34,680 --> 00:39:40,400 law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by 761 00:39:40,400 --> 00:39:42,520 streams of water. That's me planted by streams of 762 00:39:42,520 --> 00:39:44,960 water. That's only if your delight is 763 00:39:44,960 --> 00:39:48,520 in the law of the Lord. You're meditating on His law day 764 00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:51,760 and night, and you don't walk in the counsel of the wicked or the 765 00:39:51,760 --> 00:39:54,960 ungodly. That man that life is like a 766 00:39:54,960 --> 00:39:57,360 tree planted by streams of water. 767 00:39:58,360 --> 00:40:01,840 That tree yields its fruit. In the right season, the leaf of 768 00:40:01,840 --> 00:40:05,760 the tree does not wither, and all that he does he prospers the 769 00:40:05,760 --> 00:40:10,000 wicked, or not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 770 00:40:10,680 --> 00:40:13,720 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment. 771 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:18,120 Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous, For the Lord 772 00:40:18,120 --> 00:40:21,800 knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will 773 00:40:21,800 --> 00:40:32,920 perish. And I'm going to read these 774 00:40:32,920 --> 00:40:36,440 final verses, and then we're going to pray from the Sermon on 775 00:40:36,440 --> 00:40:47,320 the Mount, back in chapter seven and verse 28. 776 00:40:48,240 --> 00:40:52,920 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were 777 00:40:52,920 --> 00:40:57,360 astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who 778 00:40:57,360 --> 00:41:00,160 had authority and not as their scribes. 779 00:41:02,520 --> 00:41:04,760 Jesus, all authority in heaven and earth belongs to you. 780 00:41:05,600 --> 00:41:08,600 Everything you say, everything you want, it's perfect. 781 00:41:10,760 --> 00:41:13,120 Make us a people who walks in a deeper obedience. 782 00:41:15,160 --> 00:41:18,560 God, we ask you to make us that because we can't make ourselves 783 00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:22,560 anything. So it's only it's only our 784 00:41:22,560 --> 00:41:26,040 humility that can protect us. It's only our humility that 785 00:41:26,040 --> 00:41:28,440 makes us receptive. And then it's you who does the 786 00:41:28,440 --> 00:41:31,640 work. Holy Spirit, come in right now. 787 00:41:32,400 --> 00:41:38,640 Come in and move and minister to your people God. 788 00:41:38,640 --> 00:41:43,400 As hearts have been cut, I pray that you would enter in deeply. 789 00:41:44,520 --> 00:41:48,160 Enter in more deeply. Your word is has accomplished 790 00:41:48,160 --> 00:41:52,400 its mission today. Enter in deeply Holy Spirit. 791 00:41:55,200 --> 00:41:58,520 Strengthen, fill. Cause us to be such a tender 792 00:41:58,520 --> 00:42:01,680 hearted people with such a motive of love for others, 793 00:42:02,240 --> 00:42:05,200 knowing the fear of the Lord. We want to walk in obedience 794 00:42:05,520 --> 00:42:08,840 because we see your goodness and we love your goodness, and 795 00:42:08,840 --> 00:42:12,320 because we love others. We love our friends. 796 00:42:12,320 --> 00:42:14,520 We love our family. We love our acquaintances. 797 00:42:14,800 --> 00:42:19,720 We even love our enemies, and we want them spared. 798 00:42:19,720 --> 00:42:24,040 We want them rescued from certain tragedy, from permanent 799 00:42:24,040 --> 00:42:31,960 death, from eternal separation. You call us to be disciples who 800 00:42:31,960 --> 00:42:35,200 make disciples. You've given us this ministry of 801 00:42:35,200 --> 00:42:41,600 reconciliation that we would persuade, that we would compel, 802 00:42:42,640 --> 00:42:45,440 that we would use every opportunity we have to tell the 803 00:42:45,440 --> 00:42:47,920 good news about your Kingdom, that there is a king in heaven 804 00:42:48,400 --> 00:42:53,160 and he rules over all the earth. Glorify your name among your 805 00:42:53,160 --> 00:42:57,200 people. God strengthen and equip us for 806 00:42:57,200 --> 00:43:03,840 every good work in Jesus name. And now the Lord bless you and 807 00:43:03,840 --> 00:43:06,800 keep you. The Lord make his face shine 808 00:43:06,800 --> 00:43:09,200 down upon you and be gracious to you. 809 00:43:09,760 --> 00:43:12,760 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you great 810 00:43:12,760 --> 00:43:14,880 peace. In Jesus name. 811 00:43:15,520 --> 00:43:16,000 Amen.