This morning I had a very long dream. Some of you may know what I am talking about. Sometimes I have dreams that are very short and I wake up and the dream is over. Other times waking up does not stop the dream but only pauses it and it then continues as I drift back off to sleep. This morning was one such dream that I woke up several times and was thinking about the dream and then went back to sleep and the dream continued.
My dream started at my house. I was working on something around the back corner of my house and noticed that part of the foundation wall had fallen down. This was an area of my house that I had to do foundational reinforcement to when I bought the house and it was very disturbing to me that it had failed again and would require even more work to repair.
While I was musing over this problem and the time, effort and money that would be required to fix this issue my dream started again and I was now standing in a very large industrial building looking at the massive foundations that had been poured years ago but the contractor had dug them back up to check because the walls and floors of the building were now very much out of level. As they exposed the original foundations they discovered there was a problem with the concrete that was used because it never hardened to rock, it was just a thick mushy mess. This building was very important to the operation of the city and factories. I knew that it would have to be repaired but it could not be torn down and rebuilt because that would interrupt it’s very important operation. As I was thinking in my dream about what could be done, how could it be supported and foundations replaced the contractor told me that they had discovered bedrock only 3 feet below the failed foundations.
It was at this moment the Lord put the scripture in my heart: “wise man, which built his house upon a rock”
This passage of scripture is found in Matthew 7
Matthew 7:24-27
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
***Many of you I am sure have been watching on the news or following the videos online of the houses falling into the ocean in the Town of Buxton North Carolina. If you have not seen any of this yet it is so sad. Storms have come over the years and waves have eroded away the beach so much that homes that were once a safe distance from the waters edge are now undermined and collapsing into the ocean. This morning I am not here to render an opinion on blame or responsibility. What I am here to remind you of is we are seeing in real life and real time the words of Jesus’ parable……The foolish man built his house on the sand. You see when you build on bedrock it does not matter what happens to the wind, rain, foods around you. The bedrock is not affected by any of these conditions. The bedrock does not mind the wind. The bedrock does not mind the floods. The bedrock does not mind the rain. I want to go back to Matthew 7:24
Matthew 7:24
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock…
***Do you notice the word, “Therefore” – a key principle for whenever you see this word, you must pause and find out what it is “there” “for”…..
This tells me Jesus is reinforcing a teaching that he has just finished saying with this statement. Let’s go back and see what he is telling us:
***Here is a clue in verse 28 and 29 right after Jesus finishes speaking this parable…..
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
***This tells me the parable was the end of a larger teaching that Jesus spoke. Let’s go back a little bit and see what we can find because Jesus was clearly building up to this point.
But first**** Lets write down the first point of the Message: It is by hearing and doing the words of Christ that we build our life on the rock.
**I did a little research this morning, which in today’s speak means I asked google in AI mode a question. I wanted to know how many self-help books were published over the past 100 years. It was not able to estimate this but did give me the following responses:
- Rapid increase in titles: The number of self-help titles published annually has nearly tripled in recent years. In the U.S., the number grew from 30,897 in 2013 to 85,253 in 2019.
- Continual yearly additions: The self-help book category continues to grow rapidly. In the U.S. alone, an estimated 15,000 self-help books are published yearly.
***In comparison based on the King James Version of the Bible translation to English it is recorded that Jesus spoke a little over 31,000 words during his ministry here on earth.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock…
When you take all the words of Christ and distill them down to his sayings you will find it is roughly 1,500 verses that make up roughly 50 parables or teachings.
***1st point of the Message: It is by hearing and doing the words of Christ that we build our life on the rock.
***My friends we do not need another self-help book to tell us how to live our lives. We do not need another teaching or explanation. We just need to hear and do the words of Christ.
Building backwards on this teaching by Christ lets look at what proceeds his summary:
Matthew 7:21-23
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
***There is quite a bit to unpack here. Jesus is making a statement that should bring pause to anyone who has become very comfortable with a lifestyle of Modern Christianity. I can image there were already a large group of people following Jesus around that he knew where only fans and not followers.
Luke 6:26
26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
John 6:64-68
64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
***So what is the “Will of the Father”:
John 6:35-40
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
**So this is the answer to the question when Jesus says in Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
John 6:39-40 is the answer: Show people Jesus and he will keep them and give them eternal life.
***Point #2 of the message today: The will of the Father God is for people to see Jesus and have eternal life
Hear the words of Paul:
Philippians 3:9-11
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
***Back toMatthew 7:21-23
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
***Next part****
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
***There is a very important truth to this passage of scripture we do not want to miss. The truth Jesus is revealing is: You can use the power of the name of Jesus to do signs and wonders but not be doing the will of the father. Jesus gives us example here of people who in his name, “prophesy, cast out devils and do many wonderful works” but Jesus says depart of me, I never knew you.
*** Point #3 of the Message today: Hell will be full of people who used the name of Jesus to do wonderful works but did not do the will of the Father God.
Matthew 24:5
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
***So how do we know: Back toMatthew 7:15-20
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
***1st point of the Message: It is by hearing and doing the words of Christ that we build our life on the rock.
***Point #2 of the Message today: The will of the Father God is for people to see Jesus and have eternal life
*** Point #3 of the Message today: Hell will be full of people who used the name of Jesus to do wonderful works but did not do the will of the Father God.
***Point #4 of the Message today: Follow people that follow Jesus and have spiritual fruit rather than spiritual fire.
***There are so many places in the bible we can go to discuss this point in more detail. First off I want to remind you what it means to be a fruit.
the sweet and fleshy product of a tree or other plant that contains seed and can be eaten as food.
the usually edible reproductive body of a seed plant
especially : one having a sweet pulp associated with the seed
- Develops from a mature ovary
A fruit is the ripened ovary of a flower. After a flower is pollinated, its petals and other accessory parts often fall off, and the ovary at the base of the pistil begins to enlarge and ripen.
- Contains seeds
The ovules inside the flower's ovary develop into seeds after fertilization. The primary function of a fruit is to protect these seeds as they mature. The fleshy, edible part of a fruit is actually the wall of the ovary, which has thickened to enclose the developing seeds.
- Aids in seed dispersal
The purpose of a fruit is to help spread the plant's seeds. Fruits accomplish this in various ways:
- Attracting animals: Many fruits have evolved to be attractive to animals with their bright colors, aroma, and sweetness. The animal eats the fruit, carries the seeds away from the parent plant, and then excretes them, helping to propagate the plant in a new location
*** I want you to take a quick self test on your life by asking yourself these 3 questions:
- Does the expression and output of my life grow from maturity of my relationship with Jesus?
- Does the expression and output of my life carry with it seeds that will spread the love of the father God and his son Jesus?
- Does the expression and output of my life attract others to the sweet fruits of the spirit that are growing in my life from my relationship with Jesus?
John 15:1-8
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
***1st point of the Message: It is by hearing and doing the words of Christ that we build our life on the rock.
***Point #2 of the Message today: The will of the Father God is for people to see Jesus and have eternal life
*** Point #3 of the Message today: Hell will be full of people who used the name of Jesus to do wonderful works but did not do the will of the Father God.
***Point #4 of the Message today: Follow people that follow Jesus and have spiritual fruit rather than spiritual fire.
*** In closing I want you to go back to where we started:
Matthew 7:24
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock…
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
***a few verses earlier in Matthew 7:7 Jesus teaches us the principle of asking and receiving, seeking and knocking in order for doors to be open to you.
Matthew 7:7-14
Matthew 7:7-14
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
***Ask, seek, knock
***1st point of the Message: It is by hearing and doing the words of Christ that we build our life on the rock.
***Point #2 of the Message today: The will of the Father God is for people to see Jesus and have eternal life
*** Point #3 of the Message today: Hell will be full of people who used the name of Jesus to do wonderful works but did not do the will of the Father God.
***Point #4 of the Message today: Follow people that follow Jesus and have spiritual fruit rather than spiritual fire.
***The final Point, #5 of the Message today: God is waiting for you to ask, seek, knock and enter to his will for your life.