Sermon on the Mount -12- Why Good Listening Isn't Enough

Reading: Matt.7:24-27

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Matthew 7:24 (NIV)

I.   Two Kinds of listeners

     A.  Shaped by the Truth

           1.  The first kind of listener Jesus describes is the one who both hears and puts into practice.

                 a.  To hear is not to comprehend.

                 b.  To hear and comprehend is not to understand

                 c.  To hear, comprehend and understand is not to adopt as one’s own.

           2.  Putting Jesus words into practice is wise.

                 a.  Jesus says to hear and practice is like a wise man who. . .

                 b.  It’s a wise person who not only recognizes a good idea, but also puts it into practice.

                 c.  Wisdom isn’t merely to know a lot of fancy ways to talk about stuff — wisdom is the ability to implement the best options.

           3.  Putting Jesus words into practice is like building your life on a solid foundation

                 a.  Hearing and implementing is like being wise enough to build on a solid foundation.

                 b.  Jesus message is a solid foundation to build a life on.

     B.  Truth just in our Heads

           1.  The other kind of folks, listen OK, but just leave everything in their heads.

                 a.  You might know folks who are smart when it comes to head knowledge but a little short on common sense.

                 b.  It is too easy for us Christians, who have a religion based on a book, to get stuck just talking about the book and not to actually implement it’s truths and values in our lives.

           2.  As if God is impressed with what we put there.

                 a.  For some folks the most important thing they can do as a Christian is to get the best ideas about God and His word into their heads.

                       (1)      They fight all their battles for right ideas and split hairs (and churches) over the finest points of Bible teaching.

                 b.  While right ideas are important — while careful listening to God is foundational — it is not the most import thing.

                       (1)      Implementing what we have already figured out is the most important thing.

Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Philippians 3:16 (NIV)

II.  What can withstand Storms

     A.  A life built on Truth can Stand in a storm

           1.  The storms of life huffed and puffed but they could not blow down the house

                 a.  Storms do come.

                 b.  Folks get hurt, property gets destroyed, sometimes people and animals are killed.

                       (1)      These storms come no matter what foundation you lay.

                       (2)      A good foundation for your life will help keep you from falling down with a great crash.

           2.  It was built on a solid, immovable foundation.

                 a.  The wise man chose to build on a rock that wouldn’t move or be washed out by the storms.

                 b.  It’s harder to build on a rock than on the sand

                       (1)      The sand can be shaped to fit the design of the builder

                       (2)      With a rock foundation, the building has to be shaped by the contours of the rock.

     B.  A life with no foundation Crumbles

           1.  The storms of life huffed and puffed and the house came down.

                 a.  The shifting sands get pushed around, and out of place when the chaos of the storms hit.

                 b.  When the sand washes out, the rest of the house crumbles because there’s nothing holding it up.

                 c.  What’s holding up your life?

           2.  And it made a big noise — every one around saw what happened.

                 a.  It fell with a big crash — it was spectacular. Front page news stuff.

                 b.  Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall and all the kings horses and all the kings men couldn’t put Humpty together again.

III. Jesus is our Foundation

     A.  Jesus is the Rock

           1.  There is no other reliable foundation

10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. 1Cor. 3:10-15 (NIV)

     B.  Following Jesus is the foundation for Life

           1.  Jesus says “whoever hears these words of mine and puts them into practice. . .”

     C.  Jesus’ message is: Love and be Authentic

           1.  Love God with your whole being and something a lot like that is Love the people in your life like yourself.

           2.  Let your actions flow from your heart. Don’t just play-act your religion.

                 a.  God is really and deeply changing you.

                 b.  Be the salt and light you are — stick out and be different, offer hope.

The Bottom Line:

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