Building Life On A Solid Foundation

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Building Life On A Solid Foundation</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id394.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kingdom Relationships"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="21"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>"Building Life on a Solid Foundation," </B><A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Matt+7:13-29" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U><B>Matthew 7:13-29</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Berean Bible Church, July 27, 2003am</B></div> <bR> <div> <I>     </I>In an ad for the Volkswagen Passat (2003), a guy is walking down the street when his phone rings. The voice says, "Hello, this is your future self." "Who?" "You - in the future. Don't take the job in Boston." "What job?" "You'll see. And buy the Passat - it's a decision you'll be happy with. Oh, and when you meet Becky, run."</div> <div> <I>     </I>Wouldn't it be nice if our "future self" could call us and tell us how our decisions worked out, before we have to make them? Jesus ends his "Sermon on the Mount" with a challenge to make a decision, and he kindly and fairly lays out the consequences of whichever decision we choose. Knowing the consequences, we have all the information we need to make the decision Jesus is asking us to make. What will be your response to Jesus?</div> <bR> <div> <B>I. You have a choice to make, and there are consequences that last for eternity.</B></div> <div> Jesus gives four contrasts.</div> <div> A. Two pathways (<A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Matt+7:13-14" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>Matthew 7:13-14</U></A>)<B> </B>- choose the right pathway.</div> <div>      There is only one way to heaven, through faith in Jesus, which will lead to a life of sacrifice and servanthood. </div> <div> B. Two trees (<A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Matt+7:15-20" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>Matthew 7:15-20</U></A>) - consider who you listen to and the fruit you display.</div> <div>      There is a link between what you believe (who you listen to) and the fruit you bear. Examples of false teaching: other ways of salvation; you can earn God's favor or your way to heaven (legalism); you can live anyway you want, Jesus doesn't really care. The truth will be revealed in their character and teaching.</div> <div> C. Two claims (<A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Matt+7:21-23" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>Matthew 7:21-23</U></A>) - consider the basis of your claim to eternal life.</div> <div>      The issue here is saying vs. obeying (religious claims and religious activities). I want you to have eternal life by really <I>knowing</I> Jesus and <I>showing</I> it by obeying him. Jesus tells us there are many religious people who will not make it to heaven. Religion itself is not the answer. Having the right relationship with Christ (knowing him) is the answer.</div> <div> D. Two builders (<A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Matt+7:24-27" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>Matthew 7:24-27</U></A>) - build on the right foundation.</div> <div>      The issue here is merely hearing vs. hearing and obeying. Build on a lasting foundation by accepting and practicing the words of Jesus. You may reach all your goals (family, career, financial, social), but if you do not have the life that lasts, it is meaningless.</div> <bR> <div>      "According to Parade magazine, the zoo in Copenhagen, Denmark, has put a human couple on display. Henrik Leh-mann and Malene Botoft live in a see-through cage in the primate display next to the baboons and monkeys. Their habitat has a living room with furniture, a computer, a television and a stereo. The kitchen and bedroom are part of the display. Only the bathroom is excluded from public view. Unlike their neighbors, who aren't allowed out, the two humans occasionally leave their fishbowl existence to shop and water the flowers on their porch back at home. But for the most part, their lives are on public display" (<I>Have a Good Day</I>, 2003). Your life is on display before Jesus Christ, and as the King, you will be judged. Will he say to you, "I know you and it showed by how you obeyed me." Or will he say, "Depart from me, I never knew you"?</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. Hearing and obeying Jesus demonstrates true faith in him.</B></div> <div>      In <A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Matt+7:28-29" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>Matthew 7:28-29</U></A>, it says the people were amazed. What will your response be? Columnist Terry Mattingly wrote, "This is an intensely religious nation, but people don't want the church saying anything about their wallets or their bedrooms.  We want 'God lite.' Everybody believes in God, in religious experiences, in life after death, and in justice.  Nobody believes it has anything to do with the nuts and bolts of our lives." Jesus tells us it has everything to do with the nuts and bolts of our lives.</div> <div>      The bottom line issue is obedience - obedience points to the reality of faith (vss. 21 and 24). Some say, Jesus just accepts us and he has no expectations of us, he just loves us. He showed his love by dying for you, because of your sin. When you place your faith in him, he <I>then</I> expects you to obey him! It shows that you put your faith in him for salvation and forgiveness of sin. If you are not doing (or working on) the things Jesus commanded, don't assume you have true faith in him. Don't deceive yourself.</div> <div>      In John 15:4-5,<I> </I>Jesus said, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."</div> <div> A. Trust him for salvation from sin. </div> <div>      If you haven't done so already, trust him now. You cannot <I>earn</I> salvation by obeying the words of Jesus. Obeying his commands is for people who have already trusted him for salvation. Trust him today.</div> <div> B. Hear him. </div> <div>      Read his Word. Spend time with him in prayer. Like any relationship that stays close, you have to keep in touch.</div> <div> C. Obey him, in his power.</div> <div>      Confess your sins. Evaluate yourself. Consider your character, your attitudes, your actions, your words. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has addressed such issues as anger, lust, unfaithfulness, not keeping your word, an attitude of vengeance or hatred toward others, hypocrisy, attitude toward money and possessions, ignoring God's rule, judgmental criticism of others.Evaluate yourself in these areas, according to what Jesus has said.</div> <div>      Seek his rule over your life (doing what is right, from the heart). Put him first and he will bless you. </div> <div>      Yes, we will struggle with sin. But we must make progress in obedience to his commands. The Apostle John wrote in 1 John 1:8,<B> </B>"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (Five verses later . . .) In 1 John 2:3-4, he wrote<B> </B> "We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, `I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him."</div> <bR> <div>      "The ancient city of Pompeii is less than a mile from the foot of Mount Vesuvius. In the summer of A.D. 79, Vesuvius erupted suddenly and with great violence. Hot ash, stones and cinders rained down on the city and the air became filled with poisonous gases. Most of the people escaped, but not all. Among the approximately 200 remains that have been found was one of a woman with her jewels in her hands. Apparently she had spent her time gathering her treasures instead of fleeing from the doomed city. Because of her delay, she lost both her jewels and her life" (Woodrow Kroll, Lessons on Living). Don't delay - you are risking your life. Prepare today for the coming judgment by trusting in Jesus, hearing him,and living a life of obedience to him.</div> <div>      If you are not a follower of Jesus, why not? What is keeping you? If you call yourself a follower of Jesus, but you are not following and obeying him, what is keeping you?</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2003, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>