3-3-2014

   Good Morning to All,

    Matthew 7:24; “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

       This verse is part of the ending to the “Sermon on the Mount”.  Jesus is speaking to his hearers and then basically says; if you hear these words and do them you have built upon the rock but if you hear them and don’t do them you have built upon the sand.  This is an interesting way to end your sermon.

    It is as if Jesus stands at the end of the sermon (traditionally, he would have sat while the listeners stood) and says, “Thanks for coming; I hope you liked the sermon but if you only listened and didn’t take it to heart then we just wasted the whole afternoon.”  I am not sure about what reaction I would get if I ended a sermon like that; but I don’t I would get a “nice sermon, pastor,” on the way out. 

    Yet this is what Jesus tells us.  He is showing us the difference between just listening and actually responding with a changed heart.  We are to be a “new creation” as in “out with the old and in with the new.  Yet there is an even deeper meaning here.  It relates to the how the Pharisees were living their “faith” and what Jesus showed us what God meant.

    We could look at it and see the difference between being a “haughty” and being a “holy” Christian.  A haughty Christian knows all the right answers and knows all the right words and is often quick to point out to anyone around what “they” should do.  These types of “Christians” are the ones who do all the damage to our faith.  They speak holy but they don’t live holy.  They judge rather than love.

     A “holy” Christian does not necessarily live a perfect, sin-free life; but rather they hear God’s call, experience his love and have a changed heart and a different desire.  A holy Christian seeks not what is in it for him but how he can serve God.  We don’t have to seek what is in it for us because we already have all we need.  We have our eternal life already in our hands; we already possess it.  There is really nothing else to need or want.  We literally have it all.

     So God speaks to us and tells us that now that we have it all, we should tell others, show others, help others and draw others to his love.  We are his agents here on earth.  God has decided to use you and me to spread his Word of forgiveness and grace.  He has entrusted and empowered us with this task.  So he wants us to hear what he said about love and then go out and live it.  He wants us to be holy not haughty.  He wants us to draw others to him by showing his grace and mercy to all we meet.

Father of all grace, give to us the wisdom to live our life as your holy servant.  Lead us by your Spirit to be your hands and arms here on this earth.  Guide us to those who are in need of your grace and lead us to stand and serve you.  Lead us in your love.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret