Services | Sermon

Bulletin

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Scritpures

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Transcript of Service

But what is commonly known as the sermon on the Mount?

And I've explained a couple of Cajuns. Why I've broken it down to 9 separate parts. I won't go into it again.

Jesus has during the sermon.

Preached.

Priest on such things as.

The Kingdom of Heaven.

Such things as.

How we need to seek it first?

He is taught.

Such things as how to pray.

How to no longer be anxious?

Is given personal applications of his message?

And now in this final installment he?

Turns.

To a point where he's going to do 2 things.

He's going to give his audience.

A choice.

Fortunately, Jesus was not a lawyer.

Lawyers always talking 3, I give bequeath and devise we always use 3 words when one would be sufficient.

Jesus instead of giving 3 choices gives 2.

He says here's a choice and here's a choice and he's going to give some examples of these choices.

And then he's going to do what many sermons do.

Call for action.

Call for a decision.

To do something so we're going to take a look at this.

In this final part of the sermon on the Mount and it starts in Matthew Chapter 7, starting with verse 13.

It says enter through the narrow gate.

But the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction.

And there are many who enter through it.

For the gate is small and the way is narrow for that leads to life.

And there are few who find it.

This is a

Portion of Jesus is teaching.

The pastors need to read regularly.

Why?

Because for pastors who are in large churches. Sometimes they get the miss understanding that just because they have a large congregation doesn't necessarily mean they have a lot of disciples in it.

Or for the pastor of a small congregation to fill unworthy in somehow depressed because he doesn't have a lot of People hearing his message.

Jesus says that there the gate is narrow.

To go into the Kingdom of heaven?

This is kind of consistent to the scriptures we can go all the way back to exodus.

When the 12 are sent to spy out the land. It is the majority who says we can go.

It's only 2 of the 12:00 that says Yes, God is given them into our hands.

And so when you find yourself in the majority of something when it comes to religious things.

Start may be asking.

Am I on the right path.

I remember all the way back in Law School, which was.

Many decades ago.

The law school I went to was uh.

Had fundamental Christian values.

And some of the People that attended didn't like it and I used to say, Well, you know they didn't hide it in the catalog they clearly said this.

This was a Christian institution and this was the denominations that backed it in whatever I go. You don't like it, you could always gone to another law.

So many People knew.

That I was a believer.

And I remember speaking is one.

Fellow student of mine knowing that I was a believer.

He says you know, Joe you are so reasonable.

Everything we discuss you're a very reasonable person and he's trying to get on my good side.

Be cause when it comes to this Salvation thing.

You're very narrow minded.

Because you say that Jesus is the only way into heaven?

I said well the scripture say.

That if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart. That God raised him from the dead that you will be saved that there's no other name under Heaven, where men might be saved.

So I go when Jesus says these things and when the scripture says these things.

And I've come to a conclusion that that's correct that that's right.

I said to Maine.

It would be no different than.

This shirt.

We can decide to call it any color we want.

But if we come to an agreement that says this shirt is black.

Then it is not unreasonable to say that this church is shirt is black. I'm simply stating a fact.

And if Jesus is the only way into Heaven, then I'm not being narrow minded I am being factual.

And it is not me. Who is closed minded 'cause I didn't set up the rules.

There's quite frankly I had fewer People.

The narrow the way would be even narrower you gotta like me, you know, so that gets to be few People so Jesus is saying there is a narrow way that gate into the into the Kingdom of Heaven is narrow and that narrowness is because you must believe that God.

Raised him from the dead and you must confess which means I did it notices not professed well. Jesus is Lord that, saying it's true.

The demons.

Say he's the son of God.

They profess it, but they don't confess it.

Because they don't act.

In accordance with that confession and so we are to confess yes. Jesus is my Lord Jesus is my boss.

That put you on that narrow gate so there's 2 choices. You can choose the Broadway. The popular way the way that most People will go or you can choose the narrow gate.

Then Jesus moves on in his.

Choices.

And in verse 15 he says this.

Be aware of the false prophets.

Who come to you in sheep's clothing butter inwardly are ravenous Wolves?

Jesus in this there are those when you're trying to decide which way to go and how to live.

Are going to be false prophets? They're going to tell you things that are wrong and if you believe them you could find yourself on the raw road or in the wrong gate.

Or being the wrong decision, so this is you need to be aware of false prophets.

And as much as that is true in Jesus's time because People before Jesus and People after Jesus claimed to be the Messiah.

In claimed to have gods?

Message to them there still People today who want to tell you but God.

Want you to do and most of the People. What God wants you to do send them a bunch of money.

And I pray for you, or they do whatever or you'll get blessings or whatever.

But there are interested in their own thing and he's saying Beware because false prophets may on the outside be dressed up like sheep, they may look like you and me.

But on the inside, not only are the Wolves, but they're very, very hungry Wolves.

The seek to destroy the flock.

She says you will know them by their fruit.

Remember, a few weeks ago when we talk about judging.

This is a determination and Jesus gonna say how do you know between a person who is actual profit and a false one?

You'll know them by their fruits.

Grapes are not gathered from Thornbushes nor figs from Thistles Are They.

So every good tree bears good fruit and the bad tree bears bad fruit.

A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a battery produce good fruit?

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

So then you will know them by their fruits.

In today's world.

This should be something easy to remember.

When we

We don't call an Apple tree a pear tree.

We call it an Apple tree.

Because it bears Apple now, maybe a Macintosh or gala or a red delicious or yellow. It may be different, but we call it an Apple tree.

Or we know.

A Peach tree is a Peach tree because it produces Peach is.

You are known, therefore by the type of fruit you bear in Jesus and just as you can say well. There's a fig tree? How do I know it's a feature Y 'cause it produces fix?

That's an Apple tree? How do I know it's an Apple tree because it produces apples?

Jesus is you will know who is.

A true Prophet.

Because they bear the fruit of the spirit.

Love.

Joy gentleness kindness peace all those things of the fruit of the spirit is a good tree produces those fruits and you could say that's a believer.

As I can see the fruit.

I'm not judging I'm an inspector.

And likewise you can determine in your own life.

And take a look what type of fruit MI bearing.

First time I bearing any fruit at all.

Now the sad thing is in a lot of churches when they hear bearing fruit what they think of.

Are believers that somehow you need to be evangelist and produce knew and there is that aspect that you are to be an evangelist.

But your job is not to convert anybody.

Your job is to be a witness it is the spirit's job to do the conversion.

So the fruit that you and I are to produce is the fruit of the spirit.

Which is then a life that others would say what you say and what you do is consistent so I'll listen to you?

But the distinction.

Is serious?

You see I can decide I want to travel somewhere and get on the wrong freeway.

Unfortunately, there's enough freeways in California. I can then choose to get on another one to go in the right direction.

But Jesus says if you're a bad tree.

Your destination is be cut down.

And thrown into the fire.

That's scary.

So we are to look not only at those who claim.

To be teachers of profits.

So Unfortunately.

As I speak.

Through the years that I speak.

You just say, Well, this Joe.

Now his fruit may be really small.

But is he bearing any.

And he's he bearing more and better fruit as the years go by.

Or not.

But then also we should look at our own lives and say am I today.

Bearing more and better fruit than I did a year ago.

2 years ago.

5 years ago.

And if not.

To be

Seeking God's intervention.

To make us good fruit and good trees.

And then he says something very disturbing again.

Verse twenty one.

Not everyone who says to me, Lord Lord will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

But he who does the will of my father who is in heaven will enter?

Many will say to me on that day, Lord Lord.

Did we not prophecy in your name and your name cast out demons? And in your name? Perform mini miracles? Isn't did and we do a lot of good stuff God.

And we did it in your name, we did it, according to your credit card.

We said.

Be healed and the person was healed and we said demon be cast out and it was cast out and we performed all these miracles and we did it in Jesus, his name.

Jeez this isn't looking for what you do.

No success.

And in your name perform any miracles and then I will declare to them.

I never knew.

You.

Depart from me, you have practiced lawlessness.

Now.

It is not what again the Gospel is not what you do, but what God has done.

God is not impressed if you are the pastor of multiple churches with 10s of thousands of members who are baptized thousands daily.

That doesn't impress God.

What he wants to know is do I know you?

Not what you say, but that I know you now for those of you get a little nervous here.

About well.

Maybe I was saved and then maybe I messed up and maybe I'm not notice Jesus and say, well, I I forgot your name.

Or I used to know you.

Are you are doing well and then I just sespe? I never knew?

They started out on the wrong road continued on the wrong road was the wrong tree and Jesus never knew.

The scriptures tell us.

That nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Not life, not death.

Not tribulation or distress Batman nakedness nothing so nothing that we can do can separate us once Jesus knows us.

The question is did he ever know.

This is there are.

2 gates.

And there are 2 types of trees.

And now he's going to get down to 2 types of foundations and he's going to make.

You make a decision.

Therefore.

Everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them. Maybe compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.

And the rain fell in the floods came and the winds blew and slammed against the house. And yet it did not fall for had been founded on the rock.

The rock.

And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand and the rain fell and the floods came and the wind blew and slammed against that house and it fell and great was its fall.

Now notice Jesus doesn't spend anytime talking about what kind of house was being built by the Wise man or the foolish man.

And if you take a look at our lives, sometimes will know those People who when they build their houses are very much into the planning.

Get an architect determined that they want 6 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms and major kitchen and why and they do all these things and they build their house with all this intention and whatever and then there are those who built haphazardly.

Well, I don't know I don't have a plan, but I just do this and I do. That and we kind of live our lives that way. It's well. I just do this and I kind of do that.

And we find out that the the bathroom and the kitchen are in the same room and that's kind of gross but we didn't mean to it just we kind of slap it all together and that sometimes how we do our lives. It just kind of.

Flap together.

Jesus.

Not the house that you built on Top.

It's what's the foundation.

If you build your foundation on the Rock and as Jesus told.

Peter.

Appan this rock the statement of faith.

I will build.

So when you build your life on Jesus.

It doesn't matter what.

Circumstances come against you during life.

As a matter of fact one of the things People have a great difficulty in is that they figure well.

If I either.

I'm a believer or least I'm not against God. I believe that there is a God and when bad things happen. They wonder why, why is God mad at me?

You know winds blow.

And it rain.

And all these things happen and as the scripture says it rains on the just, and the unjust.

But when you have your foundation set you say my faith is in God and let the winds blow?

Let it rain let it pour.

Because I'm secure in who?

I have stand on.

This says.

Those People.

Are the ones who hear his words and does them?

We are not to be here's of the words, but do earth of God's word.

And the distinction between building your house on rock and building your house on sand is when Jesus taught us about anxiety. We do what he taught us when he taught us about the Golden rule. We do the Golden rule. When he taught us about seeking first. The Kingdom of God, we do those things.

It may not be perfect, but we attempt them because we are trying to do the will of God.

But instead there are those who like to come an as the jokes is well is a pretty good.

Show for $0.25 and well it was either good sermon or bad sermon. The music was good or was batter with whatever I didn't like it. I like the hymns or I like.

Hip hop or whatever it is, and we were always judging whatever rather than.

Of the delivery was Terrable.

But when the pastor said.

Where to love our enemies?

Since that's what Jesus said.

Maybe I wanna do that.

He didn't say it very well, but that's what Jesus said.

So Jesus is calling for us to make a decision.

You've heard.

His word you've heard his message.

And the question is, are you going to build your life.

And by doing what he says.

Are you going to build your life on hearing but doing something else?

But Jesus is promise.

If you build your life on him.

The outcome.

Will be sure?

And if you don't build your life on him.

The outcome will be sure, but not the outcome you want.

When Jesus had finished these words.

The crowds were amazed at his teaching.

Or he was teaching them as 1 having authority.

And not as their scribe.

I read this.

And I find.

Gratitude and an and whatever and I find a touch of sadness.

Because they acknowledge that Jesus knew exactly what he's talking about.

He spoke as 1 having authority.

You see when I say.

That you should treat.

Others.

The way you want to be treated.

I don't speak with authority in the sense of.

I know what he's talking about.

It's I know who's talking about it and I know he's right.

But when Jesus speaks it.

He practices entirely what he preaches.

When he tells us to rely on God and seek the Kingdom of God, 1st is because he relies on the father and seeks the Heaven 1st.

He speaks with authority.

And their amazed because these which in essence, they shouldn't be because he's the son of God.

He left the father to be here.

He should know what he's talking about so in in a portion of it, they shouldn't be amazed.

It should be that's right.

He's the son of God.

But just as they were amazed at his.

Miracle.

They're amazed at his teaching.

But you know what it doesn't say.

And all who heard it.

Believed in him and followed him.

Doesn't say that?

As a matter of fact.

Probably.

The vast majority didn't.

Why do I say that?

Because in a few years from now.

The crowd will call for his crucifixion.

There isn't even enough of a minority to cause dissension.

Crucify him crucify him.

We have no other King.

We just do something.

That changes everything.

Here is raised from the dead.

And that's how I know.

In my life.

He has authority to say this even though I didn't hear it.

Because the facts are.

He didn't stay in the tomb.

And since the facts are, he didn't stay in the tomb, then I'm going to follow what he says.

Even though it may seem counterintuitive, maybe even though I'm a complete failure at it.

Yes, he is the son of God.

And I want to follow him.

And I want him to know me.

And I even want him to say when I come into his presence.

Well done.

Good and faithful slave.

I don't know what type of half, I'm building.

Don't know what type of House. You want to build whether it's a planned architectural.

Wonderful house or one just slapped together.

But make sure it's built.

On the rock.

That rock is Jesus and that rock is doing what he said.

So, in a moment the band is going to come and we're going to sing bills my life.

Well, you see the point.

Is not for us?

The face One Direction sing some songs have a few prayers listen to a guy who me either have a good sermon or bad sermon or a good day or a bad day.

Sing another song and 2:00 and then leave.

The point is.

They not only know a little bit more about Jesus.

But to be a little more like him.

And to make sure we heed his warning.

There were doing what he said.

Not just hearing it.

In all God's People said.

Stand with me as we pray.

Alone are God.

I certainly don't speak with.

The authority that Jesus did.

But your spirit.

Still, calls, all People to you.

So God I asked your spirit.