- Wise people will build their lives on Jesus' words
- Foolish people will build their lives on something other than Jesus' words
Summary: To conclude His sermon, Jesus reminds us that there are really only two types of people in the world: those who build their lives on His words and those who do not. After telling us that people who do not do the will of His Father will not get to be with Him in His eternal kingdom (7:21-23), Jesus illustrates the same point by using the analogy of two builders. A wise builder did the hard work of digging a foundation so that he could build his house on the rock and was therefore able to endure the storm. A foolish builder, however, did the easy work of avoiding a foundation altogether and was therefore swept away when the storm came.
Main Point: One will either stand or fall based on whether or not one hears and obeys Jesus' words
Main Point: One will either stand or fall based on whether or not one hears and obeys Jesus' words
Discussion Questions:
- In what specific ways has God challenged you through the Sermon on the Mount?
- Discuss: "Jesus didn't preach this sermon in order to be admired and applauded but obeyed."
- Describe the labor involved in building upon the rock vs. building upon the sand?
- If the rock represents Jesus' words, what does the sand represent?
- What do rain, floods, and winds represent? Can you find any helpful clues from the context?
- How will obedient people fare when trials and judgment come their way?
- How will disobedient people fare when trials and judgment come their way?
- Is obedience necessary in the Christian life? Explain.
- How does gospel-grace relate to gospel-obedience?
Application Questions:
- Am I astonished at the authority of Jesus' teachings?
- In what ways am I taking to heart and obeying Jesus teachings?
- In what ways am I ignoring or failing to obediently live out Jesus teaching?
- What would I be doing differently if I was truly taking Jesus' teachings to heart?
- Confess ways you've ignored or failed to obey the teachings of Jesus
- Thank Jesus for leading you to the Father's heart through His preaching and teaching and the ways that Has spoken to your heart throughout this sermon series
- Praise God for the ways He's helping you walk in Spirit-empowered obedience
- Ask the Holy Spirit to to help you more faithfully and radically obey Jesus' words
