Sermon on the Mount - "The wise man who built his house on a rock" - Matthew 7:24-29

(additional reading Luke 6:46-49)

Matthew 7:24-29 (NIV)

24 “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. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

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My Notes:

I've been thinking about this passage for a few days now. I knew it was coming.

I've studied this passage of scripture (The Sermon on the Mount, ch 5-7) backward and forward for three weeks now. I have over twenty pages of notes.

But Jesus makes it absolutely clear that this is not what he's concerned about. He didn't give the sermon so that we could dissect it, study it, and figure out what it means.

He gave this sermon so that we would go and do it. He intends for us to go and be the disciples that he described in this sermon. He wants us to get on with it.

The way I keep imagining it is a little girl who listened to this sermon, and then decided to forgive, bless, and love the girl at school who is always cruel to her. If all I do is hang on to my twenty pages of notes, but I do not obey what Jesus says in this sermon, I don't get it at all.

This sermon does not live in books and commentaries on the bookshelves in pastor's offices. It lives in the life of the true disciple.

Father, make me a true disciple.