As we come to the end of Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount, we find ourselves back to the place where this series began – with a few challenging questions: If you don’t know the sayings of Jesus, how can you hear them? If you cannot hear them, how can you do them? If you do not do them, what will be the state of your house?
The desire of my heart is to give you a reference point for the hearing. I think I have done that. The rest is up to you, and the Lord. I hope you will receive the grace and faith He offers; that your house might stand in the storms of this life.
Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall. Matthew 7:24-27
I have already shared my perspective on this passage in a previous article. So let me address a couple of related topics. First, while the subject of this saying is the “wise man”, we would be foolish to attempt to do it as individuals. There are no lone rangers in the body of Christ. Perhaps it would help to think of our houses as brownstones – tightly pressed together, helping each other to stand.
My second point is related to the first. This passage is not much different than the portion of Jesus’ commission that commands us to teach them to observe (or obey) all that He has commanded us – to do what He has said. Therefore, we understand that the Sermon on the Mount is critical to our making disciples.
Furthermore, the Greek for observe/obey means to “attend to carefully, take care of”. We are called to be faithful stewards of the sayings of Jesus. We are called to search out their mystery, and to share that mystery with others. In doing so, we strengthen our house and those houses around us; both now and forever more. The Sermon on the Mount is an inheritance we are to leave for our spiritual children.
The importance of these two points – our unity and our making disciples – cannot be overstated. Our failure in these two critical areas is the failure of the Bride to make herself ready. How could we neglect so great a salvation?
Humbly yours and forever His,
Rob