Summing Up the Sermon: The Greatest Sermon Ever {Parts 4-6}

So, as I mentioned in my previous post, the end of this semester has been absolutely insane! I have one more final tomorrow at noon and then my Freshman year will be over! Which is crazy and exciting and scary all at the same time…

But, I have time to catch up on some blogging and I figured that since I have three weeks worth of sermons (not including Easter) to sum up I would put them all into one post. To hear the sermons click here.

{Part 4}

“If I’m going to be a follower of God, I need to know what it looks like.”

This was the “opening statement” of the sermon. This should be true of us right? If we are going to do this thing where we follow Christ, shouldn’t we want to know how to do it right? And who better to get this information from than Christ himself?

In Matthew 6, Jesus assumes that we will be doing these three things: being charitable, praying, and fasting. We know this because he uses the words, “when you” and not, “if you.” This could be a whole different sermon but nonetheless it is included in this one. If we are serious about our relationship with Christ, then these three things begin to flow out of us- because of our relationship with him.

Jesus assumes that we will be doing these things so he addresses our weakness: that we can take good things and taint them and even begin to make them bad. There is something in the human heart that makes us take something good and taint it. Why? Because without Christ, our hearts are wicked. We begin to do things with the wrong motive and when we do that, those things are worthless.

Jesus says, “don’t be like the hypocrites.” They were giving, praying, and fasting, but they were doing those things with the wrong motives. They were people pleasers.

The things that we are supposed to be doing, we are to be doing unto God. When we begin to do that which is to be done unto God for man, we are being people pleasers and begging for recognition. If you want praises from men, that’s your reward; don’t expect anything from God. Bible. Not me.

I want God’s recognition; not man’s. If all I’m getting is man’s, and never anything from God, then I don’t want to be recognized by man at all. “Whatever you do, do (with passion) unto God and not unto man.” Sometimes, we forget who we serve. 

What is hypocrisy? A hypocrite is one who loves to be seen. One who tells others to observe laws, but doesn’t obey them themselves. You try hard to please people, but then those people see who you truly are (eventually) and they run off.

Here’s why hypocrisy needs to be addressed: Are people finding what they need in the church? Are they finding power and freedom? Or just a bunch of fakes?

God requires honesty! And an honest heart. A double minded man will not receive anything from God.

Hypocrisy is NOT failing, sinning, or a Christian who sins. Failing is not hypocrisy; it is reality.  A hypocrite is someone who puts on an act and has an anterior motive. They are playing a game. They want be seen in one way when they are completely different. But God is not a fool and he refuses to be played a fool. We have no place for games and hypocrisy. It is time to walk humbly and honest before God and to “get real” with God.

{Part 5}

Are you ready for it? The most widely discussed topic in the world (of nonbelievers). JUDGING!

Matthew 7 and Luke 6:37 were used for this message. I felt like this was very well taught and almost gave me, as a “judgemental” Christian, some relief.

Point number 1: Jesus did NOT forbid Christians to judge because we have to make judgements daily because Christian love is not blind.

Philippians 1:9-10, “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,”

How are we supposed to discern what is pure and blameless if we don’t make judgements?

I encourage you to read Matthew 7:1-12 and Luke 6:37-38 as they are parallel passages but all of it relates to judging.

In judgement: What are you giving? What’s coming out of your life on a daily basis? Mercy? Grace? Or are you being cold and indifferent?

Next in Jesus’ sermon is the famous “plank and speck passage” that for sake of visualization we are going to change to a 2 by 4 plank and a piece of sawdust. Jesus says, “Why do you look at the piece of sawdust in their eye when there is a 2 by 4 in yours?” You need to get the 2 by 4 out of your eye so that you can help guide those around you. That means, judgement has to start with you!

Point number 2: You get what you give. Judging always begins with ourselves. If you are not examining yourself and judging yourself then stay out of other people’s business.

Judgement needs to begin at the house of God. Are we doing things the way God would have us to do it?

Why does judgement have to begin with us?

1)  When we begin to judge ourselves, we prepare ourselves for the final judgement

2) Whether we like it or not, we are being judged today

3) The purpose of judging ourselves is to prepare us to help others- to help them and to restore them.

If we don’t judge ourselves, we will become blind to our own issues. 

{Part 6} The final part

There were a lot of great things in this one so I’m going to try my best to pull out what I found most important. PLEASE listen to the sermon to get the full details! From Matthew 7.

In the final part of Jesus’ sermon he speaks about three things:

1)  Two paths

2) Two types of trees

3) Two types of foundations.

There are two types of people; those who sincerely desire to  follow Christ and those who don’t. 

Two Paths

Ultimately, there is only one way that leads to Heaven, and subsequently there is a way that leads to Hell. You need to evaluate where your road is leading. The road leading to Heaven is not majority populated, rather, it is the minority. But this is not new! God’s people have always been the remnant and the small minority. You, as a Christian, are going to be different. The Christian life REQUIRES this! The narrow road is not heavily populated because it requires you to do some examination. God has called you off the broad path and onto the narrow. What path are you on? I encourage you to really evaluate this by asking, “Has my faith cost me anything?”

Two Trees

Good fruit comes from good trees; bad fruit comes from bad trees. It doesn’t get much simpler than that! This part goes on to talk about the false prophets who will come as “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Not everyone who confesses Jesus as Lord is a true follower. There are people who seem to have a form of godliness but deny it’s power (2 Timothy 3). But if you receive Christ’s sacrifice you can be free because of the power of the cross. That power comes in kneeling before the cross and surrendering-denying yourself, taking up your cross, and following him.

Two Foundations

If you don’t listen to this sermon for anything else, please listen to hear my pastor “sing.” It is an old bluegrass gospel song that has the lyrics, “I’m working on a building, it’s a Holy Ghost building.” Those building’s foundations are going to be shaken. You are going to face challenges but the Word of God and the truth of Christ will sustain you. Building on the Rock means that you are reading the Word of God and you are acting on it in obedience. 1 Corinthians 3:9 tells us that our foundations are going to be tested and those who hear the Word, respond, and lead others in obedience to the Word, their foundation will stand.

All this information is great for those who are abiding in Christ but the question is: Are you fully following Jesus. If not, please reach out and talk to someone!

If so, then my challenge for you is to reach out to those around you who you know are not. Help them build their foundation on obedience.

Proclaim His praises!

~Sally