FROG Discipleship
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FROG Discipleship
Self-Deception
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And we're going to be looking at the words of Jesus Christ, looking at a parable in which he spoke in Matthew 7 today. I hope everybody's having a wonderful day. It is a Friday here. Getting ready for the weekend. So here in Matthew 7, the main area where we're going to be looking at today is going to be verses 24 through 27. But I wanted to start at verse 21 to get a clarity of the text. So if you have your Bibles, turn there, Matthew 7, starting at verse 21. And it reads, and again, if you have a red letter edition, it's written in red, which tells us that this is Christ speaking. It says, Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name. And then I'll declare to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. So let's pause right here. So there are going to be a lot of people that think that they are saved, that aren't saved. They think they are, but they do not have a true intimate relationship with Christ. And we see obedience. Now they're arguing, well, Lord, have we not done this and done that in your name? Prophesies and cast out demons in your name, and done many other wonders. And Christ says, I declare to you, I never knew you depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. So we got to understand why this is so important. Obedience is not being obedient by man's standard, right? Being obedient is being obedient in God's standards. So let me rephrase it a different way. In order to be obedient, you have God's standard, okay? Well, it's not just going through and checking the box. You got to do it God's way. Okay, what is the greatest commandment? Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. On these two hang all the law of the prophets. So, the key ingredient, if you will, in fulfilling obedience in Christ is loving God and loving people, right? So love, essentially. So if you're going through life and saying, Well, I'm going to church, I'm being obedient, this, that, and the other, but yet you're not doing it with the love of love for God and the love towards people, you're not really being obedient. So that's very important as we unlock the next couple verses that Christ says. So this is the parable. Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of mine and does them will liken him a wise man who builds his house on the rock, and the rain descends, and 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 the foolish man who builds his house on the sand, and the rains descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on the house, and it fell, and great was its fall. And so it was when Jesus had entered these into these saints that the people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, not as described. Okay, that's important because this is coming directly from the source. This is coming from Jesus himself. So, my very first point I want us to focus on is this parable reveals our foundation. We see two foundations here in this passage, and Jesus uses this parable to expose what our lives are really built on. Is it built on obedience or is it built on convenience? Now, understand, obedience is doing things God's way, God's will, God's power and authority. Now, things doing it in convenience is all man-centered, right? So when we look at the people that said, but Lord, we did this and we did that, and your name said, Depart from me, I never knew you, did it with lawlessness. That's important because they did it man's way, man-centered, not Christ-centered, not Christ's way. So they did it as a matter of convenience, not a manner of obedience. And there is a vital, vital difference between obedience and convenience. So when we look in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 11, to be specific, but I want to go a little bit back. Let's start at verse 10 in 1 Corinthians chapter 3. According, this is 3, verse 10, according to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now, if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, and precious stone, wood, hay, and straw, each one's work will become clear. For the day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test each one's works of what sort it is. If anyone works which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss. But he himself will be saved, yet as through fire. So let's unpack what this means. So the obvious part is the foundation, right? We are to build on the foundation of Jesus Christ. But what this is also telling us, going back to convenience and obedience and tying it back to Matthew 7, right? The ones that said to me, Lord, Lord, have we not done this and that in your name says, Depart from me, I never knew you, those are the ones that they never made it into the kingdom of heaven, right? Because everything that they did, even though they did it in the name of Jesus, was built out of wood, hay, or straw. So what that means is when it says it'll be tested by fire or will be revealed by fire in 2 Corinthians, or 1 Corinthians 3, 13, it'll be revealed by fire. What that is saying, that's telling us that everything we do in this life matters. It is compiling to one day when we stand before the Lord, imagine there's going to be a pile of debris in there, and everything that, but it's not just debris, it's also precious stone, right? Because we saw, you know, builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and straw. So we see precious stone and everything like that. So when the match is thrown into the pile and it is all burned up, what is left, what is the precious stone, that are going, that is going to be your rewards in heaven. Everything else that was burned up, that's the things you did for yourself. Okay. So let's go and tie it to the thief on the cross. The thief on the cross, when when his pile was burned, there was only one precious stone that was there, and that was his salvation. You know, remember me. And Christ said, Today you'll be with me in paradise. So when that was revealed by fire, as it said, when it was when he stood before the Lord on judgment and it was consumed, it was lit on fire. The only thing that remained was that one precious stone. You will one day stand before the Lord, and it will be revealed by fire, that it'll be burned up, and everything that you did for the Lord, truly for the Lord, not for yourself, but for the Lord, will be revealed, and that is going to be your reward in heaven. But it starts, it starts at salvation.
SPEAKER_00Period.
SPEAKER_01Okay. So you have to have salvation to be able to enter into the kingdom of heaven. You have, but see, so this is this is the interesting thing that we get from this passage. You don't have to have salvation to obey God's word, right? Now, let me explain that. What does that mean? Well, what what is what is one of the things that both believers and non-believers teach their children? Do unto others as they as you want them to do unto you. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Both believers and non-believers teach that to their children. So that's generational knowledge to both believers and non-believers, but that comes from scripture. So you can apply biblical truths into a secular life, but it doesn't mean you're saved, right? But that's not true biblical obedience because you don't have the foundation of Christ, and the foundation matters. Everything else, you're teaching that thing to your children because it's convenient to teach them because that's how you want them to be, but it's not being obedient towards Christ because you got a heart issue. So as we look at this, what things in your life are you following Christ out of convenience or obedience? And when we're looking at the foundation, what cracks are there? What cracks show up in your life when it is hard? Because there's cracks, there's uh pressure, all these different things that take place. All right, let's look. Hearing without doing creates self-deception, right? So we see that. Therefore, the verse 24 back in Matthew 8, therefore who hears these things of mine and does them, okay, so we see that. And then verse 28, but everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does not do them. So we have two different people, those who hear and applies, and those who hear and ignores. So hearing without doing creates self-deception. A foolish builder hears Jesus' words and doesn't act. If you go to church and you sit there and hear the sermon or go to Bible study or listen to a podcast like this, and you're hearing these biblical truths, but yet that's it's just going in one ear out the other, and you're cataloging, no, that's good to know. It's good. Good information is great. But if you're not applying it, what was the point in you ever listening to it? What's the point in this podcast right now that you're listening to if you're not going to apply it? Because if you're saying, well, I'm doing this, I heard it, I'm listening to a podcast, well, you're just deceiving yourself and making yourself feel better about yourself than who you actually are because you're not applying the truth. You're not actually doing what God has commanded you to do. You're just checking a box and creating this deception of self and saying, Well, I have knowledge. See, this parable exposes the gap between knowledge and obedience. Knowledge is just information, gathering of information. Obedience is where the rubber meets the road and action is taking place. Actions are required. Knowledge is easy. It's the easy part. It's easy to possess. You can listen to a podcast, you can read scripture, you can, you can talk to people, you can get information, you can get knowledge. But obeying is where the struggle is. In James chapter 1, verse 22, it tells us, but be doers of the word and not hears, hearers only deceiving yourself. Be doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving yourself. Deceiving yourself. Because if you're hearing it and not applying it, the only thing that you are doing is deceiving yourself. You're hurting yourself. You're not growing like you should be because you're not applying it. Growth is just like exercise. All right. Well, in order to get stronger, you have to exercise. You have to stretch your muscles because that's where strength comes from. You're stretching your muscles and expanding them so you get stronger, bigger, right? Spiritual growth is no different. If you are not stretching yourself, you are not growing. And that's what has to take place. It's not about just thinking, oh, I need to go to the gym, and even driving to the parking lot and walking in the gym, but and setting on a machine, but yet never, never actually working out. So going to the gym and sitting on the bench press, but never lifting weight, it's pointless. Christianity is no different. If you go to church, sit in the pew, and listen to the preacher preach, or you go to the Bible study or whatever, but yet you never apply any of it. There's no point in you going because you're not growing. And let me rephrase: there's always a point because sometimes you need to make that effort to go and go and go, because we're we're slow learners, if we're honest. But if you're going, at least you're getting information, it's better than nothing. But I do warn you that it is that just gathering information can create a false sense of security in one's life. So obedience matters. So I don't want you to go and be like, oh, I'm going to church. I'm a good person. I'm doing this. Because I go to church, I'm saved. No, no, no. Being a church attendee, attending a church regularly does not make you a Christian. Being a child of God is what makes you a Christian. That's what allows you to enter into the kingdom of heaven, or it keeps you out. Okay. So obedience is the difference between collapse and stability. Okay, so when we look at this, both builders have faced storms. Okay. We see in verse 25: this is the one who built his house on the rock, and the rains descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on the house, and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these things of mine and does not do them will be like the foolish man who builds his house on the sand, and the rain descended, and the flood came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house, and it fell, and great was its fall. So understand this. So the difference between obedience and convenience, if you will, okay, is one obedience is the difference between collapse and stability. When you're obedient in Christ and doing the hard thing, doing the right thing consistently, okay, stability, because both foundations were impacted by the same storm, but only one stood. It's kind of going back to the three little pigs, right? You had one out of what straw, sticks, and brick. The big bad wolf went to all three houses, but only the one that had the better materials that was built out of brick was stood. That's the same thing, the same application right here. In Psalm 119, 105, Psalm 119, verse 105, it reads this your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. So, what this tells us is when that storm comes, the reason why God's word brings stability because it brings forth direction. It's the lamp unto my feet, the light unto my path. It reveals to us what we need. Obedience to God's word provides direction that keeps us steady. It keeps us from walking in the darkness. That's the thing. What storm has revealed your need for deeper obedience? How has obedience brought stability in your life? Because the storm is going to happen. Your life is literally a storm. But the question is, what foundation is your life rooted in? Rooted on, built on, if you will. That's the question. Because the storm is going to happen. Are you going to overcome it and be like the individual who built this house on the rock, or the one who built this house on the sand and great was its fault? And here's one thing I want you to understand. A lot of people build their house on the stand, and the storm came and went, hey, man, I made it. Yeah, it's not great, but I mean, it's still here. And that brings a sense of falsehood. So let me just let's fast forward to the end. You might have your house built on sand and might be able to possess worldly wisdom and wealth. But then when you stand before the Lord, because that's where this is talking about in verse 21 not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Obedience is required to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Because if you're not obedient, yeah, you might have heard God's word. You might even attend church, but you're not being obedient because your heart is not right. It is just information that you are gathering that you're never applying. Right? So great is the fall because you might have everything you want here on earth, but when you stand before the Lord, that is when great is your fall occurs. Because he'll sit there and say, Depart from me, I never knew you. You did it with lawlessness, and you'll be cast into outer darkness and eventually into the lake of fire. That's the choice you have to make. See, this parable invites us to identify our role in this passage. Jesus wants us to ask, Am I the wise builder or the foolish one? That's that's the question. This parable acts as a mirror. You know, they show us who we are becoming. Who we are becoming. But why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do the things in which I say? Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do the things in which I say? That's Luke 6, verse 46. Jesus directly connects identity, Lord, with obedience. Okay. Lord with obedience. And obedience, again, I can't stress this enough, is not just action. Your heart right. Because we saw people, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you, depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. You who practice lawlessness, depart from me. So they're doing things, they're attending church, they're they're even reading scripture, they're looking the part. The outside of the cup looks good, but the inside of the cup is where it is broken. It's filthy. The inside of the cup, scripture says, first fix the inside of the cup. See, we're more focused on what we look like on the outside to people than what we truly look like on the inside. And when we say, but why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do the things which I say, he tells us to first clean the inside and then the outside will come. But we do it reverse. Again, if you want godly results, you got to do it God's way and not man's way. Man's way teaches, well, let me look good on the outside, and then eventually the inside will come. No, no, no, no. That's that right there is just deceiving yourself. And that brings that false sense of security that we read here in scripture, but it becomes your everyday life that you are living in a life of false sense of security because you're like, hey, I look good on the outside. But inwardly, you are corrupt and immoral and truly don't have salvation. Because these individuals that are standing before the Lord, they thought they were saved, but they are not. And they have a hard, hard reality that they face in this moment. Depart from me, I never knew you, you who practice lawlessness. So it's not just taking knowledge and getting information, it's applying it, but it's how you apply it. Take up your cross daily and follow me.
SPEAKER_02It is the desire to do it.
SPEAKER_01I don't want anyone to be defined by their worst moment, right? We all have bad days. But what I am saying is if you are consistently every single day being unobedient or disobedient in Christ, do you truly belong to him? That's a question you have to ask yourself. And if you say yes, but I'm not living, repent. Repentance, a lot of times we say, well, it's a 360. That's that's just foolish because a 360 just puts you right back in the same spot. It is a 180. You are going, you are turning yourself backwards and walking in the other direction. That's what repentance is. It is turning around and moving away from that sin. That is true repentance. Anything but that is convenient. It is deceiving yourself. What is your foundation built on? Because the storm is going to come and the ultimate, the ultimate test is going to be had when you stand before the Lord and you're having to give account and it's going to be revealed by fire. Are you going to have at least one precious stone there like the thief on the cross did? And he says, Well, enter into my kingdom of heaven. That's the question. Just something to think about. What is your foundation built on? And if it is Christ, are you being obedient? Or are you just focused on the outside of the cup looking good? But inwardly, that's where the filth is at. This is Nick With Frog Discipleship. Thank you for listening.