This week Michael writes: The Sermon on the Mount is more than a life-style behavior … it is Jesus’ instruction for life itself; for in Jesus Christ we live and move and have our being. In Mathew 7, Jesus concluded his Sermon on the Mount with an illustration…. “Therefore, whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that hears these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”
Jesus had said to Simon Peter, thou art Peter, a small stone, but upon this Rock (Jesus Christ himself) I will build my church. As John said, “if you walk in the light as He is in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The cleansing is in walking close to Him. In close proximity with the Lord, the things of the world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.
The secular world says that righteousness depends on our own performance. Theirs is a godless works-based system of self-righteousness. Jesus said, whoever hears my words and acts upon them, seeking first the kingdom of God, my Father will bless. James says, putting aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us, let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.
Jesus’s exhortation in the Sermon on the Mount is to receive the implanted Word of God which is able to save your souls. But don’t be deceived, faith without works is dead. He that hears the word and does not do it is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror, and then immediately forgets what type of man he is. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty reflected in the Word of God, he not being a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the Word, this man shall be blessed in his deeds that proceed from a pure heart; Christ’s heart behind our heart. The way of “the love of God” thinks no evil; it keeps no record of wrongs done. It is eager to believe the best of others. It perceives others through the eyes of Christ. We chase after men and women who chase after Christ. As the people of God, we gladly choke in the dust of those who follow in the dust of the Rabbi Jesus Christ.
It’s important to attach ourselves to likeminded Believers in order to strengthen our stand with Christ and our fellowship with one another. As Psalm 133 says, Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.
Let's continue Michael's message on building upon "the Rock" in our next Post.'
In Christ, Brian
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