MATTHEW 7:24-27 – “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

THEME OF THE DAY:  THE STABLE CHRISTIAN LIFE.  Today’s scripture is found in our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount. In fact, it is the last portion and left the people amazed and marveling over His profound teaching – And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes (Matthew 7:28-29).

As Jesus concludes His sermon, He gives us the key to living a stable life, an influential life, and a life that gives the world the true portrait of the Christian life; a life of spiritual consistency that enables us not to be shaken by trials and difficult circumstances.  And what is the key? Obedience.

Our Lord paints a contrasting picture of the life of obedience and disobedience. For the obedient Christian, He says, ”Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” It is the doing Christian who is not shaken by the difficulties in life while the person who only hears the Word, will be driven and controlled by the winds of circumstances, unstable as a tree with shallow roots – And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

When it comes to a life of obedience or stability in the Christian life, there are two things necessary.  First, and the most obvious, is the knowledge of what to obey.  We cannot be stable Christians without obedience, and we cannot obey what we do not know.  The Apostle Paul gave young Timothy this instruction – Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).  It applies to us.  We must be diligent students of the Word to know the Word that we might obey the Word.  Don’t dismiss this discipline.  Too many Christians are tossed about in the storms of life, unable to rely upon the Word of God, because they have not done the “hard work” of writing God’s heart on their minds and hearts.  But there is the necessary second step to a life of obedience.

The Christian life is the knowing AND doing life and the fundamental word to make knowing and doing an inseparable marriage is intentionality.  We obey on purpose.  We put God’s Word into action on purpose.  This requires a resolve to be doers of the Word regardless of feelings, circumstances, and difficulties.  And this resolve builds stability in the Christian life and gives the world the true picture of the Christian life.

PRAYER: “Father, help me to be an obedient child of Yours and enjoy the stability it brings me.”

QUOTE: “Obedience stabilizes the Christian and produces a life of joy and influence.”

In the affection of Christ Jesus,

Pastor Jim