Shift, Part 6 – Wise Guy to Wise Man

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S.O.A.P. – “Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer”

Have you ever been in a significant storm? Were you surprised by what stood and what was destroyed?

Scripture:

“Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.” James 2:26 NLT

Jesus said, “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him [Greek is literally “poor in spirit”] for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” Matthew 5:3 NLT

Jesus said, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” Matthew 7:21-27 NLT

Sermon Insights:

What is Jesus saying and how does it apply to me?

Jesus indicates that many will be deceived and find out that their work for God was invalidated by their choice to disobey God. Do your beliefs match your actual lifestyle?

Take a look back at what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). What does Jesus highlight as truly essential to the life of faith?

What was the essential difference between the person who built his house on the rock and the person who built his house on the sand?

Lord, your teaching reminds me that the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Help me have authentic, humble faith that is lived out in true obedience. Forgive me for the times I have simply used your name or my own “goodness” to promote myself instead of obeying you and loving others.

Who is the best listener you know? Who is the worst listener you know? Where do you fit in the mix?

Scripture:

We hear God through God’s Word – “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.” Hebrews 4:12-13 NLT

We hear God through Prayer – “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7 NLT

We hear God through the Spirit of God – “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:26-28 NLT

We hear God through the Church – “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.” Colossians 1:18-21 NLT

We hear God through Godly Counsel – “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.” Proverbs 13:20 NLT

Sermon Insights:

God is always trying to correct, guide, teach, lead, bless and allow us to be a part of what he is doing.

What is your favorite of the five ways we hear God? What is your least favorite? Why?

Why is it important to humbly open yourself up to consider (not blindly accept) all five?

Why should you always remain humble about your interpretation of “what you are hearing from God”?

Lord, help me be willing and able to truly hear what you are saying. Help me be humble enough to recognize that I may not hear entirely correctly and courageous enough to keep trying even when I get it wrong!

“Lights! Camera! Action!” Why are all three important?

Scripture:

Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:13-16 NLT

Jesus said, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord ’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’ The religious leaders wanted to arrest Jesus because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away.” Mark 12:10-12 NLT

The Apostle Paul wrote this to encourage Christians, “So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.” 2 Thessalonians 1:11 NLT

Sermon Insights:

Faith will always require a response. The requirement of faith is action!

There is a time in many people’s lives when they are too “strong” or “wise” or “in control” to accept that they need Jesus. Jesus offends their dominance in their own life. This is why the religious leaders wanted to arrest Jesus. What is your reaction to this?

What does it mean to “live a life worth of your call”?

What is something that your faith is prompting you to do?

Lord, the thought of you controlling my life once was threatening. But the truth is, I wasn’t truly living a satisfying life until you gave me real life! Thank you so much for loving me past my fear-based control and offering to give me true life once I surrendered to you. Help me live a life worthy of your call on my life. Give me the power to accomplish all the good things my faith prompts me to do!

What is your most important relationship?

Sermon Insights:

Circumstances do not shake our faith. Our faith is not tied to events or activities or whether we have a job or whether God chooses to heal us, our friend, or our relative. Our faith is tied to Jesus Christ the rock, the solid foundation who carries us through life. Persecution cannot snuff it out. The emphasis here is on the ROCK, not the house. The ROCK brings stability.

Those who are married should understand that a healthy marriage is based on two people independently working to understand and meet the needs of their spouse. In a similar way, the church as the “bride of Christ” is to look to Jesus’ desires just as Jesus gave up his life and meets the needs of his “bride,” the church. What are you focused on more—Jesus (the “rock”) or your life (the “house”)?

Why is it important to “build your house on the rock”?

How are you making sure that Jesus is your foundation?

When, according to the Scripture, will you really know what foundation you chose?

Lord, teach me to rest in you and build my thoughts, words, actions, relationships and expectations on your words and example. Thank you for promising to live with me through the Holy Spirit if I obey you. Give me the power to have faith and live it out.

If you had unlimited funds, what kind of house would you build?

Scripture: Jesus said, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

The Apostle Paul—the religious leader who tried to destroy the church, then gave his life to Jesus—wrote, “Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

“Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

“Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” 1 Corinthians 3:10-17 NLT

Sermon Insights: Is your life built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ?

What does Jesus want you to hear and to put into practice?

The Apostle Paul once tried to destroy God’s “temple,” the church. Once he turned to Jesus, he spent his life helping to build Jesus’ church across the Roman Empire. Take a moment to reflect on the kindness, patience, and forgiveness of our Heavenly Father.

If God can forgive Paul for trying to extinguish the church, who else is he willing to forgive through the blood of Jesus?

What is your next step of faith-based action?

Lord, your patience and forgiveness is stunning. I ask that you forgive my sins as I forgive those who have sinned against me. Thank you for teaching me to build my life on the rock of Jesus! Help me act out my faith!

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Cedar Rapids IA 52404

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Shift, Part 6 – Wise Guy to Wise Man

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