WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.599 Amen. So this morning we're thinking about the one choice in our lives that ultimately matters. 00:00:08.679 --> 00:00:12.759 ! We're going to think about the choices that we make and the choices that we have to make. 00:00:13.400 --> 00:00:18.920 ! We'll begin with a great philosopher, Dumbledore, speaking to Harry Potter in the Chamber of Secrets. 00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:26.219 You might remember that. It is our choices, Harry, that show who we truly are far more than our abilities. 00:00:26.219 --> 00:00:32.799 And we recognize that Dumbledore was on to something there. You know, every day we make hundreds of 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:38.379 conscious choices. Thousands that we're not aware of, hundreds of conscious choices. Many of them are 00:00:38.379 --> 00:00:42.879 really mundane and ordinary. You know, what we have for breakfast, what we're going to wear to church, 00:00:42.939 --> 00:00:49.920 how we're going to get to church, fairly routine. But some of our choices have a shaping influence on 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:58.200 us. They make us. If I say yes or no to that job offer, to that place in that particular university, 00:00:58.560 --> 00:01:06.879 if I continue with or end a relationship, if I change a location, each of those choices can change 00:01:06.879 --> 00:01:15.099 everything in our lives. And we also recognize, I think, that there are some choices that show 00:01:15.099 --> 00:01:23.619 who we truly are. Some choices that we make where we reveal our values and our goals, 00:01:24.619 --> 00:01:30.659 where there are these moments where we have to decide, what am I going to stand up for? 00:01:31.060 --> 00:01:38.319 What truth or reality am I going to live by? And so Jesus, as He comes to the end of the Sermon on the 00:01:38.319 --> 00:01:46.379 Mount, He concludes by saying, effectively, we have two choices. There are two ways to live. Joshua said 00:01:46.379 --> 00:01:52.459 it, David said it in the Psalm, and now Jesus says it. And of all the choices that you're going to make 00:01:52.459 --> 00:02:00.799 in your life, here is the one choice that matters. Because King Jesus is saying to you and to me, 00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:07.879 I am the one you need to follow. I am the one you need to listen to, and I am the one you need to 00:02:07.879 --> 00:02:16.780 build your life upon. So let's get into our text. The first little section, verses 13 and 14, 00:02:17.159 --> 00:02:25.579 maybe a familiar image, we're invited to choose the right entrance, enter through the narrow gate. 00:02:26.079 --> 00:02:30.599 And Jesus gives us the kind of word picture we recognize. Lots of people talk about life being 00:02:30.599 --> 00:02:36.139 like a journey. And as Jesus paints this picture, there are two roads. There's a broad road and there's 00:02:36.139 --> 00:02:41.479 a narrow road. Interestingly, Jesus takes us to the beginning. He says there's a narrow gate, 00:02:41.879 --> 00:02:47.099 and there's a broad gate, but He also takes us, importantly, I think, to the end of the journey. 00:02:48.039 --> 00:02:54.239 There's a broad road that leads to destruction, a narrow gate, narrow way that leads to life. 00:02:55.219 --> 00:03:00.639 And so one of the things that Jesus is saying to us is so important is we need to learn to live life 00:03:00.639 --> 00:03:10.239 backwards. What is the outcome I want for my life? What is the destination I want for my life? Well, 00:03:10.299 --> 00:03:15.019 that determines the entrance that we're going to take and the path we're going to follow. 00:03:16.619 --> 00:03:23.479 Jesus says enter through the narrow gate. To make that really simple, Jesus is saying come to God 00:03:23.479 --> 00:03:31.599 through me. In John chapter 10, He says, I am the gate. And the picture there is of Jesus being the 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:39.139 gate for some sheep. Here's the way to get into the sheep pen where there's a wall, where there's safety 00:03:39.139 --> 00:03:45.479 and there's security. So Jesus, the gate, represents a place of security and life. 00:03:45.479 --> 00:03:55.299 Jesus is telling us all along that He is the only way to enter into God's kingdom. He is the road that 00:03:55.299 --> 00:04:01.819 leads to life with God. Because He'll say again in John chapter 14, I am the way, the truth, and the 00:04:01.819 --> 00:04:08.979 life. No one comes to the Father except through me. And to listen to Jesus' words, we understand 00:04:08.979 --> 00:04:18.659 that He's calling us to a narrow way. The only way, He says, to come to God is through me. But notice that 00:04:18.659 --> 00:04:25.279 just as in this little message there's a narrow gate and a narrow way that leads to life, Jesus says if we 00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:32.839 follow the narrow way of following Him, we get the broad life, the generous life of knowing our God. Seems 00:04:32.839 --> 00:04:40.019 narrow, but ultimately broad and generous and life-giving. An image that some of us at least 00:04:40.019 --> 00:04:47.439 might relate to is to think of the TARDIS in Doctor Who. I don't know if there's any, we have some Doctor 00:04:47.439 --> 00:04:52.659 Who fans. I can't say I'm one of them, but we have some. But at least I know this much about Doctor Who. 00:04:53.339 --> 00:04:59.019 The TARDIS, the outside of it is the very humble blue police box. Looks really small and narrow, but as 00:04:59.019 --> 00:05:08.180 soon as the Doctor steps in, it's huge. And it becomes this entry into a world of adventure. 00:05:09.719 --> 00:05:14.539 And that points to something that Jesus is directing us to, that the Kingdom of God, 00:05:15.560 --> 00:05:18.819 especially if you're on the outside, if you're not a Christian today, the Kingdom of God might 00:05:18.819 --> 00:05:24.159 look really narrow and really restrictive, but when you're on the inside, you discover it's broad and 00:05:24.159 --> 00:05:28.919 it's life-giving and there is grace. So let's think about that for a moment. 00:05:29.019 --> 00:05:36.759 How do we see this narrow yet broad principle at work? So we heard Jesus say, I am the only way. 00:05:36.839 --> 00:05:41.359 That sounds really narrow and restrictive, and a lot of people resist that. Sounds really narrow. 00:05:42.419 --> 00:05:48.859 But then the Bible also says, we are saved by God's grace, not by our efforts. That means the way 00:05:48.859 --> 00:05:56.680 into salvation becomes really broad. All who call on the name of Jesus will be saved. All, anyone, 00:05:56.680 --> 00:06:04.360 everyone. So it's narrow, but it's broad. Again, Jesus will talk about the need for us to be humble, 00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:11.680 to be ready to die to ourselves. He uses the imagery of picking up a cross and be ready to sacrifice. 00:06:11.879 --> 00:06:18.360 That sounds narrow, but then He says that if we die to self, then we actually gain true life. 00:06:18.360 --> 00:06:26.040 We gain honor within the kingdom of God. We become a child of God. We become a friend of Jesus. We get 00:06:26.040 --> 00:06:32.840 a new family, the church. So all of a sudden, it becomes really broad. Jesus says, you need to live 00:06:32.840 --> 00:06:38.000 according to my word. You need to live according to the Father's will. And again, we might say, well, 00:06:38.020 --> 00:06:42.600 that's really narrow. I want to choose for myself how to live. Sounds really narrow. But then 00:06:42.600 --> 00:06:50.960 we understand that if this is our maker and creator speaking, then His parameters are actually the 00:06:50.960 --> 00:06:56.980 pathway to freedom and flourishing. He's giving us access to the life that we were made for. So all 00:06:56.980 --> 00:07:05.320 of a sudden, it becomes broad. So it's narrow and yet broad and life-giving. But maybe it makes us ask 00:07:05.319 --> 00:07:12.800 the question, well, why would we choose the narrow way, the way of Jesus? Because Jesus is clear. 00:07:13.399 --> 00:07:19.680 It is the path less traveled. To be a follower of Jesus, and if you're a follower of Jesus, you know 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:24.800 this. All the time, we're standing out. We're going in a different direction. We've got a different way 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:30.060 of life. We've got a different destination that we're aiming for. And so often, that makes us feel 00:07:30.060 --> 00:07:36.319 different. To follow the narrow way of Jesus means going against the grain of our culture, 00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:40.959 which says to live for ourselves, whereas we're saying we're called to live for Jesus. 00:07:42.540 --> 00:07:48.720 We know that it's costly. He speaks of sacrifice. We understand that as the church, we live on the 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:54.980 margins. It's like we're exiles. This isn't really our true home. So why would we choose it? 00:07:54.980 --> 00:08:05.120 Sometimes it's hard. Psalm 73 tells the story through song of a man called Asaph. He was a 00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:09.020 follower of God, but he was really honest. He was looking back on his life, and he said, 00:08:09.319 --> 00:08:13.319 do you know what? There was a time when I wanted to leave the way of following God behind, because 00:08:13.319 --> 00:08:19.319 it was really hard. And he began to envy the wicked. Their life seems so easy. They have no troubles. They 00:08:19.319 --> 00:08:23.040 don't think about God, but things seem to be going well. Maybe I should do what they're doing. 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:31.080 And so he almost gave up on following God, but then he lived life backwards. He went into the temple, 00:08:31.180 --> 00:08:36.519 to the place of worship, and he remembered what Psalm 1 was talking about, final destiny. 00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:42.180 He remembered that following God leads to eternal life and salvation and joy. 00:08:42.179 --> 00:08:50.779 He didn't just count the cost. He counted the reward of being a follower of God. To be saved and to be 00:08:50.779 --> 00:08:58.659 known by God is worth it. But it may be that you're a Christian here today, and the easy way 00:08:58.659 --> 00:09:04.659 seems appealing. You're following Jesus, and it just seems like life is getting harder. 00:09:04.659 --> 00:09:11.279 And maybe you're thinking, well, maybe if I just step off the path. Maybe I just change from that 00:09:11.279 --> 00:09:19.539 uphill slog in the life of faith. One thing I'd say is read Pilgrim's Progress. Wonderful book that 00:09:19.539 --> 00:09:25.419 considers that in so many ways. But there are some things that we need to remember as Christians. We 00:09:25.419 --> 00:09:34.839 need to remember we have a good shepherd who is with us. Jesus came to save us. Jesus promises to be with 00:09:34.839 --> 00:09:40.740 us always. And Jesus gives us grace for today and will give us grace for tomorrow. 00:09:40.740 --> 00:09:51.299 When life seems to be filled with, you know, hundreds of troubles, we remember the power 00:09:51.299 --> 00:09:57.100 and the love of God and recognize that that means there's hundreds of ways in which God can come to 00:09:57.100 --> 00:10:03.899 us and help us and strengthen us. And when we're tempted to give up, let me encourage you to live 00:10:03.899 --> 00:10:10.039 life backwards. Go to the end of the road. Remember eternal joy and glory that's waiting. 00:10:10.740 --> 00:10:17.899 For the children of God. It's been recognized in our country, and I've mentioned a few times over the 00:10:17.899 --> 00:10:23.899 course of a few months, this quiet revival that's taking place in the UK. Lots of young people, 00:10:24.039 --> 00:10:29.539 especially, who are kind of discovering that, you know, the secular way of thinking is leading to a 00:10:29.539 --> 00:10:33.220 bit of a dead end. There's no hope. There's no meaning. There's no purpose. Surely there must be 00:10:33.220 --> 00:10:38.639 something more. Let me say, if you're here today because you're searching for hope and meaning, 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:43.480 you're absolutely in the right place. Listening to Jesus is absolutely the right thing to do. 00:10:43.939 --> 00:10:48.860 And it's important for us to remember our role as a church is to be a signpost, not to ourselves, 00:10:48.960 --> 00:10:55.299 but to Jesus. One of the reasons why I think it's so important that we gather together for a thing 00:10:55.299 --> 00:11:00.480 like Engine Room on a Wednesday is that we can be trained and equipped and have confidence to be that 00:11:00.480 --> 00:11:11.320 signpost for Jesus. Let's consider Jesus. When we think about this narrow road imagery, 00:11:12.539 --> 00:11:20.360 remember that Jesus too walked His narrow road. His road of perfect obedience, 00:11:21.220 --> 00:11:26.600 of doing the Father's will. He never stepped off that path for a moment. 00:11:26.600 --> 00:11:37.060 That led Him to a life of suffering. That led Him to be rejected. That led Him to die on the cross. 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:45.500 But He walked that road knowing that in His death, there would be forgiveness, salvation, 00:11:45.800 --> 00:11:51.759 and eternal life for everyone who would believe. He knew that He'd come to be the good shepherd to lay 00:11:51.759 --> 00:12:00.580 down His life, who would call His sheep to hear His voice, to invite people to enter in by faith in Jesus 00:12:00.580 --> 00:12:11.899 to this wonderful new life that He offers. So, Jesus says, choose me. Enter the kingdom of God by faith 00:12:11.899 --> 00:12:21.480 to enjoy true, generous, eternal life. Choose the right entrance. And then in the second section, 00:12:21.480 --> 00:12:30.720 verses 15 to 23, he encourages us to choose the right influence. And this section sounds 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:37.580 a strong warning. It begins, watch out for false prophets. But again, just to recognize something that 00:12:37.580 --> 00:12:46.360 we will probably all have experienced, that we have key influencers in our lives, not necessarily social 00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:55.639 media influencers, but people in our lives, perhaps our parents, perhaps our spouse, or a long-standing 00:12:55.639 --> 00:13:03.940 friend, perhaps a Christian minister, perhaps a colleague, somebody that you would rely on, 00:13:04.820 --> 00:13:11.759 somebody whose wisdom you would trust, somebody whose character you would admire. 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:19.080 But it may also be the case, if you look back on your life, that you have had, maybe you still have 00:13:19.080 --> 00:13:26.939 in the moment, negative influences. People that have not been good news for you. If I think back to my 00:13:26.939 --> 00:13:33.059 school days, I can think about guys that I hung around with with bad attitudes or with bad behavior, 00:13:33.059 --> 00:13:41.379 and those were the times when I was going to be led down the wrong path. Well, Jesus' warning here 00:13:41.379 --> 00:13:50.939 is that if we choose the wrong voice to listen to, the wrong teacher to follow, the wrong influence to 00:13:50.939 --> 00:14:00.359 guide us, it can have a devastating effect. He uses in verse 19, when he's talking about a tree, 00:14:00.360 --> 00:14:05.720 the language of destruction. You know, there are those who will be chopped down and thrown into the 00:14:05.720 --> 00:14:15.940 fire. He uses the language of departure. I never knew you away from me. So, our choice of influence 00:14:15.940 --> 00:14:23.360 really matters. And again, to boil it down, what the Bible is saying, the choice becomes either we're 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:28.440 going to listen to Jesus, or we're going to listen to someone or something else that can be defined as a 00:14:28.440 --> 00:14:35.460 false prophet. And it becomes this consistent theme throughout the Bible, the call to choose God and 00:14:35.460 --> 00:14:41.700 His Word and His wisdom and to reject whatever is false, whatever would draw a person away from faith 00:14:41.700 --> 00:14:49.380 and love and worship of God. And so, to help us, Jesus gives three traits to watch out for. 00:14:50.420 --> 00:14:56.100 How do you and I spot someone that Jesus would describe as a false prophet and influence to avoid? 00:14:56.100 --> 00:15:03.840 Look first with me at verse 15. There is something about attitude here. Watch out for false prophets. 00:15:03.960 --> 00:15:11.879 They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly, they are ferocious wolves. You know, a picture of 00:15:11.879 --> 00:15:18.840 innocence, but actually coming in to manipulate and to destroy. And so, one thing that we need to watch 00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:24.220 out for when we're choosing the voices to listen to is, how does that person relate to and treat God's 00:15:24.220 --> 00:15:33.399 people? God had consistently warned the church to watch out for false prophets, bad shepherds, those 00:15:33.399 --> 00:15:38.440 who do not care for the church, those who do not look after the people of God, those who would use and 00:15:38.440 --> 00:15:44.960 abuse the people of God. And so, we need to watch out for those with low views of the church, those who 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:55.259 would use and abuse God's church for their own gain. He talks about character as well. Verse 16 and verse 00:15:55.259 --> 00:16:01.879 20, he says it twice, by their fruit you will recognize them. And he has this picture that the 00:16:01.879 --> 00:16:07.560 fruit, just as the fruit of a tree reveals the true nature of that tree, is it good or is it bad? 00:16:07.559 --> 00:16:15.019 And so, the fruit of our lives, the fruit of a teacher's life will reflect what's going on on the 00:16:15.019 --> 00:16:21.219 inside. And so, again, when we're thinking about who is it that we should be influenced by, who should 00:16:21.219 --> 00:16:27.739 be giving our attention to, we're looking for something of the character of Christ and his love 00:16:27.739 --> 00:16:34.739 in that teacher. Evidence that someone is abiding in the vine who is Christ in order to bear fruit. 00:16:34.740 --> 00:16:41.419 And then he says something about priorities as well. Verses 21 to 23, 00:16:42.460 --> 00:16:49.240 not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the 00:16:49.240 --> 00:16:55.500 will of my Father who is in heaven. And the interesting thing at this point is that these false prophets 00:16:55.500 --> 00:17:03.740 seem to be much more about big claims, boosting their profiles, than they are in doing the will of 00:17:03.740 --> 00:17:11.779 their Father, more concerned about making a name for themselves than knowing Jesus personally and 00:17:11.779 --> 00:17:20.579 vitally. And that's the thing that matters. Maybe just to take a step back, it helps us to remember 00:17:20.579 --> 00:17:29.759 that the order of the Christian life matters. We are called to, first of all, know God through coming to 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:40.839 know Jesus, and then we serve from that relationship. We need God's grace in order to rescue us and change 00:17:40.839 --> 00:17:48.160 us from the inside out before we begin to think about obedience that pleases Him. But why does Jesus 00:17:48.160 --> 00:17:55.940 offer this issue, this warning? Well, it's clearly because our choice of influences can affect our eternal 00:17:55.940 --> 00:18:07.940 destiny. Influence matters. Think about the impacts of what you and I consume on a daily or a weekly basis. 00:18:09.539 --> 00:18:16.420 Maybe the first place to go is to our mobile phone. Have you felt the impact, the effect of doom 00:18:16.420 --> 00:18:25.080 scrolling on your phone, the restlessness, the anxiety that comes? And maybe you find yourself spending hours 00:18:25.080 --> 00:18:31.279 watching one-sided or angry videos on YouTube on a particular issue. What's the impact? We become more 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:35.980 suspicious of the other. We put up walls. We become more hostile towards others. 00:18:38.060 --> 00:18:45.539 We recognize, I suspect, that what we consume has an effect on our heart, either positive or negative. 00:18:46.420 --> 00:18:54.820 That matters for our spiritual life. Book of Proverbs says, walk with the wise and become wise. 00:18:56.980 --> 00:19:06.779 Our input affects our output. And so the path of following Jesus requires a level of discipline from us 00:19:06.779 --> 00:19:15.640 to listening to His voice, to listening to the Word of God and thinking about it, to worshiping together, 00:19:16.420 --> 00:19:20.420 to worshiping together. It's a Psalm 1 kind of life. Remember that image right in the middle of the 00:19:20.420 --> 00:19:26.180 Psalm? There was this tree that's bearing fruit all year round because it's got the right supply of water. 00:19:26.180 --> 00:19:35.580 If you want to know how to live as a Christian or how to grow as a Christian, you need a supply of the Bible. 00:19:36.940 --> 00:19:42.600 You need to be praying to enjoy life with God as Father. You need to be reminding yourself of the 00:19:42.600 --> 00:19:47.120 gospel all the time, of what God has done for us in giving Jesus to die on the cross for us. 00:19:47.779 --> 00:19:52.039 You need the fellowship of brothers and sisters within the family of God. 00:19:52.039 --> 00:19:58.779 And again, that's why we're really encouraging as a church that each person who's committed to this 00:19:58.779 --> 00:20:04.519 church, that we commit to a community group. So that we can help one another, that we can see 00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:11.420 and learn Jesus from one another. It's one way that we can actually help each other in our consumption. 00:20:11.659 --> 00:20:15.599 Here's a window where we're going to be consuming what is for our good. 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:20.599 I know what so often maybe happens where we're just consuming garbage if we're honest. 00:20:24.339 --> 00:20:31.079 As we're here today in this moment, how do we feel that we are doing in terms of who am I listening to? 00:20:33.079 --> 00:20:36.759 One test is that we can go fruit picking. 00:20:36.759 --> 00:20:44.259 Can we see? Could another person see signs of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives? 00:20:46.460 --> 00:20:53.039 Is there evidence that we are connected to Jesus so that the life of Jesus is making a difference to 00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:54.259 how we are living today? 00:20:54.259 --> 00:21:07.420 Again, if we want to mature and to grow as Christians, then we need to consider carefully what we're giving our time and attention to. 00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:13.619 To make every opportunity count to hear from God. 00:21:14.379 --> 00:21:19.700 What place does Christ's voice have in our life day by day and week by week? 00:21:19.700 --> 00:21:26.120 And as we think about that image, think again about Jesus. 00:21:27.400 --> 00:21:33.420 Jesus is the perfect one who lived the fruitful life. 00:21:33.500 --> 00:21:38.380 To read the Gospels is to discover here is what perfect character looks like. 00:21:39.799 --> 00:21:43.440 Here is Jesus full of love, even for his enemies. 00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:47.299 Here is Jesus full of joy. 00:21:48.120 --> 00:21:50.240 Joy in knowing and doing his Father's will. 00:21:50.539 --> 00:21:56.019 Here is Jesus the man of peace who didn't respond when people threw hatred at him. 00:21:56.559 --> 00:22:02.559 Here is Jesus showing perfect patience with his disciples who messed things up again. 00:22:03.600 --> 00:22:08.200 Here is Jesus showing kindness to the marginalized and the excluded. 00:22:08.200 --> 00:22:16.940 Here is Jesus known for his goodness in seeing what was wrong and broken and stepping in to help. 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:25.299 Here is Jesus full of faithfulness, doing the Father's will, going all the way to the cross to be the Savior that we need. 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:28.180 Here is gentle Jesus. 00:22:30.080 --> 00:22:33.039 Gentle with us in our weakness and our failings. 00:22:34.080 --> 00:22:35.620 Jesus full of self-control. 00:22:35.619 --> 00:22:39.299 He is the perfect blueprint for living God's way. 00:22:40.219 --> 00:22:47.759 And this Jesus who speaks and this Jesus who shows us how to live God's way, having died on the cross, 00:22:48.239 --> 00:22:51.059 he then rose again on the third day in victory. 00:22:51.239 --> 00:22:52.599 Death could not hold him. 00:22:52.919 --> 00:22:55.779 He then ascended to sit on the throne of heaven. 00:22:55.839 --> 00:22:59.439 That's what he is right now with a promise that he will one day return. 00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:04.660 And Jesus speaks to us about that reality here in this section. 00:23:05.600 --> 00:23:11.000 There is a day coming when you and I, all of us, will stand before Jesus, the judge. 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:17.039 Think about at that moment, what verdict do you want on Jesus' life? 00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:25.599 The one verdict we don't want is to have Jesus look at us and say, depart from me, I don't know you. 00:23:27.539 --> 00:23:33.519 We want to hear, well done, good and faithful servant, enter your master's happiness. 00:23:34.420 --> 00:23:37.920 And to hear that, we need to choose Jesus. 00:23:38.599 --> 00:23:42.659 We need to receive him as Lord and we need to follow his voice, 00:23:42.660 --> 00:23:45.960 to have him as the one who influences our life. 00:23:47.880 --> 00:23:51.420 And then thirdly and finally, as he draws the sermon to a close, 00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:54.820 we need to choose the right foundation. 00:23:55.000 --> 00:23:58.540 And again, this is a really familiar picture. 00:23:59.140 --> 00:24:03.180 Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man 00:24:03.180 --> 00:24:05.060 who built his house on the rock. 00:24:05.160 --> 00:24:09.120 The rain came down, the streams rose, and when the winds blew and beat against that house, 00:24:09.119 --> 00:24:12.639 it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock. 00:24:13.779 --> 00:24:17.799 I was reading this week an article in the New York Times from, it was actually from last year, 00:24:17.979 --> 00:24:24.139 and it was telling the story, multiple stories of coastal erosion down in the southeast of England. 00:24:24.199 --> 00:24:29.119 And it told one story, a lady called Lucy Asbro from Thorpness in Suffolk. 00:24:29.839 --> 00:24:33.239 And she said during one particular storm, I think it was in 2021, 00:24:33.240 --> 00:24:37.279 one, she was having her morning coffee, looking out her window, 00:24:37.740 --> 00:24:43.259 when she realized that the sea defenses below her house had been broken through, 00:24:43.579 --> 00:24:47.680 and she watched three and a half meters of her garden collapse into the North Sea. 00:24:49.019 --> 00:24:54.099 And from that moment, she said every time she went out of her house to go to work, 00:24:54.180 --> 00:24:55.420 she lived with the fear. 00:24:55.500 --> 00:25:00.000 Every time I went out, I didn't know if the house would still be there when I came back. 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:07.480 Now, she was a very wealthy lady, and so it was possible for her, at massive expense, 00:25:07.940 --> 00:25:14.380 to get new granite foundations placed under her house to prevent further erosion, 00:25:14.519 --> 00:25:15.400 to protect the house. 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:20.160 But her neighbor next door didn't have the same wealth, was not so lucky. 00:25:20.539 --> 00:25:26.660 They had to leave their home and actually have it demolished before it would fall into the sea. 00:25:26.660 --> 00:25:32.100 To think about the image that Jesus is using, 00:25:32.860 --> 00:25:36.140 can you imagine watching your house? 00:25:36.200 --> 00:25:37.720 Maybe the house where you've raised a family, 00:25:37.800 --> 00:25:42.300 or you've built by your own hands sliding into the sea. 00:25:43.660 --> 00:25:48.160 Can you imagine the feeling of all that you built coming, crashing down? 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:54.220 Now, imagine that being true of your whole life. 00:25:55.420 --> 00:26:04.600 Because that's the picture Jesus gives as he invites us to urgently choose to follow him as king. 00:26:06.180 --> 00:26:11.120 Did you notice the remarkable claim that Jesus makes in this closing section? 00:26:11.119 --> 00:26:14.239 It is a remarkable thing to say, 00:26:14.679 --> 00:26:18.319 I am the rock that you need to build on. 00:26:19.319 --> 00:26:24.979 You need to listen to my word if you want to stand rather than fall in the final judgment. 00:26:26.579 --> 00:26:30.799 If you want to have eternal life, you need to build your life on me, Jesus is saying. 00:26:32.299 --> 00:26:33.279 It's really interesting. 00:26:33.379 --> 00:26:35.719 When he finished speaking, the crowds recognized his authority. 00:26:35.879 --> 00:26:37.000 Nobody spoke like this. 00:26:37.059 --> 00:26:39.099 Nobody made these kind of claims. 00:26:39.099 --> 00:26:42.959 I wonder if we recognize his authority as we listen to his words. 00:26:45.679 --> 00:26:49.679 It's so important that we understand who is inviting us to choose to follow him. 00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:54.139 He is none other than the eternal son of God, the king of kings and the lord of lords. 00:26:56.199 --> 00:26:59.139 But think about the picture that he is giving to us. 00:26:59.419 --> 00:27:04.279 He's saying here that storms expose foundations. 00:27:04.279 --> 00:27:10.779 That the storms of life expose the foundation our lives are built on. 00:27:10.819 --> 00:27:13.039 And maybe, again, that resonates with us. 00:27:13.099 --> 00:27:16.279 You know, we have those kind of sayings that we felt all at sea. 00:27:17.960 --> 00:27:21.259 Trouble comes and we're not sure where to turn, where to run to. 00:27:21.339 --> 00:27:24.619 Who is going to give us hope and help in this moment? 00:27:24.619 --> 00:27:30.659 Because storms do come, sometimes intense storms. 00:27:33.719 --> 00:27:37.179 And I've been a Christian long enough, and I know some of you have been a Christian long enough, 00:27:37.239 --> 00:27:41.500 to have seen people abandon Christianity because storms have come. 00:27:41.500 --> 00:27:49.700 When success left them, or security was taken away, or health declined, 00:27:50.059 --> 00:27:54.900 or the problem of evil confronted them and they decided Jesus couldn't be trusted to deliver. 00:27:56.660 --> 00:27:58.099 I've seen people walk away. 00:27:59.539 --> 00:28:04.440 But on the other side, and in this church, there are mature Christians 00:28:04.440 --> 00:28:09.880 who have faced life with all its storms by faith in Jesus. 00:28:10.519 --> 00:28:16.460 Still standing, still walking, still listening to Jesus as King. 00:28:17.980 --> 00:28:22.039 That's a wonderfully encouraging truth to see in someone's life. 00:28:23.320 --> 00:28:29.279 But Jesus gives us this word picture to remind us that laying a strong foundation matters. 00:28:30.360 --> 00:28:32.259 Ahead of the storms that come. 00:28:32.259 --> 00:28:38.940 And especially as Jesus has in mind the final storm of God's final judgment. 00:28:39.700 --> 00:28:42.299 So again, he's reminding us that one day we'll all stand before him. 00:28:43.700 --> 00:28:45.160 Being ready is important. 00:28:47.539 --> 00:28:52.099 We were up north when Storm Flores, I think that's what it was called, 00:28:52.819 --> 00:28:54.019 kind of came through Edinburgh. 00:28:54.119 --> 00:28:57.059 It wasn't too bad here, but up north it was really windy. 00:28:57.460 --> 00:28:59.420 And we lived really near a campsite. 00:28:59.420 --> 00:29:03.519 And the day before the storm, campsite was full, packed. 00:29:05.660 --> 00:29:09.880 But by the evening, every tent was packed away. 00:29:10.460 --> 00:29:11.800 Everyone had found shelter. 00:29:12.840 --> 00:29:17.539 Common sense wisdom knows to be prepared when the storm is coming. 00:29:17.539 --> 00:29:29.220 Do we apply that same common sense wisdom, knowing that we will one day stand before Jesus, our judge? 00:29:29.220 --> 00:29:37.360 It's one of the reasons why we want to be a church together that builds a strong foundation. 00:29:38.700 --> 00:29:41.240 Where we're listening to the Bible together. 00:29:41.960 --> 00:29:44.259 Seeking to know and to do God's word. 00:29:45.259 --> 00:29:48.640 To believe the gospel is true and to live like it's true. 00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:54.420 We want to help one another to get more mature in our life of faith. 00:29:54.480 --> 00:29:57.780 But that's something we all, of course, need to choose personally. 00:30:00.900 --> 00:30:04.040 Jesus says we need to build on his word. 00:30:04.080 --> 00:30:06.800 And of course, we don't do it perfectly. 00:30:07.740 --> 00:30:09.120 But we can do it. 00:30:09.119 --> 00:30:12.559 But Jesus knows that we won't do it perfectly. 00:30:12.919 --> 00:30:18.719 And even if you sort of reflect on the whole sermon, there are words that give us comfort. 00:30:20.099 --> 00:30:20.979 You know, when we fail. 00:30:21.039 --> 00:30:22.559 What did Jesus teach right at the beginning? 00:30:22.939 --> 00:30:25.019 He said, blessed are the poor in spirit. 00:30:26.599 --> 00:30:30.699 Blessed are those who know they can't make it by themselves and who run to their father for help. 00:30:31.459 --> 00:30:33.459 Blessed are those who mourn over sin. 00:30:33.460 --> 00:30:37.019 Because they know that they fail and they feel it and they want to put things right. 00:30:37.079 --> 00:30:38.120 And so they go to God. 00:30:39.460 --> 00:30:42.740 It was Jesus that said we should ask our father for help. 00:30:43.259 --> 00:30:47.259 Jesus who taught us the Lord's prayer to ask for forgiveness and to seek his mercy. 00:30:47.720 --> 00:30:51.100 He knows we won't build perfectly and there is grace for us. 00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:57.559 But as we finish our time in the Sermon on the Mount, it's important. 00:30:58.100 --> 00:31:00.759 As we picture the crowds on the mountainside. 00:31:00.759 --> 00:31:03.340 We imagine ourselves there. 00:31:04.319 --> 00:31:08.720 We're left with King Jesus calling us to choose. 00:31:09.940 --> 00:31:12.500 To choose wisdom and not folly. 00:31:13.240 --> 00:31:14.720 Choose life and not death. 00:31:14.819 --> 00:31:19.600 To choose him as the foundation for our life for here and for eternity. 00:31:22.079 --> 00:31:23.980 Consider Jesus. 00:31:25.259 --> 00:31:31.940 This Lord, this King who willingly, gladly entered the eye of the storm. 00:31:31.940 --> 00:31:36.799 The storm of God's judgment on the cross for you and for me. 00:31:38.100 --> 00:31:42.279 He would take the judgment for us so that we don't have to. 00:31:43.620 --> 00:31:46.440 He would be condemned so we could be forgiven. 00:31:46.779 --> 00:31:49.120 He died for us so we could live with him. 00:31:50.360 --> 00:31:52.600 He is the risen eternal King. 00:31:52.700 --> 00:31:56.320 He is the one building his church so the gates of hell will not prevail against it. 00:31:56.319 --> 00:31:59.679 He is the church's one strength, one foundation. 00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:01.799 And he is the returning King. 00:32:01.799 --> 00:32:07.000 And he says, before I return, come to me.