Sermon on the Mount Part 14 – Being an Authentic Follower of Jesus

Sermon on the Mount

Part 14 – Being an Authentic Follower of Jesus

Matthew 7:21-27

Three Expressions of Commitment to Jesus

1) Mere Commitment

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Matthew 7:21-22

21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Acts 2:21

23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:23

“The faith that says but does not do is really unbelief.” — John MacArthur

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Luke 6:46

Inauthentic followers of Jesus are , not .

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22

Jesus expects His disciples to yield good and do good .

16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7:18

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— Ephesians 2:8

2) Mere Commitment

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27

3) , Commitment!

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Matthew 7:24

What Jesus is stressing here is that those who hear the gospel and profess faith will Him, expressing their faith in their .

6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 1 John 1:6

4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 1 John 2:4

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:22-25

Blessing comes not just in what Jesus says, but in the what He says!