Sermon Notes
Matthew 7:24–29 NIV
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.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
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Rabbinic Ordination
- s’mikhah: “ordination”
- reshut: “authority”
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James 1:22–25 NIV
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.
John 15:18–21 NIV
18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.”
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The way of Jesus does not lead you away from hardship,
it leads you through it.
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Series Resources
Go deeper with additional resources from our teaching team.
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Discussion Igniters
(1) Read Matthew 7:24–29.
Why do you think Jesus chose to close the Sermon of the Mount like this?
(2) What do you think it looks like to build your life on putting the words of Jesus into practice?
(3) What happens in our lives when we choose to not obey the words of Jesus?
(4) Have you ever experienced a storm that struck your faith?
What happened?
(5) How can we build a strong foundation on God’s word that will weather the storms of life?