What do we do with the good news?

Matthew 7:24-29

 When I was in seminary, Paula and I shared a position at the Waukegan Presbyterian Church as the Directors of Christian Education. The late Rev. Dr. Norman Herbert was the pastor and our supervisor, a great guy. During one of our meetings he read us a sign for someone who was looking for their lost dog. It read:

Wanted: missing dog of mixed breed, a one-eyed, three-legged, deaf dog, has scar running from ear to rump. Answers to the name “Lucky!”

Christians don’t answer to the name “Lucky.” Lucky! Nice name for a dog but not a factor in life! Luck wasn’t a factor in where we were born or who are parents were. Luck wasn’t a factor in determining our personality, or smarts or station in life. Luck wasn’t a factor in God choosing us or in us choosing him. Luck has never been a factor in how things have turned out and it won’t be a one in our future. When things go well, luck has nothing to do with it. When things go bad we can’t blame bad luck. Knocking on wood does nothing for us or our knuckles. Forget luck and think about the wrap-up of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 7:24-29. Page 1140.

  “So then, anyone who hears these words of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, and the wind blew hard against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on rock. 26 “But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, the wind blew hard against that house, and it fell. And what a terrible fall that was!” 

28 When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowd was amazed at the way he taught. 29 He wasn’t like the teachers of the Law; instead, he taught with authority.

Two men move into the neighborhood. Each man builds a house. One man is not richer or smarter or more talented than the other. Their building skills are the same. Their houses are the same. They move in, eat and sleep, raise a family, and entertain friends. When it’s sunny, they have shade. When it’s cold, they have warmth. When it’s raining, they stay dry. Home sweet home! So why does Jesus tell this story?

Because one day the rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, the wind blew hard against that house (25,27). Its first real test.

The storm tested what had not been tested before – the foundation. Every thing seemed the same until there was a severe test. The foundation built on the rock stood the test. The one on the sand failed. The storm revealed who was wise and who was foolish. Luck wasn’t a factor.

Of course, Jesus wasn’t writing for the online magazine, This is Carpentry (thisiscarpentry.com). He was talking about our lives. My Professor, D.A. Carson put it like this: Those who pretend to have faith, who have a merely intellectual commitment, or who enjoy Jesus in small doses are foolish builders. When the storms of life come, their structures fool no one, above all not God.[1]

 According to shortnews.com (2/24/08)39-year-old Ivan Segedin was killed in a low-impact car accident in New Zealand. The coroner reported, "Though his car was fitted with seat belts, an extra belt with a long strap had been knotted above the seat belt on the driver's side, providing a belt to simply sit over the driver's shoulder."

Segedin phony seat belt fooled the cops but it didn’t fool death. Before he installed it he had been fined 32 times in 5 years for seatbelt offences. But his refusal to reform cost him his life. Bad luck had nothing to do with it.

Jesus parable challenges all of us to reform, to build our lives on one foundation – the word of God. It’s up to us to determine which aspects of our lives are sitting on the foundation and which ones are still shifting around on the sand.  And then we need to dig into the word of God. It isn’t hard but better habits do require change.

Beefing up our Bible reading program. Thinking more about how to apply it. Actually applying it. Meditating throughout the day on a scripture that strikes us. Daily asking God to speak to us through his word and asking him to help us change.

  In closing I was to share something from book titled Simple Church.[2] A [2006] medical study revealed how difficult change is for people. 600,000 people have heart bypasses a year in America. Doctors tell them they must change their lifestyle. The heart bypass is a temporary fix. They must change their diet, quit smoking and drinking, exercise and reduce stress. In essence, the doctors say, "Change or die."

  You’d think a near-death experience would forever grab the attention of the patients. You’d think the argument for change would be so compelling patients would make the appropriate lifestyle alterations. Sadly that is not the case.

  Study after study indicates that two years after heart surgery, 90% have not altered their behavior at all. Change is that difficult. The majority of the heart patients choose not to change. They act as if they would rather die.

I’m guessing that Jesus was aware of that but he still said – with authority - that to prepare for storms we need to hear his words and obey. No need to knock on wood. Just study the word.

Youth Message

Choose to be wise!

 If you could be anyone or anything in the world what would you choose?

There are a lot of things we don’t have any say in. Like how tall we are. Or what color are skin is. Or how many toes we have.

But we can choose whether or not we want to be wise or foolish.  That’s an important decision because Proverbs 10:1 A wise child brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.

  Being wise is good. Being foolish is bad.

 Jesus compared it to two guys building a house. One guy was wise and one guy was foolish. The wise man built his house on a rock and the foolish man built his house on sand. Everything was okay until the rains came down and the flood poured over the river banks and the wind beat against the house. The house built on the rock by the wise man stood but the house built on the sand collapsed because the foundation of sand washed away.

 Jesus said if we hear his word and obey it we are like the wise man. So by reading the Bible and doing what it says we are putting down a good foundation for our lives. Someday when things are real difficult you’ll be able to get through it because you have a good foundation.

 So choose to be wise.