(S)

Judging Others

7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

⁶ “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Ask, Seek, Knock

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! ¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

True and False Prophets

¹⁵ “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ¹⁶ By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

True and False Disciples

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

The Wise and Foolish Builders

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.

(O)

We have come to the conclusion of the “Sermon on the Mount”. Another chapter filled with life changing teaching. It’s so hard to pick one or two things to write about. Again Jesus is really hammering on the religious leaders of the time when He is instructing about judging. Be sure to check your own heart and actions before judging anyone elses. These are words that more people need to heed. Especially Christians, we can be pretty judgemental sometimes.

“do to others as you would have them do to you”.  Jesus couldn’t make it more clear how we are to treat people. Treat each other in love, with respect and kindness. We are to be a people that are recognized by our actions. As Jesus said it, by our fruit.  If we are simply living according to the law, but are producing no fruit, Jesus says one of the most scary verses in the bible “I never knew you. Away from me you evil doers”

But Jesus does not leave it there. He concludes His teaching by telling us exactly what to do. Build our foundations upon the rock. What is the foundation? Our faith, our Christianity. And what is the rock? The Word of God, the scriptures. We need to be in the Word, reading, studying, learning. This is how we get to know God and strengthening our foundation. This is how we understand His will and build our trust in Him.

(A)

Application is simple, yet incredibly challenging. Keep studying the Word. Keep praying and seeking God and His guidance. It is just as simple and complicated as that.

(P)

Lord, I thank you for the Word you left for each of us. Help us to continue to desire to read and study. Give me understanding. Help me to build my foundation stronger each day so when the storms come, my house will stand firm. In Jesus name, amen.