Are You Going to Do It?
The Jesus Way
May 1, 2022
How is Jesus going to end his message?
“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. 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?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ —Matthew 7:21-23
I. It’s not what you
, it’s what you
.
But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.” —Timothy 2:19
“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. 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. 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. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
—Matthew 7:24-27All the most terrifying texts came from the mouth of our Lord. —C.S. Lewis
When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation. —Proverbs 10:25
II. It’s not what you
, it’s what you
.
Are you going to do what Jesus says?
And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. —1 John 2:3-6
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. —James 1:22-25
It is true that men are saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ; but it is equally true that God’s grace in a man’s life inevitably results in obedience. Any other view of grace cheapens grace, and turns it into something unrecognizable. —Don Carson
Cheap Grace preaches forgiveness without repentance, church membership without church discipline, discipleship without obedience, blessing without persecution, and joy without righteousness… where nominal Christianity is compounded by spectacular profession, it is especially likely to manufacture its own false assurance. —Don Carson
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 5:3