The Encouraging Conversation
John
Conversations / John 4:23–26
Introduction
And having healthy and God centered relationships are part of the unity that Jesus talked about in the way that the church operates.
Proverbs 16:24 ESV
Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
When was the last time you added courage to each other?
Romans 12:10 ESV
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
The church is the witness to the fact that God is active in our lives and that God
has spoken in a way that offers life.
That is the witness of the church.
And it is from that position that we communicate to each other.
1God is active
2God is speaking.
From Life Together
Christian community means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. There is no Christian community that is more than this, and none that is less than this. Whether it be a brief, single encounter or the daily community of many years, Christian community is solely this. We belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ. What does that mean? It means, first, that a Christian needs others for the sake of Jesus Christ. It means, second, that a Christian comes to others only through Jesus Christ. It means, third, that from eternity we have been chosen in Jesus Christ, accepted in time, and united for eternity.”
Encouragement in the church is meeting people at the intersection of their lives and the life of Christ
Gathering
Recognizing
Speaking life
Gathering to recognize
Hebrews 10:24–25 ESV
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
This is telling people, I am with you
Recognize to speak life
Colossians 3:16 ESV
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Recognizing someone, seeing them for who they are, looking them in the eyes and recognizing them as someone who is someone for is fundamental to every conversation we have. In recognizing someone who is distinctly loved by God through the person of is our way to understanding encouragement.
This is telling people, I see you
Again from Bonhoeffer
Help must come from the outside; and it has come and comes daily and anew in the Word of Jesus Christ, bringing us redemption, righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. But God put this Word into the mouth of human beings so that it may be passed on to others. When people are deeply affected by the Word, they tell it to other people. God has willed that we should seek and find God’s living Word in the testimony of other Christians, in the mouths of human beings. Therefore, Christians need other Christians who speak God’s Word to them. They need them again and again when they become uncertain and disheartened because, living by their own resources, they cannot help themselves without cheating themselves out of the truth. They need other Christians as bearers and proclaimers of the divine word of salvation. They need them solely for the sake of Jesus Christ.”
Speak life specifically to one another.
Again from Life Together
Philippians 2:1–4 ESV
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
The Hard Conversation
Conversations / Matthew 19:16–22
Opening statement and illustration
We are likely one or two challenging conversations away from incredible growth.
This is important to talk about because it is so easy to get wrong. We are avoidant, we are aggressive. We get into conflict. We yell, we run, we gossip. or we jump in hot and just say what we want to say as loud as possible. None of that is helpful.
If we do hard conversations right, they will always be to serve and lift up the other.
Challenging Conversations have to point somewhere
Matthew 19:16–18 ESV
And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,
And Jesus immediately orients the man, not to being right, not to getting into a fight, not to petty corrections. And He uses His first statement to make a statement about what is truly good. The man has it in his mind that he will be able to do enough good to inherit eternal life.
Jesus challenges his notion of goodness.
Only one is good. Jesus uses a conversation to orient the man toward God.
There has to be a means to move toward where you are pointing
Matthew 19:18–21 ESV
He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
We see that when JEsus confronts this man with what is both good and what is true, He gives him enough to do something with at each point.
To challenge someone is to give them something they can do. It is giving something they can actually act on. Often we challenge but we call people to unattainable destinations. We have to show them the destination but ask them to simply take a few first steps there. With you.
A good challenging conversation may be hurtful in the moment, healing in the next
Matthew 19:22 ESV
When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Prompt: Can we talk about something that I think is really important to both of us? I want nothing more than for you to flourish in your faith
Response prompt: I want nothing more than to flourish in my faith. Help me see what is the most good.
The goal for us is the church is not to walk away from them like the Rich young ruler. Jesus opened the door to heaven itself and the man said no thank you.
The Gospel is the reality that all things come under submission to God. And that God is the most good. Everything else is lesser good. The church can be chucking things left and right in order to find our best good in God.
We are called to find our best good in God. All else is suspect. For those times we need each other. We need each others support, our help, our prayer and our harder conversations.
The Forgiving Conversation
Conversations / Matthew 18:21–33
Intro
The best thing we can do is to understand the weight that has been lifted from us in forgiveness and run to do offer it to others.
Forgiveness is the statement that proclaims to everyone, “You are not just the way you are. There is eternal potential and possibility for growth and change.”
The central conversation in the Christian life is “I have been forgiven. I forgive you.” We see that in this morning’s parable.
Matthew 18:21–22 ESV
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Forgiveness is a foundation to our conversations. It underlies everything. This is a prompt. We don’t always know the script but we do always know the prompt.
At this point we could just be hearing, try harder. Exert more. Forgive better. Do better. But forgiveness is difficult. So difficult that Jesus is going to show us the only way to truly express it. To truly find our way out of it.
Matthew 18:23–27 ESV
“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.
He has compassion on the man and forgives his debt. Removes it.
And Jesus wants us to see what God in all His power and glory does with all his power and glory. He has compassion and He forgives.
Matthew 18:28–35 ESV
But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
I want to give you two conversational prompts:
Conversation prompt:
I need to ask you for forgiveness
God I need help in forgiving
Talking With God
Conversations / 1 Samuel 3
Why Conversations?
Proverbs 18:21 ESV
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits.
So we want to view Conversation as a way for formation. Formation of self to Christ and formation of better community. Conversations are the tool through which we will use to lean into formation in Christ in formation with each other and community. It’s also how we can tell how we’re doing.
Conversations are the single unit of relationship. You have conversations with people you barely know, you have conversations with people that you’ve known on all your life. So what I wanna talk about over the next few weeks is not just how to have better relationship, relationships, but to drill down into something much more daily. The conversation.
Overaccepting
Our conversations happen within a larger story. Even things like the greeting are not just saying hi to one another, it is about “passing the peace.” Meaning the peace that we receive from Christ is the peace that we offer to others. Peace as a reality then is the larger story in this small act during our service.
Improv
God Gets Samuel’s attention: Scripture
1 Samuel 3:1–2 ESV
Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.
At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place.
1 Samuel 3:4–10 ESV
Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.
And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”
Genesis 1:1–3 ESV
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Our Lives are in Constant Reply to God
God always starts the conversation, we always enter in. When we speak with God, we are entering in halfway.
God’s word is deserving of us being laid flat, of us saying nothing less than a resounding yes. It’s actually absurd to say no to the goodness of God’s voice.
John 1:1–2 ESV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
John 1:14 ESV
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
We recognize God’s voice
We have a posture of openness
Speak like He speaks
When our conversations are with God primarily we begin to respond to the how He speaks and what He speaks like. We hear Him and turn to Him. And in doing so we begin to sound like Him.
Questions
Understanding Overacceptance
1. How does the concept of overaccepting challenge the way we typically approach conversations or gifts we find difficult to accept?
The Role of Conversations in Faith
2. In what ways can viewing every conversation as part of a larger Gospel story change the way we interact with others, especially during challenging moments?
God as the Initiator
3. What does Samuel’s experience teach us about recognizing and responding to God’s voice in our lives today?
Application in Daily Life
4. How can the practice of openness—echoed in Samuel’s response, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears”—be incorporated into our daily interactions with God and others?
Reflection and Growth
5. How do your current conversations—both with God and with others—reflect your understanding of discipleship and your relationship with Christ?
Christ will come into the World again
Proclamation / 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18
Intro
We are in our last week before Christmas. This week is an important time for the church. We have looked at the proclamation that Christ will come into the world, that He has come into the world. And that He will again come into the world.
The Church is called to be patient, always realigning itself between the Advent and Return.
Christ will come into the World Again
But we are also moving toward something. We are not only given life for right now. We have eternal life. We have life forever with Christ. He has given us a home in Him that extends past and beyond death.
1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 ESV
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
To know that Christ is coming again, for those who have trusted Him means that while He has given life and has shown us how to live, HE has promised He would come back.
Revelation 21:3–5 ESV
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
That means that we are not just passing through life, hoping that God will do something with any sense of a wreck of a world, but that our lives in Christ have meaning. They are moving toward something.
Every time we celebrate Advent we stretch our arms into the past and future.
What does that mean for us?
To be able to wait, knowing what is coming, means that we don’t have to react in frustration or fear. We act frustration and fear when we don’t know coming. But we do coming. We know Christ has come and He has beaten death and will come again and will bring justice.
We can wait in trust. To wait while we trust is to be patient.
Trust plus waiting equals patience
Our ability to wait creates a patient church
1 Thessalonians 4:17–18 ESV
Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
When we are impatient, it is because we’re not lined We’re not looking at the right things. We are not oriented. Have you in a line for so long that you begin to wonder if you’re even in the right line anymore? You begin to think that they forgotten about you or that you’ve lined up or done something wrong? An anxiety begins to slip in a little bit?
Patience allows to embrace where we are now with promise of restoration
Christ has come once to show what and how God handles darkness and conflict. Crisis come once to show us that he is the final resolution. Crisis come once already to show us what the goodness of God in the world looks like.
Christ will come again to resolve the irresolvable. Christ will come again to proclaim victory in every way that belongs to him. Christ will come again to bring justice to the injustice. Christ will come again to pay attention to everything that has been ignored.
We trust. We wait. Because whatever we have now is nothing in comparison to Christ who will come again. We know that whatever we have now is not the complete picture of what Christ will do when HE comes again.
When we agree and act on this, it is not passive but active. Our witness right now, as we move into communion, it one of patience. Because we celebrate the God who entered our world and gave everything.
Christ has come into the World
Proclamation / Luke 2:8–14
Peace, according to the scripture, is a completeness or a wholeness. To have peace is to be whole. Everything is where it should be. Do not have peace is to be fractured. Where things are not where they should be.
Humanity looked around and saw that not everything is as it should be. This is a lack of shalom. We expect or hope for on thing and get another.
Luke 2:8–9 ESV
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
The shepherds weren’t ready. The shepherds were the last people to expect, the last people to carry such a message.
It’s in that sense, that peace comes in the worst way possible.
But what is being proclaimed is not as much about the people to who it’s being proclaimed it is about the name that is being proclaimed for the people who need it
Peace we find, is not a state of mind, is not a posture, is not a place or a time.
Peace has a name. Peace is found in a person.
Peace has a name
Luke 2:10–14 ESV
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
The angels don’t say, peace is available. They don’t say seek peace. They don’t say, look for peace. They give a name. They make one person responsible. Peace is not pursued it is given. Peace has an address. We know where to go to find it.
Peace is not found in a position, or in a possession or in a principle (if I do this I get this) peace is found in a person.
John 14:27 ESV
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Fear is intended to protect us from danger. It is a part of us, it is actually rather helpful. want be afraid of some things. You should be afraid of some things. But what we have done is made fear a superpower. We are dominated by fear
There is no obstacle that God cannot and has not attended to. That is the promise of Advent. God has come into the world. And His coming into the world changes everything.
If God is near then peace is possible.
Peace is not fleeting, it does not budge.
You can trust God’s declaration of peace over you. That can be essential tenant of your life.
Romans 5:1 ESV
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The entire Advent is tied together with the promise of peace. That what has previously been broken is now whole.
God comes into the world as the prince of Peace.
There is peace for those on whom God is pleased.
1. The Concept of Shalom:
How does the illustration of the backpack help explain the biblical concept of shalom as completeness or wholeness? Can you think of other everyday analogies that similarly represent peace?
2. Peace vs. Rest:
The sermon differentiates between peace as completeness and peace as mere rest. How do these distinctions challenge or expand your understanding of peace in your own life?
3. The Role of Brokenness:
The sermon highlights moments of brokenness (e.g., the missing charger, the overflowing toilet) as contrasts to peace. How does focusing on “what can’t break” shift our response to these moments of fracture in life?
4. Shepherds and the Advent of Peace:
The shepherds, described as marginalized and unlikely witnesses, are chosen to proclaim peace. What does this tell us about God’s priorities and the nature of divine peace? How does this challenge societal expectations?
5. Personal Application of Peace:
The sermon encourages people to identify fractures in their lives and pray for Christ’s peace. What are some practical ways to incorporate this process of seeking peace into your daily Christian practice?
Waiting: Christ Will Come into the World
Proclamation / Isaiah 9:2–7
We are entering into the Advent season. Advent celebrates Christ’s entrance into the world.
It is the reminder that God had to come close. That God entered into our darkness. That He entered into our mess.
Advent is the continual reminder that Christ came to us. We did not have to find
This morning we are going to look at an OT text in the prophet Isaiah. This may be a familiar text. It is one of the primary advent texts where we see a picture of a Savior coming into the world.
It is a prophecy, a forth telling of what the Messiah would be like.
That is why Christmas is important. It is the reminder that there is always light. That we have “seen a great light.”
Waiting is unfinished.
Isaiah 9:2–3 ESV
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
Isaiah 9:4 ESV
For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
In this passage there is a reminder of the Exodus. God does a new thing through a
giant through line. What God has always done He renews in Jesus.
waiting is unfinished, then waiting is searching for something
Advent is a reminder that waiting for the right thing is not a waste. Advent is searching, it is not just holding out.
To wait in Advent is not just to wait. It is to search. It is expecting.
How we wait matters because it shows us what we are waiting for
Isaiah 9:6–7 ESV
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
So look at what God did. He sent a child. He brings deliverance through a child.
Through vulnerability.
God’s truths must be incarnated. They must be embodied. God restores through relationship. God is not bringing better ideas or better resources. He is coming Himself. God embodies what He promises
The witness of waiting. How we posture ourselves as we wait matters
This season is not like every other season, because it is worthwhile waiting for the
specific God who came into time.
That is why our worship matters. Because it is both waiting and hope.
that is why serving matter. It is both waiting and hope
the way you live your life and interact with others tells people what kind of line you are in. It tells people what you are waiting for. and for the church. Our posture is to do that together.
Your waiting is unfinished. That means it is filled with hope. Let’s spend this Advent season posturing our lives in a way that reflects that hope.
Matthew 7:28-29
The Right Side up Life / Matthew 7:28–29
Jesus did not speak, he proclaimed. He didn’t just give us options, He channeled a whole new way of life.
if you’re here and you are following Christ, if you’ve trusted in him as your authoritative source, maybe you’ve heard the sermon of the amount 100 times, or you’ve read it 100 times. Or you’re tired of the six months on the series. If Christ is authoritative, when we read his word, the instrument of his voice Scriptures, then our job is to respond to them as one who has authority. To act on them, not just an agreement and nodding our heads, but in deliberate action.
Christ is our authority, and uses authority to care and redeem
what does He have authority over?
Ephesians 1:20–23 ESV
that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
What is authority? Authority answers the question, “who’s in charge?”
Where Does Authority Come From?
You can’t just stand up and yell, “I have authority!” If I shouted that statement in a crowded room I would get laughed at, tackled or arrested. Authority is not simply saying you are now in authority.
How does Jesus have authority?
Christ did not just yell, I’m in charge here! He was present before all things. He didn’t have to yell it.
Christ has the responsibility: He was there before anyone else showed up.
Colossians 1:15–16 ESV
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
Jesus is sustaining all things. There is no dominion, no ruler, no authority who has any say beyond what Christ is said.
Christ has the capacity: Authority was given to Him by the Father
Matthew 28:18–20 ESV
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Christ has the resources: He backs up every word with action at the cross.
Philippians 2:4–11 ESV
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
spent all his power at the cross, not so that he could wheeled some kind of authoritative power trip, but so that he could use his authority to free others. He could use his authority to redeem the church. He could use his authority to bring light into darkness.
The cross shows us that Christ has acted on our behalf. He has gone first and He has been where we are. But He did not only come near in the cross. He was also raised to life by the power of God to invite us into eternal life and the ultimate redemption of all things in Christ.
If Christ shows authority in what He says and what He has done, our response is to trust Him by what we say and what we do.
We can trust Christ over every other voice, and I should say, more than our own.
We can rest assured in Him
Discussion Questions
1. What does it mean for Jesus to teach “with authority,” and how does that differ from other types of teaching we encounter in our lives?
• Consider how the source of authority impacts how we respond to someone’s words.
2. How does recognizing Jesus as the ultimate authority influence the way we approach challenges, doubts, or moments of distress?
• Reflect on examples in your life where turning to Christ’s authority brought clarity or peace.
3. The sermon emphasizes moving beyond agreement to action in response to Jesus’ teaching. What are practical ways we can act on the authority of Christ in our daily lives?
• Share examples or ideas for applying His teachings in tangible ways.
4. Jesus uses His authority to serve, redeem, and restore rather than to dominate. How does this challenge or reshape your understanding of leadership and power?
• Discuss how this model of authority compares to worldly examples of power.
5. What does it look like to trust Jesus’ authority in areas of life where you feel uncertain, resistant, or in need of control?
• Explore barriers to surrendering to His authority and ways to overcome them.
MAtt 7:24-27
The Right Side up Life / Matthew 7:24–27
Storms are a constant in life
“And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house.”
Jesus begins where we live. Storms are a part of life. Rain comes, floods come. Winds come. And each of these can be destructive.
› We are not given a choice on the reality of the storms we face, only on whether or not we have a roof.
The foundation of Jesus is the foundation of all of our faith
The house that falls: to embrace and ignore.
Matthew 7:26–27 ESV
And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
James 1:22–25 ESV
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
We are not called to embrace and ignore
And we are very good at both. We love embracing the easy and good parts of the Gospel but we are also very good at ignoring the parts we would rather not deal with.
We love the fact that God is loving. We embrace that easily. We don’t love the fact that we have to be loving.
The house that stands: To Hear and Do
Matthew 7:24–25 ESV
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
We are called to hear and act
The response to a promise is an initial agreement followed with appropriate action.
Do you know how much Christ tells us to believe? Don’t just stand on the rock of His teachings. Don’t just jump up and down on them. Build an entire house. Weigh down His teachings. Camp out. Live in them. He can hold us up.
What storms might you be facing in your life?
What have you heard from Christ in His word?
What is the next thing you need to do this week? Re-read the SOTM this week, as you hear from Him, ask Him what are you calling me to do?