Stories of the Summer Why Jesus Told Parables (and How You Can Understand Them) (youtube.com)

It Matter’s Where You Build

When people talk about the ministry of Jesus, it’s easy to focus on his miracles. Jesus performed some amazing feats that the world had never seen (and hasn’t seen since). But one of the most exciting things about His ministry was His teaching style. Jesus taught using parables—simple stories intended to impart a spiritual lesson.

When Jesus taught in parables, He wasn’t passing on abstract concepts and information. He wanted to change the way we understood God, ourselves, and the world. And He wanted this understanding to impact the way we lived. He’s so identified with this teaching style that Mark’s Gospel tells us that “He did not say anything to them without using a parable” (Mark 4:34a).

- Where it is located in Scripture

· Who was present for this teaching

· Why it was given

The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders Passage: Matthew 7:24–27, Luke 6:47–49 Audience: A great crowd Context: The sermon on the mount

Matthew 7:21-27 (when reading scripture read In context)

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (this is hard statement)

This must have been a challenging thing for Jesus’ listeners to hear. Jesus is talking about people doing amazing things in His name, but still missing the mark. This must have made those listening to Jesus’ words feel hopeless. If people casting out demons and performing miracles in Jesus’ name can’t get into the kingdom, who can?

So what you are saying is there could be a tv evangelist that does mighty works in Jesus’s name and then ask for your money in his name and perhaps the Lord never knew them. MIND BLOWN.

So what you are saying is that someone could complete and exorcism and the demon flee and yet the Lord has no clue what their name is. MIND BLOWN.

You can know that there is great power in the name of Jesus, use that power, and not know HIM!

So how do you know if you know HIM?

Build Your House on the Rock

24 “Everyone then (so you can see that clearly this story is connected to what we just read, it explains it in a way that we can understand) who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 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. 26 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. 27 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.” 28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

https://magneticmediatv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/House-collapse-on-Sand.jpg https://architizer-prod.imgix.net/mediadata/projects/072013/3be8c875.jpg?fit=max&w=1680&q=60&auto=format&auto=compress&cs=strip

Hearing Jesus’s words and putting them into practice is like building your home on a solid and trustworthy foundation that can withstand life’s storms. Jesus contrasts that to the dangers of ignoring His words, which He compares to building one’s life on sand.

This would have been a shocking statement to people listening to Christ’s sermon because they believed the Torah was the most reliable foundation to build one’s life upon. But Jesus is saying and really summing up the entirety of the Sermon on the Mount you can’t just hear you must do!!

Acting on what you know

Throughout the New Testament, we’re encouraged to put into practice what we’ve learned.

It’s a tough lesson, but we’re responsible for practicing what we know. James says it this way:

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 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 (James 1:22-25).

He’s telling us that it’s easy to see ourselves as devout because we understand what we’ve heard,

but our faithfulness requires that we practice what we’ve learned.

Our dedication is shown in our willingness to walk in the light that we’ve received.

Jesus elaborates in this short parable:

It’s easy to make the mistake that doing a bunch of busy work for Christ’s sake (even dramatic and miraculous busy work) is a sign that we belong to Jesus. The sad truth is that even our ministries can be tools we use to puff us up and make us prominent. If we’re not careful, they can be more about us than Him.

Jesus wanted His listeners to understand the principle that His true followers will be the ones living lives of simple obedience. They don’t just listen to Jesus’ words; they put them into practice-maybe not perfectly, but consistently.

Jesus communicates this more concisely in John’s Gospel when he says, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). After all, that’s what He means when He invites us to follow Him.

The end.

The story is done.

It is explained.

And now it lies on us.

To think to mediate on.

And to ask the question. Which house am I?

You have heard this word. You have heard the words of the pulpit this year.

You have read the word. You have heard the word.

Or you putting it into practice?

Which house are you?

Where are you building?

I am sort of convinced Jesus doesn’t really want you to rededicate you life….

He simply wants you to follow his commands. His word. Be obedient. (Ex. Of Maylen)