7. yes, it's 2:15 in the morning!

I went to bed around 9, but God woke me up around 1:15, I believe, to hammer out this sermon I have been wrestling with. I (Jill) am speaking in chapel at my school on October 26th. I was assigned to speak on Matthew 7: 12-14, 24-29, which are very familiar passages to most Christians. So, I have been studying God's Word the past few weeks, seeking out what He wants me to share with my students. I will also note that this will be my first time speaking in this type of setting, though I have led small groups before. I have been surprised with how much fun it has been to dig into the Word and how easy it has been to find application.

Anyway, this is my first draft. I am given 15 minutes or so to speak. I am well-aware that with an outline this long, I will be going longer than that. I am okay with that to a degree, but I might cut some. I'd love to hear your thoughts! Or else explain things that may not be clear through bullet points. :)

Chapel: October 26, 2011

“On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand”

Matthew 7:12-14, 24-29

Worship:

· On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand

· You Never Let Go (Redman)

Sermon:

· Opening:

o Introduction

o Relevance of passage

· Body:

o Two paths: narrow vs. wide (vs. 13-14)

§ My choice to follow the narrow path at a young age

§ You are either en route to life or destruction

· The road to destruction is wide because of all the lies out there and false prophets

· Jesus said in vs. 7-11 that if you seek him you will find him (the narrowness of the path does not make him harder to find)

o Two foundations: rock vs. sand (vs. 24-27)

§ A parable about two types of believers

· Those who only hear vs. those who hear and do

o This is the end of the Sermon on the Mount

o If you have been sitting in chapel, hearing the words spoken up here, this means you too!

§ There is no middle ground. You are in one of these two groups

· Those who give him lip-service only and those who obediently follow him

§ The Foundations

· The foundation/rock is obedience to Christ, by grace through faith

· Luke 6:46-49 (the other Gospel account)

o “Why call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do what I say?

o The wise man “dug down deep and laid the foundation” – it’s hard work!

· We choose to build our lives on Christ (rock) or on nothing (sand)

· Story: Hurricane Andrew (flood level)

§ The Houses

· The houses are what we build out of our lives

o Rooted in Christ (wise)

o Rooted in fear/inaction/independence (foolish)

· 1 Cor 3: 10: picture of the church

· The houses can look the same on the surface

o The house will not fall (storing up treasures in Heaven)

o Great will be the fall of the foolish man’s house (storing up treasures on earth)

§ The Storms

· Inevitability is guaranteed

· Against the house vs. on the house

o The people’s reaction (vs. 28-29)

§ Christ spoke as one who had authority

§ Lord, lunatic, or liar: ex. Mat 7:21-23… Christ is claiming to be the judge and the Son of God

§ He is LORD!

o “Do unto others…” (vs. 12)

§ Many negative forms of this had been found, but Jesus said it in positive form – he was speaking of an active love

§ It is what Christ did for us in his complete work on the Cross (in fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets)

· Story: Taking a friend’s punishment as your own (Lily)

· Romans 13:8 and Gal 5:14: loving each other fulfills the law

§ This is how to build your house on the Rock!

· Significance?

o In choosing the paths, it is the difference between Heaven and Hell

o Once you are on the path

§ Individual accountability before Christ on Judgment Day

§ Christ is strong, whereas we are weak. Christ is love, whereas we are selfish. Christ is all the qualities in 1 Cor 13 and Gal 5:22; we have sinful flesh. He is everything. Why try to build apart from him? It’s futile… and He loves you!