How the Sermon of the Mount ends.

[B-A-C]

Chapters 5, 6 and 7 of Matthew have Jesus's longest and most famous sermon. It takes up almost all of 3 whole chapters.

If we break it down into sections, it looks something like this.

Matt 5:2-12; The Beatitudes
Matt 5:13-16; Salt and Light
Matt 5:17-20; Fulfilling the law
Matt 5:21-26; Anger
Matt 5:27-30; Lust
Matt 5:31-32; Divorce
Matt 5:33-37; Making false promises
Matt 5:38-42; Retaliation
Matt 5:43-48; Loving your enemies.
Matt 6:1-4; Piety before men, giving to the needy.
Matt 6:5-13; The Lord's Prayer
Matt 6:14-15; The price of forgiveness
Matt 6:16-18; Fasting
Matt 6:19-24; Treasure in heaven, where your heart is
Matt 6:25-34; Anxiety, worry
Matt 7:1-6; Judging others while you are sinning also
Matt 7:7-11; Asking for the Holy Spirit
Matt 7:12; The Golden Rule
Matt 7:13-14; The Narrow Gate
Matt 7:15-20; The fruit of the tree

That's a lot of subjects covered in a short amount of time. The very words of Jesus. The very teachings and heart of God revealed here.
But now we get to the end of this sermon.

Matt 7:21-23; Jesus will tell some who believe in Him, that He never knew them.

Finally in verses 24-27 Jesus says...

Matt 7:24; "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Matt 7:25; "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.
Matt 7:26; "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
Matt 7:27; "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall."

We have three whole chapters of instruction here. We all know the words. We've heard them all many times. We've quoted them before.
But now Jesus says you have two choices. You can either ignore what He said here, or you can act on the words He said here.

Make no mistake, the storms and trials WILL come. It's not "if", it's just "when". Are you ready? Is your foundation on the rock or on the sand?
The way to know if it's on the rock on the sand is simple. Ask yourself am I doing and practicing the things Jesus said to do in these 3 chapters?
If not... get ready for your life and the things around you to collapse when the storm comes.

 

[B-A-C]

2Pet 1:4; For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
2Pet 1:5; Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,
2Pet 1:6; and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,
2Pet 1:7; and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.
2Pet 1:8; For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pet 1:9; For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.
2Pet 1:10; Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;
2Pet 1:11; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

Now obviously, this is Peter, not Jesus speaking on the mountain. So then what does this have to do with the sermon of the Mount?
Jesus said if you act on His words, your life won't come crashing down when the storms come. Peter is saying much the same thing. Here is a list of things to practice.
Do these things and you won't be unfruitful. ( Matt 7:15-20; ) Practice these things and you won't stumble. ( Matt 7:24-27; )