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Introduction and Welcome

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Jason: Thank you for listening and welcome to the podcast. I am your host, Jason McConnell. Well, here we are, my friends at the edge of the mountain in the end of the sermon, but make no mistake this, this is no casual closing. Jesus is about to drop the final words of his most famous message. He doesn't end with gentle benediction or poetic flourish.

No, he ends with a warning and a choice. Welcome to the final episode of My Kingdom's Living series, where we've journeyed verse by verse through Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, his radical blueprint for life in the kingdom of God, we've wrestled with his call to be salt and light. Examine the heart of the righteousness.

Learn to love our enemies given secret, pray with sincerity, trust in God's provision, and live free from judgment. Each step has been a call to deeper and more authentic discipleship, and now we reach the final stretch. As Jesus concludes his sermon, he doesn't invite us to merely reflect. He demands a response.

This is the altar call moment. This is where faith either becomes foundation of your life or remains a house built on sand. In Matthew 7 24, Jesus says, therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts him into practice is like a wise man who builds his house on the rock. The entire sermon pivots on this verse.

hat echoed down that hillside: 2000

What will you do with what you've heard?

Identifying False Prophets

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Jason: As we continue the, through these final moments of Jesus' sermon on the mound, he begins this part with a stern warning. Starting in Matthew seven, verse 15. Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly, they're ferocious wolves. I'm gonna pause for a second here because this, this is not a warning about enemies outside the church.

These wolves look like sheep. That's what makes them so dangerous. They blend in, they speak fluent Christianese. They may quote Scripture, preach and pulpits, or gain massive online followings, but beneath the surface, their intentions are selfish, their motives are corrupted, and their fruits are rotten.

Theologian William Barkley tells us the basic fault of the false prophet is self-interest. No good comes from following these people. It's a path that leads to destruction, and the first step is simply being aware that they exist. Jesus says, we'll, recognize them by their fruits, not their charisma, not their popularity, not certainly not their positions.

In verses 16 and 17. He continues with this. By the fruits, you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistle? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Identifying these bad actors requires paying attention to a few aspects of their life as well as their ministry.

So first of all, pay attention to how they live their lives. Are they living with righteousness and humility? Are they living a faithful life? Second, you wanna pay attention to the content of what they teach. Does it come from God's word or are they putting their own spin out it out there? Something that just sounds good.

And number three, pay attention to the effect of what they teach. Are the followers of these ministry leaders actually growing in Jesus, or are they just being entertained? So what does this mean in practical terms? Well, I'm gonna try to break it down for you here. First of all, fruit inspection is necessary.

You have to inspect the fruit. Look, Jesus isn't telling us to be suspicious of everyone, but he is telling us to be discerning. We're not judging motives, we can't see. We wanna evaluate the results that we can. And this idea is echoed in one John four verse one. Dear friends, do not believe it in every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they come from God.

Now the word test implies a certain level of intentionality. It means we shouldn't automatically accept every teacher or every teaching simply because it feels good or it sounds right. A good preacher points you to Christ, not themselves, a faithful prophet, exalts God's word, not their opinions. Now, understanding that good trees bear good fruit.

Let's talk about what good fruit looks like. It's not just successful ministries or inspirational messages. Good fruit is spiritual transformation. It's humility, repentance, holiness, the fruit of the spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, all those good fruits from Galatians five, verses 22 and 23.

Good Fruit vs Bad Fruit

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Jason: These are signs of a spirit led life. And by contrast, Jesus says in Matthew seven, verse 18, A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. This is a call to consistency over time. Someone might fool others for a season. But fruit or the lack of it will eventually be revealed.

Good or bad fruit will eventually become evident and, and that will tell you what kind of tree that person is. And Jesus goes on in Matthews seven verses 19 through 20, with, uh, kind of a warning. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus by their fruits, you'll recognize them look good fruit.

Is required for Kingdom, for the Kingdom of Heaven, which means that if you are producing no fruits, you're just as condemned. You're just as as bad as someone who's producing bad fruits. Biblical Scholar, Adam Clark puts it this way, not to have good fruits, is to have evil. There can be no innocence, sterility in the invisible tree of the heart.

He that brings forth no fruit and he that brings forth bad fruit are both only fit for the fire. Now I know what you might be thinking, but Jason, I thought we just had to believe in Christ to avoid the lake of fire. Yes, that's correct. But consider this if you are not bearing fruit or bearing good fruit.

Are you really living in Christ? Are you really a believer? Because if you love Christ and you believe in him, you will produce good fruits. John 15 verse five echoes this. I in the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you'll bear much fruit apart from me. You can do nothing. Bottom line.

If you're stuck doing nothing, you're not living in Christ. So if you've ever encountered a false teacher or a manipulative, manipulative, spiritual leader, you know the damage can be devastating and, and I do recommend you go back and listen to episode 78 with Peter Young about his journey from Colt to Christ.

s centuries earlier. Jeremiah: 2316

They preach. Comfort without conviction. Grace without repentance. Heaven without holiness. Jesus tells us that they are ferocious wolves, and the wolves don't protect sheep. They feed on them. So how do we spot them today? How do we spot these bad actors, these, these bad fruit? And this is where we get a little more real.

Not every false prophet is a televangelist or a fringe cult leader. Sometimes there are charismatic influencer on TikTok or YouTube. Sometimes they're a bestselling author or podcast host. And yes, you should double check what I say too. And sometimes they're sitting right across from us in our own church circles.

Discerning True from False Teachers

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Jason: So how do we discern, look at the fruit? Does their life reflect humility and repentance or pride in self-promotion? People can only hide their true intentions for so long. Are there teachings rooted in scripture or do they twist scripture to fit some narrative? If you've heard. If you hear something and it seems out of place, or likely they're stretching it to make a point, it just seems odd.

Go check scripture, check commentaries, dig for yourself. Are people drawn to Christ or the personality? That's a good question. If, if a pastor or religious leader were to walk away, how many people would stay at that church? Are they there for the church, are there for the entertainment? Most importantly, pray to pray for discernment and listen for the Holy Spirit to guide you.

Discernment isn't, it's not about cynicism, it's about clarity. It's about asking the spirit of God to help us see what is true, what is real. So this warning that Jesus gives us, it's not just about spotting wolves, but to to guard our own hearts from becoming a wolf. The truth is we're all capable of falsehoods.

When we neglect the word. Compromise on truth or seek applause of obedience, and that's why we have to stay rooted in Christ the true vine. We don't just need to know the word. We need to love it to live it. As Psalm 1 19 1 0 5 reminds us, your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path. So this warning of Jesus is still echoing.

Watch out. Not everyone who, who speaks his name comes from him. But if we stay close to the Good Shepherd, stay grounded in his word, and examine the fruits both in ourselves and in others, we're more likely to walk in wisdom, not deception. Now, there's a moment in this sermon that feels like a thunder club, like the air is being sucked outta the room.

It's probably one of the more sobering statements he's ever made, and it cuts right to the heart of what it means to be a true disciple in Matthew 7 21. 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 want you to let that sink in.

True Discipleship vs Lip Service

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Jason: Jesus is speaking to people who sound devoted. They say the right words. They call him Lord twice even. Jesus doesn't applaud them. He confronts them. Why? Because lip service without surrender, it's useless. It's worthless. And this isn't about atheist and pagan. It's about people who thought they were in and weren't.

I mean, we obviously should call out to the Lord. Never be ashamed to do so, but saying the word isn't enough. Our spiritual lives need to reflect in our daily lives. Jesus. Just it's, it's not, he's not impressed by performance. I've talked about that in other Kingdom Living episodes, but I want you to listen to what he does say here in verses 22 and 23.

Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name and drive out demons and your name, in your name performed miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you away from me. You evil doers. Ouch. He's reminding us that on that final day of judgment, we will all stand before Jesus and no one else.

He's talking about people who are active in ministry. They're doing the things in his name, miracles, prophecies, deliverance. If you look at the spiritual resume, you think they were superstar believers, but Jesus doesn't weigh our worth based on our ministry outputs. He desires intimacy and obedience, and this is where we have to be careful.

It's so easy to conflate doing things for God and actually knowing God. We can preach sermons, lead worships, post devotionals, serve the poor, talk on our podcasts, and still miss him. And Jesus doesn't just say, you didn't try hard enough. You didn't know enough theology. No. He says, I never knew you. And the Greek word for new here implies a relational knowledge, a deep personal connection.

This is more about more than intellectual belief. Even demons believe in Jesus for heaven's sake. But saving faith is trust filled, ongoing relational. It's about walking with him daily, submitting to his will, surrendering your heart, all of your heart, as James 1 22 warns us. Do not really listen to the word and so deceive yourselves.

Do what it says. Jesus makes it crystal clear. Entrance into his kingdom is not determined by what we say. But, but what we do with what he said, only the one who does the will of my father, who is in heaven. Obedience is the evidence of faith, not perfection, but direction. A life steadily moving toward God's will rather than your own.

A heart that says, not my will, but yours be done. Jesus is telling us it's possible to go to church, to say all the right things, to check those religious boxes, and still be building a life that has no foundation. In Titus one, verse 16, Paul gives a blunt diagnosis of counterfeit faith. They claim to know God, but by their actions, they deny him.

They're detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good. That's pretty strong language, but it's meant to jolt us awake because when our lives contradict our confessions, we live in deception. Perhaps the most terrifying part of this passage in Matthew seven is that these people are shocked.

They thought they were good with God and they were blindsided, and that's why his warning is not just theological, it's pastoral. He is trying to spare us from that moment. So let's bring this home. How do we guard ourselves against becoming people who say, Lord, Lord, but don't live like he's truly Lord. I want you to ask yourself a few questions.

Am I more focused on public appearance than private obedience? Do I pursue spiritual activity more than I pursue Christ himself? When confronted by God's word, do I respond with repentance and change or just admiration? Jesus doesn't want fans. He wants followers. He doesn't need spiritual celebrities. He calls for surrendered servants.

Now before we get too discouraged, let's remember this. This warning is also an invitation. Jesus isn't trying to crush our souls. He's inviting us to something real, something deeper than religion, something more beautiful than performance. He says, come know me, follow me, walk with me. And he promises that those who obey from a heart of love will never hear, I never knew you, but instead will hopefully hear.

Well done. Good and faithful servant. Don't settle for just saying the right words. Live the right life. Don't be content with knowing about Jesus. Be known by Jesus. And that begins with simple, everyday obedience because in the end it's not about what you claim, it's about who you follow. Let me shift the focus a little bit.

The Parable of Two Foundations

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Jason: Have you ever built something, a, a home, a business, a reputation? If you have, you know that the foundation is everything. A beautiful building with a weak foundation is, it's just a disaster waiting for the right storm. And that's exactly how Jesus chooses to end the Sermon on the Mount. After three chapters of radical teaching of Kingdom living, he doesn't end with applause.

He ends with a parable, a final change, a visual warning that leaves no one neutral. Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who builds this house on the rock. Matthew seven, verse 24, and just like that, we're introduced to two builders, two lives, two choices, but only one foundation stands.

Jesus says that both men in this story hear his words. They were both present, both had access to the same truth. Only one applied it. And that's key because it tells us the real difference between the wise and the foolish isn't information but application. It's not what you know, it's what you do with what you know, James 1 25.

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. So here's the question. Here's the real question. Are we only hearing Jesus or are we heating Jesus? So let's look at the foundations.

The wise man digs deep builds on rock, a symbol throughout scripture of God himself. Uh, the psalmist says in Psalms 62, verse two, truly, he is my rock and my salvation. He is my fortress. I will never be shaken when we build our lives on Christ. On his teachings, his truth, his grace. We gain an unshakeable stability.

But the foolish man, he builds on sand the easy way. The shortcut, it's quick. It looks fine on the outside, but it's a facade of strength. In Luke six verse 48, the parallel account adds this detail about the wise builder. He's like a man building a house who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock, dug down deep.

That's, that's work. Obedience takes effort. Discipleship isn't instant. It's a lifelong excavation of the soul, and Jesus doesn't say if the storm comes. He says, when the storm comes, Matthew seven, verse 25, the rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house. The same storm hits both of these houses.

One stands, one collapses with a great crash. This part of the parable isn't about avoiding storms, it's about surviving them. Maybe you're facing a storm right now. Grief, financial stress, betrayal, temptation, anxiety. These moments don't create your foundation. They reveal it. And let's not forget, Jesus isn't just talking about earthly trials.

He's talking about final judgment. When our lives are measured by his word, will we stand or fall? First Corinthians three 11, for no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. Let's get practical for a minute. Building on the rock means ordering your life around the teachings of Christ.

It's not just reading the Bible, it's letting the Bible become part of you. It's like it's living in obedience when no one's watching. I mean, here's some examples when you're tempted to retaliate, but you choose forgiveness. When the world says, store up your treasures, but you choose generosity. When culture screams, follow your heart, but you follow his word instead.

Those choices may seem small, but they are bricks to your foundation, just brick by brick. The foolish man. On the other hand, he hears the same sermon. He may have nodded along in agreement. He may have taken notes, we don't know, but when the rain came, his house collapsed. Jesus doesn't say it was a little mess.

He says in Matthew 7 27, it fell with a great crash. That's the heartbreak of religion. Without deep relationship, knowledge, without obedience, profession, without transformation, let's not be fooled by appearance. Just because a house looks strong doesn't mean it is. The true test is when that wind starts to howl.

But I have good news for you. It's never too late to start building on the rock. Maybe your foundation's been a little shaky. Maybe you've been going through the motions. Maybe you've realized that your spiritual house is all exterior with no support beams. But Jesus doesn't tell this parable to shame us.

He tells us to save us, to invite us, to call us back to himself. So start today. Open the word and obey what it says. Confess what's been built on the sand. Begin again with Christ as your cornerstone. Every one of us is building something. The question is, will it stand when the storm hits? Let's be the ones who dig deep, who take Jesus at his word, and who build lives that last not for applause, but for eternity, because when it's all said and done, only one foundation gets to hold.

Okay, so far in Jesus' closing challenge, we've seen the danger of false prophets and the illusion of empty religion. We've talked about two houses, one standing strong, the other collapsing and ruins, and now we've arrived at the heart of the matter, the difference maker, the key to building your life on the rock.

The Key of Obedience

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Jason: It's one word, obedience. Let's go back to Matthew 7 24. Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mind and puts them into practices like a wise man who builds his house on the rock, Jesus isn't impressed with just hearing the words. He's not moved by how many Bible studies we attend or how many sermons we listen to.

He's looking for people who do what he says, people who put his words into practice. This is where a lot of us get stuck. We love inspiration. We love conviction, but transformation only happens when we move from knowing to doing. Obedience isn't about rigid rule following or earning God's favor. It's about love.

Jesus said in John: 1415

You build it brick by brick, decision by decision, choosing Christ in your thoughts, your finances, your relationships, your speech. Psalm 1 19, 1 0 5. Let's go back to that. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. That Psalm keeps coming up. We follow one step at a time. You don't need to see the whole house.

You just need to obey today. Right now, this moment. Now, some of us may be waiting until we feel ready to obey, but scripture teaches us that faith and obedience are inseparable. True belief always leads to action. As the apostle John wrote in First John two verse three, we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.

Jesus is calling for a lifestyle of surrender. When we hear his word and do it, we shouldn't think of it as just avoiding disaster. We're stepping into a life that's built to last with the promise of eternal life. It's it's possible to admire Jesus's teachings and still build on sand. The difference isn't in what you've heard.

It's whether you've obeyed. That's why Luke six verses 47 and 48, the, the parallel account of this parable adds some detail. Jesus adds some detail. As for everyone who comes to me and here's my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. It's that trio come to Jesus, hear his words, do what he says, put them into practice.

The wise builder doesn't stop at a blueprint he builds, and so must we. If you want a life that can endure pressure, pain, and unpredictability, that's that's key. The key theme of this world, you don't need to be the smartest, strongest, and most spiritual. You just need to obey Jesus. Life built on the rock isn't the life of perfection, it's the life of practice.

Hearing plus doing equals a house that stands. So today, ask yourself, what have I heard from Jesus that I need to start practicing? Because at the end of the day, it's not the listeners or even the learners who are called wise. It is the doers. So after the parables, the warnings, the vivid imagery of building on rock and sand.

Matthew closes this chapter with this final note in Matthew seven, verses 28 and 29, when Jesus had finished saying these things. The crowds were amazed at his teaching because he taught as one who had authority, not as their teachers of the law. People weren't just moved by his style. They were stunned by his authority.

Jesus's Unique Authority

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Jason: Unlike the scribes and the teachers of the law who often quoted others to back up their points, rabbi so and so says. Jesus spoke with unmatched clarity and conviction. He didn't say thus, the Lord says. He says, I tell you why. Because he is the Lord. Jesus didn't just interpret the law, he fulfilled it. He didn't come to echo Moses.

He came to be the greater Moses. The people were used to borrowing authority or borrowed authority, but here was a man who was the source. John one 14 says, the word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory. Jesus didn't speak about the word of God. He was the word of God when he spoke.

Heaven listened demons trembled, and the winds and the waves obeyed. That same authority Jesus displayed on the mountaintop is the authority he still holds in your life today, in my life and everybody's life. His word isn't just inspiring, it's binding. It's not mere poetic, it's transformative. Hebrews four 12 reminds us for the word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword.

When you read Jesus's word, you're not engaging with historical documents. You are encountering the living voice of the king of kings. The crowds were amazed, but amazement alone wasn't the goal. Jesus didn't preach the sermon on the mountain to impress people. He preached it to call people to what? To obedience, to action, to build their lives on his truth.

The right response to his authority is not admiration, it's surrender. Jesus doesn't speak with authority. He is authority, and his words aren't just good advice. They are the difference between standing firm and collapsing in life's storms. So when you hear his words, don't just be amazed. Bow the knee, open your heart and follow wherever he leads, because the one who spoke on that mountain still speaks today and his voice is still the only one that leads to life.

Conclusion

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Jason: And just like that, the sermon ends, not with a song, not with a gentle closing prayer, but with a warning and a choice. The crowds who gathered on that Galilean hillside were likely beside themselves. Jesus had just drawn a line in the sand and said, you have heard my words. Now what will you do with them?

And that, that question still echoes to us today. Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts him into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The moment of decision, the final call of the sermon on the mound. We've heard about the dangers of false prophets, a tragedy of self de deception, uh, the, the foolishness of shallow foundations, but we've also seen the beauty of a life built on Christ.

Strong, secure, unshakeable storms will come, winds will howl. Life will test what we've built, but those who build on the rock. Who live in obedience with Christ will not fall. Jesus is offering you a foundation that cannot be shaken. He's looking for not for perfection. He's just looking for surrender.

He's looking for people who will take him at his word and build their lives on it. If you love me, keep my commands. So here's the question. Are you ready to live the word? Today, Jesus stands before each of us, not as a distant teacher, but as a living word, full of authority and grace, asking, will you trust me enough to obey me?

And this week, this week, I want, I want you to take a step towards obedience, dig deeper into his word, let go of the sand and begin to build on that rock. Because when your life is anchored in Christ, no storm, I mean no storm can shake you. Until next time, keep loving your neighbors. Dive into God's word daily and may the Lord bless you and keep you and fill you with his peace.

Take care. God bless, and I'll see you in the next episode.

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