The Message of the Teachings on the Mount (107)
By Abraham Eli
This study was first taught on March 6, 2012
Topic: The Message of the Teachings on the Mount (2): Actively Hearing and Doing
No audio available for this study.Background
Last week, we began looking at the essence of the Lord’s teachings on the Mount. We saw from The Message Translation that His teachings “… are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.”
We saw that those who listen to the word of God fall into two groups: those who put to practice what they have heard, and those who do not put to practice what they have heard. We noted that although the teachings of Christ, which is also the word of God, are meant to be beneficial to those who hear it; it does not profit those who do not apply its precepts to their situations. Hence, we saw that the reason why people are not transformed by the word of God is not because the word of God is impotent, but because they do not put the word which they hear to practice. Indeed, we saw the potency of the word of God, and the blessedness it brings into the lives of those who hear and apply it to their lives and situations. We saw the blessedness of the word of God as: salvation from sin; the making of true disciples of the Lord; knowledge of truth; total deliverance from the stranglehold of falsehood, addiction, deception, etc.; blessings in all that you do; spiritual growth; maturity in the things of God; fruitfulness and prosperity in every area of your life; sanctification; and, the assurance of eternal life.
For those who do not put to practice what they hear of the word of God, there is, unfortunately, a far worse ending—one in which they are worse off than when they first believed. This brought us to the conclusion that a major aspect of the message of the Lord’s teachings on the Mount is that you are neither transformed, nor are you a disciple, just because you are listening to God’s word or attend bible study regularly; you are transformed, and become a disciple, only because you act on the word of God which you have heard. Indeed, the benefits and blessedness which accrue to the hearer of the word of God, rests on the premise of your acting on God’s word in faith!
Scripture Text(s)
Matthew 7:24-27
Tonight, we continue with our study as we seek to consider why people do not apply God’s word after they’ve heard or even read it. We pray that the Holy Spirit will help us as we study, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
What makes a person hear a word that is able to transform his life from a life of pittance to one of power, and yet remain unchanged? There’s more to the inability of people to respond positively to the word of God than meets the eye!
Matthew 13:19-23; Luke 24:45; 8:15; 2 Timothy 3:6-7; 1 Peter 2:1-3; Ephesians 4:19-25, 31; James 1:17-22; Proverbs 10:19; 17:27-28; 16:32; 25:28; Mark 7:20-23; Luke 6:45; Genesis 37:3-4, 5-8, 9-11a, 19-20; Acts 8:9-24; John 6:60-71; Matthew 19:8-11, 23-26; 1 Peter 1:2; Philippians 2:13; Isaiah 66:1-2; Psalm 34:18; John 1:11-13.
Conclusion
The reason why you don’t see transformation from the powerful word of God in your life is because you are not living out the word of God. You are not living out the word of God, for the following reasons:
1. Your heart is unable to receive the word of God due to hardness (indifference or lack of understanding);
2. You are not being truthful with yourself, but you are acting as though you are spiritual, whereas, your heart is really hardened deep within. On the surface, you seem to be like a true believer in Christ, but when tough and challenging times come, you drop the word of God like a hot potato!
3. There are baggage from the time when you were not born again, which you have refused to let go of, still occupying your heart, so that when the word of God enters into your heart, there is already a crowd of thoughts and concerns, and, a competition for space, and the word of God is never given the priority it should receive, and so, it is crowded out, and you are unfruitful in the word of God.
4. You lack patience, and are unable to wait for God to do what He wants to do in your life through His word, and you have gone off on your own to work out something other than what the word of God teaches.
Indeed, the bible tells us that unless we are rid of the things that have occupied our hearts from when we were not born again—things which ought to have been dealt with—we shall be unable to do the word of God we are hearing, no matter for how long we hear it! You must therefore be rid of all things that defile, and eliminate any vestige (or remnant) of evil and malice in you. This emptying of yourself, which is sanctification, will enable you to receive the word of God with meekness in your heart. And in receiving the word of God, you must be quick to hear (carefully listen with a view to doing what you have heard); be slow to speak (carefully ponder what has been said before even speaking); and, be slow to get angry (don’t be soon offended by the word of God which you have heard). With these things in place in your life, hearing and doing the word of God is a joy, even when it may seem very tough to do.
If you are going to be able to actively hear and do the word of God, you must be sanctified on a daily basis. It is such daily sanctification which enables you to receive the word of God with meekness and reverence in your heart, and act on it promptly (Hebrews 11:7; James 1:25). This is what truly brings the blessings of the Lord!
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