SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/7/2021 9:30 PM
My Worship Time Focus:
Intro to “Empty Hearts”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matt.
7:24-27
Message of the verses: “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. 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. 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. 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." 28 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at
His teaching; 29 for He was teaching them as one having authority, and
not as their scribes.”
It
is not the usual thing to have two introductions in one chapter from John
MacArthur’s commentaries, but that is what happened in this last chapter of his
commentary on the first seven chapters of Matthew’s gospel, and so I want to
just quote the four small paragraphs that he wrote for this introduction. One of the reasons that there are two introductions
here is because of having two sermons on these last seven verses from Matthew
chapter seven.
“The
second evidence that the many (vv. 13, 22) who are in the broad way will not
enter the kingdom is that their lives are not built on the foundation of Christ
and His Word. Again Jesus picks up the
theme of man’s own righteousness, the righteousness that is totally
unacceptable to God and that will in no way qualify a person for His kingdom
(Matt. 5:20).
“In
the first illustration (vv. 21-23) we see a contrast between the true and false
verbal professions of faith and good works.
Here we see contrasts between obedient and disobedient hearers. Both groups hear God’s true Word, but some
hear and obey, and some hear and disobey; some turn their trust to God’s
righteousness, and some continue trusting in their own, thought that does not
become visible until the judgment.
“The
implication is that even those who disobey believe that they belong to Christ
and make a convincing profession of faith in Him. They hear God’s Word and recognize it as God’s
Word, but wrongly believe that simply knowing and recognizing it are enough to
please God and guarantee them a place in His kingdom. Like those who say, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do
amazing religious works but really ‘practice lawlessness,’ the false hearers
build their religious house, but are self-deceived as to its viability.
“In
the illustration of those who make false professions, the true believers are
mentioned only by implication (‘not everyone who says to me,’ v. 21). In the illustration of the hearers and
builders, however, both the true and the false believers are clearly
described. In these two groups we see
many similarities but also some radical differences.”
3/7/2021 9:43 PM
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