Empty Hearts

The Jews had developed a system of works righteousness a humanly devised system of self stimulated fleshly effort fell far short. Jesus is busy in the sermon on the Mount tearing down their paper palace. Please by Jan you tell others about Christ. Yet one day you stand before the God you claim to know and find out who your horror that he doesn't know you. How could that possibly happen. John MacArthur answers that today on grace to you is walking you through a self-examination that will help you know whether your truly saved or self deceived, so stay here and take John's salvation survey here in Southern California. We are constantly made aware of the need for a good foundation on the house seems as though annually, we either have earthquakes or floods, earthquakes have a way of cracking foundations and floods have a way of washing them away altogether and living in California can be an experience depending upon where you may live in times like that whenever we go about to build something it's very necessary that we build it with and I toured the possibility of a flood or the possibility of an earthquake.

Careful soil tests are done. Examination of the ground compacting the soil in order to make sure the foundation is going to stand for very used to that it was frankly little different in Palestine.

In fact, Palestine has almost an identical climate Southern California is dry and arid for the most part it when it rains, the land really can only absorb so much and when the rain comes in a flood, it turns into just that, a flood houses are washed away in the same manner that we've seen it here. So in a bit of building plan or program in the land of Palestine.

You need to have the same kind of planning and same kind of preparation that you have here what may look like a wonderful place to build a house firm footing in the summer and winter becomes a raging torrent that wipes away whatever edifice is been placed there.

Not Jesus has this in mind, in verses 24 to 27 pictures, two minute build a house, probably in the dry bed of a stream somewhere in the Valley. One man thinks little about what might come and he works feverishly on the house but has absolutely no thought for the foundation. He is called a foolish man in verse 26. The other man also building a house seeks to be sure that the foundation is built upon solid rock is called a wise man in verse 24 so you have a simple story to men build houses. One is wise and one is foolish and what seems is a very simple story is in fact a startling shocking powerful commentary on people who have a head knowledge but an empty heart, you'll notice that he says in verse 24 whosoever hears in verse 26. Everyone that hears these other people who hear they hear the message they listen.

They understand it.

The wise ones do something about the fools do not. James Danny has said quote is the consciousness that the speaker is nothing less then the final judge of all, which makes the parable of the builders on rock and sand. The most solemn and overpowering." Jesus is closing the sermon with an invitation and the invitation is in verses 13 and 14.

The invitation says in effect enter into the narrow gate onto the narrow way that leads to life, but it will be easy to do that for two ultimate reasons. One is false prophets into his false profession, you will be deceived by others and you will be deceived by yourself. And we all live under some illusions, and in fact most of us cultivate those illusion is part and parcel of human nature to cover up its faults and defects and so the Lord is saying you must enter the narrow gate, but it won't be easy because in verses 15 to 20 W false prophets trying to keep her from doing that and sending you on the Broadway.

It also will be easy because you will tend to be self deceived. First of all, he says there are those who say but don't do in verses 21 to 23.

They simply have a verbal profession.

They have just a verbal profession. They say they belong in the kingdom they say they know Christ, but they don't do what Christ said in the dichotomy indicates that they're not legitimate. They say they don't do and then in verses 24 to 27. There are those who hear but don't do they have a head knowledge without a heart knowledge.

The first group as empty words. The second group is empty heart. Now in verses 24 to 27 the Lord again reminds us that the standard of righteousness is required for entering the kingdom of God.

And unless your life is built on that standard. No matter what it looks like and no matter what you know in your head and no matter how feverishly you conduct your spiritual activity when the flood terms you get washed away if all you have is a head knowledge of the Jews had developed a system of works righteousness a humanly devised system of self stimulated fleshly effort fell far short and God came along and offered them a true righteousness, but before they could receive the true righteousness they had to note the bankruptcy of their own system and that's why they had to come with the beatitude mentality. Jesus is busy in the sermon on the Mount tearing down their paper palace piece by piece until by the time he gets to chapter 7, he has utterly destroyed their whole religious security.

Verse 24 begins. Whosoever hears these sayings of mine, verse 26 begins in everyone that hears these sayings of mine, in either case, you have people who are hearing the message of Christ there listening to the word of God and you will note also that the end of verse 24.

It says this one built his house at the end of verse 26. This one also built his house. They listen and they are involved in certain spiritual activity. They both belong to the visible body of believers.

They both perhaps read Scripture. They both perhaps attend meetings at the church. They both are busy framing some kind of spiritual value system, building up some edifice of spiritual activity, but is a tremendous difference. One is wise and one is a fool because one builds on rock and the other built on sand and by the way, if I might add.

The foundation is invisible once the edifice is that we can't see the foundation anymore so it really becomes difficult to tell. Now there are several similarities here and I want you to note the first of all, both individuals build a house there, both involved in spiritual activity.

The both involved in something that has to do with the kingdom of God.

Secondly that's apparent that they both build their house in the same location because the same storm hits both houses. They built a house and they built in the same area or the same location because they're both subject to the same store true believers and false believers invariably live side-by-side there on the same block they attend the same church they go to the same Bible studies and they are so similar in the building they billed that they are indistinguishable to most people.

I might also add as 1/3 thought that they apparently billed in the same way because the Lord says the only difference is the foundation he doesn't imply that the house itself is any different.

Both people build a house they built in the same place and they bill the same way.

In other words, they carry a Bible in a notebook and they go through certain prayers and they do certain activities and maybe they give some money to the Lord and really all looks very much the same until you come to the real crux of the matter nets the foundation, which as I said is very often not visible. Once the edifice is up, and only an honest and careful soul-searching. Self-examination can reveal the truth see Jesus is trying to get the Pharisees to come off of their proud hi tower and look at their own lives and see how really bankrupt they are because that's the only place you can tell the tale.

One builds on rock at the universe 24 to try. That means in the Greek a rock bed was a word contrast which means of stone or a boulder, this is Petra is a rock bed and the other builds on sand. Verse 26 word is very simple. In the Greek I'm on a MMO in the transliterate automates it simply means sand like sea shore sand now a man is wise to build on rock bed. A man was a fool to build on the shifting sands of the sea or the desert and by the way, there are some land agents selling lots on the sand in there. In verses 15 to 20 the false prophet set up a real estate office themselves sand lots. A man is a fool to build on sand because when the storm comes, it will undermine the sand. Verse 27 and the house will fall, and it will not just topple the thing will really fall but when it is bill on rock and the foundation is solid stormed in, and it is more full. A solid foundation and again we see a powerful rebuke of the religion of the Pharisees. They had no regard for spirituality of soul and no regard for purity of heart they had no regard for integrity of behavior.

They had no regard for obedience to God and they were building their being spiritual structure on sand.

They prayed sure.

And they fasted, of course, and they gave their arms for sure, but only as a public show to parade their supposedly spirituality and try to enhance the reputation in a religion of externals and that is sand false foundation.

They didn't come through the narrow it was no some the broad way that leads to destruction is all sand all sand but others built on the rock of the universe. 24. What is a rock when you say you build your life on the rock were you saying well. We could make a case for the fact that the rock is God that the rock is God, you are literally building your life on God and that of course is true in some 18 verse two the Lord is my rock, we could say the rock is God, but so with the Pharisees, they'd say that only could say the rock is Christ.

Christ says Peter is the chief cornerstone.

Paul says he is the rock, but there are plenty of people who say they built their life on Christ. It's got to be more than that, and frankly, most commentators take it to be God or Christ.

But I want to take a step further.

As I mulled over this passage. I think it's clear what the rockets whosoever here with these sayings of mine builds his house upon a rock. No, whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and what does them builds his house upon a rock. What is the rock is obedience to the word of God. That's the rock.

Yes, God is a rock.

Yes, Christ is the chief cornerstone, but I believe that what our Lord is saying here is simply this, these sayings of mine become the rock bed foundation of the church, the true church. The redeemed church ameliorated by having you turn further in the book of Matthew to the 16th chapter, a very familiar text, but one that I think aptly illustrates our thought in Matthew 16 verse 13 Jesus came into the borders of Caesarea Philippi, which is way to the north part of the land of Israel. He asked his disciples, saying, who do men say that I the Son of Man will they say I am, they said, some say you're John the Baptist on the Lodge and others Jeremiah 1 of the prophets he sets on them, but whom say ye that I am not listen and Simon Peter answered and said, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God.

Now that is not a human word Jesus said flesh and blood did not reveal that on to you.

Verse 17, but my father was an app that is a divine revelation and I say unto you, you RP trusts. You are a pebble.

Peter you are a boulder, but upon this pizza for rock bed foundation. I will build my church, and what was the peak trough the rock bed foundation. It was the word of God, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God upon that affirmation of truth, I will build my church, the pizza of Matthew 16 was the word of God and I am convinced that the peak trough of Matthew seven is also the word of God. In acts chapter 20 it says Paul says I commend you. Listen to this to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up is the word of God. That is our foundation and it is the word of God that provides the material for the building as well. So what is our Lord saying I was you saying the person who lives a life where he only hears and never does has sand and was a sand represent human will, human opinion, human attitudes, the shifting sands of human philosophy even though you listen, you don't do it you're not on the rock. On the other hand, the wise man who hears the word of God and builds his life on God's word has a rock foundation and that means a life of obedience. In John chapter 8 text that I referred to. So many times because it is such a very significant one. Then it says in verse 30 as he spoke these words listen out many believed on him. Now that's that's a good thing. Many believed on him, they heard, they listen they took it in the accepted but Jesus said to them, if you continue in my word, then are you my real disciple isn't just the hearing and the believing is the continuing in obedience to the word of God. That's the rock. So listen, don't be deluded people. I don't care what you verbally claim and Jesus doesn't either. If you don't do it you're deceiving yourself and I cannot what you may listen to and hear and take in unless you build your life on biblical truth you are deceiving yourself in James chapter 1 we read this verse 22 but be doers of the word Ellis be doers of the word and not hearers only Ellis why deceiving your own selves. That's what our Lord is saying in the sermon on the Mount, if you hear it, don't do it yourself. The seat, if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his natural face in a mirror he looks at himself in the mirror goes is when a meal he forgets the matter of vanity what, in other words, if you're not doing it. It's not having any effect on your life or your destiny in first John chapter 2 verse three and by this we do know that we know him if we keep his what commandments now I'm not saying this beloved the Lord is saying this, the apostles are saying this. Don't be deceived. Titus 116 they profess that they know God, but in works they deny him. Now listen to this.

How being abominable and disobedience. If you go around claiming to be a Christian. You say I profess it verbally. I listen, I have had knowledge but there's no obedience is no legitimate salvation so building on the rock. Beloved is obeying look at your life. Examine it easier to live that long beyond any other desire to obey the word of God or is it disobeying and always and ever, and constantly justifying that disobedience. So obedience is the key word here and I'll add this thought. The only validation you will ever have of your salvation is a life of obedience is the only possible proof that you really recognize the Lordship of Jesus Christ say that again because that's the heart of the message. Obedience is the only validation of your salvation is the only possible proof that you recognize the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Because if there's no obedience than you're confessing Jesus as Lord is just so much verbal exercise.

So Jesus is presenting the kind of life. Bill Iraq and what kind of life as it is the kind of life described in the whole sermon is a kind of like that as a biblical view toward self the Beatitudes. It's the kind of life that is a biblical attitude toward the world it sees itself as something to preserve the world and like the world not be a part of it is the attitude of the Bible toward the word of God not changing it, not altering it but accepting every jot and tittle of its Jesus is presenting the kind of life bill on the rock that has a biblical attitude toward morality not try to get away with everything.

Again, not external but internal biblical attitude toward words what you say for deeds. What you do toward motives. The reason you do what you do. A biblical attitude toward money toward things. A biblical attitude toward people everything he's touched in the sermon on the map and he saying if your life is committed to obedience to these thing. You're on the rock. So when I hear somebody come along say all yes you know I'm born again but the I just go on 11 around 11. I question it.

I saw an article in a magazine recently. What are pastors going to do with the new wave among Christians of people who aren't married living together. I question whether that can happen among Christian. I think maybe we better reevaluate not the standard for marriage, but who's really a Christian. If this is in the direction of your life.

These foods in the sermon on the mount, then you may be well self deceit is not as simple as I've been saying all along just making a decision signing a card raising your hand.

Salvation is a recognition of the divine standard. A subsequent overwhelming sense of sinfulness a pleading for God's mercy, to receive his righteousness because you desire to fulfill his word Prilosec while I'm coming to Christ and I will be say, but I want to get it all out obedience stuff to read my mind it was and where will you know so-and-so I know they were saved because as I said never come to church there and sit near upset with church fact the matter is a private owner, Christ and their self obedience is the only possible proof that you recognize the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

That's a crucial point from John MacArthur's message to dates part of the study calls salvation survey here on grace to you that John and I think maybe the most sobering thing in Matthew seven is that word many, many will say to me and Jesus says to them. I never knew you that it's obvious that millions of people build their spiritual lives on unstable foundations and the truth is most of us know people who we wonder if there genuinely believers or not. They may profess to be Christians, they may never have entertained a doubt that sometimes close loved ones and how well do you recommend dealing with someone like that well and that's an important question because I've dealt with people like that my entire life in ministry. It's pretty common that somebody will come to me and said I'm not sure if I'm saved that's usually a good indication that they likely are saved and their fearful about the fact that it might not be the real thing.

I can't say for certain that someone is saved or not saved, I can say this if your faith in Christ is real, you're saved if you reject Christ you're not saved I can say that, but how do I know when their faith is real, the evidence of it is not their faith or what they say is their faith.

The evidence is there life so I've said this, you can see a true believer by few very clear signs number one love love for the Lord.

By that I don't mean some sentimental kind of thing I mean that they really do love the Lord with a thankful grateful heart and they love him enough to want to demonstrate that love to him.

They love his word. They don't necessarily know everything in the word but they love the word. Their hearts are drawn to the word.

There is a mechanism in the spiritual mechanism that wants to feed on the word they love other believers so they they they want to be a part of the church and it's not a duty.

It's not an obligation.

It's family and their hearts are there so love for the Lord, love for the church, love for the truth that that's that that's a critical aspect of the second thing that I see in a true believers humility. There's a brokenness you can be varying in its degrees in people's lives. But there is a there's a humility there's a submissiveness to the Lord and even to one another. Pride is usually a dead giveaway that somebody's heart has not really been transformed. The third thing I would say is holiness.

By that I don't mean perfection but I do mean a desire to be godly.

A desire to be obedient so I think where you see love and you see a humility and you see virtue and the desire to be obedient, you see the evidences of the new life. It's the fruit you're looking for in a person's life right thank you John that's a great reminder and friend.

If you are struggling with assurance of your salvation.

I encourage you to request John's booklet titled is it real it can help you know for certain where you stand with God will send you a free copy. If you just ask for it. Contact us today to request your free booklet, call 855 grace or go to our website Jide TY.org, is it real gives you 11 biblical tests that can help you know if you're truly say it also helps you answer questions like do I reject the world do I love other Christians do. I eagerly await the return of Christ again will send you is real free. All you have to do is call 855 grace or go to Jide TY.org that's our website and while you're there. Jide TY.org. Make sure to take advantage of the thousands of free resources.

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