Series: All: All Authority, All Nations, All Allegiance
Scripture: Matthew 7:21-29 (Main); Matthew 16:15-18, John 20:31
Title: How do I know that I’m saved? (Darien Gabriel)
Bottom line: I know that I’m saved when I practice what Jesus preaches, doing God’s will by obeying God’s word.
Q. What do I want you to know?
A. How to know that you are saved.
Q. Why?
A. Because knowing leads to confident, wise and peace-filled living.
Q. What do I want you to do?
A. Do God’s will by obeying God’s word.
Q. Why?
A. Because it leads to abundant, wise living now and eternal life hereafter.
Discussion questions for group and personal study.
1. If not everyone who says they know Jesus iOS in fact known by Jesus, how can you know for certain that Jesus knows you? How can the church help make sure each person genuinely knows Jesus as their Lord?
2. How can you know whether the authority over your life is reason, experience, tradition, or revelation?
3. Examine the characteristics of the two types of wisdom from James.
Is wisdom a mental, emotional, or physical trait?
4. Where else in Matthew do you see Jesus warn of judgment?
5. How should Christians balance salvation by grace with judgment based on obedience as Jesus teaches in this passage?
6. Why is Jesus's parable of the two builders a fitting conclusion to his
Sermon on the Mount?
7. Read the other passages about great storms of judgment (Isa 28:16-
22; Ezek 13:10-16). What are the causes of impending judgment in those contexts, and how do they compare with Matthew's context?
8. What does "casual and comfortable Christianity" look like, and how does that compare to how Jesus calls his followers to live?
9. In what areas of your life (finance, work, family, recreation, etc.) would you say that you were more
"amazed" at Jesus's teachings
instead of obedient to them? What can you change to be obedient in those areas?
10. Since Jesus's words have divine authority, how does that affect your approach to the Bible?
11. How is the obedience Jesus desires both an inward piety and an outward action? How does Scripture characterize and describe obedience in both areas?
Final Questions (optional or in place of above)
Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast
Intro
Some of you know that I went to Clemson my freshman year thinking I was a Christian. Two months later, I learned that I wasn’t surrendered my life to Jesus Christ.
I thought I was saved but I wasn’t.
What about you? Do you ever have doubts? Do you ever ask yourself whether or not you’re the real deal? It’s not a bad question to ask.
Jesus answers this question using some shocking words. It’s like he’s trying to jolt the spiritually inoculated. Jesus tells us how to know you are really saved.
The result should be a sense of peace, joy and confidence in who you are and how to live.
Last week we looked at 2 kinds of
Roads/Gates—one leading to life the other to destruction,
Animals: Sheep and wolves; Prophets or disciples—one part of the flock, the other out to devour the flock
Trees—one bearing good fruit, the other bad fruit and teaching falsehoods
This week we’ll look at 2 kinds of
Evangelical Christians—both look and speak the part, but only one is alive inside. Like the ancient oak tree that falls in the storm and it’s revealed that it was weaker than expected because the inside was rotten at the core.
Foundations—one built wisely on stone is built to last while the other is built to impress or for show.
Today Jesus will challenge the veracity of your faith.
Jesus ends his sermon on the mount (SOTM) with a challenge to do more than just hear and be impressed by it. And notice in v. 29 that the people were very impressed by it. They noted that it was authoritative instead of just footnoted well. His aim is that people would take it to heart and be changed by it. The evidence of this would be them starting to build their lives on the lasting foundation of Jesus the Christ.
The sad truth, however, is that our churches are full of false evangelical converts who rely on
Their vocabulary—we know the lingo “brother”, “fellowship” and “born again”
Their social conventions—attitudes like “don’t drink, smoke or chew or date girls who do”
Their similar likes and dislikes—eat at Chick-fil-A, shop at Hobby Lobby, Ben & Jerry’s, smirk at rainbow stickers, and make it clear to anyone who will listen what we’re against.
Their strong heritage—My granddaddy was a pastor; my grandmother was a missionary
Their successful jumping through the hoops—I’ve been through confirmation class; I was baptized at an early age.
While these things are not necessarily wrong or bad in and of themselves, the result of all of this is often inoculated people who believe that they are evangelical, bible-believing, Christ-trusting, cross-wearing, member-pledging Christians who in fact are false converts that Christ will say to at the day of judgment, “I never knew you.” “Many” are in this boat. Beware of thinking that you could not possibly be in this boat.
Bottom line: I know that I’m saved when I practice what Jesus preaches, doing God’s will by obeying God’s word.
In today’s news cycle, it’s not unusual to hear pundits talk about evangelical Christians as a voter block. But this can leave one shaking his head when they hear the results of the poles describing these creatures. Could it be that the culture has hijacked the word evangelical and defined it in political terms differing from the original religious terms?
What is an evangelical Christian? A person who believes:
The Bible is divinely inspired and infallible, and subscribes to the doctrinal formulations that teach
The total depravity of humanity,
The inerrancy of the Scriptures (The Bible),
The substitutionary death and atonement of Christ,
Salvation by unmerited grace through personal faith in Christ (not through good words),
The necessity of a transformed life,
The existence of a literal Heaven and Hell,
And the visible personal return of Jesus Christ to set up his kingdom of righteousness. Moreover, they believe in
The proclamation of the gospel and
The mission of winning the world to Christ. —Evangelical Dictionary of Theology
Does that sound like the people CNN & Fox are talking about during their election coverage? Or do they define them differently?
In vv. 13-20 Jesus warns against the dangers that come from the outside. In vv. 21-27 he warns us of the dangers that come from ourselves. That is
The danger of basing your salvation on lip service, and
The danger of basing your salvation on lifestyle.
John Newton, the former slave trader and author of Amazing Grace said, “If I ever reach Heaven I expect to find three wonders there: 1) First, to meet some I had not thought to see there; 2) Second, to miss some I had thought to meet there; and 3) Third, the greatest wonder of all, to find myself there.”
This outline is heavily influenced by Kent Hughes.
I. I know I’m saved when I do his will. (7:21-23)
John Stott’s remarkable confession by the “many” in vv. 21-22:
This confession is polite. He is called Lord which is to say “sir”. Even today, this is a courteous and tolerant way to address Jesus.
This confession is orthodox. Of course, it can also mean and does mean divine rule. Context requires that we see Jesus as Lord as in divine ruler by the authority given to him by God the Father.
This confession is fervent. “Lord, Lord” shows enthusiasm and zeal.
This confession is public. Not a private or secret confession of faith. It’s gloriously public.
So what’s wrong with this confession of faith? Nothing! But there is a problem. You can do any one of these and still not truly be saved.
The problem is that you can confess these things in this way and still not have abundant, eternal life. How do know then? How can we tell if we are truly saved?
The answer lies in the bookends of the SOTM. The SOTM begins with the beatitudes (beautiful attitudes) and ends with the application of them. That is when we practice the attitudes and following heart-felt obedience of the will of God on a regular basis, then we evidence genuine knowledge of Christ and salvation by him.
Said another way, we are genuinely growing in Christ-like character and conduct on a regular basis. We are practicing the principles taught in Matt 5-7. No wonder Matthew chose this to be the first of Jesus’ 5 major teaching passages in the book of Matthew!
At Grace, we’re all about making disciples who make disciples. But when do you know you have a disciple of Jesus Christ? When he/she is growing in being and doing like Jesus Christ. What does that look like? It looks like the words, ways and works of Jesus found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. But you can start with the SOTM if you want a quick summary.
II. I know I’m saved when I obey his word. (7:24-28)
“Fool” comes from the Greek word moro from which we get our word moron.
“The man who builds his house upon the shifting foundation is likened to the person who hears Jesus’ words but who does not put them to practice. The man who builds his house upon the rock is like
In this passage, we learn that 2 people can go to the same church, do the same things, believe the same things but find themselves in very different places after the storms of life and/or ultimately at the day of judgment.
Both build a house that looks the same. But one cares more about the foundation and he digs deeper through the sand to the rock and builds his foundation on that. As a result, when the storms of life come, his house will stand. (Metaphorically) And when Jesus returns, Jesus will not say, “I never knew you” because he built his life on the rock-solid confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God and that by believing in him will have life in his name. (Matthew 16:15-18 + John 20:31)
III. I know I am saved when I live based on his authority. (7:28-29)
I like how Matthew ends this sermon for Jesus. He tells us what the people say which tells us two things:
His words are amazing.
His words are authoritative.
Norm Geisler gives us 4 sources of authority that shape our decisionl-making:
Reason (I think),
Experience (I feel),
Tradition (I have always done), and
Revelation (God says in his word).
Geisler adds, “one or more of these authorities will govern how we live.”
Who’s your authority in making decisions in life and hereafter?
Conclusion
Bottom line: I know that I’m saved when I practice what Jesus preaches, doing God’s will by obeying God’s word.
“Look around and be distressed; look within and be depressed; look to Jesus and be at rest.”
-Corrie Ten Boom
Bill Murphey, my favorite e newsletter guy, shared an idea that he’s heard that people die 3X in life:
When their body stops working,
When they’re buried, and
After the last time anyone says their name.
I’ll add a fourth. It’s either when
When they die to self and surrender to Jesus Christ, or
When they enter the hereafter in a real place called hell.
I want you to know that abundant and eternal life is possible when we do God’s will by obeying God’s word.
In summary,
We know that we are saved when we do his will and obey his word, outwardly and inwardly, because we trust he is good, able and trustworthy. As a result we love him and gladly submit to his authority evidencing our genuine salvation.
Do you believe God is good?
Do you believe God is able?
Do you believe God is trustworthy?
Do you believe God loves you?
Do you gladly submit to his authority?
If you don’t, then you haven’t answered 1-4 with a yes yet.
If you do, then you know that you’re saved. Continue to walk in his grace and wisdom.
So I ask you to you know that you’ve been saved from sin and death, shame and guilt, and hell itself?
Is your life pattern to do the will of God?
Is your life pattern to obey the word of God as summarized in the Sermon on the Mount?
Repent and believe today! Trust him who is good, able and trustworthy! Trust him who loves you unconditionally and sacrificially through the cross of Christ.
Pray
Outline Bible
II. JESUS' ILLUSTRATION (7:13-27)
A. The two roads (7:13-14)
1. The broad highway to hell (7:13): The gate is wide, and many choose this way to destruction.
2. The narrow road to heaven (7:14): The gate is narrow, and only a few ever find it.
B. The two animals (a condemnation of false prophets) (7:1)
1. They pretend to be sheep (7:15a): They seem harmless.
2. They prove to be wolves (7:15b): They tear you apart.
C. The two kinds of disciples (7:21-23)
1. True disciples (7:21a): On judgment day, the true disciples will be separated from the false ones.
2. False disciples (7:21b-23): On judgment day, the false disciples will be condemned.
a. The wondrous deeds they will say they did (7:22): They will say they prophesied, cast out demons, and performed miracles in his name.
b. The wicked deeds Christ will say they did (7:21b, 23): They disobeyed the Father, and God will say he never knew them.
D. The two trees (7:16-20)
1. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit (7:16, 18).
2. A bad tree cannot produce good fruit (7:17, 19-20).
E. The two builders (7:24-27)
1. The structures (7:24, 26)
a. One man built his house on solid rock (7:24).
b. One man built his house on shifting sand (7:26).
2. The storm (7:25, 27)
a. The house on the rock stood firm (7:25).
b. The house on the sand fell flat (7:27).
III. JESUS' DEMONSTRATIONS (7:28-29): Jesus continues to teach, amazing his listeners with his authority.
References/Bibliography:
“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes
“Matthew” by RC Sproul
“Sermon on the Mount” by Charles Quayle’s
“The Sermon on the Mount: Kingdom Life in a Fallen World” by Sinclair Ferguson
Bible.org https://bible.org/seriespage/12-maintaining-peaceful-relationships-matthew-521-26
“CSB Christ Chronological,” Holman
“Jesus Manifesto” sermon series, by Darien Gabriel: https://youtu.be/x65i2tqFrXk
“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)
“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)
“Exalting Jesus in Matthew” by David Platt (CCE)
“Exalting Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount” by Daniel Akin (CCE)
Outline Bible, D Willmington
NIV Study Bible (NIVSB)
ESV Study Bible
ESV Gospel Transformation Bible (GTB)
"Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes" by Kenneth E. Bailey
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