Well, good morning. A few nights
ago, I was looking around at several different church websites
around the local area, and I came across an interesting one. One
reason that I was looking was because someone I know goes to
this particular church, and I was talking with them about Christ
and His death and what it accomplished. They said they agreed with what
I said, but they went into another segment describing how you have
to accept Christ. So I was curious about what they
actually believed, and I won't mention their name because it's
irrelevant at this point. But what I found interesting
was that they put a video on their website. It baffled me
because the video lasted a little over two minutes, And in that
whole two-minute video, they never mention or talk about Christ.
They never mention Christ one time. And how could you ever
talk about a church and not mention Christ one time? For some reason,
that kind of surprised me, and I knew it shouldn't, because
that's how most of religion out there is today, without Christ. I talked to a member of my family
the other day and we had a deep conversation about people doing
things and doing good things, but with the expectation of getting
some sort of reward for it. Some donate to the church and
they feel that they're actually purchasing a ticket to heaven.
Some go on mission trips and expect rewards. Please don't
get me wrong. We're supposed to donate and
give our time and whatever else we can do to promote Christ,
honor and glorify him. But we do it because we are saved. We're saved based on Christ's
doing and his dying. We don't do it because we want
to be saved or we expect some type of reward out of it. So
today's message that I'll deliver will come from Matthew 7, verses
24 and 25. The title of the message I'll
deliver today is Christ the Solid Rock. Please read with me starting
in Matthew 7 verse 24. Therefore, whosoever heareth
these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a
wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended,
and the floods came, And the winds blew and beat upon that
house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. The
house that Christ is talking about here did not fall because
it was founded upon a sure foundation, upon the rock of the Lord Jesus
Christ. These are the closing words of
our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. In these closing words of the
Sermon on the Mount, Christ gives us four definite, distinct warnings. And before I start, I want to
remind you that the scripture that I'm about to read through
was delivered by Christ himself. So this isn't something that
I've made up or something some other preachers made up. This
is Christ talking here. First of all, he warns us all
about following the religious crowd, what he calls a broad
road. The road that Christ is talking
about here is a broad and popular road. He says this in Matthew
7, verses 13 and 14. Enter ye in at the straight gate,
for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction,
and many there be which go in thereat. Because straight is
the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and
few there be that find it. Now there's a multitude that
goes down this road. Can you just imagine this picture
in your hand? This picture of what the Lord was speaking about?
He said, enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate and
broad is the way. It's a broad highway. Now in
my mind, I see a road kind of like I-75. At the busiest time
of day, at the busiest time of year you can possibly imagine.
It's bumper to bumper for miles and miles and miles. Everyone's
packed up there on that road. They're heading to their popular
destination. Then you see this little side road. Not too many
people are traveling down. It's going to some other destination.
In my mind, I see a sea of people going down the broad road. That's
what Christ says. While there's a limited number
that travel down that narrow road, this broad way or this
wide gate is the religious road that is devised by men. This
is the way that allows any and all types of doctrine. This road,
the broad road, allows any and all practices any and all gods,
saviors, and idols. In this type of man-made religion,
it really doesn't matter who we believe in or what we believe
in. What matters is that we are just
sincere. It's an umbrella that can cover
anything and everything. It's a broad road and a wide
gate. Everyone just comes in no matter
who they are or what they believe. It doesn't matter how they're
walking or who they're walking with. It doesn't matter what
they stand for. It just doesn't matter. They
say, you're welcome, and if you want to walk the aisle to be
saved, just come on down here and walk with us. Our Lord warns
us about this. He says, enter ye in at the straight
gate, because straight is the gate and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. The straight
gate and narrow way has to be the Lord Jesus Christ and his
gospel of free grace. Because Christ says in John 10
9, I am the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved
and shall go in and out and find pasture. The apostle Paul says
in Ephesians 4 verses 4 and 5, there's one body and one spirit. even as you are called in one
hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism. You see, that is the narrow way
that I'm talking about. There's nothing narrower than
the truth. The real truth can never be broadened or widened. The scripture says in Galatians
1, 8 and 9, but though we or an angel from heaven preach any
other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you,
let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now
again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that
you have received, let him be accursed. There is one sheepfold,
one salvation, and only one Redeemer. Our Lord warns us. He says in
Proverbs 14, 12, There is a way which seemeth right unto a man,
but the end thereof are the ways of death. God's way is the narrow
way. Christ said in John 14 6, Jesus saith unto him, I am the
way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the father,
but by me. Secondly, This is the warning
that Christ gives in these closing words on his Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 715, Christ says, Beware of false prophets, which come
to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
He warns us about listening and following false prophets. They're
imitators. These wolves will come to you
dressed in their best suits. But what they bring to you is
not the gospel of Christ and him crucified as your only hope
of salvation. And that's a shame, isn't it?
But that's the way it is. But where are false preachers
who come to you disguised as sheep? But eminently, they are
greedy wolves. The false prophets, you will
know them, as it says in Matthew 7, 16, by their fruits. Now, I want to be totally open
and honest here. False prophets made their presence
felt early in the early church, and there are multitudes of them
out there preaching in the world today. In fact, in 1 John 4,
1, it says, Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the
spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets
are gone out into the world. It says it right there. These
false preachers are not going to come up to you and tell you
that they're false preachers. No man is going to come up to
you and say, hey, I'm a false preacher. No man is going to
come saying, I'm a glory seeker. I'm not in this for the glory
of God. I'm in it for the glory of myself. I'm in it for what
I can get out of it. I'm in it to fill my own bank
account. I'm in it to see how much popularity I can get. They
will not come to you and say, I will steer you away from Christ.
Nobody's going to come up to you and say, I'm a covetous man. They disguise themselves. This
is what the apostle Paul says in second Corinthians 11, 15.
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed
as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according
to their works. They are not talking about God's
righteousness in Christ. These false preachers never come
to you preaching God's free grace in Christ. They come preaching
their own righteousness, self-righteousness, works-based religion. The Apostle
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11, 14, and no marvel for Satan himself
is transformed into an angel of light. It is no marvel that
his ministers come as ministers of righteousness. You can recognize
them. Our Lord gives us a way by saying
in Matthew 7, 16, you shall know them by their fruits. A lot of
times you'll hear this scripture in reference to judging whether
or not a man is saved, but that's not what the Lord is saying here.
What are these fruits of a man's ministry? Well, what are the
fruits of an apple tree? The fruits of the apple tree
is an apple. The fruits of a peach tree are peaches. Figs are the
fruit of a fig tree. So whatever kind of tree it is,
that kind of fruit is what it will have. There are so many
preacher followers out there. I said it once and I'll say it
again. A friend of mine told me a long
time ago, don't stay at a church because of the preacher. Stay
because of what is being preached. Listen for the message of Christ
and Him crucified, and rest on Him for all of salvation. And
if you don't hear a message of Christ and His shed blood accomplishing
salvation, you should run fast. Now third, in verses 22 and 23,
our Lord warns us about having a hope for eternal life on the
basis of our own works. Listen to this in Matthew 7,
22 and 23. Many will say to me in that day,
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name
have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful
works? And then will I profess unto
them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you that work
iniquity. Now I wonder, Why people are
so persistent in seeking acceptance with God, salvation, and eternal
life based on their works, their religious professions, or by
the deeds of the law. I wonder why they seek acceptance
by their so-called good lives and good works, when the scripture
is so plain and clear in denying these things. In the book of
Genesis, we saw Cain and Abel. Cain was described as a tiller
of the ground, He was a farmer who worked the land with his
hands. Abel was a keeper of the sheep.
He watched over the sheep and took care of them. When it was
time for them to bring their offering to the Lord, Cain brought
the works of his hands. He brought his harvest as his
offering to the Lord. Abel brought the firstborn of
his flock of sheep. Abel's offering pictured and
typified Christ. the Lamb of God, who would live
and die and shed his blood for the payment of sins. Abel's sacrifice
represented what is required by God to take away sin. So Cain
brought the works of his hands, and Abel brought the Lamb free
of defects, unblemished, as it represented Christ, the perfect
Lamb of God. And the Lord had respect unto
Abel and his offering, but he did not have respect with Cain's
offering. Listen to Titus 3 verse 5. Not by works of righteousness,
which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us by
the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. How
in the world can anyone get around that? Listen to Ephesians 2,
8, and 9. For by grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of
works, lest any man should boast. Do you know what grace is? Now,
I delivered a message on grace a few months ago, and I would
encourage anybody to go back and listen to that message. But
just using the word grace has some major implications. To say
that one believes in grace should mean that all of salvation is
of the Lord. He is the one that saves us.
Not the idea that most out there believe. I hear these statements
all of the time from people. Well, I know I'm saved by the
grace of God and I rest in Christ. but you have to do something
first. You have to believe. You have to make that step. Ask
for Jesus to come to your heart. Walk an aisle or say a prayer.
Jesus walked halfway. All I have to do is reach my
hand out. No, Jesus walked the whole way. Christ finished the
job. Grace means that Christ did all
of the work required for the salvation of his children. If
salvation requires anything, and I mean anything at all, to
be done by the sinner, then it's not grace, it's works. Listen to what Paul says in Romans
3, 28. Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith
without the deeds of the law. And in Galatians 2, 21, Paul
wrote, I do not frustrate the grace of God For if righteousness
come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." Christ died
in vain? Some will still argue that they
will be accepted by God by what they have done here on earth.
Some will say, well, I'm living a good life. People might think
that God weighs good deeds and bad deeds, and then we find out
the outcome of that, and then we go to judgment, And then it's
all decided then, whether we go to heaven or hell. If it's
based on those good deeds or bad deeds, then Christ died in
vain. And in Galatians 4, verses four
and five, the scripture says, but when the fullness of the
time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made
under the law to redeem them that were under the law, that
we might receive the adoption of sons. How can words be any
plainer? Our Lord warns us about building
our hope on any profession, experience, feeling, or work. He warns us
about having hope in a denomination, rituals, law keeping, or tithing. Listen, salvation is in Christ
and him alone. I wish I could make that even
plain. There's still gonna be people
lined up at the judgment. waiting to speak their peace.
They'll say, Lord, I preached. I taught Sunday school. I was
a deacon. I sang in the choir. They're
going to say, I gave money. I did this. I did that. And do
you know what he will say to them if they're not resting in
Christ alone? He'll say, depart from me. I
never knew you, you that work iniquity. Can you imagine this? That's one of the saddest pictures
that I can possibly imagine in my mind. Depart from me, you
that work iniquity. Our Lord looking at someone in
the eyes and sending them on their way. But that's exactly
what's described here. So rest in Christ and his righteousness
he established alone. Fourthly, Our Lord warns us against
the fatal mistake of building our hope of salvation on a false
foundation. Look at Matthew 7, 24 through
27. Therefore, whosoever heareth
these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a
wise man which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended,
and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that
house. And it fell not, for it was founded
upon a rock. And everyone that heareth these
sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish
man, which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended,
and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that
house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." And just
before these verses I read, Christ warned us about that broad road. He specifically warned us about
following false preachers. He warned us about trying to
get favor with God on the basis of our religious works. In verse
26 of Matthew 7, Christ said, And everyone that heareth these
sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a
foolish man. A foolish man will not hear God
speak. A foolish man goes on his way
and builds his house on the sand. Then in verse 27 it says, the
rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat
upon that house and it fell. And great was the fall of it.
Why did that house fall? It fell because it didn't have
a sure foundation. People will say they know they're
saved because they were there when it happened. Some will say
they're saved because they feel saved. The works of the law,
along with the deeds of religion and self-righteousness, will
not stand. They're built on sand. Everyone
wants instant religion. Most don't know anything about
grace, heaven, hell, sin, justification, or righteousness. It's a whole
lot less trouble to walk down an aisle than to seek the living
God. It's a whole lot easier to seek
an experience and to seek a profession. Christ said in John 10, 28 through
29, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father, which
gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck
them out of my father's hand." It's a whole lot less trouble
to go in and tell someone that you've sinned than to seek the
mercy of God. It's just a whole lot easier. But only God can forgive sin. It's a whole lot less trouble
to be identified with a church than to be identified with a
crucified, buried, and risen, interceding Christ. It's a whole
lot less trouble to give some money and just try to pay for
salvation. You know, the problem with that
man's doomed house was his foundation. That's where his problem was.
That's his whole problem, the foundation. Isaiah identified
with this. His house was built on a rock. Isaiah identified that rock and
said in Isaiah 28, 16, therefore thus saith the Lord God, behold,
I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious
cornerstone, a sure foundation. He that believeth shall not make
haste. Christ was that rock. In the
Old Testament, Moses struck the rock in Numbers 20, 11. It says,
And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the
rock twice, and the water came out abundantly. And the congregation
drank, and their beast also. That rock was Christ. The man
who built his house on the rock felt the need for a refuge. He
felt the need for safety from everything. He didn't build on
the sand. He was wise enough to seek the
Lord in the scriptures, to dig down deep and find that foundation,
that rock, Christ Jesus. He says it is a tried stone.
Christ withstood every trial. In Hebrews 4.15 it says, For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,
but was in all points tempted, like as we are, yet without sin. The scripture also says in 1
Peter 2, 6, Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture,
behold, I lay in Zion, a chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. This
house that stood was built on a rock, and that rock was Christ,
a sure foundation. Why was it so sure? This stone
is so sure because of who he is. He is the eternal, everlasting
God. This stone is sure because of
what he did. He perfectly redeemed, worked
out redemption for all of those he died for. Because this foundation
was in the wisdom and purpose of God, it met every specification. It's kind of like this. We have
building inspectors in our cities. The foundation of a new house
has to meet certain specifications and criteria or the house won't
be built. The inspector won't allow it
to be built. God Almighty has some specifications
such as his holy law, his holy justice, his holy righteousness,
and Christ has met them all. It's a sure foundation because
this foundation meets every requirement, not only of God, but of every
sinner. There's no trial that he hasn't
already conquered. Now, some people might say that
I'm trying to discourage people from a profession of faith in
Jesus Christ. Now, that is far from the truth.
What I'm trying to discourage you from is a hasty, careless,
half-hearted, hand-raising, walk-in-the-nile, empty religious profession. I'm
discouraging you from accepting a preacher's propositions. It
will give you no peace, no rest, and no hope. That's what I'm
trying to get everyone to see. I'm trying to discourage you
from instant religion, religion without conviction of sin. religion
without true repentance towards God. I'm discouraging you from
religion without looking only to Christ for all of salvation. I'm encouraging you to search
the Holy Scriptures. I'm encouraging you to seek the
living God. I'm encouraging you to believe
on Christ alone for all of salvation. meet Christ, bow to Christ, love
Christ, and build your house on Christ the solid rock.