How is Matthew 7:21-27 lived out daily?

As I prepare to teach at our youth group next Friday night, I would like to share some truths with you about how to live out Matthew 7:21-27. The message is part of a series of supposed contradictions in the Bible. So far, we have dealt with two supposed contradictions and the implications of understanding what the Bible teaches and living by those teachings.

1. Is God a racist?
2. Did Jesus contradict the Law of Moses when He did not condemn the woman caught in adultery?
3. Three teachings learned while studying Jesus response to the woman supposedly caught in the act of adultery.

This weeks teaching is “will everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord be saved or not?”. The skeptic claims that one place in the Bible says yes and another says no. I have clarified this supposed contradiction in the article to which I linked. What I would like to do in this article is to explain how to live out Matthew 7:21-27. In order to understand these truths, I would like for us to read this passage. This is a text from the most famous sermon ever preached, Jesus Christ’s “Sermon on the Mount”.

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles ?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ 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.”

Jesus explains who will enter the kingdom of heaven and what you must do in order to enter.

1. Do the will of God.
   • Hear the Words of Jesus Christ.
   • Do what the Words of Jesus tell us to do.
   • Build your life on the Word of God.
   • Be faithful until the end.

What does this look like practically? Matthew 5 gives a concrete answers using real life examples.

1. Do not live in sin.
   • No longer be controlled by anger.
   • No longer be controlled by sexual immorality.
   • No longer be a hypocrite.
   • No longer be controlled by the traditions of men.
2. Be controlled by the love of God.

Who or what controls you on a daily basis? Why do you do what you do everyday? What gets you up in the morning? What gives you direction in this confusing life? Where do you get your inspiration? What will you do with what you have learned? If you are still controlled by your sin nature then you need to be transformed and God will show you how He will do it if you will give your life to Him. Jesus explains how it is possible by being born again. May God bless you and challenge you to be reconciled with Him as soon as possible.