Laying the foundation

Pastor Raymond Fong

Bible Text: Matt 7:24-27

Sermon: Laying The foundation, Wesley Methodist Church Singapore

2 8 July 2013

Sermon illustration
Dance item by youth ministry "Christof Ministry"
Presenting how youth can come alongside others in need

Today's text comes at the end of the sermon on the mount

In Matt 5 Jesus taught the beatitudes

in Ch 6-7 Jesus discussed the ten commandments in light of the Kingdom

Jesus  summarizes:

Don't just be hearers who don't do

BUT be hearers who do do what they hear!

He likens this to

TWO Builders

TWO Houses

TWO Foundations

TWO Results

Comparing and Contrasting

TWO Builders, one wise, the other foolish.

The Greek word for "foolish" in the text is 

Strong's Concordance 3474 moros mo-ros' ; dull or stupid (as if shut up), i.e. heedless, (morally) blockhead, (apparently) absurd:--fool(-ish, X -ishness). From which we get the English word "Moron"

Fool is not wicked, but is stupid

TWO Houses: Both superficially look the same

TWO Foundations: 

The house on sand: built direvtly on the alluvial sand

The house on rock: Builder had to work hard, dig through three metres of the alluvial sand to reach the bedrock. (Luke 6:48 He digged deep)

TWO Results

When the storm came

One fell with a big crash

The other left standing

Learning obedience is hard work
Doing obedience is hard work.

[*INSIGHT there is a link between Hear and Do AND Trust and Obey]

Our inner faith is only tested when hit by a storm.

Forgiveness is difficult
BUT when the crunch comes
when push comes to shove
forgiveness for a big injury/transgression
is easier when we have "practiced" by forgiving smaller injuries, lesser transpasses

Flee from temptations.
If we make this our practice/habit to flee from small temptations
this will help us to stand firm when the big temptation comes.

In boxing they teach that the blow that knocks you out
is NOT the hardest blow
BUT is the least expected one.

When the storms of life hit you you need to be prepared
Build your house on the rock

FOUR STEPS
PRAYER
WORD
COMMUNITY of believers
SERVICE: reach out to the unloved, the least and the lost

AS the youth are our future, how do we reach out to them?
1) PRAY FOR THEM that they will have a life transforming experience with God.
God has no "grandchildren"
Each one, each child must own their faith.
Pray that they will have an encounter with God
Even the most faithless prodigal son will return!

2) CREATE FOR THEM opportunities for them to encounter God.
Youth camp
YM camp
key pivotal events
Do your best and God will do the rest.

The prophet Isaiah encountered God
He saw God "seated upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple."
Isaiah was transformed: repentant, cleansed, obedient....


3) MODEL YOURSELF for your children
eg 1 Corinthians 11:1 follow the example of Christ
Set standards
Do your best
Show what obedience is
Parents should forgive, apologise, pray together.
walk the talk
hang out with the right people

[In contrast
bad opposites that should NOT follow
setting unrealistic expectations
identity of child tied with scholastic performance ]

4) WALK WITH THEM

Allow themto struggle, to fall, to fail

But simply be there

Let them talk

Let them work it out

Case history

Youth wanted to be a pilot, failed to get to pilot training course

After one year of councelling, drinking coffee, talking

began to see obedience is a life long discipline

Talk alone is easy

They need us to walk with them

Pick them up when they fall

May our youth be 

a generation

 founded on a 

firm foundation 

of obedience

Tell them when they are wrong

Foundations of obedience bear fruit

Parents and sunday school teachers influenced Raymond when he was growing up.

Now he is a pastor with a young son.

The youths he had taught now are teachers in Sunday School 

and will be teaching his son

CAUTION

The ground is littered with thorny obstacles

Obedience is hard work

There will be sweat and tears.

Prayer Note:
PRAY that your children and grandchildren
will have a life transforming encounter with God.

PRAY that you will model for your children
Walk the talk
That your children and grandchildren will see Christ in you.