Living in the Upside Down Kingdom

The Gospel of Matthew Living in the Upside-Down Kingdom - Matthew 7:15-29 March 30, 2025 Good morning, we'll be in Matthew 7 this morning, beginning at verse 15. We're actually concluding the Sermon on the Mount this morning, where Jesus will be challenging His disciples to live in what we've been calling the upside-down kingdom. What if I told you that there is an antidote to the culture that is found in our passage this morning? I'll give you a hint with this joke: A climber fell off a cliff, and, as he tumbled down, he caught hold of a small branch. "Help! Is there anybody up there?" he shouted. A majestic voice boomed through the gorge: "I will help you, my son, but first you must have faith in me." "Yes, yes, I trust you!", cried the man. "Let go of the branch", boomed the voice. There was a long pause, and the man shouted up again, "Is there anybody else up there?" What's the antidote? Right! Faith. Obviously, the joke illustrates a negative application of faith. However, Jesus will be teaching us this morning about the positive application of faith. So, let's read Matthew 7:15-29, and let's see what Jesus says about this: 15 "BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS, WHO COME TO YOU IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING BUT INWARDLY ARE RAVENOUS WOLVES. 16 YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM BY THEIR FRUITS. ARE GRAPES GATHERED FROM THORNBUSHES, OR FIGS FROM THISTLES? 17 SO, EVERY HEALTHY TREE BEARS GOOD FRUIT, BUT THE DISEASED TREE BEARS BAD FRUIT. 18 A HEALTHY TREE CANNOT BEAR BAD FRUIT, NOR CAN A DISEASED TREE BEAR GOOD FRUIT. 19 EVERY TREE THAT DOES NOT BEAR GOOD FRUIT IS CUT DOWN AND THROWN INTO THE FIRE. 20 THUS YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM BY THEIR FRUITS. 21 "NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS TO ME, 'LORD, LORD,' WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT THE ONE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN. 22 ON THAT DAY MANY WILL SAY TO ME, 'LORD, LORD, DID WE NOT PROPHESY IN YOUR NAME, AND CAST OUT DEMONS IN YOUR NAME, AND DO MANY MIGHTY WORKS IN YOUR NAME?' 23 AND THEN WILL I DECLARE TO THEM, 'I NEVER KNEW YOU; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WORKERS OF LAWLESSNESS.' 24 "EVERYONE THEN WHO HEARS THESE WORDS OF MINE AND DOES THEM WILL BE LIKE A WISE MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON THE ROCK. 25 AND THE RAIN FELL, AND THE FLOODS CAME, AND THE WINDS BLEW AND BEAT ON THAT HOUSE, BUT IT DID NOT FALL, BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN FOUNDED ON THE ROCK. 26 AND EVERYONE WHO HEARS THESE WORDS OF MINE AND DOES NOT DO THEM WILL BE LIKE A FOOLISH MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON THE SAND. 27 AND THE RAIN FELL, AND THE FLOODS CAME, AND THE WINDS BLEW AND BEAT AGAINST THAT HOUSE, AND IT FELL, AND GREAT WAS THE FALL OF IT." 28 AND WHEN JESUS FINISHED THESE SAYINGS, THE CROWDS WERE ASTONISHED AT HIS TEACHING, 29 FOR HE WAS TEACHING THEM AS ONE WHO HAD AUTHORITY, AND NOT AS THEIR SCRIBES. Like Pat last week, I too am challenged with what appears to be 3-4 sections that are not seamlessly connected with one another and probably require multiple sermons. But unlike Pat, I'm not going to try and spare you of a lengthy sermon to cover it all ... just kidding, I'll do my best. As I studied this further this week, I did find a common theme: Living out our faith in this upside-down kingdom. You may recall that phrase that we've used several times throughout this sermon series - upside-down kingdom. What we mean by that is that Christ's kingdom is contrary to the kingdom of the world. We see this theme throughout the Sermon on the Mount, and we will see it again this morning as we conclude His sermon. Let's begin with our main idea this morning: I live in the upside Kingdom through living out my faith. With that in mind, I want to answer this question this morning: HOW TO LIVE OUT OUR FAITH From our text this morning, I will share with you four ways we can live out our faith. First ... * I live out my faith by showing my faith (vv.15-20) o The picture that Jesus uses here is fruit. Specifically, it is bearing good fruit. o Bearing fruit is a picture and illustration of our conduct as followers of Jesus. o Also noting that a tree is known for its fruit. o You may have also noticed that He gave us a warning. o He warns first of false prophets in verse 15, then of bad (or corrupt) fruit bearing bad fruit in verse 17. o It cannot be ignored that Jesus is building off the illustration that we saw in verses 13-14. o The wide gate, if you recall from verse 13, leads to destruction, and as such there will be people who lead you to destruction. o The Bible has much to say about people like this. o For example, back in September, I shared two messages from 2 Peter 2. Here's what Peter says about this in verses 1-3: 1 BUT FALSE PROPHETS ALSO AROSE AMONG THE PEOPLE, JUST AS THERE WILL BE FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU, WHO WILL SECRETLY BRING IN DESTRUCTIVE HERESIES, EVEN DENYING THE MASTER WHO BOUGHT THEM, BRINGING UPON THEMSELVES SWIFT DESTRUCTION. 2 AND MANY WILL FOLLOW THEIR SENSUALITY, AND BECAUSE OF THEM THE WAY OF TRUTH WILL BE BLASPHEMED. 3 AND IN THEIR GREED THEY WILL EXPLOIT YOU WITH FALSE WORDS. THEIR CONDEMNATION FROM LONG AGO IS NOT IDLE, AND THEIR DESTRUCTION IS NOT ASLEEP. o He goes on to say that these false teachers profit in their deceit as they follow after financial gain and through exploiting and deceiving the weak. o Jesus calls them RAVENOUS WOLVES in SHEEP'S CLOTHING. o Elsewhere, Jesus called them hypocrites - play actors - playing the part of the Christian, but using their power to lure people away from Him. o The warning from those two sermons in 2 Peter was to avoid false teachers. o Part of the way we can do this is through bearing good fruit. That "FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT" kind of fruit. o Why? Because fruit shows others that we are His disciples. o This is a call back to Matthew 5:16, where we are told to let our LIGHT SHINE BEFORE OTHERS. o Next, to live out my faith, I must ... * Let my faith be authentic (vv.21-23) o D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones calls this section "false peace" * He goes on to say that this happens (in part) when they are given false assurance (think, "just say this prayer and you are saved."). * It is also a works-based religion that contributes to these people's false faith or false peace. * Possibly even those who are fooled with knowledge over faith. o When you think about it, this must be one of the most frightening passages in Scripture. o Didn't Paul say in Romans that you must confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord? o So, Jesus is saying that not everyone who says "Lord, Lord" will enter heaven? o Is that a contradiction? o Of course not. o Recall what we've talked about a lot in this sermon on mount section, it all comes back to the heart. o A proper verbal confession, one that is illustrated through proper fruit bearing, and following the Jesus Way, as Pat shared with us last week. o I mentioned a few weeks ago that people often compare this Sermon on the Mount with Moses receiving and giving the Law from Mount Sanai. o In many ways the Law was for Israel to be set apart in their lives as belonging to God, contrary to the pagan and worldly cultures that surrounded them. o So, I suppose we could agree that Jesus was doing something similar here. o Our faith must be authentic. o In one sense, you could call it active faith. The type of faith that James describes in James 2:14-17, where he says: 14 WHAT GOOD IS IT, MY BROTHERS, IF SOMEONE SAYS HE HAS FAITH BUT DOES NOT HAVE WORKS? CAN THAT FAITH SAVE HIM? 15 IF A BROTHER OR SISTER IS POORLY CLOTHED AND LACKING IN DAILY FOOD, 16 AND ONE OF YOU SAYS TO THEM, "GO IN PEACE, BE WARMED AND FILLED," WITHOUT GIVING THEM THE THINGS NEEDED FOR THE BODY, WHAT GOOD IS THAT? 17 SO ALSO FAITH BY ITSELF, IF IT DOES NOT HAVE WORKS, IS DEAD. o James later in this same chapter uses the example of Abraham, when he trusted God enough to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. o A.W. Tozer says that "the Bible recognizes no faith that does not lead to obedience, nor does it recognize any obedience that does not spring from faith. The two are at opposite sides of the same coin." o It's experiencing Jesus through faith. Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest paraphrases Jesus' phrase, "I NEVER KNEW YOU" as "I never came to know you experientially" o I must have authentic faith. o Next, to live out my faith ... * I must have a strong faith. (vv.24-27) o Jesus here, uses another illustration. o To warn these disciples listening to His sermon, He tells a story of two's ... * Two builders; * two houses; * two foundations, and * two outcomes. o I don't know about you, but when I read this illustration, and picture it in my mind (sorry Derek and Maddie), it's absolute foolishness. o I've shared this before, but I'm not the handiest person around, but even I know that you can't build a house on sand. o What does this illustrate? To me it's at least a couple of things. First: * Laziness. Because they are taking shortcuts that are more harmful than good. Then ... * Arrogance. Because they think their way is best (clearly, they didn't listen to Pat's message from last week!) o Notice the qualifier in verse 24, those who hear and those who listen. o Those who hear but do nothing, and those who listen and do what they are told. o How does Jesus identify the "do-nothings?" A foolish man. o This is obedience defined. o This is the Christian who hears the Word, and then follows that by doing the Word. o Notice that obedience always follows faith. o What makes this difficult, as we've seen already, is that it is impossible for us to be at this level of obedience. o Coincidently (wink), that is why we're hearing these words of Jesus, even today, because part of God's story of redemption comes first the realization that we need to be redeemed. o We need to be saved from our eternal punishment in sin and be saved from that fate by placing our faith in Jesus. o When we do that, we are given the Holy Spirit who guides us, coaches us, counsels us, gives us understanding, and so forth. o In other words, it's only through the work of Jesus that we can be declared as righteous, ones who can live out chapters 5-7 of Matthew's Gospel in faith. o Matthew adds one more point for us to consider as we live out our faith. That is ... * I must direct my faith correctly (vv.28-29) o Notice how the crowds react. o The ESV says that they were astonished by Christ's teaching. o This is one of those times that a word in English is just not "good enough" o The Greek word used translated "astonished" was, according to Wuest "a very strong word meaning, 'to strike out, expel by a blow, drive out or away, to strike one out of self-possession, to strike with panic, shock' in a passive sense 'to be struck with astonishment, amazed.' The verb is in the pictorial imperfect, describing the prolonged amazement of the audience. It is in the passive voice, showing that this amazement was caused by an outside influence, the tremendous impact that the Messiah made upon them by the new type of teacher and teaching that met their eyes and ears." o He later goes to say that they were "beside themselves" at this teaching. o Again, we cannot stress this enough, notice the source of Jesus' teaching: the Word of God - which at that time was the Old Testament. o We've established that many among the crowd - if not all of them - had heard the oral traditions of the Scribes and Pharisees, but Jesus' Words were different. He spoke with divine authority. o Or simply stated; Jesus quoted God's Word, the final authority. o This is a model for you and me. * God's Word is the standard - as we noted last week. * Everything we do should be held to that standard. No other. o We, friends, have the blessing of having the entire collection of His Word. o Paul warns against false teaching, just as Jesus did. In Galatians 1, he gives a very powerful warning against those who bring a false word, he says this in verses 8-9: 8 BUT EVEN IF WE OR AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN SHOULD PREACH TO YOU A GOSPEL CONTRARY TO THE ONE WE PREACHED TO YOU, LET HIM BE ACCURSED. 9 AS WE HAVE SAID BEFORE, SO NOW I SAY AGAIN: IF ANYONE IS PREACHING TO YOU A GOSPEL CONTRARY TO THE ONE YOU RECEIVED, LET HIM BE ACCURSED. o Sadly, many religions and even some denominations do this very thing. o We are called to be obedient to His Word. o We are called to study and meditate on His Word. o We are called to be astonished by His Word. o Are you astonished by His Word? We've seen this morning as Jesus concludes His Sermon on the Mount that: I live in the upside Kingdom through living out my faith. We actually started our sermon series in Matthew at the beginning of December. Not only have we been able to experience through this series the incarnation of Jesus, the ministry of John the Baptist, Jesus' preparation for ministry through His fast and temptation in the wilderness, and the beginning of Jesus' teaching ministry. But we've seen, as we've been moving through the Sermon on the Mount, that we are called to live contrary to the kingdom of this world, through living out our faith in this upside-down kingdom. It all begins with faith in Jesus, leading to repentance, followed by living out our faith as disciples of Jesus - aiming to be like our Teacher, as we await His return. We will be taking a break from Matthew beginning next week, but let's not forget these amazing words of Jesus from His Sermon on the Mount, not only revealing to us who are called to be as His followers but also reminding us that we need a Savior. And what a Savior we have in Jesus. Let's pray. 2