Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.1
When we do not have a strong foundation built on strong principles we are so easily tossed about, living our lives based on emotions, human and worldly reason. This is what Jesus spoke of when He said a stupid man builds his house upon the sand, but a wise man builds on a rock, and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. To be wise is to seek understanding and do, we are what we do. How do I build such a house and what are these sayings of Jesus that make my house strong, what do I do if I am wise? It's here, even in the same passage of Matthew. Jesus said, Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them... judge not, that you be not judged... Seek, ask, knock... and it will be given to you... walk the narrow way... build on the rock, these sayings of Jesus. And there are more sayings that we would be wise to do, many scriptures in the Bible instruct us to do; learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.2
God is good, it is his nature and he wants us to do good to others. Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.3 If we being evil know how to give good things to our children then how much more does God know how to give good things to us, if only we ask. If we truly know his goodness we give it to others. Look at the sayings of Jesus that relate to the Father knowing us, they speak of doing good to others, relating knowing with doing, what you did... you did unto me. Surely this is not justification, our righteousness comes by the works of Christ, by Grace through faith, but we are to diligently seek all things of God that pertain to life and godliness. It is is the fruit of knowing God and God knowing us that produces goodness. Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.4
To treat others as we would want to be treated, this is the Golden Rule. Jesus said it Is the law and prophets. Paul writes for the whole law is fulfilled in one saying: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”5 Why does it fulfill the law? The ten sayings or commandments as we call them today were instructions or sayings that pointed to loving God. The whole point was to love God and others, and God gave us instructions on how he would expect us to live that out, somehow we miss this. It doesn't necessarily mean I love God by following instructions, no I have to love Him first and understand this higher principle, without love what I do is nothing. Truth doesn't contradict itself. If I say I speak truth and I condemn, judge, and accuse unjustly then I do not love thus do not speak truth. I am breaking a higher principle of God, if I am not treating as I would want to be treated. If I say I love you but do not follow your just instructions of how to love you then I do not love you. This is a core principle of God, loving him is equivalent to loving others. He is God, I love him, I follow his instructions, I do not make graven images, worship other gods, vainly speak of him, nor do I rest or trust anything but him. I love my neighbor because he is created equal, I do not murder my neighbor, sleep with his wife, steal from him, slander, accuse, lie to him, nor covet what he has. I value him and treat him as I would want to be treated, this fulfills His law.
The motivation for following instructions is that I love God and want to be more like him, not that I seek for him to love me more. He has already loved me all that he could, he laid down his life for me, there is no greater love that someone would lay down his life for his friends. Loving our neighbor is treating him as we would want to be treated, this fulfills the law. A stone to lay in our foundation of personal core values. So simple isn't it, but not so easy to do, seek and you will find... the Bible teaches these concepts of God. Abraham will you sacrifice your son for me? I will do it for you. Samuel you have judged incorrectly, you look at the external, I judge the heart, David is a man after my own heart, he does my will. Hosea I want you to marry an adulterous woman, to see what it is like, my people leaving their first love. Moses these ten instructions and book of the covenant I give my people, they point to loving me and others, I will know their love for me by how they keep and do them. Jesus came to do the will of the Father, let none of mine be lost, teach the people my ways, my words, and sayings, how to live them out. I will give them my Holy Spirit with power to live out these sayings, I will write them on their hearts.
When we do not have a strong foundation built on strong principles we are so easily tossed about, living our lives based on emotions, human and worldly reason. This is what Jesus spoke of when He said a stupid man builds his house upon the sand, but a wise man builds on a rock, and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. To be wise is to seek understanding and do, we are what we do. How do I build such a house and what are these sayings of Jesus that make my house strong, what do I do if I am wise? It's here, even in the same passage of Matthew. Jesus said, Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them... judge not, that you be not judged... Seek, ask, knock... and it will be given to you... walk the narrow way... build on the rock, these sayings of Jesus. And there are more sayings that we would be wise to do, many scriptures in the Bible instruct us to do; learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.2
God is good, it is his nature and he wants us to do good to others. Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.3 If we being evil know how to give good things to our children then how much more does God know how to give good things to us, if only we ask. If we truly know his goodness we give it to others. Look at the sayings of Jesus that relate to the Father knowing us, they speak of doing good to others, relating knowing with doing, what you did... you did unto me. Surely this is not justification, our righteousness comes by the works of Christ, by Grace through faith, but we are to diligently seek all things of God that pertain to life and godliness. It is is the fruit of knowing God and God knowing us that produces goodness. Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.4
To treat others as we would want to be treated, this is the Golden Rule. Jesus said it Is the law and prophets. Paul writes for the whole law is fulfilled in one saying: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”5 Why does it fulfill the law? The ten sayings or commandments as we call them today were instructions or sayings that pointed to loving God. The whole point was to love God and others, and God gave us instructions on how he would expect us to live that out, somehow we miss this. It doesn't necessarily mean I love God by following instructions, no I have to love Him first and understand this higher principle, without love what I do is nothing. Truth doesn't contradict itself. If I say I speak truth and I condemn, judge, and accuse unjustly then I do not love thus do not speak truth. I am breaking a higher principle of God, if I am not treating as I would want to be treated. If I say I love you but do not follow your just instructions of how to love you then I do not love you. This is a core principle of God, loving him is equivalent to loving others. He is God, I love him, I follow his instructions, I do not make graven images, worship other gods, vainly speak of him, nor do I rest or trust anything but him. I love my neighbor because he is created equal, I do not murder my neighbor, sleep with his wife, steal from him, slander, accuse, lie to him, nor covet what he has. I value him and treat him as I would want to be treated, this fulfills His law.
The motivation for following instructions is that I love God and want to be more like him, not that I seek for him to love me more. He has already loved me all that he could, he laid down his life for me, there is no greater love that someone would lay down his life for his friends. Loving our neighbor is treating him as we would want to be treated, this fulfills the law. A stone to lay in our foundation of personal core values. So simple isn't it, but not so easy to do, seek and you will find... the Bible teaches these concepts of God. Abraham will you sacrifice your son for me? I will do it for you. Samuel you have judged incorrectly, you look at the external, I judge the heart, David is a man after my own heart, he does my will. Hosea I want you to marry an adulterous woman, to see what it is like, my people leaving their first love. Moses these ten instructions and book of the covenant I give my people, they point to loving me and others, I will know their love for me by how they keep and do them. Jesus came to do the will of the Father, let none of mine be lost, teach the people my ways, my words, and sayings, how to live them out. I will give them my Holy Spirit with power to live out these sayings, I will write them on their hearts.
The very word of God dwelling among us, teaching the concepts of God, this is something that should get our attention. We must be careful when we try to override these sayings with other principles taken from the Bible or elsewhere. Can I treat someone bad in the name of protecting myself or my family? Can I in the name of stewardship? Do I forfeit the right to fair treatment for government protection from communism, drugs, terrorism, aliens, human trafficking...? We must seek to understand these principles, how they are applied in a strong foundation. God is not the author of confusion but of order. The power he gives us is not of fear but of love and a sound mind. We know that Jesus was from God, was God, the word of God, in the flesh he lived out these sayings from God. He lived out these principles, giving us the concepts behind them, as Jesus taught in parables, explaining the why, so that we would think and apply, this is why faith produces works and why it is so important. Sanctification is required of his children.
Actions speak louder than words, we must live it out. Jesus was God but humbled himself to the point of death on a cross, this should be our example in treating others well. He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?6 Jesus says treating others as we want to be treated, is walking the narrow road. Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.7 This narrow gate leads to life, eternal, satisfying, bread of life and living water. Jesus gives instructions on how to walk this narrow way, and He did it in the flesh. If I do not treat others as I want to be treated I do not produce good fruit, but bad fruit.8 The fruit is telling, it's not what I say but what I produce. God requires holiness.
The principles of God are usually the opposite of what we are conditioned to think, we are conformed to this world in many of our views and beliefs. Jesus turns these concepts down side up, And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."9 This doesn't mean leading from the rear with the gear, oh no, but from the front by example. Peter writes of this type of leadership; by example, with humility, not lording over, not of duty, but of love and service.10 When Jesus spoke of love he spoke of it in such a way that it requires sacrifice. I can measure love by a standard; the love of God. God so loved the world that he gave his only son... Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.11
I can make an effort to pursue excellence in God's narrow way. Not fighting like the world but seeking truth, for this was the purpose of Jesus's coming, to show us what was really true about God. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.12 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” What a simple question, but one that avails us today. Pilate saw the truth, one who did not resist authority but in humility stated truth, you can do nothing without God, my kingdom is not of this world. But Pilate being one of authority could not just let Jesus go so he did what any person in authority would do, he gave him to the people, washed his hands. Of course the people were following a religious leadership that at it's core had no Godly love and values. They did as the leaders did. Jesus told them to do as they say not as they do. And he told them if they did not believe His sayings, then believe the very works that He did, a house divided is not a house built on a rock. They did not seek truth thus did not listen.
Jesus is the way, truth, and life. I can listen to the voice of Jesus, the sayings of Jesus, he says to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and one like it is to love our neighbor by treating them as we would want to be treated, this sums up the law, and there is no greater commandments than these.13 I can not override these core principles in the name of other principles. Do I give up my right of equal treatment in the name of protection from X? The Constitution and Bill of Rights of the United States of America was created on this principle of equality, the golden rule, all are created equal with inalienable rights. Inalienable rights given by God, no man has a right to take them away, only the individual can forfeit these rights. We have become calloused, conforming to the world, we judge, condemn, and alienate, while the world says I just want to be treated like you would treat yourself, like you say your God Is.
Here are a few other sayings of Jesus. Repay evil with blessings, Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.14 Do not speak evil against the law, do not judge the law by judging your brother.15 Desire to love life and see good days, by keeping your tongue from evil and not speaking deceit.16 Do not speak deceit by speaking and doing not.17 Or by saying I love God but loving money.18 or by saying I love God but slander, and hate my brother, I do not love nor forgive whom I have seen.19 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.20 These are core values, a solid foundation on the rock, these sayings of Jesus. Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.21
Not everyone who says Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven but the one that does the will of the Father in heaven. God's will is that I do his will. It is so simple its difficult. Follow my commandments... my instructions... live out my laws, my ways... And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’22 Who are those who practice lawlessness? It is those who do not do the will of the Father. Here again God equates what we do, our fruit, to knowing him. Who does the will of the Father? Jesus said the one who builds his house on a rock, he is the wise man, he hears and does His sayings which is truth from God.23 Love God and whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them.
We can build strong foundations on the principles and sayings of Jesus, they are truth from God, as He is God, the word of God. When we build on such a foundation we will be confident and not shaken in our beliefs or values. This is equated to building on the rock. As believers Jesus is our cornerstone, in a new foundation we lay, one of transformation and renewal, we lay other stones on the values of God, words of God, sayings of Jesus.
Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.1
How He Loves Us