Jesus’ Word is the Solid Foundation for Life in This World and the Gateway to Eternal Life in the World to Come. Jesus’ famous “Sermon on the Mount” is the longest continuous record of His teaching found in the Gospels, making up all of Matthew chapters 5-7. In today’s Gospel Reading, He ends this lengthy message with a parable about two builders, who illustrate two kinds of hearers. The wise man hears Jesus’ words and does them; the foolish man also hears Jesus’ words, but neglects or rejects them. With this parable, Jesus vividly pictures the secure future guaranteed to the wise disciples who believe His words and put them into practice (Matthew 7:24-29). Like a house that falls with a “great crash” (Matthew 7:27), apart from faith in Christ every human and human effort will “fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But, through our Baptism into Christ we are “united with Him in a death like His” (Romans 6:5), thereby receiving the blessings of forgiveness, life, and salvation earned for us by His own death and resurrection. However, belonging to Him puts us at odds with the world, so we must ever strive by His grace to stay true to the straight road and narrow gate that leads to life everlasting, and “not turn aside to the right hand or to the left” but “walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you” (Deuteronomy 5:32-33).
Was the Garden of Eden really in Jackson and Clay Counties, Missouri? That’s what one cult teaches. Where do they get that from? Does that agree with the description in the Bible? Join in after worship on Sunday in the Fellowship Hall for our new study in Adult Bible Class on Genesis–Book of Beginnings as we consider these questions.
Next Sunday’s sermon will be “The Narrow Gate” based on Matthew 7:13-14.
Because of various family commitments Pastor Vogts has over the summer we are taking a summer break with no Midweek Matins or Men’s & Women’s Bible Studies during June and July, and the normal Wednesday schedule resuming in August.
