Welcome to Episode #216 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our eighth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Seventh mini-series entitled Response to Sermon on the Mount. In our last episode, we heard Part 1 of 2 of a discussion on Who Choses Whom? On this walk on the beach epode we will present an overview of this mini-series and close it out with Part 2 of the Who Choses Whom discussion. We’re just going to jump right in, I think you’ll figure it out soon enough.
Good morning. It looks like we are it for our walk today. Or should I say rather “our run from our cars in the parking lot into the condo lobby.” I do want to say a special thank you to Jamey who knows the Hotel manager who was kind enough to rent us this nice conference room on short notice. We knew last night this front was going to coming through this morning, and that many of you were already here and others still on your way. So Jamey made a call, terms were agreed upon, and papers were signed.
Once we booked the room, we immediately sent out text alerts, and called many others who did not respond to our change of venue message. Hopefully, everyone who was hoping to be on this walk has made it. Those who didn’t make it will have to listen to the podcast as all the rest who hear these episodes. I’m going to start, even though the coffee and Danish have just arrived. Tommy has agreed to offer a blessing before we serve ourselves. After his prayer, please make your way to the tables at your leisure as you will not distract me… Thank you Tommy, the tables of coffee and Danish are now ready for your enjoyment. I will add, speaking with a wireless mic and having a lecturn to stand behind is much easier than walking backward on the beach or speaking loudly to heard above the surf…
Speaking of being heard let’s read our passage for Mini-Series 27. Matthew 7:24-27 – “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
This is the seminal concluding statement of Jesus’ sermon on the mount. It may be the most written about and beloved of his sermons that is crafted to satisfying drastically different theological positions of both conservative and liberal churches. My approach has been to let the plain thing be the main thing, simply read the text as written and follow the text where may lead.
In this mini-series we’ve been addressing the first half of this passage regarding the wise man (verses 24-25). We’ll cover the second half of this passage (Matthew 7:26-27) on our next mini-series concerning the foolish man who builds his house on the sand.
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