Lesson 5 | Heed the Commands
What’s at Stake: Eternity
Putting Scripture to simple songs for children can be a wonderful means for shaping their hearts and minds with biblical truth. For many, just reading the following words will instantly recall a familiar children’s tune in your mind: ”The wise man built his house upon the rock, the wise man built his house upon the rock….” The downside comes when we leave those truths as merely catchy little tunes with little meaningful impact. Jesus spoke these words at the conclusion of his longest recorded sermon in the Bible (Matthew 5–7) and intended that they be received with utmost seriousness. Let us do so now.
Gain:
The kingdom of heaven
I am always amazed by lighthouses that have remained stable and intact for centuries, especially those which face a regular barrage of storms and high waves. Wind and water will exploit any vulnerability! In order to have remained steadfast all these years, they must have been built right and in the right place.
As Jesus so clearly teaches us in this text, we must build our lives on him through obedience to his commands. We must “let our light shine” (Mt 5:16). We must “come to terms…with [our] accuser” (Mt 5:25). We must “let what [we] say be simply ‘Yes’ and ’No’” (Mt 5:37). We must “love [our] enemies” (Mt 5:44). We must “give…in secret” (Mt 6:3–4). We must pray like Christ (Mt 6:9–13). We must “not be anxious” (Mt 6:25). We must “seek first the kingdom” (Mt 6:33). We must “ask…seek…and knock” (Mt 7:7). And so much more.
In short, we must “be perfect, as [our] heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48). Or rather, we must give ourselves toward these things, rightly despair of our attempts at perfection, and look to the one who fulfills the Law and Prophets perfectly (Mt 5:17–20). In this way alone—by knowing Christ—can we obey his call to “enter by the narrow gate” (Mt 7:13) and enter into his kingdom.
Loss:
Eternal destruction
No doubt, you have seen pictures or videos of a devastating flood destroying homes, property, and even human lives. The scenes are both awesome and terrifying. Maybe you have experienced such a flood personally. A lifetime of work and memories swept away in an instant. That is precisely what Jesus has in mind when he says the following...
Just a few verses earlier, Jesus did not mince his words when he stated the loss those who did not heed his words would face: “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Mt 7:23). There can be no greater collapse.