Matthew 7:21-27
Jeremiah 29:11,12
Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the
kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father
who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord,’ did we not prophesy in your name, and in Your
name case out demons, and in Your name perform many
miracles?’ And then I will declare to them ‘I never knew
you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’
Matthew 7:24-27
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts
on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house
on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came and the
winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not
fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears
these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like the
foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and
the floods came and the winds blew and slammed against the
house; and it fell-and great was its fall.”
RULES AND BOUNDARIES
To play baseball you
first need to know the
rules and then play by
the rules.
Rules and boundaries
determine what takes
place in the game.
When you know and
practice boundaries
you enjoy freedom
and security.
I. BOUNDARIES BRING
FREEDOM
John 8:31, 32
WHAT IS A BOUNDARY?
A legal description of property
Gives a legal description of the beginning
and the ending of the property.
God has given everyone the freedom to choose.
We choose to stay within His boundaries
or go outside His boundaries.
A. BOUNDARIES GIVE US FREEDOM TO LOVE
When we are free to choose and disagree we are free to love.
When you live without freedom you live in fear and love dies.
You cannot actually love someone if you don’t feel
you have a choice to love or not to love.
Living without boundaries is not the way to freedom.
“The Ten Commandments
are out of date.”
Ted Turner
Owner of CNN Network, and
TBS
He offered to replace the
Ten Commandments with
the Ten Voluntary Initiatives
THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC
Six relatively narrow slits were found across the six
watertight holds. Small damage, below the water line and
invisible to most, sank the Titanic.
Priceless things became worthless.
Worthless things had become priceless.
B. BOUNDARIES GIVES US FREEDOM TO OBEY
Matthew 7:21-23
To say that you are free to do what you want to do
with no regard for God’s Word is the way to
bondage, not the way to freedom.
THE KEY TO FREEDOM – “OBEDIENCE”
If we decide we do not want to live within the
boundaries of God’s truth, His Word we are in
danger of taking our life into our own hands and
losing our freedom.
C. BOUNDARIES GIVES US FREEDOM IN
RELATIONSHIPS
In family relationships points of conflict and abuse
often involve issues of control verses freedom.
Rather than own up to our part in the
conflict we often play the blame game.
ADAM AND EVE
“Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the
tree I commanded you not to eat from? Adam answered:
‘The woman you put here with me-she gave me some fruit
from the tree, and I ate it.’
God designed the entire
creation for freedom. We are
not created to control each
other we were created to
love each other freely.
“It was for freedom that
Christ set us free; therefore
keep standing firm and do
not be subject again to the
yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1
Loving relationships are
deeply rooted in freedom.
When there is extreme
control and abuse there is
no love.
Boundaries are not
something you set on
another person. They are
something you set on
yourself.
II.BOUNDARIES BRING
SECURITY
Matthew 7:24-27
THE HOUSES…
• looked similar outwardly
• were in the same
geographical area
• had the same basic plan,
walls, roof, and floor
• were different because of
what was under ground
A. WHEN WE BUILD OUR LIFE ON A SOLID
FOUNDATION WE CHOOSE BOUNDARIES THAT ARE
SECURING A LIFE OF WISDOM
“Wisdom is supreme, therefore get wisdom. Though it
cost you everything you have, get understanding.”
Proverbs 4:7
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and
knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Proverbs 9:10
A WISE BUILDER IS…
A person who hears the
Word of God and then is
faithful in living the Word
of God out in their lives.
Building on a solid
foundation securing a life
of wisdom, because he is
taking the time to apply
God’s message to his life.
JOHN ADAMS
“There are two types of
education: One should
teach us how to make a
living, and the other how to
live.”
We have an elective course
we take in life. We decide if
we want to be saved or
lost, secure or just survive.
B. WHEN WE BUILD OUR LIFE ON A SOLID FOUNDATION
WE CHOOSE BOUNDARIES THAT ARE SECURING OUR
PRESENT AND FUTURE LIFE
The life built on Christ is delivered from fear.
“If God is for us, who can be against us? Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or
hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or
danger or sword No in all these things we are more
than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am
convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels
nor demons, neither height nor depth, nor anything
else in all creation will be able to separate us from the
love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:35, 37-39
Jeremiah 29:12
“Then you will call upon Me and come and
pray to Me, and I will listen to you.”
C. WHEN WE BUILD OUR LIFE ON A SOLID
FOUNDATION WE CHOOSE BOUNDARIES THAT ARE
SECURING OUR LIFE IN TIMES OF STORMS
Few people in ancient Palestine wanted to live in the rocks,
because it meant…
•
•
•
•
grading the side of a slope and hauling materials.
more difficult travel.
water had to be toted.
winter winds were colder.
PEOPLE TOOK THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE
• The scenery was more pleasant along the riverbeds
• Water was more conveniently located
• The house was sheltered from the cold of winter
Once a generation there would be a combination of an
unusually heavy snow, a quick spring thaw, a torrential
downpour that resulted in flashflood that would wash
away everything in its path.
THE NECESSITY OF BUILDING YOUR LIFE
ON THE RIGHT KIND OF FOUNDATION
The foundation holds everything together.
No matter what quality of materials you use; no matter
how carefully you join the frame together; no matter
how skilled your craftmen maybe- if the foundation
isn’t solid and stable your house will lack integrity.
The difference between the sand builder
and the rock builder was the storm.
THE STORMS OF LIFE HIT ALL OF US
Following Jesus does not exempt us from life’s storms.
There are no storm free zones.
The outcome of what happens in the storms of our lives
is determined by the foundation on which we are sitting.
THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA
STORY – “THE BUILDER”
BOUNDARIES BRING US
A LIFE OF FREEDOM
AND SECURITY