THURSDAY- 12^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME -B

Gospel: Matthew 7:21-29: The house built on rock and the house built on sand.

I Reading: Genesis 16:1-12.15-16: Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave him the name Ishmael.

                       

The Warning about False Pretences: Who shall enter the kingdom of Heaven? Mt 7:21-23

Who will enter the kingdom of heaven? Will everyone who professes Christ enter? The Lord says “No. There are some who professes my name only...” the false professors who recites only creed, rosaries and prayers etc will not enter because they don’t do the will of God but their own will they do.

1.     The law of entrance (v.21)

a.     A person must do more than profess

b.    A person must do God’s will

2.     The plea of false profession: works (v.22)

a.     Plea 1: prophesied and cast out evil spirits

b.    Plea 2: great works

c.      Plea 3: served in the Lord’s name

3.     The rejection of the false profession (v.23)

a.     Because Christ never knew

b.    Because worked iniquity

The Wise and Foolish Builders, Mt 7:24-27

Every person has a house- a life-to build. How he/she builds his/her life determines his destiny, not just for this life but for the eternity. How he/she builds his/her life makes all the differences...

·        Between success and failure

·        Between life and death

·        Between reward and loss

·        Between acceptance and rejection

·        Between standing and falling

There is only one foundation for every life: Jesus Christ (1Cor 3:11). He is the Rock upon which both individuals and churches are to build (Mt 16:18). Jesus teaches that there two kinds of builders.

1.     A wise builder: hears the instructions and obeys them (v.24-25)

a.     He builds a house

b.    He builds upon a rock (Christ)

c.      He faces a storm

d.    He built wisely: the difference is the foundation

2.     A foolish builder: hears the instructions and does not obey them (v.26-27)

a.     He builds a house

b.    He builds upon the sand (without Christ)

c.      He faces a storm

d.    He built foolishly: suffers great destruction-the difference is the foundation (without faith in Christ).

Thought: The man who builds on sand (without faith in Christ) is hopeless and helpless. Jesus spoke with authority because he is the Son of God and he did was with the authority of God (Mt.28:18; Mk 1:27; Jn 5:19-30; 5:27).

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