Matthew 7:24–27

QUESTIONS AND REFLECTION

•   Define the sand in your life. Some unproductive hobbies might be social media, binge watching TV and YouTube, aimlessly browsing the internet, or watching spectator sports.
•   What are your big rocks, your most important principles?
•   Audit your time, energy, and money—if you look at your calendars and checkbook, would you be able to tell they are the most important things to you?
•   What are the big rocks as God sees them?

• •  Ephesians (written by Paul, the Apostle of Jesus, and inspired by the Holy Spirit) shows us God’s view of the big rocks. It’s God’s directions for life. We call God’s big rocks “the four spheres.”

SPHERE 1, THE FIRST BIG ROCK: AN ABIDING RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS (EPHESIANS 1-2)

•   God’s our “Big” Rock. He should have priority and influence in every area of our lives.
•   He is our what and why. Everything builds off of this.
•   The Gospel reveals God’s perspective of each of us.

• •   Predestined (chosen)
  •   Each of our unique identities

Ephesians 1:3–8 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,

How did you become a son or daughter? The gospel. (see also John 15:1-5, Ephesians 2:1-6, Ephesians 2:10)

Ephesians 1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

SPHERE 2, THE SECOND BIG ROCK: THE CHURCH (EPHESIANS 2-4)

Why does the Holy Spirit guide us towards the church before family? 

•   Many lost their families to follow Jesus.
•   Many did not have a godly example of what a family should look like.
•   The church family was the godly example (model) for the human family.
•   The church (the body of people, not just going to a service) was to be the place you learned how to love, to keep
• commitments, to work out conflict, and to work and lead.
•   As you abide in Christ, you care about the church because Jesus cares about the church.

Ephesians 2:19–22 (see also Ephesians 2:15) 19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Our purpose in the church is to bring glory to God by the way we live and work.

Ephesians 3:10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,

SPHERE 3, THE THIRD BIG ROCK: THE HOME (EPHESIANS 5-6)

Ephesians 5:22–25, Ephesians 6:1-2, and Ephesians 6:4

SPHERE 4, THE FOURTH BIG ROCK: THE WORLD-WHERE WE WORK, LIVE AND PLAY (EPHESIANS 6)

•  Your identity is not in what you do—it’s in Christ, and your work is the place where you reveal God to others.
•   Today, the slaves/masters relationship would be like employees/employers (Ephesians 6:5-9).

Ephesians 5:15–17

He starts out with who you are, and ends with the final warning: this is who you fight.

Ephesians 6:10–13 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

This year, what if you set your goals on things above rather than on an earthly thing?

Colossians 3:1–4 1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

QUESTIONS TO DISCUSS IN LIFE GROUP OR WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS:

Passages to consider: Matthew 7:24-27; Ephesians 1:3-14, 2:11-22, 5:21-6:4, 6:5-9.

•   What did the sermon show you personally?
•   Read Matthew 7:24-27. What is significant as you look at the passage this time?
•   What are the big rocks in your life? A) How do you know if that’s what you actually practice? B) What do you thinkyour calendar, checkbook, and mental energy would show you?
•   What big rocks do you need to add? Or what rocks do you need to adjust (whether invest in or decrease)? A) Whatwould that look like for you? Be as specific as possible.
•   What “gravel and sand” competes with the big rocks in your life? What will you do with that tension this season?
•   Choose one big rock: Abide, Church, Home, Work/World. Take time to pray and make a plan about how to align it to what the Holy Spirit is showing you. Share it with someone.