Matthew 7:24-29

The Wise and Foolish Builders

"Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn't fall, for it was founded on the rock.

Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn't do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell--and great was its fall."

It happened, when Jesus had finished saying these things, that the multitudes were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them with authority, and not like the scribes. 

How does building your life on Jesus` words protect you when the storms of life come?

Stop and think about the house that you live in. If you were asked to describe your house, most likely you would tell about the location, the color, the design, the square footage, the size of the lot, and the number of bedrooms. But you probably wouldn’t tell about the foundation. Perhaps you don’t know anything about your foundation. Yet, it is the foundation of your house that makes all the difference. Prov 24:3 states, “By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established.” This is true not only of your house; it is also true of your life.

In Matthew 7:24–27, Jesus tells a parable that compares and contrasts two builders: one wise and one foolish. He emphasizes how critical it is to have a strong foundation. The use of a building metaphor should not surprise us; Jesus was a carpenter. As part of the firm of Joseph and Sons in Nazareth, He had built the furniture that people put into their homes and He had probably built some of the homes as well. Jesus knew the difference between a solid house and a shoddy one. However, this story is not just for architects, carpenters, and contractors. It is for us. Building a house is simply an analogy for building a life. The point is this: We are building a life and the foundation we choose is the most important feature of our life. In the verses that follow, Jesus provides two options for building your life.

1. Build your life on the strong foundation (7:24–25)

Jesus says, “The only way to build a strong foundation is by obeying His words.” He begins His parable in 7:24 with the word “therefore,” which looks back to the entire Sermon on the Mount. In light of His teachings, Jesus says, “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.” By using the word “everyone” (cf. 7:26), Jesus reveals that His words are intended for all people for all time. He begins by stating that you must “hear” His words. In order to do so we must expose ourselves to the truth. You can do this by reading the Bible, by reading Christian books, by attending worship, by getting involved in classes and small groups, and by meeting with Christian friends who can teach you. While this may sound daunting and tedious, this is what you do in every other area of your life, right? If you want to learn a skill or profession you must seek out the necessary information. An athlete listens to coaches and more experienced players. A craftsman becomes an apprentice to learn from those who are more experienced. A student teacher learns from a teacher in a classroom environment. In each of these cases, it is essential to not just hear the truth but to listen to the truth. Anyone who is married knows that there is a difference. Anyone who has a teenager knows that there is a difference between hearing and listening. The key to listening is to interact with the one doing the speaking. The best listeners are people who ask lots of clarifying questions such as: “What do you mean?” “Are you saying...?” “Can you explain that further?” These questions show that a person is listening. We should ask clarifying questions when interacting with Christ’s words. Is God warning me of something? Do I need to repent? Is this a promise that I can claim or a command I need to obey?

Jesus urges us to hear His words, but He doesn’t stop there. He goes on to say that you must act upon His words. If you are going to build on a solid foundation you must actually DO what Jesus wants you to do. Hearing His words is not enough. You are building your life on His words ONLY as you obey them (see Jas 1:22). We have heard that vegetables are good for us. This is true. We have even prayed that the Lord would change my taste buds and give us a desire for vegetables. Yet, we rarely obey what we know to be true by eating veggies. If that analogy doesn’t work. How about this: Do you floss on a daily basis? Why not? You know how to floss, right? You’ve seen the charts at the dentist’s office and you’ve purchased your top-of-the-line, mint-flavored floss in its fancy holder, right? You make a commitment that you will floss every day. But after a week you stop flossing. You don’t floss because you don’t really believe that your teeth will rot and fall out.

In the same way, we can hear all of Jesus’ words and know them like the back of your hand, but if we don’t do what He says, we aren’t building on the right foundation. Fortunately, we are likely seeking to obey Jesus’ teaching. We have made a commitment to obey His words. Even though our marriage is a mess and others encourage us to find happiness and divorce our spouse, we remain faithful to our spouse and to the Lord. When our finances have been especially tight and you’ve been tempted to not give to the Lord, instead we trust the Lord and give in obedience. In an impure world that glorifies immorality, we choose to abstain on a daily basis. When our children challenge our parental authority, we continue to persevere, loving them and sharing God’s Word with them. When we have been the victim of gossip and slander and your flesh rises up to take revenge, we choose to forgive. When there doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day, we still find a way to serve Christ’s church and people in our community. Our pastor knows who many of us are. But more importantly, God knows who we are.

In 7:25, we will discover why it’s so critical to build on the strong foundation. Jesus says, “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.” Jesus doesn’t pull any punches. Just look at the word “and” in 7:25. Jesus does not say “if the rain falls” or “if the floods come” or “if the winds blow.” He says, “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house”. Jesus tells us straight-up that storms will come and we will not be spared! And if we’ve walked with Christ for any length of time, we’ve observed that people who hear and do the words of Jesus have the very same crises in their lives that people have who don’t do His words. Obedience to Christ does not mean we will not get rained on. Anyone who tells us that the Christian life is all sunny days has lied. Nevertheless, the storms are what test us. Living in the sunshine of life doesn’t tell us much about ourselves. Anybody can build a house that will stand firm when the sun is shining and the wind is still. It is the storms that reveal the strength of your foundation. When we build on the rock we must expect storms, because only storms can show our wisdom to the world around us.

·        Sometimes the storm roars in as we are pounded by sickness or the fear of death. Perhaps we will learn that we have cancer or another life-threatening disease. Maybe a loved one will suddenly pass away. We may develop a nagging injury that refuses to heal. Maybe we’re beginning to feel our age and this discourages us to no end. Times like these reveal the foundations of our life.

·        Sometimes the storm is a crushing personal loss. We may lose a job that not only provides income but also provides you with self-esteem and personal security. Our carefully built stock portfolio suddenly destroyed can be like a tornado roaring through the comfortable life we have built. When we realize that we haven’t built up the security we counted on, everything in our life come tumbling down and we see exposed the faulty foundations of our life.

·        In many cases, our foundation can be tested by prosperity. Prosperity comes like a gentle spring rain. At first we’re convinced it will make our life green and healthy. But when prosperity keeps coming, it can develop into a large destructive force as damaging as a storm. What we gain, not what we lose, often serves as the supreme test of our foundation. More men and women have been knocked off their spiritual foundation by great wealth than by great reversal.

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew destroyed thousands of homes in South Florida. Yet in an area where the wreckage looked like a war zone, one house remained standing, still firmly anchored to its foundation. When a reporter asked the homeowner why his house had not been blown away, he replied, “I built this house myself. I also built it according to the Florida state building code. When the code called for 2” x 6” roof trusses, I used 2” x 6” roof trusses. I was told that a house built according to code could withstand a hurricane—and it did.”

When personal storms come many lives will be destroyed and left in shambles. Most people don’t find the narrow gate (7:13–14). Most people don’t build on the foundation of Christ’s words. But if we construct our life according to Christ’s building codes we will not be disappointed. While obedience to Jesus’ words is not a protection from the troubles; it is a protection in the troubles. Yes, we may lose some widows and the house of our life may be shaken but it will not collapse and be swept away: All the time that we have invested in laying our biblical foundation will pay off. If we haven’t already seen the results and benefits, one day we will. Building on the rock is the best flood insurance you can invest in. Storms will come and go. You are either in a trial, coming out of a trial, or entering into a trial. Nevertheless, if we’ve built your life on the foundation of Christ, we have nothing to fear. A good storm will demonstrate the stability of our foundation.

Does the house of our life have a rock? Have we built our life on a strong foundation? We all need the rock. Without the rock, we would all just roll away. Place your faith in Jesus Christ today. If we’ve already placed our faith in Him continue to grow in Him. We can build our life on the strong foundation, but unfortunately we may not choose to do this. So Jesus now presents the alternative. As a builder, we can…

2. Destroy our life on the wrong foundation (7:26–27). Jesus modifies His previous parable and applies it negatively to those who refuse to obey His words. In 7:26 He says, “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.” The opposite of a wise man is a foolish man. The Greek word for “foolish” is moros. A person who disregards Jesus’ words is called a stupid moron. He is foolish. He didn’t build on the rock of Jesus’ words! Please note: The foolish builder also heard Jesus’ words but didn’t act upon them. The decision not to act on Jesus’ words, for whatever reason, is already a decision to do a great deal. It is the decision to live by someone else’s words, for we all live by someone’s words. Every person is building a life according to some scheme, some design. People don’t build at random. Everyone has a world view or a philosophy. Who or what is our foundation? If it isn’t Jesus Christ, make sure He is today.

Why did the foolish man build his house on the sand? He miscalculated the weather. He thought every day was going to be sunshine. He thought his life was always going to be smooth. So he figured a sand dune would do as a foundation. Let’s face it; it is appealing to build on the sand. It’s found in a good location. It’s adequate. It’s easy. Who wants to dig down deep if you don’t have to (see Luke 6:47)? It takes more work to build on the rock. It takes more time and energy. And it costs more. It is easier and faster to build on the sand. It’s always easier to take shortcuts in building a home. It’s cheaper to use inferior materials. And for a while, no one may notice. But somewhere along the line, we will pay for our shoddy workmanship. The same is true when it comes to the foundation of our life. It is easier to go with the crowd. It takes less time and energy if we simply maintain a superficial faith. And frankly, who can really tell the difference anyway? It’s easier to just show up for church for an hour a week than it is to develop spiritual roots. But there’s only one problem with this mentality, the Bible teaches that storms are lurking on the horizon.

In 7:27, Jesus closes His parable with a storm warning: “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” Jesus concludes His parable and the entire Sermon on the Mount with an illustration of warning rather than of encouragement. We thrive on encouragement. We like to encourage others and be encouraged ourselves. Yet, as much as we appreciate encouragement, there is something about a strong word of warning that snaps us to attention. Jesus is saying, “You neglect My warning at your own peril!” Jesus’ warning has both a future and temporal application. The word “great” (megale) is the last word in 7:27, hence the last word of the Sermon on the Mount. The point is that if we reject Jesus Christ, we will spend eternity separated from Him. This is the future judgment. Yet, there is also a temporal judgment that concerns believers. If we choose to disregard Jesus’ commandments, we too will fall in this life and at the judgment seat.

Do you know what many Christians do when it starts raining? They try to change foundations. When the sky gets dark, the winds pick up, and the rain begins to pour they pick up the telephone, call the most spiritual people they know, and say, “Help me build a new foundation under my house. It’s falling apart.” But we can’t change foundations when we’re in the midst of a storm. We have to lay your foundation before the storm comes, so that when the rain, the floods, and the winds come, our house is secure. This is also true in the natural realm. It is hard to lay a foundation when it’s raining. Workers have to stop pouring concrete when it begins to rain. The foundation has to be poured on sunny days...

How is your foundation? Is it built upon the rock or is it built upon sand? If it’s built upon the rock, keep on. Continue doing what you’re doing. Seek to stretch yourself further in God’s Word. Pray that He gives you an even greater hunger and thirst for His Word. If your foundation is built upon sand and you know you’re sinking down, build your foundation on the rock of God’s Word. We invite you to do a building inspection of your life. If you want a stable life, one that doesn’t cave in when the rain comes, build it on the rock TODAY. One way to facilitate this is by working through the “Sermon on the Mount Personal Evaluation” worksheet below. Place a checkmark by the attitudes you have had and behaviors that you have actively been doing the past few weeks. Remember, you will not be rewarded in heaven for what you heard and believed, only for what you did.

If you have never believed in Christ as your foundation stone, do so today. At the moment you believe in Christ, your foundation turns from sand to stone. If Christ is your foundation stone, build your life on His teachings. Go home and find a small rock. Put the rock next to your computer monitor. Take it with you to the office. Put it in your kitchen or at your dining room table. This can be your stone of remembrance. It can signify your new relationship with Christ or your commitment to obey Him wholeheartedly.

The Sermon on the Mount concludes in 7:28–29 with Matthew’s powerful first-hand account: “When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”The crowds were amazed at two things: the matter and the manner of His teaching. They were astounded by what He taught. He differed from anyone they had heard before. He didn’t urge them to new forms of religion, to give more money, or to attend services more often. He didn’t summon them to a greater commitment to a religious routine. He kept going back to their motives, to what they were deep inside. He said that what mattered to God was their relationship with Him. He said that true religion wasn’t a performance; it was a deep reality of who we are deep inside.

In addition to their amazement at the matter of Jesus’ teaching, the crowd was impressed by the manner in which He taught. Jesus taught as one having authority, not as the teachers of the law. Rabbis were highly educated. They knew their 2,000 years of religious tradition inside and out, and they had studied all the learned opinions but they did not teach as if they had authority. In most of their teaching they simply quoted the experts. Listening to them was like listening to someone read an extended footnote. As a college student, we don’t have credibility or authority so our professors expect us to liberally use footnotes to bolster our authority. Jesus, however, uses no footnotes! Standing 2,000 years away from the Sermon on the Mount, we may not appreciate the significance of this difference. Jesus was about thirty years of age, not very old by the standards of the ancient world. He had grown up in Nazareth, a small town of little importance. He was a carpenter. He had not gone to the schools the rabbis attended. He had never studied the religious traditions. And yet, Jesus spoke with an authority that the older scribes did not possess. Even the Old Testament prophets introduced their message by saying, “Thus says the Lord.” That little phrase appears almost 3,000 times in the Old Testament. The prophets did not speak with their own authority; they spoke with the authority of God. It is striking that Jesus never used that phrase. He spoke with His own authority. He spoke with authority all through the sermon when He interpreted or reapplied the law, when He promised, when He commanded, when He prohibited. Not in the name of God, but as God Himself. The people had never heard anyone do that because no one like Him had ever appeared on earth before. Indeed, Jesus Christ was and is amazing!

The sad thing is: The crowd didn’t accept Jesus as Savior; they were merely impressed. Don’t stop at being impressed with Jesus’ words. Amazement is not enough! Many religious leaders, professors, literary writers, and moral people have been impressed with Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. But this is inadequate. Belief in Christ is necessary for salvation. Obedience to Christ’s teachings in the Sermon on the Mount is necessary for Christian health and growth. Therefore, if we could sum up Jesus’ words we might put it like this: “Draw a line on the rock, not in the sand.” The rock signifies the person and teachings of the Lord Jesus; the sand symbolizes your worldview.

If we want to be eternally well, we must trust Jesus Christ for our spiritual deliverance. Additionally, if we are seeking to be healthy and whole in this life and the next, Jesus asks that we trust Him and then submit ourselves to His authority. Draw a line on the rock, not in the sand.

Scripture References: Matthew 7:24–29; Luke 6:47–49; 4:32; Matthew 13:54; 22:33; Mark 1:22; 6:2; 11:18; John 7:46; Acts 13:12; James 1:22–25

Study Questions

1. How often do I read and listen to God’s Word in the course of a week (7:24)? What are the best methods of filling my mind with God’s Word? To what degree do I obey and apply what I read and hear? Have I grown in my obedience to the Savior in this past year? If so, how have I specifically progressed as a disciple?

2. What personal storms have I experienced in this past year (7:25)? How did I fare spiritually in the midst of these storms? What did I learn about my spiritual foundation (i.e., my obedience to Jesus’ words) in the midst of my personal storms? In what ways do I need to strengthen my foundation? How will I go about this and who will help me?

3. Who do I know that is building on a sound foundation (7:26)? How can I challenge these individuals to build on the rock of Jesus’ words? As a Christian, how have I been guilty of building my life on the sand? What specific areas of my life need to be stabilized or restructured? How can I go about this building process in 2013?

4. What made Jesus’ teaching so amazing? How did He teach with such authority (7:28–29)? How can I learn to teach like Jesus taught? What specific methods, skill-sets, and character qualities would help me be more effective in my communication of God’s truth? Do I believe that I am a teacher? Read Hebrews 5:11–14. What responsibility do I have to teach God’s Word to those who have been placed in my life?

5. What have I learned from my study through the Sermon on the Mount? How has God changed my heart? In what ways have I determined to obey Jesus’ teaching? What are my spiritual goals for 2013?

Sermon on the Mount Personal Evaluation - Matthew 5–7:

Directions: Salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone, yet obedience to Jesus’ teaching is important in this life and in the life to come. In the chart below, rate yourself on the various attitudes and behaviors that you have actively been practicing (1 = much room for growth to 5 = growing strong in grace). Remember, the Sermon on the Mount was not intended to be admired, but obeyed. Consequently, you will not be rewarded in heaven for what you heard and believed, only for what you did in obedience to Christ.

Passage

Actitudes / Behavior

Obedience

Matt 5:3

Am I poor in spirit?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 5:4

Do I mourn?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 5:5

Am I gentle?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 5:6

Do I hunger and thirst for righteousness?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 5:7

Am I merciful?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 5:8

Am I pure in heart?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 5:9

Am I a peacemaker?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 5:10–12

Am I persecuted for the sake of righteousness?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 5:13

Am I the salt of the earth?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 5:14–16

Am I the light of the world?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 5:17–20

Do I keep and teach Jesus’ commandments?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 5:21–22

Do I reject ungodly anger?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 5:23–26

Do I reconcile with those who are angry with me?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 5:27–30

Am I controlling my thought life?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 5:31–32

Am I honoring my marriage vows?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 5:33–37

Do I honor my word?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 6:1–4

Do I give without fanfare?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 6:5–15

Do I pray without pride?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 6:16–18

Do I fast without notice?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 6:19–24

Am I storing up treasure in heaven?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 6:25–34

Am I refusing to worry?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 7:1–5

Do I judge myself before I judge others?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 7:6–12

Do I pray for wisdom and discernment?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 7:13–14

Am I trusting in Christ for salvation?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 7:15–23

Am I guarding against false prophets?

1 2 3 4 5

Matt 7:24–27

Am I building on the right foundation?

1 2 3 4 5

BUILDING TO LAST (Matthew 7:24-29)

Jesus said, "These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who builds his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit – but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.

"But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards." When Jesus concluded this address, the crowd burst into applause. They had never heard teaching like this. It was apparent that He was living everything He was saying, quite a contrast to their religious teachers. This was the best teaching they had ever heard." (Matthew 7:24-29, The Message)

The image Jesus uses is that of a home that will withstand the storms of life, as compared to a home that is destroyed by similar storms. Two men, two lives: one survives and is safe despite what life does to him, and the other who is lost when tragedy hits him. The difference between them is their foundation: rock or sand. The rock foundation is the life application of the words of Jesus; the steady, daily, soaking in the truth of the Gospel so that it builds a secure, consistent and authentic protection against disaster. The sandy foundation is the superficial response to the teaching of Jesus; the hearing of the Gospel without its penetration into the heart or transformation of life. "Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear. Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, and what they look like." (James 1:22-24, The Message)

We would think that common sense would convince a person to take the safe route in life. Who would want to invest in a home (a life) which was so vulnerable to danger? Would not everyone who had any sense want to build securely so that they did not have to worry about the future? Yet there are good people, who consider themselves Christians who hear the words of Jesus every Sunday, or whenever they attend worship, who do not work these words of Jesus into their lives. 

There are many people who have grown up in the church, who have heard these words, who go on in life and forget what they have heard. When tragedy occurs in their lives, and the storms come, as they surely will, they have no resources to fall back on. Their lives collapse like a house of cards. The children's story of the Three Little Pigs, tells a similar tale to teach delayed gratification, and the value of the work ethic to survive life's challenges. The two pigs who build their houses out of straw and sticks are not safe against the wolf that blows their houses down. They opted for a life of ease and pleasure, and made fun of their brother who worked hard to build his house of bricks. When the wolf comes against him he is able to resist him and eventually overcome him by his wisdom. Bruno Bettelheim comments that the oldest pig is able to "foresee what may happen in the future. He is even able to predict correctly the behavior of the wolf, the enemy, or stranger within, who tries to seduce or trap us; and therefore the third pig is able to defeat powers both stronger and more ferocious than he is." (The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales, 42) 

Jesus warns us that we likewise need to foresee what may happen in the future and take steps to survive the storms of life, the devouring wolves that attack us. When we build our house on the rock of Christ, "You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday...If you make the Most High your dwelling; even the Lord, who is my refuge, then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways." (Ps.91: 5, 6, 9 -11)

St. Paul puts it this way: "Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation. Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you'll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won't get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn't, your part of the building will be torn out and started over." (1 Cor.3:10-13, The Message)

When Charles Spurgeon preached about the wise and foolish builders he said, "There are tens of thousands to whom the preaching of the gospel is as music in the ears of a corpse. They shut their ears and will not hear. To their own best interests, to their eternal benefit, men are dead. When worldly trouble comes like a storm those persons who will not hear the words of Jesus have no consolation to cheer them; when sickness comes they have no joy of heart to sustain them under its pains; and when death, that most terrible of storms, beats upon them they feel its full fury, but they cannot find a hiding place. They neglect the housing of their souls."

How do we put these words into practice? We do it spiritually when we choose to store up treasures in heaven; when we choose to serve God, not Money; when we choose to enter through the narrow gate on the road that leads to eternal life. We do it personally when we relate to one another as fellow citizens of the kingdom of heaven. We do it politically when we build our community, our state and our nation on the moral foundations that will last.

How can we be sure that we are building on the right foundation with the right materials? There is one who can help us. He is the master builder, the carpenter of Nazareth. I love this prayer: "O Jesus, Master Carpenter of Nazareth, who on the cross through wood and nails did work our whole salvation: Wield well your tools in this your workshop; that we who come to you rough hewn may by your hand be fashioned to a truer beauty and a greater usefulness; for the honor of your holy name."

"The crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law." What is your response to His teaching? Can you say that you are amazed? Do you recognize His unique authority? Are you willing to work His words into your life? Are you building to last? Do you want your life to be secure and safe when the final crisis in your life comes? Will you allow the master builder to work with you and in you to defeat the destructive powers of life? What do you need to do now so that you don't let His words go in one ear and out the other? Act on what you hear. If we do, when the storms come, Jesus stands with us to rescue us and bring us to safety.

"How to Stand in the Storms of Life" - Matthew 7:24-27

When we think about storms in our life, we don't think about thunderstorms or snowstorms. We probably think about 

Sometime in our lives we are all going to face these kinds of storms. It is true that there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who are going through a crisis and those who are going to go through a crisis.

We look at a parable of Jesus which gives us insight into how we can keep standing in the storms of life.  We look at Matthew 7:24-27.  This passage comes at the end of what we know as the Sermon on the Mount.  The Sermon on the Mount is known for its practical instruction.  Some of the most famous words of Jesus are found in Matthew 5-7.  This is the sermon where Jesus tells us to,

At the end of the Sermon, Jesus wants to drive home an important point: In order to benefit from His wisdom, we must be like the man who built his house on the rock rather than the one who built their house on the sand. 

“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. 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. 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. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”  (Matthew 7:24-27)

The picture is pretty clear.  In a storm, a house without a solid foundation is going to get knocked down. There are three things we should learn from this parable,

EVERYONE IS BUILDING ON SOME KIND OF FOUNDATION

Everyone is building their life on some kind of foundation.  There are only two choices: We either build on a solid and deep foundation or we build on a shallow and weak foundation.

This is a recurrent theme in the Sermon on the Mount.  In verses 13 & 14 Jesus tells us that there are two gates: a broad way and a broad gate and a narrow road leading to a narrow gate.  The broad way leads to destruction and the narrow way leads to life. We are on one road or the other.

In verses 15-20 Jesus tells us that there are only two kinds of trees: There are trees that bear good fruit and trees that bear bad fruit.  The bad trees bear bad fruit; the good trees bear good fruit.  You are either one or the other.

And now Jesus tells us that there are two foundations: one that will withstand the storms and one that will not.  The picture is clear.  You are either walking God's way, experiencing His transformation in your life, and knowing His strength for difficult times; or you are walking away from God, producing nothing of eternal value and are vulnerable to the storms that may come your way.  You are one or the other.   Which one do you think you are? 

TIMES OF TESTING REVEAL THE FOUNDATION ON WHICH WE HAVE BUILT

This parable gives every indication that before the storms came these two houses looked identical.  They may have both been attractive, spacious, and comfortable.  On the surface we couldn't really tell which house was built on the sand and which was anchored deep to the rock.  It was only when the storms hit that we could see the difference in the homes.

So it will be with those around us.  It is impossible for us to tell who is genuine in their faith and who is not until the time of trial comes.  We both know that this is true.  Everybody sounds like a believer when times are good. When God is giving us what we want, we are all cheering for Him.  True faith comes when we are called to trust Him in the dark. When a person faces loss, or disappointment, or things simply don't go as expected, we get to see what their faith is really made of.  The person who has a deep foundation,

The grave is where the rubber of our faith meets the road.  It is easy to profess faith when life is good; it is more difficult to believe when you stand at the grave of one you love.  That is the time when you must ask a tough question: "Do I really believe, or don't I?"

HOW TO BUILD ON A FIRM FOUNDATION

First, We Must Know the Truth

Jesus said anyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like the wise man.  The first step is to hear.  This also means we must listen.  Practically, this means several things.  

First, it means we have a responsibility to expose ourselves to the truth.  We do this by reading the Bible, by reading Christian books, by attending worship, by getting involved in classes and Bible Studies, by meeting with Christian friends who can teach and instruct us.

Second, it means to listen.  It is not enough to just hear.  We must listen.  Anyone who is married knows that there is a difference.  Anyone who has a teenager knows that there is a difference between hearing and listening. The key to listening is to interact with the one doing the speaking.  The best listeners are people who ask lots of clarifying questions.  In other words they ask, "What do you mean?" "Are you saying . . . . ", "Can you explain that further?"  "What happened next?"  These are questions that show a person is listening.  We should ask clarifying questions when interacting with the truth of God.

This is true in every other area of your life.  If we want to learn something we have to be in places where we can get the necessary information.  An athlete listens to coaches and more experienced players. A Craftsman becomes an apprentice to learn from those who are more experienced.  We have to expose yourself to the truth if we want to grow.  And the same holds true in our spiritual lives. 

Second, We Must Act on the Truth

It is not enough to KNOW about God. It is not enough to know what God wants us to do.  It is not enough to know how to apply His word . . . . if we are going to build on a solid foundation we must actually DO what God wants us to do.

It is the same with building isn't it?  We can know how to put up a straight wall,  what the proper weight wire is for your particular wiring job, how deep a foundation should go, how far apart the studs or supports should be placed . . .but knowing isn't worth anything if we don't act on what we know.

We can know what it takes to save another person's life, but that information is useless if we don't use that information when someone is in distress.

We can know all kinds of things about God, but it will not help us if we don't do what He says.

Please hear what Jesus is saying.  The reality we must face is this: there are many people who are very knowledgeable about the Christian faith, but who are building on sand.  There are many people who look good, talk good, and appear wonderfully religious, but are really building their foundation on the sand.  They know the truth; they know how to appear Christian . . . . but they are not doing what God tells them to do.  

To some degree all of us are like this.  Every one of us has areas of our life where we are not applying the truth.  We know what God wants us to do, but we just don't do it.  However, the true believer is working to eliminate those areas from their life.  They know that those areas of their life are robbing them of spiritual vitality and are weakening their foundation.  The foolish builder is unconcerned about these things.  

We must learn to obey because we will need to react instinctively when the storms rage. William Barclay tells the following story,

Some time ago there was a report of the case of a sailor in the Royal Navy who was very severely punished for a breach of discipline. So sever was the punishment that in certain civilian quarters it was thought to be far too severe. A newspaper asked its readers to express their opinions about the severity of the punishment.

One who answered was a man who himself had served for years in the Royal Navy. In his view the punishment was not too severe. He held that discipline was absolutely essential, for the purpose of discipline was to condition a man automatically and unquestioningly to obey orders, and on such obedience a man’s life might well depend. He cited a case from his own experience. He was in a launch which was towing a much heavier vessel in a rough sea. The vessel was attached to the launch by a wire hawser. Suddenly in the midst of the wind and the spray there came a single, insistent word of command from the officer in charge of the launch. “Down!” he shouted. On the spot the crew of the launch flung themselves down. Just at that moment the wire towing-hawser snapped, and the broken parts of it whipped about like a maddened steel snake. If any man had been struck by it he would have been instantly killed. But the whole crew automatically obeyed and no one was injured. If anyone had stopped to argue, or to ask why, he would have been a dead man. Obedience saved lives. The Gospel of Matthew: Volume. 2000, c1975 (W. Barclay, lecturer in the University of Glasgow, Ed.). The Daily study Bible series, Rev. ed. (Mt 8:1). Philadelphia: The Westminster Press.

We must learn to be obedient because when the storms come we must react.  We won't have time to ask, "What should I do?"  We need to KNOW what to do.  We won't have the opportunity to build a foundation then, we will need to be holding to that foundation.

So, knowing all of this, why don't more people build on the firm foundation?  There are several reasons.

They are lazy: How appealing it is to build on the sand.  It's a good location.  It is adequate.  It is easy.  In the parallel passage (where the same story is told in another gospel) Jesus said, He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. (Luke 6:48)

Who wants to dig down deep if you don't have to?  It takes more work to build on the rock. It takes more time and energy.  And it costs more. It is easier and faster to build on the sand.

It is easier to take shortcuts in building a home.  It is cheaper to use lesser materials.  And for awhile, no one may notice.  But somewhere along the line, you will pay for your shoddy workmanship.

It is easier to cheat. It is quicker to simply memorize a list of answers. And your grades will look just as good on a job application or an application to college.  But someday you will be asked to express an intelligent thought on your own, and your laziness will be exposed. 

The same is true for your spiritual life.  It is easier to go with the crowd.  It takes less time and energy if you simply maintain a superficial faith.  And frankly, most of the time, who can really tell the difference anyway? It's easier to just show up for church for an hour a week than it is to develop spiritual roots.  It is easier to talk about caring for others than it is to actually care.  It is easier to talk about sharing your faith than it is to build bridges with others.  It is easier to talk about commitment than to be committed.  

They are short-sighted: The problem with people on the sand is that they do not see beyond the present.  They give no thought to what is ahead. They live for the moment and whatever needs to be done to get what they want right now . . . is what they choose to do.  These people do not give any thought to preparing for difficult times.  They don't save any money.  They don't do anything to protect their health. They don't build relationships while there is time. They don't consider the consequences of their moral choices. They live for the moment and are unprepared for difficult times that may be ahead.

In the spiritual realm many people are short-sighted as well.  Their focus is all on the temporal world.  They give no thought to eternity.  They invest no time or energy in developing roots or in laying up treasures in Heaven.  They believe they have lots of time to deal with eternal matters.  They fail to see that being prepared for eternity and having a solid relationship with God, make it possible to enjoy the present life more.  When the storms blow they don't understand why God seems far away. 

They are naïve: They really believe that these kinds of things will never happen to them. They believe they will never have to deal with a crisis, or a tragedy, or loss, or financial stress.  They are naive.  They don't understand that in the next moment life could change drastically.  A car accident, a fire, a tornado, an unexpected pregnancy, a job layoff, a physical problem (heart attack, stroke, or some other problem) could come into your life at any time.  These things may affect you or they may strike someone you love.  We seldom see these things coming.  But when they do, life is turned upside down.  Life may be good for you right now, but that could change in an instant. 

The key principle: The parable of the two houses is a simple parable that teaches: If we build our foundation solidly on the Lord, we will be able to survive anything.  It sounds painfully trite.  But it is true.  And this conclusion is not based on our own experience. This conclusion is based on the promise of God and on the testimony of history.  History is filled with the story of martyrs who remained faithful in horrendous situations. We have watched some who have survived horrible ordeals because of their faith.  We have seen others go through circumstances that may have destroyed us . . . but they survived because of their faith.  We've even seen people who faced death with courage, grace, and confidence.

We will survive in the storms of life if we build on the right foundation because,

Maybe you are in a storm right now.  Maybe you are in the process of discovering that your foundation is faulty.  Please turn to the Lord.  You need to immerse yourself in God's Word.  You need Christian friends who can give you guidance.  You need to place your confidence in His love for You and His work on your behalf. Turn TO Him not away from Him.  It will be difficult, but God is merciful and faithful.

If you are not in a storm right now remind that the time to prepare for the struggles and storms of life is now.  As we approached the year 2000 people were imagining all kinds of chaos due to the new millennium.  Utilities would cease functioning, financial institutions would be thrown into chaos, planes would drop from the sky, and all kinds of machinery we depend on would cease to function correctly.  The scenario seems a little silly right now because none of these things actually happened.

But here's the question: was it all a hoax that resulted from the over-imagination of a few eggheads?  Or was a crisis averted because people took precautions ahead of time? 

We need to take a lesson from our experience at the beginning of 2000.  The best way to avert a crisis is to take the necessary precautions ahead of time.  And the best way to prepare for the inevitable trials of life is to build your life on a rock solid foundation.  Make time to hear God's commands. Find opportunities to grow in knowledge.  Be diligent about doing what He tells you to do. We don't know how much time we have until a storm rages against our lives.  The wise person would begin immediately. 

Matthew 7:24-29 – HOW TO BE SHOCKED ENOUGH TO TAKE ACTION

Building Your Life On The Rock

A luxury villa with an immaculately manicured lawn, beautiful swaying palm trees, an infinity pool, a jetty for speedboats and a helipad, this is the paradise world of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Just one of 300 man-made islands sculpted from sand; a 14 billion dollar dream in Dubai. It took 5 years to build and 320 million cubic meters of sand dredged from the sea to create these islands and nest them inside a protected lagoon. But of course when you build on the sand things come crashing down; enter 2008′s global financial crash. Virtually overnight the market collapsed. Contracts worth hundreds of billions of pounds were put on hold. 60 billion dollars in debt. Shock!

In reading about Dubai World we are reminded about the story Jesus told in Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT) Jesus says “… anyone who hears My teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

Epitaph:  “His life was built on an unstable foundation and was not able to withstand the gradual undermining erosion that took place. Cracks in the wall began to appear early in his life. When the storms of sickness and suffering came, when the storms of temptation and sin came, when the storms of misunderstanding and gossip came, when the storms of doubt and rejection came, when the storms of stress and death came, when the storm of God’s Judgment came His life was built on sand and came crashing down. It was washed out to sea. The aftermath of a cyclone and the reminders of His life are now strewn in wreckage along the beach.” The storms of life test the foundations of our faith. Not that you would notice the difference on the outside between the house built on sand and the house built on the rock, but when the storms come you will see how immeasurably different they are.

Jesus speaks about building on a solid rock foundation. Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT) “Anyone who listens to My teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.” The “bedrock” relates to the message of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mountain but also to all His teaching. “Petra” (rock) is the word that is used here in the original language of the Bible. It doesn’t mean a stone or a single rock but it is describing a great outcropping of rock, a large expanse of bedrock which is SOLID, STABLE, AND UNMOVABLE.

How stable is your faith? What are you really trusting in? Will it still be there when the storms have passed, anchored and unmoving? Will the last storm of Judgment burn away the refuse of a life lived without God and produce irreparable devastation and separation from God for eternity?

Matthew 7:28 (NLT) says “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were AMAZED at His teaching …” Amazed! Astonished! Shocked! There is a big difference between being astonished and coming under the authority of what Jesus is saying, between adding Jesus to our lives as an optional extra and truly following Him as our Lord and Saviour. Jesus was after action not just astonishment, worship not just wonder, obedience not just observation, salvation not just shock. The invitation is to allow God to turn amazement into action by actively trusting and following Christ as your Lord and Saviour today, the Solid Rock foundation for our lives.

Commentaries:

You will be able to withstand the temptations to go down that wrong path.  Even though it may seem like the way to go, you will choose the way of the Lord and follow his commandments.

Jesus' teachings and living by those teachings are our source of strength, faith and a solid foundation. When the storms come (troubles), we only need ask God with that faith to help us through those storms. 

Jesus is the foundation of all life. If you build your life on Jesus’s life. Teachings. Commandments and obey His word, it is like you build your life on rock. No storm can overthrow your life

Jesus words protect you and keep you encouraged and strong

Jesus tells us that we will be able to face any type of odes in the life if we follow the teachings and commandments of the Jesus and God sincerely.

When you live by the word of God to the best of your ability and know who your power source is you know that when the storms of life come you know that Jesus will see you through.

Jesus words comforts, soothe, provide us succor, protects, gives us victory and assurance that there is hope after the storms of life.

Jesus is my ROCK and building life on Jesus' words means a lot to me.  No matter how big the storm comes in my life Jesus is there to guard, guide and protect me.  Only trust and faith in Jesus can help you.  Thank you Jesus.

Jesus is the truth and the light. Anyone who believes in Him has life and will never stumble because his path is full of light. Jesus is the King of all crises, therefore no matter what type of storms come in a believer’s life, he will be protected because his King is with him. When we magnify Jesus and Jesus' words in our life, there is nothing that will keep us from worrying, because we are in His safe hands. If we try to understand any obstacles that came in a believer’s way, we will understand that it is Jesus who brought that obstacle so as to protect us from something bad that was supposed to happen in our lives. Therefore anyone who believes in Him and keeps His word is protected from every storm.

By building my life on Jesus' words protect me when the storms of life come because the Lord is with me all the time.

He is the Everlasting Rock, a foundation this, has-been, and will be forever. He should be the foundation for everything, relationships, business, and our choices.

Whatever evil tries to attack you or turn your life upside down, the words of JESUS protect us from these things

The storms of life have no authority after death, Jesus words will take us through life and to life everlasting, so building our life in Jesus have authority over storms of life.

Jesus' words guide, direct and heal all of the lies and misdirection that has been planted in the world. Jesus is of The Living not of the dead. Father is in control. He allows you to believe what you want to believe. Who Do You Listen To!

In Jeremiah chapter 29 vs. 11 He says "l know the plans that l have for you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end." When we build our lives on Jesus, it means we are not afraid of anything because He knows the plans that He has for us and we can always ask for anything from Him as long we abide by His law. And when the storms of life come, we know where to get protection.

Jesus' words protect me by giving me a sense of calmness. I know I can make it through anything just knowing that I have Jesus in my heart and with Him I am completely protected against all evil. Peace be with you.

We need to be obedient when we are followers of Jesus Christ.  As Christians, we must remember that His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways not our ways.  Sometimes it's our fault when we fall into difficulties.  And then again, failures, if taken rightly, may become steppingstones to higher ground.  The scriptures tell us that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.

So when the storms of life come we have the assurance from the words of God himself that Jesus Christ is in the midst of that particular storm we are going through.

You have to believe, have faith, trust him, love him with your heart and soul, and then when the storms of life come they will really find your house on a rock.  You know Jesus has miracles " In Easter 1 went to church and 1 was lake with one of my priest.  It was very dark and late where there was no transport for us.  We have to hike in order to join our followers.  I had a very small prayer at the same time."Jesus 1 better be late than to hike the wrong lifts that will cost us trouble, amen." Guess what, two young boys came our way and they stopped therefore they ask us where we were going so late and we explained our situation and they give us a lift up to the gate of our church, on top of that they church us less than what we thought we were going to pay. I thought that was a wise prayer and it worked.

We remember that power, love and a sound mind come from God. He is merciful to deliver us in times of great distress. Jesus said He will never forsake us, even when the storms come. God will uphold us with His right Hand and carry us through the storms of life. For God loved us first and all He wants is our belief in His power, mercy and love. God bestows His peace, rest and joy upon us. FAITH is the key that unlocks God's unlimited power through us.

Jesus’ words are truth and it produces life. When you stand on the foundation of Jesus Christ you will have life. Even when the storms come and the rain come, you still can stand because you remember the comforting, true words of Jesus.

The Word of God says in Psalms 18:30 that God's way is perfect, and the Word of the Lord is tried, he is a buckler to all those that trust in Him. It is God that gireth me with strength and maketh my way perfect.

(Hosea4:6)"My people perish for lack of Knowledge."When WE are enveloped in these Studies, Reading our Bibles Daily before you have to run off to work or Breakfast; you’ll run out the door with Your Armor on! (Protected) Continually keeping CHRIST in our sight & striving to serve HIM WE will not be doing things of this world to allow Storms into our Lives because "We'll be doing GODS Will."CHRIST clearly likens US that build OUR Lives upon HIS Word:"The Rock to be wise." When the storms of life come they can Not destroy HIS Foundation in OUR Lives. When you run out the door in a hurry & leave GOD in the closet or back seat, "Your Armor isn't on & you’re Unprotected." (Proverbs3:5-6)

Building my life on Jesus' words ensures that I am building on a solid foundation. Following Jesus' words & teaching assures me that when things go wrong that Jesus/God will be there to lift me up & keep me from falling.

He Is The Living Word! What else do you need to be fed? If it is not His Word, it is not to be trusted, unless it is checked out Biblically Thoroughly.

Rain - Rob Bell speaks in a simple way about hard times, and Jesus' care for the brokenhearted