“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.” —Matthew 7:24-27
This parable is one of the most well known and while familiarity can be a wonderful thing, it can also cause us to fail to carefully listen and consider what is being said.
Pop Quiz / True or false?
The storm only hit one house?
Only one house survived the storm?
The foolish man did not listen to Jesus?
Jesus tells us what we need to do in order to survive the trials of life?
1. WE’RE INTRODUCED TO TWO
One of these men is wise.
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a
man who built his house on the rock.” —Matthew 7:24
The word translated “wise” means thoughtful, understanding, and
To be wise is to see life from God’s perspective and to then act
One of these men is
“But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand” —Matthew 7:26
A fool is someone who refuses to listen and
** 2. WE’RE TOLD OF TWO
Both the wise and foolish men have built homes.
From the outside both
Both houses are finished and furnished but there’s a monumental difference between them, a difference that isn’t seen by the naked eye.
3. WE’RE TOLD OF TWO
Jesus tells us that a great storm came to
Though not the primary emphasis of the passage, we’d be remiss not to point out that neither home was immune from a storm coming.
“He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust” —Matthew 5:45
While there is a sure and certain calling to take great care in building our lives on the right things, the idea that doing so will grant us immunity from
“Whether your religion be true or not, it will be tried” - Charles Spurgeon
*Jesus tells us that a great storm battered both of these houses but their was a major difference in the outcome *
The wise man’s house withstood the rain, flood, and wind AND the house of the foolish man collapsed.
WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE?
Look again at verse 24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock”
Now look at Verse 26 “Everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.”
Both of these men had the privilege of hearing the words of Jesus BUT ONLY ONE heeded the words of Jesus.
THE WISE – Hear the words of Jesus and __act __on them
THE FOOLISH –
“Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” —James 1:22
REVELATION BRINGS
A final thing to notice from this passage is the response of the crowd to the sermon on the mount and this warning from Jesus to put it into practice.
“When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at his teaching because he was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes.” —Matthew 7:28-29
Concerning the response of the crowd, notice what the passage do not say.
While the audience is understandably
It’s possible to deeply
Build your life on the Rock and you can be sure that come what may…
“When the storm passes by, the wicked is no more, but the righteous has an everlasting foundation” —Proverbs 10:25