Choose Wisely
07/10/05 AM
Text: Matthew 7:24-27
Reading: Matthew 7:13-29
INTRODUCTION
This weekend past saw the celebration of Independence Day, a time we take to celebrate the birth of our nation and the freedoms we enjoy in our republic. As it happens I am currently in a philosophy class and I found myself part of a discussion about those freedoms and the rights of individuals to exercise those freedoms. I won’t drag you through all the details but ultimately the discussion reached the point where it was acknowledged that in our democratic system people are free to choose how they use the freedoms they are afforded, free even to choose poorly. And that brings us to our lesson for today which I’ve titled: Choose Wisely because just as we as Americans may choose to wisely or unwisely exercise our freedoms, we as Christians may do the same and some of those choices are illustrated in the parables taught by Jesus and recorded in the Gospels. For our lesson today we will focus on one in particular, the parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders.
Opening Illust. In 1174 the Italian architect Bonnano Pisano began work on what would become his most famous project: A separately standing bell tower for the Cathedral of the city of Pisa. The tower was to be eight-stories and 185-foot-tall tall. There was just one "little" problem: builders quickly discovered that the soil was much softer than they had anticipated, and the foundation was far too shallow to adequately hold the structure! And sure enough, before long the whole structure had begun to tilt... and it continued to tilt... until finally the architect and the builders realized that nothing could be done to make the Leaning Tower of Pisa straight again. It took 176 years to build the Tower of Pisa and during that time many things were done to try and compensate for the "tilt." Foundation was shored up; the upper levels were even built at an angle to try to make the top of the tower look straight. Nothing worked. The tower has stood for over 800 years, but it leans 18 feet away from where it should be. One day, experts say, it will fall. All because it wasn’t built on the right foundation.
I. THE CONTEXT OF THIS PARABLE.
A. The parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders is part of the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount that begins at 7:13.
1. It is important to note that when Jesus begins this teaching He is speaking to disciples:
Matthew 5:1-2 “When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them…”
2. As we reach the conclusion of this teaching we find three parables dealing with two choices:
a. Two gates, two destinies on the other side--life or destruction (7:13-14).
b. Two types of trees; those which bear good fruit and bad.
1) Don’t be deceived! (verses 15-20)
2) Know true Christians by their works.
c. Two foundations; one sound and one weak.
3. All three representing two types of Disciples of Christ, all illustrating the consequences of our choices.
We are going to focus on the lessons to be learned from the parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders. Those who say, "One religion is as good as another" and "We’re all trying to get to the same place" are wrong!
II. THE PARABLE ITSELF.
A. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine…” (v. 24).
1. “THEREFORE” - Because there are only two ways and because there are so many deceivers and because not everyone enters the kingdom of heaven, you must listen to me!
B. What He Says: Vs 24-27
24“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. 25“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. 26“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. 27“The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”
C. What we find:
1. Hearing and Doing.
a. Both hear, but only the Wise Man does anything about it.
James 1:22-25
b. John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
c. John 15:10 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
d. Luke 6:46 “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
e. Proverbs 24:3-4 By wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; And by knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches.
f. Three keys words from the book of Proverbs:
• Knowledge is the OBSERVATION of facts
• Understanding is the EXPLANATION of facts
• Wisdom is the APPLICATION of facts
2. Building and Foundations.
a. The Biblical concept of “hearing” is the same as “obedience” – in other words, if you don’t DO what is said, you didn’t really HEAR it! There are many similarities between the two builders in Jesus’ parable; in fact, the only real difference between the wise man and foolish man is a foundation, which Jesus calls obedience.
b. Everyone is building the house in which he/she lives; either by design or unconsciously (non-decisions).
• The foundation of a person’s life is OBEDIENCE to the Word of God. Disobedience in a person’s life is like foolishly building a house without a foundation.
c. 1 Corinthians 3:10-13
d. What distinguishes the builders is the foundation they choose to build on!
e. Ephesians 2:20
3. Storms and Outcomes.
a. Both houses are hit by a storm, but only one of them survives.
b. Storms will come--for everybody; every house we build will face a storm.
c. Crucial idea. Following Jesus does not exempt us from life’s storms! Jesus is not teaching a parable about how to build our houses in protected areas. There are no storm-free zones! This is a parable about foundations, not avoiding the weather. The outcome is determined by the foundation we’re sitting on.
a) Floods Test The Foundation
• Isaiah 59:19 (KJV) So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.
• Revelation 12:15 (KJV) And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
• In today’s society, the enemy sends floods of all kinds against the foundation. He knows that if he can get people to embrace something other than Biblical salvation, it doesn’t matter what else they build because it will ultimately fall.
b) Winds Test The Structure
• Ephesians 4:14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
CONCLUSION
1. That’s where we want to end this AM. Everything depends on our foundation.
a. Either you are building your life on Jesus and his teaching or you are not.
b. If you are you will experience life; if you are not you will experience destruction. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
Invitation
