MATTHEW 7: 24-29
THE TWO FOUNDATIONS IN LIFE
[Psalms 89:20-29]
Here is the familiar story of two men building their homes (lives). Both men had access to the same materials. Both had choices as to where and how to build their homes (lives). But one man’s house stood while the other man’s house collapsed in the great storm (judgment). The difference was in the foundations. One built on the Rock, the Eternal Rock, the other on the shifting sands of time.
Our passage pictures contrasting responses to the Word of God and the outcome for obeying or not obeying the Word (CIT). This story stresses the importance of obedience to Jesus’ words. [Jesus gives special emphasis to the identification of His words with Himself.] All men are building, all builders choose a foundation. All foundations will be tried. Only one foundation will stand the storm of judgment. There is no eternal foundation other than Jesus Christ, the Rock of Ages.
This parable or story applies to the lifelong process of building godly character. We are all building a life. Every (cherished) ambition , every (formulated) thought, every (thought-filled) word, every (responsive) action is a block in the gradual building of the structure we raise up as our life. Does it rise to the glory of God or for our own glory?
I. BUILDING FOR ETERNITY, 24-25
II. BUILDING FOR THIS AGE/TIME, 26-27.
III. BUILDING UNDER AUTHORITY, 28-29.
Verse 24 amounts to an implied invitation to obey the Word of God and build your life on the eternal foundation of God. “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.
Jesus presented the two options open to His listeners. Each is responsible for what they had heard and must make a choice. They could build on one of two foundations. One foundation was likened to a solid rock and the other to sand. The foundation determines the ability of a structure to withstand the elements [rains, waters and winds].
Jesus calls the person wise [10:16; 24:45; 25:2, 4, 9] who builds his life upon the Rock. Notice though that no one actually builds upon the eternal foundation of Christ until he acts or obeys the Word of Christ. No one builds or benefits from the Word until he acts upon it in obedience. Profession does not avail unless one does the will of God (7:21-23).
The wise response to the message of the Kingdom is pictured as building one’s house on bedrock in verse 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.
In Palestine, land becomes baked hard in the summer, causing even sandy and unstable areas to appear rock-solid. The true test doesn’t come until the rain falls and the floods come.
If you were going to build a house you would make certain that your foundation would stand the test of the elements that come against it. Jesus here is saying, “Be careful upon what you build your life. Build on something tried and true. Establish or found your life upon “the Rock.” [Jesus Christ Himself is the Rock (Isa. 28:16-17, 1 Pet 2:6, Rom. 9:33, 1 Cor. 3:11; 10:4).
What are you doing to STAY HEALTHY? Notice that I didn't ask what you know about good health. There's a big difference. That's a point Dr. Neil Solomon made in his newspaper column. He wrote, "So you'd like to stay healthy-most people would. Fine, what are you doing about it?" He concluded, "I've always been puzzled that so many people take better care of their cars than they do of themselves."
Let's apply this to another area of life. What are we doing to stay spiritually healthy? I'm not asking what we know about staying spiritually healthy. Most of us are well-versed on that subject. We're familiar with much that our Lord said to us in His Word, but what are we doing about it? The wise person doesn't just hear-he hears and does something about it. We do wrong when we fail to do right.
[Symbolically the rains, floods and winds represent the troubles, problems, trials, severe dilemmas, persecutions, tribulations and calamities of life. The one who builds upon the rock by not only hearing but doing the Lord’s teaches will find Him their support and rock of refuge in the distress of life. Even the sudden, unexpected storms of life will not totter or up end you.]
The wise builder searches for the true meaning of life until he finds the Word of God. He searches the Word and finds the Rock. He searches the Rock and makes it his foundation. Then he builds his life upon the Rock of Ages according to the everlasting Word.
II. BUILDING FOR THIS AGE/TIME, 26-27.
Verse 26 is an implied warning to those who refuse to obey. “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 foolish (5:22; 23:17; 25:2, 3, 8) response is pictured as building one’s house on sand. The sand represent building your life on some foundation other than Christ and His Word.
Who is the one who builds his house upon the rock? The one who hears the Words of the Lord and does them. Who is the one who builds on the sand? The one who hears His Words but doesn’t do or act upon them. He is building his existence upon the sand. [He did not dig around to see if their was a solid reality upon which this visible world was founded.]
One of the great dangers for we who love the Scriptures is to think hearing is equivalent to doing. You might say, “Yeah, I agree with the teaching Jesus gave on judging (7:1-5). I shouldn’t judge. I need to show mercy. Right on.” But if you leave and immediately turn to someone and start gossiping, or judging, or critiquing, you’re foolish.
We have such need to hear these words of Jesus because Bible students are in great danger of being foolish men who erroneously conclude that because they are hearing the truth and agreeing with the truth, they are automatically practicing the truth. The wise man not only hears Jesus’ words but also puts them into practice. And his house stands when the storm comes. [Courson, Jon: Jon Courson's Application Commentary. Nashville, TN : Thomas Nelson, 2003, S. 44.] If you are building your life upon anything other that living out the Word of God you are building a ruin.
In verse 27 the final day of testing arrives. “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”
The day of testing comes for both houses, for the prepared and the unprepared. The clouds burst forth, the land turns into a river bed, a torrent running deep, swift and furiously toward the very supports of the walls and then all of a sudden a tornado slams against it. The outcome of they test? Did the raging floods undermine the foundation, weaken your home as the sands of time are washed away? The rains, floods and winds ultimately mean God’s final judgment. Will your life, the bases or trust for your life and what you did with it withstand the collapse of this world [time]?
When the trials of life, pictured as rains, floods, and winds, beat upon it, the house built on sand falls with a crash—but the house wisely built on bedrock does not collapse. [Evidently, the houses are pictured as being built along a “wadi,” which is a dry gulch in the summer but becomes a raging torrent during the winter rains.] The rock foundation represented the Lord Himself and the truths He had been presenting, especially the truth concerning inner transformation. The sand spoke of Pharisaic or self-righteousness on which many people knew were basing their hopes. In storms the first would give stability; the second would result in destruction.
[It is important to note that both the wise and foolish builders hear the teaching of Jesus. It is His teaching that is the standard of judgment. But it is not enough to have heard the teaching of Jesus. Hearing and knowing the teaching of Jesus are worthwhile activities only when they result in application. The false prophets, whatever their appearance and words, are lawless. The wide gate, though attractive, leads to destruction. Eschatological judgment utterly destroys houses built on sand, but houses built on rock withstand it (16:18). [Comfort, Philip Wesley: Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 11. Carol Stream, IL.: Tyndale House Publishers, 2005, S. 117.] There is real danger in every generation that people will hear Christ’s word and not act upon it. We should ask our self and examine our life to see if it is built upon living out God’s eternal Word.
A heavy rain had stopped falling just before a man drove down a lonely road. As he rounded a curve, he saw an old farmer surveying the ruins of HIS BARN. The driver stopped to ask what happened. "Roof fell in," said the farmer. "Leaked so long it just rotted clear through." "Why didn't you fix it before it got so bad?" asked the stranger. "Well, sir," replied the farmer, "I just never seemed to get around to it. When the weather was good, I didn't need to. And when it rained, it was too wet to work on!"
It's easy to think, someday I'll take get to work for Jesus, someday I’ll care of those little sinful habits; someday I'll start living for Christ. Such an attitude is no different from that of the farmer. Jesus said, "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock" .
We grow strong in character by applying God's Word to our daily activities. We must be diligent. To put off our duty, to make excuses for our failures, or to ignore our conscience can become our downfall, even though it may seem of little consequence.
The secret of building a "good roof," as well as laying a solid life of godly Christian character, is found in obeying God each day in the small duties of life as well as the large ones. - [D.J.D. Our Daily Bread. Radio Bible Class.]
III. BUILDING UNDER AUTHORITY, 28-29.
Matthew adds his own observation of the teaching of Jesus in verse 28. When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching;
After recording Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount,” Matthew wrote, “When Jesus had finished saying these things.” Five times Matthew wrote such a statement (identical or similar words), each time following a collection of Jesus’ sayings: 28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1. These serve as turning points or shifts in the book’s structure.
As a result of this sermon, the crowds of people following Jesus were amazed at His teaching. “Amazed” (exeplçsonto, “struck out”) indicates being “overwhelmed.” The imperfect tense indicates that it lasted for a while. [The middle of passive literally says “they were struck out of themselves. They were bewildered by the spiritual impact. It suggests a strong, sudden sense of being astounded, and is stronger than thaumazô (“to wonder or be amazed”). Matthew used exeplçsonto four times (7:28; 13:54; 19:25; 22:23). Walvoord, John & Zuck, Roy. The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983, S. 36]
Verse 29 compares Christ’s teaching with that of other religious leaders. “for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”
Jesus had just demonstrated the inadequacies of the Pharisees’ religious system. The righteousness they knew was not sufficient for entering His kingdom. The authority of Jesus is what amazed them, for He taught as a Spokesman from God—not as the teachers of His time who were simply reflecting the authority of the Law. The contrast between Jesus and the religious leaders was most pronounced.
The famous 18th-century philosopher and skeptic DAVID HUME was chided by some of his friends because he went to church on Sundays to hear the Scottish minister John Brown preach. Defending himself, Hume replied, "Well, I don't believe all that he says, but he does! And once a week I like to hear a man who believes what he says!"
Jesus' confident and clear presentation of the truth impressed people (Mt. 7:28,29). His authoritative tone commanded their undivided attention. Gracious, yet dynamic, He fed their hungry souls as He spoke.
In striking contrast, the scribes were uninspiring. They delivered their messages mechanically and with little true concern for their hearers. They often put doubts in people's minds by their quibbling over nonessentials and by emphasizing man-made traditions in which "gnats" were strained out while "camels" were swallowed (Mt. 23:24). No wonder Jesus' loving and straightforward approach brought such a hearty response.
We who know Christ must speak with conviction! A hurting and questioning world needs to hear the truth presented clearly and confidently. We should follow our Lord's example. He spoke the truth lovingly yet with conviction. [ H.G.B. Our Daily Bread. Radio Bible Class.] If you believe what you say, what you say will be more-believable.
IN CLOSING
Jesus told a story of the wise and foolish builders to stress the importance of continuous obedience to His words. Neal Beidleman survived the ill-fated 1996 expedition in which EIGHT CLIMBERS died on Mount Everest. Some of them had paid $65,000 for a chance to scale the world’s highest peak. In assessing what went wrong, Beidleman said, "Tragedies and disasters . . . are not the result of a single decision, a single event, or a single mistake. They are the culmination of things in your life. Something happens and it becomes a catalyst for all the things you've had at risk."
On Everest, that "something" was a raging blizzard. According to journalist Todd Burgess, "If not for the storm, the climbers may have gotten away with taking so many risks. But the storm exposed their weaknesses."
The things at risk in our lives today - matters of spiritual indifference or disobedience - can overwhelm us when the storms come. Obedience to Christ doesn't eliminate the storms of life, but it does determine whether we fall or stand in the storm. [David McCasland. Our Daily Bread. Radio Bible Class.]
These verses constitute a stern warning that presents two contrasting responses to the Sermon in the form of three metaphors: (1) two kinds of roads and gates (Mt. 7:13-14; Luke 13:24), two kinds of trees and fruit (7:15–23; Luke 6:43–46), two kinds of foundations and two kinds of builders (7:24–27; Luke 6:47–49). The one hearing and obeying Jesus’ words is wise; one who does not is foolish.
As we review this sermon we should recognize that the One who promises us salvation does so with the authority that sets us free to live. It is essential for the community of Jesus to live by His words. [Augsburger, Myron S.; The Preacher's Commentary Series, Vol. 24 : Matthew. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1982, S. 18.]
The comparison of discipleship to the construction of a house in 7:24–27 is very effective. [This picture is found elsewhere in Scripture (Deut 28:15, 30; Prov 10:25; 14:11), especially in Ezekiel 13:8–16).] We are building the character and spiritual achievements of the godly life as we walk with Him. Such building calls for a good and sure foundation and this was exactly what Jesus was providing.
The difference is the obedient deeds of wise disciples who act on what they hear from their master, contrasted with the inactivity of the complacent hearers who do nothing. The obedient build an enduring house on rock, the passive a doomed edifice on sand.
The clear warning has been given. Neither the ancient crowds who originally heard the Sermon from Jesus on the mount nor the modern readers who encounter the gist of it today. To walk away unchanged, complacent ultimately is to not weather the storm, to be eternally separated from Jesus, to arrive in hell. So let us heed the warnings, weather the storm, enter the Kingdom, and find life! We have been warned. [Comfort, S. 117.]
You can build your life on the sands of time or upon the eternal foundation of Jesus Christ. The Solid Rock or shifting sands? ...What are your building your life upon?
