The Parable Of The Two Builders
Rev. Philip A. Gunther
Cathedrals & Towers
Dedicated in 1093 AD, making it some 908 years old, Europe’s oldest gothic church stands proudly as a magnificent and massive architectural creation. Situated in the city of Winchester, in the county of Hampshire, in the United Kingdom. Winchester Cathedral is indeed a sight to behold.
In 1905, however, some serious signs of structural weakness appeared in the cathedral – ominous cracks began to develop. Some architectural experts suggested buttresses to prop up the walls, or tie-rods to hold them together. Finally, an expert maintained that the foundation should be probed and so deep shafts were dug to the foundation. There they discovered that the great cathedral had been constructed on a bog. The original builders had laid tree trunks flat on the soft watery soil, and on that had reared their building. The miracle was that the building had stood as long as it had.
In 1906, W.G. Walker in a deep-sea diving suit, began working in water thick and brown digging down through eight feet of peat. He picked the peat out in sections and replaced it with concrete. It took him five and a half years to restore the cathedral’s rotting foundation (Martin, Hugh. The Parables Of The Gospels).
In 1173 AD, architect Bonanno Pisano began a project that was to out live him – in fact, it took two hundred years to complete (1350 AD). Eventually standing 185 feet or eight stories tall, this bell tower or as we have come to know it, the Tower of Pisa, has become famous not so much for its architectural beauty but for it’s eighteen foot lean. The inclination became so much of a concern that it was closed to the public in 1990. Just recently, major restorative work has been done to its weak and failing foundation so that it would not topple over.
This August, the City of Lloydminster, Saskatchewan dismantled it’s three remaining seven-year-old, 100-foot high steel provincial boundary monuments because of safety concerns with their structural integrity. There was a fear that they could collapse at any time. The foundational concrete markers onto which they were fastened had certain defects permitting the monuments to loosen at the base as the wind blew against them.
The Winchester Cathedral, the Bell Tower of Pisa and the Lloydminster boundary monuments were set on poor foundations. The costs of repair on these structures are, I believe, minuscule compared to the consequences of people who build their lives on defective life-foundations, both for this life and the life hereafter.
Whether it is a home, a cathedral, a tower or a life, the type of foundation one has is crucially important. If you want something to last, be it a building or your own life, the type of foundation you rest it upon matters immensely.
My concern is what you have or will have as an anchor for your soul. What foundation will you lay down or have you laid down? To what will you secure your life? Is it or will it be, a foundation of self-achievements and abilities? A foundation of wealth – a good financial portfolio, perhaps? A foundation of fame – a solid reputation in the community? A career foundation – a good resume and all? Perhaps it will be a foundation of ‘good times’ – sex, drugs, wine and song? We all need and have a foundation upon which we construct our lives, what is or will be yours and will it last?
The parable of Jesus we want to hear of this morning invites us to examine the foundation we have chosen to build our lives upon.
Sermon On The Plain
Jesus was at the very end of a lengthy sermon (Luke 6:20-49), some have called it the Sermon on the Plain for the Bible says that, “He went down with [His disciples] and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea....” (Luke 6:17).
The sermon, in essence, reminded listeners of God’s reward in heaven for those who were suffering, mourning, persecuted and poor – this was good news that needed to be proclaimed. It directed them to love their enemies and pray for those who mistreated them – to be merciful. It directed them not to judge and condemn others but rather to forgive them. In it, Jesus reminded them that the constitution of one’s heart determined character and that the quality of one’s speech was the litmus test – “For out of the overflow of [one’s] heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).
God’s promise of heaven which we are to declare, love for one’s enemies, forgiving and not condemning others are in part the “my words” Jesus speaks of in this closing parable of the two builders at the end of His sermon.
The Wise And Foolish Builders
"Why do you call me, ’Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say [“you won’t obey me” – NLT]? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock [“it was built to last” – Message]. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation [“wasn’t built on solid rock” – CEV]. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed [“smashed it to pieces” – NLT] and its destruction was complete [“it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss” – Message]" (Luke 6:46-49).
The bottom line: following Jesus means putting His words into practice – it means doing the will of the Heavenly Father as revealed in His Son Jesus. It is not enough to offer the Lord token expressions of our allegiance to Him. Tokens like just coming to church or just having your name on the membership roaster. Being a follower of Jesus Christ means taking His words and putting them into action, specifically in this context, the promise of a heavenly reward which we are to proclaim, loving your enemy and forgiving and not condemning others. Jesus Himself said, “You are my friends if you do what I command” (John 15:14).
The wise man built the foundation of his house upon solid rock. His house stood up against the torrent. The foolish man built the foundation of His house upon ground which had no solid base and was destroyed completely when the torrent struck.
Jesus’ point – the wise person will put into practice what Jesus taught and thereby build his faith and life upon a rock-like foundation. By doing so, the storms of this life – trials, temptations, suffering, hardships and so on will not destroy such a person. In addition, the coming Day of Judgment will also not witness his or her destruction. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
On the other hand, the person who chooses not to put into practice the words of Jesus will be building his life and faith upon a foundation that will be destroyed, if not by the storms of this life, then most certainly by the coming Day of Judgment. The Lord in heaven said, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done” (Revelation 22:12).
At the Beach, my sons and I build sandcastles. It doesn’t take long though, for the waves to wash the castles away. They are not built to withstand even the smallest of breakers – one by one they erode our creation. So too, if your life is built upon things other than Christ and His words, the smallest of trails, temptations and suffering will soon erode your faith and life.
How often I have seen believers struggle and succumb to trials and temptations that should not even have fizzed them. Here they are in crisis because they did nothing to fortify their faith – no Bible reading or study, occasional church attendance, almost no prayer life and a failure to practice the words of Christ. If you build your faith on spiritual sand, you will be washed away.
The Bible makes things very clear: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).
I assembled a gas BBQ this summer. Like every man, when my wife said, “Here’s the instruction manual,” I gave the typical male reply, “That’s for those who don’t know what they’re doing.” It’s amazing how many spare parts they put in BBQ kits, isn’t it guys? The instruction manual is there to help us assemble things properly. It’s there to help us have a good working product. It’s important not just to read it but to actually do what it instructs.
Our walk with Christ means practicing His words. If you want a godly, dynamic and passionate walk with Christ you need to put into practice the words He spoke. In doing so, you will build a foundation in your life that will result in a strong walk with the Lord and a life that can face and conquer the spiritual, emotional and physical breakers that will wash upon you.
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).
Are you putting into practice the things Jesus taught? Are you sharing the hope of heaven with those who are hurting? Are you doing good to that co-worker who hates you? Are you praying for that cousin or uncle who mistreats you? Are you forgiving that neighbour who slighted you? Are you giving to the needs of others who seek your help? Are you loving that kid at school who you see as your enemy?
If your answer is no, you are erecting a foundation for your life which is not being built to last. If your answer is yes, the torrents of this life and those on the Day of Judgement will not witness your collapse. For you are on solid rock – the words of Christ Jesus.
No Other Foundation
In this life we need a good foundation upon which to build our lives and our faith. Jesus claims that He and His words are that foundation. His words include the promise of heaven which we are to give witness to, loving one’s enemies and forgiving others rather then condemning them.
Remember the words of the Apostle Paul: “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:10-11).
There is one true and lasting foundation for life and faith and He is Jesus Christ. As Edward Mote’s hymn The Solid Rock declares, “All other ground is sinking sand.” May your hope be built on nothing less than Christ Jesus and His words. May your hope be put into practice for then your life and faith will be built to last.
