Wednesday, January 10, 2024
The Parables of Jesus Series
Session 2: The Parable of the Man Who Builds on the Rock and the Foolish Man Who Builds on Sand
Introduction: The parable of the man who built his house on the rock and the foolish man who built his house on the sand is a timeless parable with a timeless lesson. In a world that seemingly complicates the simple and ignores the obvious, this parable is blatantly clear in its meaning and life application. In this parable, Jesus emphasizes two things: hearing and doing. Knowing what is right is one thing – doing is quite another. Many know the Bible, but few practice it. In this passage, Jesus uses two words – wise and foolish. The measure of success and failure in the eyes of God is quite different than that of man.
The Parable of the Man who Builds on the Rock and the Foolish Man who builds on Sand is found in the gospel of Matthew and Luke.
Tonight’s study will take a look at Matthew’s gospel
Matthew 7:24-27
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
What is Matthew Trying to Tell Us?
FOR THE WISE MAN (VV.24-25)
In verse 24, Hearing and heeding the teachings of Christ are likened to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
The house represents a person’s spiritual life. The rain, floods, and winds represent life’s circumstances(temporarily) and divine judgment (eternally).
Only the house built on the foundation of obedience to God’s Word stands, which calls for repentance, rejection of salvation by works, and trust in God’s grace to save through His merciful provision of Christ.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (James 1:22)
1.Keep Christ’s commands – Love for Him is judged by our obedience.
“If you love Me, keep My commandments (John 14:23)
2.Keep Christ’s words – Love will honor Him.
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. (John 14:23)
Stability is found in Christ, the Rock of our salvation!
and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. (Matthew 7:25)
GREAT TRUTH TO BE REMEMBERED!
Just as the house built on the rock remained because it was established upon a rock, we too will remain when our faith is in Christ, the solid rock.
We are kept by God’s power.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (I Peter 1:3-5)
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)
FOR THE FOOLISH MAN(VV.26-27)
In verse 26, Jesus says that those who hear His word, but do not heed them is likened to a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
Sand in verse 26 equates to the world’s philosophies, ideologies, and belief systems.
Sand will be washed away when the rain (Life’s circumstances/divine judgment) comes. Therefore, a house (spiritual life) built on sand will collapse. There is no sure foundation, now or in the hereafter.
TWO CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FOOLISH MAN:
- The foolish man is disrespectful and disobedient.
The foolish man disrespected God and disobeyed Jesus’ commands. We are like the foolish man when we disobey Jesus and try to build our house on the sand. There is no sure foundation on the sand and never will be.
Disrespect for God and disobedience to Jesus’ commands leads to:
1.Sinfulness – When one knows what is right and refuses to do so, he is sinning.
Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4:17)
2.Stubborness – Refusing the right way leads to death.
There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 14:12)
- The destruction comes when God’s Word is disobeyed.
and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” (Matthew 7:27)
A WORD TO THE WISE
- The wise man heeds the words of the teacher (Christ). Jesus was a teacher as well as the Savior sent from God.
- Just as a sure foundation is crucial to the stability of a literal house, a sure foundation (the teachings of Christ) is crucial to the stability of a spiritual house (the Christian life).
- Heeding the teachings of Christ will always lead to a sure foundation. Every other teaching that contradicts God’s Word is sinking sand.
SOME TAKE AWAYS FROM THIS PARABLE:
- The man who built his house on the rock and the man who built his house on the sand both heard the words of Jesus. Just hearing the teachings of Jesus (e.g., just coming to church and listening to the words of Jesus) is a start, but it’s certainly not the point. We as believers are called to be more than hearers of Jesus’ word, but doers also (James 1:22).
- Both men get hit with pounding rain, rising streams, and hurricane-like winds. Both lives get pummeled by stuff. That’s how life goes for everybody. We all have to take the bad along with the good. Life happens to everyone. Bad things happen to the good along with the bad. But in the end, only the one who listened to Jesus’ teachings and obeyed them is left standing in this life, and the life to come.
- Jesus places an equals sign between living a life that doesn’t get destroyed and following His teachings.
Conclusion: Each believer in Christ needs to make sure that their house (spiritual life) is built on the rock (Jesus Christ). It is not enough to just hear Jesus’ teachings; we must obey them and do them. Only in obeying and doing the things Jesus teaches us, will the foundation that our life is built on be able to stand against the rains, floods, winds of this life and one day in eternity when we stand before God. “On Christ, the solid Rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.”
Next Week, session 3: The Parable of the Unshrunk (new) Cloth on an Old Garment