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Matthew 7:24-27
Jesus concludes His “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5:1-7:29) with instructions for those who hear His teachings. This is the parable of one who builds their house on the rock in which the foundation is solid and will stand unwavering through the storm. This is to be representative of the person who hears the words of Jesus and not only trusts in them but puts them into action in their life in the way in which Jesus is teaching. To follow in the way of Jesus’ teachings is to build a foundation on the solid rock of Jesus Christ; when the storms of life come, this person will be able to stand firm and claim victory through salvation in Christ Jesus.
Jesus also gives the alternative conclusion for those who hear His instructions but make the decision to disregard them. He states in Matthew 7:26-27 (NKJV), “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.”
This is a command to hear the words of Jesus.
This is an example of living in obedience to the teachings of Jesus.
This is an example of not living in obedience to the teachings of Jesus.
This is a promise that living in obedience to the teachings of Jesus will help you through the storms of life.
This is a promise that one will fall to the storms of life if they do not live in obedience to the teachings of Jesus.
This is a hard teaching for those who choose to not put their trust and faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. If this describes you; you may be thinking that you are doing fine in life and see no need for opening your heart to the salvation that Christ Jesus offers. You may feel as if you are navigating the storms of life just fine – and you may very well be. But for those who believe in Jesus as our Savior who came to save the world from the eternal effects of sin, death, and Satan, we believe in a spiritual world that will last for eternity after we die the physical death here on earth. This spiritual world will be eternity in heaven living in God’s glory for those who open their hearts to Jesus and ask Him to forgive them, and then live in obedience to Him and His teachings by applying them to their lives as they make a choice to trust in Him as their eternal Savior. For those who choose to not believe in Jesus as the Savior of the world, nor choose to ask Him to forgive them of their sins, nor choose to apply His teaching to their lives in obedience to Him will be an eternity living out of the presence of God where there will be, as Jesus teaches us in Matthew 13:49-50 (NIV), “This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” I must also add here that I am by no means trying to “scare” you into accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior as that would be an improper way of striving to share with you what the Bible is teaching us. “God is love” as we learn in 1 John 4:8, 16. The Apostle John states in 1 John 4:15-16 (HCSB), “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God – God remains in him and he in God. And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.” And Jesus teaches us in John 3:16-18 (ESV), “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” This is the message of the gospel – this is love – this is what this ministry is striving to share with you – the love of God for you, and the importance of putting your faith in Him to help us through the trials and tribulations of this world and into the next spiritual world which will last for all eternity. The choice is yours to make; as this world is temporary and will soon end for all of us, the spiritual world of heaven or hell will last for eternity. Where do you want to spend eternity is the question. The Bible gives us all the information we need to be confident in the salvation that God provides for us through His Son, our Savior, Jesus. The reality of the fall of the house built on sand is not literally about where your physical house is built, it is about where your heart and obedience is placed. The Apostle Paul teaches us in Romans 10:9-10; Matthew 7:24-25 that you can put your faith and trust in Jesus today and begin living a life in Christ Jesus that is assured for all eternity in heaven by asking Him to forgive your sins, believe that He was raised from the dead for victory in defeating sin, death, and Satan once for all, and begin living in obedience to Him by applying His teachings in your life. I pray that if you have not done so, that you will do so today – in Christ.
Dear LORD,
We all want to have the house of our hearts built on a solid foundation. But my prayer today is that we would build that foundation on the rock that is Christ Jesus, whom You sent into this world to save us from sin, death, and Satan so that in the eternal spiritual world we may spend it in heaven with You in Your glory – Christ Jesus! In Jesus name I pray, amen.