Last week we started our study of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 7:24-27 and we only looked at the first of the comparisons of whom Jesus calls the wise man and the foolish man. We saw in the first point that Jesus makes in this allegory which is, the same between the two persons, that they both heard Jesus’ words, “everyone who hears these words of mine”.
One of the other points we studied, was that we saw the first of the differences that Jesus points out between the two. The “wise” person or the “intelligent man” – Wuest, was the one who put Jesus’ words or teachings in to “practice”. The other person who did not put Jesus’ words into practice or “an imprudent man without forethought or wisdom” – Wuest, was who Jesus called “foolish”.
Continuing with the comparison of the two types of persons, below we read how Jesus clearly divides His teaching into two distinct halves, one half for each man or type of person.
Matthew 7:24-25 The wise man, Wuest – “intelligent man”
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
Matthew 7:26-27 The foolish man, Wuest – “an imprudent man without forethought or wisdom”
26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
The second aspect we see is of what the two persons had in common was that they both built houses. The difference between the two was not the materials that were used to build their houses. The difference was on what they chose to lay the foundation of their houses. The comparison that Jesus makes and its application to us, is when we choose to put His words into practice or act on them and when we do not choose to put His words into practice or do not act on them.
The difference between the two men is on what they had put the foundations on. It is important for us to note that the difference is not in the foundation or the material of the foundation, Jesus did not even bother to point that out. But what is important that Jesus wanted us to take into account is, on what the foundations were laid or built on.
The primary point that Jesus is teaching us is that, it is not only important to hear, accept, read and or listen to His words, but what is more important is what we do with them and or how we act on the words of Jesus after we hear them.
Many who were listening to Jesus’ teaching would have probably thought, “Who would be foolish enough to build a house on the sand?” “That’s ridiculous!” Jesus probably knew that what He said would make many of His listeners think of something like this, but He also knew it would involve them in one way or another deeper into the story. But are we thinking something similar, such as, “Who would only listen to Jesus words but choose not to obey and live by them?” But how many of us are doing just that?
When we read this short allegory of Jesus’ teaching, our mental focus or our attention should not be on the men, when comparing them there is no obvious difference only to what Jesus said about them. Or, our attention should not be on the construction of houses or what is above ground, because Jesus in His teaching does not tell us that there are some obvious differences between the two houses. However, our attention should be on what is below ground where we cannot see the differences on what the foundations of each house is resting on.
One of the many ways this applies to each one of us is this. Many will know and notice that we go to church and even see how committed we are, not to a building or program but to Jesus and His people who make up His church. All this looks good and should be one of the many obvious evidences to others of our relationship and commitment to Jesus. But what really matters to Jesus is not what is noticed about us under normal circumstances but that we have laid the foundation of our lives on His words which we apply to our lives every day.
When there is no storm, no pressures and that our normal world is not being threatened by outside situations and their circumstances; to others our lives look under control and blessed. But what happens to us when all this is being threatened by a storm?
The final point of Jesus’ teaching is the storm which is another aspect that the two men had in common, both their houses experienced three things that happened simultaneously, verses 25 and 27, “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house,”.
It is important to understand that Jesus did not use the word storm. Why was Jesus specific and intentional by not saying storm? What is it here that He wants us to notice and learn so we can apply it to our lives?
When the rains come, and the streams rise and the winds blow on our lives, what will make the true difference is not what others can easily see about us, but what really matters and makes the difference is, if we stand or fall when we experience a storm which depends on if we are acting on or applying Jesus words to our lives.
We do not have control when the storms of life that we all experience will come upon us, nor will we know of its severity. But we do have the choice if we are going to obey and apply Jesus’ words to our lives. When we do, we have the assurance of being prepared for the imminent storms of life that we will all experience at one time or another.
Notice what caused the foolish man’s house to fall, it was not inferior building materials or a flawed design. Nor was it the quality or depth of the house’s foundation. What made the difference between the two houses when the storm came was, on what the foundation was setting on, sand or rock.
There are many things we do to just in case of that “rainy day”, but are we doing the wise thing and the most important thing we can do that Jesus tells us, which is to be prepared for the storm, by not only listening to Jesus words but obeying and applying to our lives?
Pastor John
