“Anyone who listens to My teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears My teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” -Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT)
We saw the effects of a hurricane when Hurricane Charlie blew through the central West coast of Florida a few years ago. Structures that looked solid were tilted on their sandy foundations. Some collapsed completely.
Two houses. One built on sand and one built on rock. A storm rose up. Rains, floods and winds beat against both. One collapsed. One stood. What was the difference?
Sand is an uncertain foundation. Shifting, no two grains adhering to one another. When water and floods come the water can go under a house and undermine it washing away the support of sand under the house. Add in a fierce wind and the house can collapse. .
Rock on the other had is solid. Water can not undermine it. If a house is built on rock winds cannot create the damage we see with a sand foundation.
Hearing and obeying and hearing and not obeying. That is the difference between the two lives Jesus is talking about. One person hears the word of God and obeys it. The other doesn’t. The winds and storms come. Job problems, kid problems, money problems, health problems we see these things happen every day.
Jesus speaks to us through the Word of God – the Bible. He can also speak to our hearts. The danger is that when we read the Word of God we can feel that it doesn’t apply to us – that we don’t need to put that word into action in our own lives. But what does the Word of God say about that? He says that that house will collapse with a mighty crash! Obeying puts us on a solid foundation.
We can’t afford to ignore parts of the word because it doesn’t agree with our lifestyle or our “take on life”. OK, an example. How about a young Christian woman who wants to date a non-believer? He’s good looking, seems to be nice. But the word says not to be yoked with a non believer. We can see trouble ahead but she says that maybe he will become a Christian when dating her. You can imagine the outcome. She has heard but not obeyed the Word. Oh, here comes a storm.
Another example. A Christian man has a good job. There on his desk is a nice stapler. His wife said she needs a stapler for the kid’s homework. He brings it home with no intention of returning it. Forget “Thou shalt not steal”.Ouch! I can feel a storm brewing.
Look down- what are you standing on- rock or sand?
Hear and obey. Stay on the rock.
Jesus is Lord!
