A Blessed Storm - Revised

MIT: To build on the rock is to obey the words Jesus has spoken.

MIS: No building is relevant if not built on the Rock, thus, are you being obedient?

Introduction

Thank you(s)

“Thank you, Waverly Baptist Church for having me here with you this morning.”

“On behalf of many students at Southeastern, thank you for generosity through the Cooperative Program. Because of your givings, I am able to to stand here with you, today.”

The summer of 2011 was the first time I moved by myself. As a 21 years old, and single at the time, you can imagine that my demands for a home were minimal.

😅All I needed was a room, a kitchen and wifi!

I found a place that met my few demands, so I decided to move forward with it.

However, everything changed when I visited this home the second time. We had a small storm that day and when I walked in the apartment, it was flooded! The unit had serious leaking problems.

Had it not been for this providential storm, I would never have noticed the flaws in this apartment.

“In the same way, our text for this morning shows us that. these ‘providential storms’ that often hit our lives, present us with an excellent opportunity to identify the spiritual flaws of our lives.

Please turn with me to Matthew 7:24-27

Matthew 7:24–27 NKJV

24 “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: 25 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. 26 “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: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

Preface

The “Sermon on the Mount” is perhaps, one of Jesus’ most well-know discourse. Our passage today is the conclusion of that discourse.

If you read carefully the Sermon of the Mount (which I highly encourage you to do, if you haven’t done it), you will notice that it’s like a summary of the Christian life.

It include some of Jesus most famous (and challenging) teaching.

“If you lust after a person, you have commited adultery...”

“Turn the other cheek”

“Love your enemies and go the extra mile for them...”

“Don’t lay up treasures on earth...”

“The speck in your brother’s eye”

The Golden Rule

Because the Sermon on the Mount presents us with such a high moral values, many people argue Jesus never intended this sermon to be lived out on this side of eternity. I’m inclined to disagree.

Jesus’ closing words in Matthew 7:24-27 are nothing but a call to action.

Preaching a sermon is like flying a plane.

Your introduction is your “take off”.

As you explain the text, you are “cruising through the sky”.

Your conclusion and call to action, is your “landing”.

Every sermon has to “land” somewhere, but It can’t land in the same place from where it “took off”.

God’s word ought to change us, transform us!

We shouldn’t depart from God’s word the same way we arrived.

🔥No! Each time we here a sermon, we need to “land” closer to Christ.

Jesus’ sermon on the Mount is not different.

His’ Words are ment to transform us.

But real transformation only happens when we live out Jesus’ Words.

This morning I want us to look at three (3) insights revealed by this blessed storm Jesus talks about:

The Foundation is Essential

The House is Irrelevant

The Storm is Conclusive

The Foundation is Essential

“Our first insight is found in the surface of our passage...”

The Builders

Jesus presents us with two (2) builders who appear to have the same conditions.

Both builders appear to have the same house.

Both houses are hit with the same storm.

But the outcome of both houses are different.

While one house stood firm during the storm...

....The other house collapsed due to the storm.

“What made the difference? Their foundations.”

The Foundation

“One house was built on the rock, while the other was built on the sand.”

However, each foundation represents a group of people.

Jesus is applying this analogy to his audience/listeners.

Matthew 7:24 (NKJV)

24 “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:

Matthew 7:26 (NKJV)

26 “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:

Both groups of people heard the words of Jesus, but only one put them into practice...

⚠️“The Sermon on the Mount, as beautiful and lofty as it my sound, was meant to be put into actions. Not simply to be admired or contemplated.”

In other words, the only thing that matters is: obedience.

⏸️ “Here is the issue in many of our churches...”

We want to be so careful NOT to teach salvation by works (which is the biblical teaching), that we end up neglecting good works altogether!

We forget that Scriptures also command us to "be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” (Jam 1:22)

“Thus, what do these foundations represent then? Our obedience to the Word of God.”

Rock

It represents firmness and security.

This security is not grounded merely in Jesus' words, but in our diligence to put them into practice.

Sand

On the contrary, sand represents instability and insecurity.

The sand represent those who listen to God’s word, perhaps even willingly, yet, fail to put it into practice.

They marvel at it, but not enough to act upon it.

The Lesson

The most important part of the entire building is the foundation. The foundation alone (rock or sand) is what made the difference between prevailing and collapsing.

Matthew 7:25 (NKJV)

25 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.

The shape or size of the house matter little, if it is built on the wrong foundation.

A small house built in the right place is more secure than a mansion built on the wrong place.

The same is true in our lives...

🔥There are people:

With impressive bible knowledge.

Soundest theology there can be.

Can quote any Bible verse.

Can give any explanation to any Bible passage.

They appear to be "spiritual mansions", yet their lives are built on the sand.

For they are not doers.

Their lives have not been transformed by the Word of the Gospel.

Sooner or later, when the storm comes , their lives crumble, because they were never built on the rock of obedience.

The Sacrifice

“You are probably wondering, how come? How come someone sit under the teaching of God’s Word all their lives, only to build their lives on sand?”

Luke gives us the answer: A solid foundation requires hard work.

Luke 6:47–49 (NKJV)

47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

The first man was not only wise, but also diligent. He dug deep and hard until he found a rock to build his house upon.

The later man was fool and lazy. He rushed to build his house without securing a good foundation.

🔥 Listening to God’s word is easy job. Living it out, that’s hard work!

It means crawling your way through the narrow way, when everyone else is comfortably cruising through the wide way.

It means cutting against the grain of our own fleshly desires.

It means never taking a day off against your enemy, the devil .

But it makes all the difference for eternity!

My brothers and sisters of Waverly, I am compelled to ask you: Upon what foundation is your life built today?

Is your life built upon a lifestyle that resembles Christianity?

Is your life built on how many doctrines you can recite?

Is your life built on a simple attendance to church once or twice at week?

Or is your life built upon the finish work of Christ, and his power to transform your life?

It is easy to be a christian in the church. It is hard to be a christian in your home, with your family.

It is easy to point out someone’s doctrinal error. Its hard to love them regardless.

It is easy to be engage in theology debates with your Sunday school, it is hard to be engage in gospel conversations with your neighbor. (I know!)

🔥“You see, the fool who built his house in the sand is not the unbeliever who refuses to give His life to Christ. The fool who built in the sand is the “Christian” who refuses to give his Life to Christ.”

⏸️

“Which leads me into our second insight…”

The House is Irrelevant

What do these houses represent? Our “lives”.

Every decision we make is a new brick we lay down.

Every direction we take is a new section we build.

⚠️“In a sense, we are constantly ‘building’ our lives.”

The Houses

“We should not go too far with these analogies, but I would like for us to consider very quickly, what do we learn about these houses?”

The text seems to imply that both houses are identical .

Both houses appear to be located near to each other (cf. vv25,27 - they are hit by the same storm).

The only difference is the foundation on which they are built - and that makes ALL the difference.

🤔 So, what do these houses teach us?

At a first glance, it is hard to distinguish the wise builder from the fool .

⚠️ Remember: Jesus is not talking about a person who professes to be Christian and one who doesn’t.

Jesus is talking about two “professing believers!”

Again, Luke shares more light here:

Luke 6:46–47 (NKJV)

46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? 47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:

“If both builders were standing right here with us today, and we ask them to share something about themselves, both of them would probably share something like this...”

We both “come to church” every week.

We read our Bibles faithfully.

We give money to the church regularly.

🐢🔥 It would be hard to tell the difference from one to the other, because their greatest difference lays not in the surface, but underneath the surface.

They build their houses around us. In the “christian neighborhood” of the church, so to speak.

Yet, their houses, their lives, are built on sand.

The Deceive

Sadly, Jesus calles them “fool”, for they deceives themselves.

They believe with all their heart that their houses are secure.

They don’t build their houses expecting it to crumble.

⚠️ The fool builder is fully convinced that his house will stand firm, because his faith does not rest on where he built his house, but on how he built his house!

James 1:22 NKJV

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

He convinced himself that being "hearers of the word" alone is good enough.

It is typical of these “fools” to apply God’s words to others, but not to themselves.

They are like river stones, always in the water, but dry on the inside.

Is there a fool among us?

Is there someone among us who lives convinced that listening to the God’s only, is enough?

Is there someone among us who is happy with being around the church, rather than being the Church?

Is there a fool among us who is more concerned with the godly appearance of his life, than with the salvation of his soul?

🔥I beg you! Look inside your heart! Do you see any fruit of the Spirit of God in you?!

Has your faith in Christ make you more loving to those around you?

Does your faith in Christ gives you peace and comfort despise your troubles?

Do you exhibit more self-control when you face temptations?

Does the salvation you profess compels you to do whatever it takes to reach more people with the Gospel?

⬇️“It’s not too late yet... God is extending His love and grace to you today.”

✝️[Preach the Gospel briefly]

“You are probably wondering, ‘how can I make sure on what foundation my life is built?’ Our third insight will give us the answer: the storm.”

The Storm is Conclusive

What does the storm represent here? Those providential events that God orchestrates, which reveals our foundations.

Sickness

Death

Loneliness

Financial crisis.

❤️A pandemic?

“Fill in the blank...”

“We are talking about those events of which we have no control.”

They come sudden.

They are ill-timed.

They put pressure on our lives.

And they are certain.

For both the wise and the fool were struck with the storm.

No one is free from them.

⚠️ What do these storm teach us? They reveal our foundation.

Every house remains standing in quiet times.

But when the storm hits, the quality of your foundations is revealed.

“True piety is not fully distinguished from its counterfeit, till it comes to the trial.”

-John Calvin

Storms, though inconvenient, are necessary.

They reveal to us the true, real conditions of our house, and where it needs repair.

They reveal to us where the "leaks" are in our life.

“More often than not, storm are a sigh of God’s love and kindness towards us. For they give us warnings, before it is too late.”

The Promise

⚠️“I know it is easy to look at this passage (Mt 7:24-27) and gravitates towards the warning of ‘don’t building your house on the sand’ - I, myself, am guilty of that too.”

However, there is also a great Gospel promise for us here: If ______________, then, there is no storm that can overcome us!

If our lives are built on the Rock...

If we sit under the teaching of God’s word and let it transform our lives...

🐢 If we obey God’s word, as an ongoing token of gratitude for the love and grace that the Father has shown us through Jesus Christ…

Waverly Baptist Church, if you are standing firm in the finished work of Christ, if you are letting the word of God transform you into the likeness of Christ, and if your are obeying all that God has commanded you, there is no storm you can’t weather.

🔥Not because you are strong, but because you are weak.

⬇️Your weakness pushes you to cling to the Rock!

I love how C.H. Spurgeon put it...

“I have learned to kiss the waves that throw me up against the Rock of Ages”

- C.H. Spurgeon

⏸️

The Fall

“Nonetheless, there is a great dangerous too...”

If your live is built on the sand, sooner or later, the waves will destroy your life.

Jesus describes the fall of this house as “great” (v27).

Great was his loss - Everything he worked for so hard, for so long, ⏸️ gone.

Great was his surprise.

Great was his shame - For he built near the rock, but not on the rock.

“These are the ruins of ‘christian people’ who articulated the Gospel countless times, but never lived it.”

Conclusion

“I am not costume to give invitations, but I will make a exception today.”

Is water flooding into your house?

Can you see the leaks in your life?

Run out of that house! Don’t try to save it, for it was built on the sand.

Run out today, and start building you life on the Rock of Ages.

Be good listeners, but better doers of the word of God.

[Pray]