Devoted to the Scriptures - Build on the Rock

Introduction:

By the show of hands, has any built something recently?

How about the children? Any Legos going together recently?

This morning we are going to be talking about building.

No, we are not starting a course on the construction trade, rather, the type of building that we are going to be talking about this morning is metaphorical.

There are many things we can build that don’t involve actual construction materials and that is the focus of the building in the words we have just read. You can build relationships, careers, habits, and many other things. But whatever type of building you are doing, you will be spending:

Time

Effort

Resources

We have a summary word for those three things, and that word is lifestyle. Our lifestyles are the way we build.

The parable that we just read is the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus has identified and has articulated that attitude and actions of those who are citizens of the kingdom of heaven.

In this parable and conclusion, Jesus highlights how we are to respond to his words…

This morning, I want to look at the four things together:

An Overview

Understanding the Elements

The Interpretation

The Application

The Overview

The clear message from these verses is this:

“build your house on the rock, not the sand.”

Our live style must be built on the rock!

Three Similarities

Both Hear Words of Christ

Both Build

Both Structures are Challenged

Three Contrasts

One builds on a rock (wise), the other on sand (foolish).

One structure stands, the other falls

One obeys Christ’s Words, the other disobeys Christ’s Words

Understanding The Elements of the parable

Hearing the Words of Christ

the ability to understand the words of Christ

These are most likely the disciples and also the covenant community.

These were Jews who had the ability to understand the message of the Gospel.

Builder A, nor Builder B could ever use the excuse that “I didn’t understand.”

What are the Words of Christ

everything from 5.1 – 7.23

Building of a House

This is the activity of the two builders.

They are both using their time, effort, and resources to build their house.

Challenges

Rain, floods, and wind

This is a reference to the storms that would move into the valleys of Israel and when the rain became excessive and torrential, it would cause floods to form and winds to blow.

Foundations

THIS IS THE FOCUS OF THE PARABLE

Rock

Builder A found solid rock for his foundation.

Sand

Builder B was content with the sand - you see, during dry seasons, even sand can feel solid and strong

But what reveals the quality of any foundation? Storms.

No smart builder builds for good weather. All smart builders build with storms in mind.

For this reason, the admonition of this parable is this: Build on the rock!

Stop toying around with sand.

Stop thinking that sand can bear the weight of the storms of both life and eternal judgement!

The Interpretation

The Question we must answer:

What does it mean that we must build our house on the rock and not on the sand?

Hearing

These are most likely the disciples and also the covenant community.

These were Jews who had the ability to understand the message of the Gospel.

Builder A, nor Builder B could ever use the excuse that “I didn’t understand.”

The first step in building our house on the rock is hearing the Words of Christ.

The second thing we must understand is that…

We are all Builders

No one in this room is not building anything.

Building is a metaphor for our lives…

What does it mean to build? It means to develop a lifestyle, a habit, a disposition in one’s life.

For this reason, the building that is going on here in this parable is moral, it is ethical.

What I mean by that is Jesus is not concerned with OSHA policies or the building codes of Chicago

For the wise builder, this is not Jesus

advocating for smarter decision-making at a Union shop

Jesus is not praising the wise builder because he used the latest building code.

Because he squared the foundation walls

Because he did block instead of pouring

And for the foolish builder, this is not Jesus trying to…

Correct his lack of construction knowledge.

He is not rebuking the foolish builder because he didn’t use Ozinga as the cement contractor

The distinction between the wise and the foolish is ethical, moral, and spiritual.

Foolish and Wise

Foolish and wise is concept that Matthew uses often.

Here and in six other instances does Matthew use this wise and foolish distinction – the last being in Matthew 25 where he speaks of the wise and foolish virgins.

But wise and fool is not just a Matthew theme, it is a biblical theme…

Proverbs teaches us that wisdom comes from God

“For the Lord gives wisdom; / from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Prov. 2:6).

Proverbs 2:6 NIV

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Notice that wisdom comes from God’s mouth, that means those are words to be listened to and obeyed.

On the contrary

The fool forsakes God’s counsel and teaching, turns to his own devices, and loves worldly gain, to his demise (we see this Prov. 1:24–33).

The difference between a wise person and a foolish person…

The wise person fears the Lord by obeying his instructions

The foolish person does their own thing

Illustration: The masterful skill in this parable is that the image it gives is universal. In other words, you don’t have to have a degree in civil engineering, you don’t have to be of a particular social class or race to know that building a house on sand is utterly foolish. Everyone knows, even our children who have played with sand at the beach, that it is better to have a shack on a rock than a castle on sand.

Build on the Rock!

To build on the rock is not enough to hear Christ’s Words, those words must be obeyed.

This is the reason the early church devoted itself to the teaching of Christ through the apostles

This is the reason we are praying for devotion to God’s Word.

Why Build on the Rock? - Because storms are coming!

Rain, floods, and blowing winds = storms of life

Rain, floods, and blowing winds = future judgement

Future Judgement

Jesus doesn’t talk about these haphazardly. This is judgement!

If you go to Ezekiel 13, you will notice that some of these elements are used in God’s judgement toward his disobedient people.

Here, Jesus is talking about the last day.

In the last day it will be revealed that some of us were wise builders and some of us were foolish builders.

Right now, both wise and foolish are able to hear, but that day of judgement, when rain, floods, and wind come, it will reveal if we obeyed God or didn’t.

There is not in-between, no third option, no mulligan. You are either wise or a fool.

And what is the beginning of wisdom, the fear of God.

The question that begs to be answered in these short verses is this: do we hear God’s Word and do we obey God’s Word?

Your foundation is the most important aspect of your life!

The major difference between Builder A and Builder B is obedience and disobedience.

Why is your foundation the most aspect of your life your foundation?

Because the contrast that Christ wants to have lasting endurance in the lives of the hearers was this: only those who obey are saved and those who disobey are doomed.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 NIV

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.

We are not told why type of house was on the foundation.

The wise builder could have a 10 x 10 ranch, on the bad side of the tracks

The foolish builder could have a mansion with the best architectural arrangements.

But what is important is not the house, but the foundation of the that house.

It is better to have a shack on the rock, than a castle on sand.

The Application

This morning, this is the message of the Gospel that speaks loud and clear, this morning: Build your house on the rock! Listen to and obey the Words of Christ!

Two points of application:

Seek to Build on the Rock by listening and obeying!

This will take:

Time

Effort

Resources

How? Listen.

The reason we are reading the NT together

The reason we are doing Bible studies together

The reason we are praying to be devoted to the Scriptures is because…

We have to know God’s Word in order to obey God’s Word.

If you are going to build well, you must expose your heart to God’s word

Join God’s people every Sunday

Read the NT with us - if you don’t have another plan

Join a study

If you want to talk about that more, let me know and we can talk about it better.

Obey

Don’t build mansions on sand

The truth is we are often tempted to build on the sand, this has always been the human temptation.

Genesis 11 tells us that the first building project that man undertook was of foolish rebellion, trying to make a name for themselves instead of humbly serving Christ.

The fall of this house in Matthew 7.27 foreshadows another fall. This fall is not in Matthew, but in Revelation 18…

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great…As she glorified herself and lived in luxury…And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, “Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come…

How do we avoid building on sand?

Being intentional in obedience

It is not enough to hear Christ’s Words, we must obey

How do we intentionally obey?

First: Look up to God in Christ, through faith and prayer!

Obedience to God’s Word requires rebirth.

The whole point of the sermon on the mount is to help us see that we are utterly hopeless. Someone outside of us, someone stronger than us, someone greater than us must help!

Look at how the people respond to this message in v. Matthew 7:28. It says that they were marveled, perplexed, dumbfounded, and stunned.

Foolishness is not only disobedience, but also thinking you can obey on your own.

The only way we obey is because someone has obeyed in our place already and now empowers us to obey!

Second: Look out to your neighbor!

If we are going to obey, we need each others’ help.

I can’t obey alone. I have too many blindspots.

Seek to allow others to speak into your life

Both Gospel assurance

Gospel demands

The reason we are seeking to pray and have fellowship with one another is so that we can build well.

We want to build on the rock!

This morning, the message is clear: Build your the rock.

Listen and obey.

Admit that on your own, you are a bad builder

Admit that alone and outside of Christ you are a fool

Then turn once again to Christ in faith

For he is the one who has obeyed so that we can now obey.

This morning, sing with the old spiritual “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

Let us pray!