Tale of Two Builders

Matt. 7:21-27

A TALE OF TWO BUILDERS

Intro: The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy is going to fall. Scientists travel to the town of Pisa every year to measure the building's slow descent. They report that the 179-foot tower, which was built in 1173, moves about one-twentieth of an inch a year, and is now 17 feet out of plumb. Recent renovations may have saved the 810-year old tower and prevent it from collapsing. Quite significantly, the word “pisa” means “marshy land,” which gives some clue as to why the tower began to lean even before it was completed. Also, another issue is the fact that its foundation is only 10 feet deep! The reason the Leaning Tower of Pisa is leaning, is because it is built on a faulty foundation.

The passage we have read today is about two builders who built two houses on two different types of foundations with two different results. This chapter you could consider to be the judgement chapter. In the first part of the chapter God is instructing His listeners about judging others and being judged by God during life and in eternity. Many know vs 13 thru 14 very well Matt. 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

From picturing two ways and two trees, our Lord closed His message by picturing two builders and their houses. The two ways illustrate the start of the life of faith; the two trees illustrate the growth and results of the life of faith here and now; and the two houses illustrate the end of this life of faith, when God shall call everything to judgment. There are false prophets at the gate that leads to the broad way, making it easy for people to enter. But at the end of the way, there is destruction. The final test is not what we think of ourselves, or what others may think. The final test is: What will God say?

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 31.

In this “Tale Of Two Builders” Jesus teaches us that the foundation upon which we build the house of our lives is of the utmost importance. How will you finish? How will your foundation hold up at the Judgement? How can we prepare for this judgment?

1. By doing God’s will. Obedience to His will is the test of true faith in Christ. The test is not in words, like “Lord, Lord,” Its not in obeying His commands. How easy it is to learn a religious vocabulary, and even memorize Bible verses and religious songs, and yet not obey God’s will. When a person is truly born again, he has the Spirit of God living within (Rom. 8:9); But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And the Spirit enables him to know and do the Father’s will. God’s love in his heart motivates him to obey God and serve others.(Rom. 5:5) And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

2. Words are not a substitute for obedience, and neither are religious works. Preaching, casting out demons, and performing miracles can be divinely inspired, but they give no assurance of salvation. It is likely that even Judas participated in some or all of these activities, and yet he was not a true believer. In the last days, Satan will use “lying wonders” to deceive people (2 Thes. 2:7–12).

3. We are to hear God’s words and do them (see James 1:22–25). We must not stop with only hearing (or studying) His words. Our hearing must result in doing. This is what it means to build on the rock foundation.

The foundation in this parable is obedience to God’s Word—obedience that is an evidence of true faith (James 2:14ff).

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 31–32.

So let us consider the Tale of Two Builders.

I. CONSIDER THE COMPARISONS

This short parable appears to speak of two very different types of people. The two people Jesus pictures here have several important characteristics in common. Let me point them out.

• Both Heard The Words Of Christ -

The two people in this parable both heard Jesus share His message of faith and repentance, vv. 24, 26. Thus, both people referenced in this parable knew the way of salvation. They both heard the Gospel and each one had a reaction to it.

• Both Built Houses -

Each of these people built a house based on their understanding of what Jesus said. The house in this parable is a picture of a life. That is, each man built a life based on how they interpreted the message of Jesus. This means that both people believed the message to a certain point. They each applied the words of Jesus to their life as they saw fit.

• Both Built Similar Houses -

Nothing is said about their houses being different. They used similar materials, and most likely, a similar design. From the outside, these two home looked similar. In fact, they were so similar, you might not have been able to ell them apart.

The picture is of people and how they respond differently to the Gospel message. Just to clarify, the Gospel is very simple. Here it is again, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures,” 1 Cor. 15:3–4. That is the message that must be believed in order for a person to be saved.

The Bible puts it this way: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved,” Rom. 10:9. Salvation is as simple as just believing the Gospel.

So, people hear that message, and they react to it in different ways. Regardless of how a person may react to it, they all build their lives based on what they think Jesus is saying. These people all build their houses in the same location. That is, they weather the same storms, work the same jobs, do the same things, go to the same churches, hear the same preaching, and live the same kind of lives. From the outside, you really can’t tell much difference between the two hearers.

Obviously, the people pictured here are religious, orthodox in their beliefs, serving in and supporting the church. They are responsible citizens. Both seem to believe the same things and live the same kind of lives. They have a lot in common, at least on the outside.

I. Consider The Comparisons

II. CONSIDER THE CONTRASTS

While there are several similarities, there are some very major differences between these two types of people. Those differences are worth noting.

• One Man Built His House On The Sand -

One man built his house with little preparation. He found a spot for his house and began to build. Sand is unstable, ever changing and moving. Sand offers no stability. Sand is not a good place to build a house. Sand can never provide a firm foundation.

In this context, building on the sand speaks of people who hear the Gospel, but instead of believing the Gospel and coming to faith in Jesus, they believe they can build their lives on the shifting sands of human philosophy, wisdom, opinion, and religious achievement. They are driven by outward, religious appearances and faith in themselves, rather than faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

People who build on the sand hear the Gospel and choose to save themselves. They hear the Gospel, and believe its general message, but they choose to follow God on their own terms. To them, His Word is open to interpretation. If He commands them to do something, they will obey if they choose to. If they don’t like it, they won’t do it.

They build the house of their lives on self-will, self-fulfillment, self-sufficiency, self-satisfaction, and self-righteousness. Theirs is a works based religion that has the appearance of being right, but that lacks the power to save the soul. Paul describes that kind of person like this: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away,” 2 Tim. 3:5.

People build on the sands because it is easy. It requires little effort. Just a little change here, and a little change there, and they can fool themselves, and everyone around them in to thinking they are right with the Lord. A life built on the sand requires no commitment, no sacrifice, and no faith.

People who build on the sand believe they can pray a prayer, sign a card, join a church, and all will be well. People who build on the sand can turn it on and off like flipping a switch. They can be in today and out tomorrow and in again the next day. Sand builders ultimately have their faith in themselves.

When God makes demands on sand-builders, and calls for total surrender to His will, they make excuses. Jesus encountered this very thing during His ministry. “And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God,” Luke 9:57–62.

People who build their lives on religion, self-righteousness, and false hope will not serve God. They will not sacrifice. They only walk the easy path. Sand builders like instant results, instant rewards, instant satisfaction, and instant pleasure. They are shallow people who love the heights, but hate the depths. They are hot and then cold. They are in and then out. They are up and then down.

• One Man Built His House On The Rock -

The word “rock” refers to “a large outcropping of rock; the bedrock.” While one man built his house on the sand, the other dug deep. He dug until he reached the bedrock and built his house on the rock. The rock does not move. It is unchanging and stable. Rock offers a good foundation for a house.

Building on the rock speaks of people who hear the Gospel and believe it to the point that they build their lives on it. The “rock” in these verses is identified as “these words of mine.” The “rock” is the Gospel. It is the same “rock” mentioned in Matt. 16:16-18. Those verses say, “He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” In that passage, “rock” refers to Peter’s profession of faith in the words of Jesus. In other words, it refers to faith in the Gospel.

Rock builders understand that Jesus alone has the power to save their souls. Rock builders hear His Word and they conform their lives to it. They hear what the Bible says about Jesus, that He is “the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father but by Me,” John 14:6. They hear that message and they receive it with all their heart. They hear, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” John 3:16. They hear, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” Matt. 11:28. That message strikes them like a bolt of lightening. It comes into their hearts with absolute clarity. They hear the truth about Jesus and they believe it. They embrace it. They yield to it. The message changes their lives.

What God tells them to do in His Word, they do. What God warns them no to do, they avoid. They pay any price, walk any path, and do anything the Lord tells them to do. The house built on the rock is built by someone who realizes that God deserves the best. They sacrifice, they work, they do anything to honor the Lord. They love Him, honor Him, and obey Him. The rock builder’s obedience to the Word of God proves they love the Lord, John 14:15. Rock builders hear the Word of God, the Gospel, and make it the foundation for their lives.

The two men in this story had much in common. Both had desires to build a house. Both built houses that looked good and sturdy. But when the judgment came (the storm), one of the houses collapsed. What was the difference? Not the mere external looks, to be sure. The difference was in the foundation: The successful builder “dug deep” (Luke 6:48) and set his house on a solid foundation. So, there are two people who construct vastly different lives based on how they hear and respond to the Gospel. One house is built on a firm foundation of faith in the Gospel and the Lord Jesus Christ. The other is built on the shifting sand of religion, works, and self-righteousness. One of those houses describes the kind of life you are building right now. You are either a believer in the Gospel and in Jesus, or you have a false religion, and a false hope of salvation. I would just remind you that salvation comes only from knowing Jesus Christ as your Savior.

Hear again the clear message of the Bible.

• “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved,” Acts 4:12.

• “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house,” Acts 16:31.

• “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ,” 1 Cor. 3:11.

Who, or what, is the foundation for your life? Who, or what, are you building on? Are you building your life on the solid rock of the Gospel? Or, are you building your life on shifting sand.

I. Consider The Comparisons

II. Consider The Contrasts

III. CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES

The parable tells us that the rains came, the floods followed, and the winds of destruction blew. This image is not just about some storm in life. This is the image of judgment. In the end, both houses were subjected to a terrible storm of judgment. One house stood, the other was totally destroyed.

• The Sand Castle

The house that was built on the sand could not face the withering judgment of God, and it collapsed. Jesus said, “and great was the fall of it.” This means that the house was utterly destroyed. There was nothing left to show for the life lived within it. There was nothing left of hopes, dreams, plans, efforts, works, or anything, everything was destroyed and swept away as if it had never existed.

This is a picture of what will happen to every person who builds their life on anything but Jesus Christ and the Gospel. There is coming a day of judgment. There is coming a day when every person will face God. People who are trusting religion, good works, some prayer they prayed, some emotional experience they had, some profession they made, or anything else, will see the house they have built crumble and fall before the judgment of God. The person who builds their life on the sand will spend eternity in Hell when they die.

Notice the word “therefore” in verse 24. That word ties this parable to the verses that come before it. Matt. 7:21-23 tells the tragic tale of some very religious people who built their lives on the sand. These people faced God with all their works and their self-righteous deeds, and they were cast out of His presence. God does not accept sinners into His Heaven based on our good works, or our religious efforts. God accepts sinners into His heaven only when that sinner is in a faith relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life,” 1 John 5:12. Ill. John 6:37-40.

• The Fortress

The house that was built on the rock experienced the same storm. The rain, the flood and the wind “beat upon” the house. The word “beat” means “to strike, to batter.” This house was battered, but it stood against the storm that was thrown against it. This house might have been shaken, but it did not fall. It stood on a firm foundation, and it weathered the storm.

Again, this house stood because it was built on the Word of God and the Gospel of grace. This house stood because the builder dug deep and built it on something greater than himself. This builder built his house on the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. This builder believed the Gospel. This builder understood that Jesus died for his sin, rose from the dead, and had the power to save anyone who would believe on Him. This person built his life on Jesus, and he was accepted by God.

That’s how it works friends.

• You can join the church and still go to Hell.

• You can be baptized and still go to Hell.

• You can be a good person, at least in the eyes of other people and still go to Hell.

• You can build you house on religion and still go to Hell.

• You can build you house on atheism, human wisdom, human philosophies, and anything else you can name, and you will still die and go to Hell.

• But, if you build your life on faith in Jesus Christ, and on His death and resurrection, your house will stand and you will be saved.

The person who built his house on the sand did not intend for his house to fall. He thought he was doing the right thing. He thought he was building a house that would stand against anything that came. He has confidence that his house will stand. He was wrong. His confidence is not in the Lord; it is in himself. His confidence is misplaced. There was nothing wrong with his house. There was nothing wrong with the materials. The problem with his house is the foundation.

That’s the lesson today. If you are building your house on anything but Jesus Christ and the Gospel, it will fall. It might look sturdy. The materials might be all right. It might be pleasing to the eye. Everyone else might think the house is fine. But, if it is built on the wrong foundation, it will fall. When it falls, you will be lost forever, and you will spend your eternity in the fires of Hell.

Conc:

Everybody in this room is building a spiritual house. Every day you attach boards, drive nails, add on rooms, and try to improve your house. Regardless of what you do to the house you are building, what matters the most is the foundation. Be sure you are building on Jesus Christ and the Gospel. A false profession will last until judgment comes. Sometimes this judgment is in the form of the trials of life. Like the person who received the seed of God’s Word into a shallow heart (Matt. 13:4–9), the commitment fails when the testing comes. Many people have professed faith in Christ, only to deny their faith when life becomes spiritually costly and difficult.

But the judgment illustrated here probably refers to the final judgment before God, for the Lord was illustrating one main point: profession will ultimately be tested before God. Those who have trusted Christ, and have proved their faith by their obedience will have nothing to fear. Their house is founded on the Rock, and it will stand. But those who have professed to trust Christ, yet who have not obeyed God’s will, will be condemned.

How shall we test our profession of faith? By popularity? No, for there are many on the broad road to destruction. And there are many who are depending on words, saying “Lord, Lord”—but this is no assurance of salvation. Even religious activities in a church organization are no assurance. How then shall we judge ourselves and others who profess Christ as Saviour?

The two ways tell us to examine the cost of our profession. Have we paid a price to profess faith in Christ? The two trees tell us to investigate whether our lives have really changed. Are there godly fruits from our lives? And the two houses remind us that true faith in Christ will last, not only in the storms of life, but also in the final judgment.

If you have realized today that you are building on the wrong foundation, you can change today. You can come to Jesus. He will save you and get you started building on the right foundation. Please don’t ignore what I am saying today.

There is a storm coming, and your house is right in its path. When that storm comes, the only houses that will stand are those houses built on the solid foundation of the Word of God.

If you are on the wrong foundation, please come to Jesus today.