MATTHEW 7:24–29
“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.”
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.”
REFLECTION
Jesus closes the sermon with an illustration of a wise man who builds his house on a rock and a foolish man who builds his house on sand. The houses may look identical on the outside, but the storms will reveal how strong they actually are. In the same way, professing Christians, both genuine and fake, often look similar from the outside, and it is hard to tell which is which.
It is interesting that Jesus is not contrasting Christians and non-Christians, but he is saying “all who hear my teachings.” He is saying that the real question is not whether they hear his teaching, but whether they let the gospel transform their hearts and lives. James 1:22 says, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” Clearly, Jesus wants our whole lives—what we believe, think, and do.
The foolish man hears Jesus’ teachings, and might even study them, memorize them, and say all of the right things, but in the end, he does not actually obey Jesus. He thinks he can do life on his own terms and does not make Jesus Lord of his life.
The wise man knows Jesus, and his whole life is marked by it. He knows that he cannot live this life alone and by his own rules, but must depend fully on the One who gave him life in the first place. The wise man lives a life marked by meekness, humility, and purity of heart. He is full of hope, so when the storm comes, he does not despair because he knows a loving God is in control.
Jesus’ teachings are not just a string of rules or a rigid to-do list. They represent a set of values designed to set us apart from the rest of the world. Instead of conforming to the world, we are meant to bring light into it. We are called by Jesus to imitate him, and only then, will we know that we are truly sons and daughters.
What feels like a storm right now in your life? What is the hope you can cling to during these storms?