“Everyone who hears these words of mine and does then will be life a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on the house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:24-27
We have finally put a close on the election season, and I have never been happier. I don’t know about you, but I am so glad the ads, texts, and endless noise have ended for the moment.
This election season has been one of the most overwhelming in recent memory... or maybe I suffer from a bit of memory loss after it's over each time.
Post-election season has revealed something on both sides of the aisle. So many people have placed their trust and faith in politics and lost sight of the reality that there is no hope to be found in the ballot box.
In Matthew 7, Christ is teaching his disciples a valuable lesson: the importance of building your life on the solid foundation of the rock.
The strength of the foundation determines whether or not the house will stand or fall in the storms.
Jesus starts his teaching by instructing his disciples to not only be hearers of the word but to be doers. The words of God are spoken for a purpose; they are not just to be heard but to be followed and obeyed.
Knowing the Scriptures cannot be all there is, though, because there must be action. Our theology must become our lives.
What follows in the passage is a comparison between the foolish man and the wise man.
What makes the man foolish?
A foolish man hears the Word but does not obey it. He is only a hearer who is deceiving himself. He hears the Word regularly; he may even have great biblical knowledge, but there is no change in his heart and life because there is no obedience to the Word.
The foolish man is building his house on shifting sands. You see, in dry weather, every house looks sound. It isn’t until the rain comes and the winds blow that they reveal how sound the house is or isn't.
When trouble comes to the house with a flawed foundation, it will collapse. Jesus said, “Great will be the fall of it" (Matthew 7:27).
It won’t be a minor collapse that the house on shifting sands faces. It will be a catastrophe and utter destruction.
Jesus teaches that a wise man is the one who hears the Word and quickly obeys it. The wise man gets his wisdom from God, and the foundation he is building on is strong and sure. When catastrophe comes, the house built on a solid foundation will remain standing.
The rock we build on is important because we are laying a foundation on that which cannot be shaken. This Rock is worth our obedience.
Over and over in Scripture, we are reminded that God is our rock. He is our refuge, safety, and stronghold. The Psalms are full of assurance that God is the solid foundation and fortress for believers.
“He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.” Psalm 62:2
”They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.” Psalm 78:35
The wise man builds his house on the right foundation, a foundation that cannot be shaken no matter what comes. No matter what happens in life, this foundation will stay firm.
The difference between the wise man and the foolish man is simple. It isn't dependent on their political affiliation, religious denomination, or anything else. It comes down to whether or not they have built their house on Christ. Whether or not they are believing and obeying the Word of God.
In light of all the politics of the day, we get to ask ourselves a few questions: where is our hope? What foundation are we building it on? The philosophies of the world cannot hold us steady, so no house will last built upon winds of change, political leaders, ideologies, and creeds. If the foundation is on anything but Christ, the house will fall.
Let's pray:
Lord, thank you that you are our sure foundation. No matter what comes and no matter what is happening in the world, if we build our house on the Rock, you will hold us fast. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Ryan Clark/Unsplash
Michelle Rabon is helping women be disciples who make disciples. Michelle has her MDiv in Ministry to Women from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and is currently serving as Women’s Ministry Director in her local church. She is also the author of Holy Mess. When she is not writing or teaching, she enjoys reading, being close to the ocean, and drinking a lot of coffee. You can connect with Michelle at www.michellerabon.com
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Originally published Wednesday, 27 November 2024.
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