Are You Rock Solid?

Matt. 7:24-27 is timely, what with the torrential rains we experienced in the past week in SoCal. We’ve had rain like we’ve haven’t seen in years, flooding, wind, even a tornado! We can definitely relate. But Jesus wasn’t talking about literal rain, wind and floods, He was speaking of people’s lives and what they choose to build their lives on. When tough times come, and judgment day arrives, the quality of their life will be seen for what it is.

Jesus gives a parable about 2 builders: the 1st is wise (builds his house on the rock) and the 2nd is foolish (builds his house on the sand). Jesus says “like a wise man who built his house upon a rock is everyone who hears these words of Mine and does them”. Rain falls, floods come, winds blow and beat on the house but it does not fall – it is strong because of where it is built and upon what it is built.

Jesus also says “like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand is everyone who hears and does not do them”. Rain falls, floods come, winds blow and beat on the house and it does fall – it is weak because of where it is built and upon what it is built. Palestine is known for torrential storms, rains that can turn dry river beds into flood channels. It is the storms that reveal the true quality of each house. Each house looks secure in good weather. Only storms reveal the quality or lack thereof of the work of the 2 builders.

Jesus says that people should listen to what He has to say. Jesus wants us to not only hear & listen, but then to do & act on what He says. According to Jesus there are 2 foundations: one that the wise builds on: Rock; and one that the foolish builds on: Sand. Jesus, as God, knew and knows everything about life, since He created it; here He demonstrated familiarity with building techniques; maybe a reflection of His training in His father’s trade as a carpenter.

In those days, the sand on the shores of the Sea of Galilee would often get hard on the surface in the hot summer months. Unwise builders, maybe those who knew no better or that just didn’t care would build there. But no good builder would do that. Wise builders would not be fooled by surface conditions; sometimes digging as far as 10 feet down to get good footing for their home. They would go down to bedrock to anchor their foundation.

When winter rains would come, overflowing the banks of the Jordan River which flowed into the Sea of Galilee, houses built on surface sand would have an unstable foundation. But the houses built on bedrock would withstand the floods. Gordon Franz, in his book Archeology in the Biblical World, tells of excavations in that region in the early 1970s that uncovered basalt stone bedrock that was apparently used for the foundations of buildings back then.

What is the rock and what is the sand? According to these verses, the rock is Jesus’ words and the sand is anything other than Jesus’ Words. The rock is Christ’s Words heard & obeyed; exclusive allegiance to Jesus. The sand is Christ’s words heard and not obeyed; following self delusion, or the world, or Satan.

That does not mean that the only part of the Bible we are to listen to is Jesus’ actual words; Jesus is the living Word and He is in agreement with everything in the written Word. In fact, He fulfills everything in it, as He said in Matt. 5:17 “do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them”. This is not merely a matter of giving our hearts to Jesus, it is a matter of building according to what Jesus says.

Everyone is building a house, a life, a career, a family. Everyone builds on some foundation. Everyone believes something is true, strong & stable. Jesus’ words are the most stable foundation in the universe. Jesus’ words about the 2 houses applies to everything in life, present & future. And the greatest storm is the judgment day.

It is not difficult to make the connection that Jesus is trying to get us to see, the wise man builds to last; what he builds can withstand anything. The foolish builds what is weak; can’t withstand tough times & ultimately judgment.

Jesus wants us to be like the wise builder. Wisdom is all about hearing, understanding, & doing. Prov. 24:3-4 “by wisdom a house is built, by understanding it is established, by knowledge its rooms are filled with all pleasant riches”. You need to know what to do, how to do it, and then actually do it. The sermon ends with what has been clear all along, the call for radical submission to the exclusive lordship of Jesus, who fulfills all righteousness.

There are 2 simple questions: that these last words of the Sermon on the Mount lead us to:
1. Are you hearing Christ’s Words?
2. Are you doing Christ’s Words?

Basically, are you rock solid because you are building on the Rock? We are to abide in Christ’s words, stake our lives upon them, dwell in them, let them dwell in us, base our every decision upon them. We must be rooted in Christ and His Word for our sakes & that of present & future generations. Jesus wants us to hear and do what He says.