“BUILT TO LAST!"

TEXT:  (Matthew 7:24)

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.

This parable of “two builders” falls at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount.  This is one of the greatest sermons ever preached.  The central theme of the message is the kingdom of God and how the citizens of that kingdom should act.

A parable is a symbolic story from everyday events, illustrating a moral/spiritual truth.  A parable is designed to divide a crowd into two groups based on their own responses.  The difference is not the message but one’s response to the message.  Two groups of people heard Jesus’ words, and they either put them into action or they did not.

Jesus had already given His hearers a lot to think about in His prior four warnings about the choice of the narrow road (that leads to life) over the broad road (that leads to destruction) and being watchful of false Prophets whose intentions were to lead them astray.  He warns them of two types of trees - one bearing good fruit and the other bearing evil fruit.  He also gave a warning concerning deceived believers.  Not everyone who called Him “Lord, Lord” would enter the kingdom.  In His closing, He talks about the “two builders”.

Our text begins with a conjunction, “therefore”, at the beginning of the verse.  A conjunction is used in drawing a conclusion; connecting sentences together logically.  Then consequently, with the prior four warnings He gave them, it’s clear, “You’re either for me or against me”.  If we do not build our lives solidly on obedience to the principles in the Sermon on the Mount, our lives become dangerously unstable.

Jesus demands two things:  hearing and doing!  If I could give you one word to sum up these two words, it would be “obedience”!

Jesus said, “Therefore, everyone who hears these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock” (Matthew 7:24).  This is a warning to obey His words, and it’s dangerous to disobey the message He has just given.  Obedience makes the difference between survival and utter destruction and between salvation and damnation.

Here we have two builders that are similar in nature.  One is wise, and one is foolish.  Both are involved in spiritual activity.  They lived on the same block, attended the same church and attended the same Bible study.  Their houses were equally attractive; their materials for construction and labor were similar.  Both houses appeared upright, solid, and sound.  Many times, seemingly good people, who are called, seem to build their lives well and wisely in terms of money, material possessions, and friends.  Looks like everything is “hunky dory” to the human mind, but their end can be disastrous without a “rock” foundation.  Once the house is built, the foundation is not visible.  The quality and duration of the house cannot be judged before the storm strikes, only after the storm.

Rest assured all construction will be tested either by fire, wind, or flood.

Jesus is a carpenter by trade.  As a part of the Firm, Joseph & Son, he built the furniture people used in their homes.  He knew the difference between a solid house and a shoddy one.  He was an expert in scriptures and life.  He was the chief Architect and Master-builder.  When he spoke about foundations of a house, he knew what he was talking about, and only a house where the foundation is firm can it withstand the storms and the tests.

Question:  What kind of foundation are you building on?  Is it firm, sure, or sinking sand?  What kind of builder are you?  Are you a “rock” builder or “sand” builder?  Whether you know it or not, we are all builders.  To live is to build!  We too are building on a foundation, but let’s be sure that our foundation is CHRIST. 1 Corinthians 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  We must also be mindful of the material we are building with, not aluminum siding and brick, but build up the people of God!  1 Corinthian 6:15  Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ?  Verse 19 What?  Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

It’s obvious that the people pictured here in Matthew 7 are religious, serving and supporting the church.  They are responsible citizens.  Both seem to believe the same things and live similar lives.  They have a lot in common, at least from the outside.  Let’s see how two people can hear the same message and their reaction or response to it differs, based on perception (what they think Jesus is saying).

One built his house on “sand” –“the foolish man”.  “Foolish” in the Greek means dull, sluggish, or stupid.  He was educated in worldly things.  He was in touch with humanity but ignorant to his divinity.  He heard the words of Jesus, but instead of believing the Gospel and coming into faith in Jesus, he in turn built his house on the shifting sands of human philosophy, wisdom, opinion, and religious achievement.  He attended church, heard the sermon, but didn’t get into the word of God in his spare time.  He didn’t spend time in prayer and didn’t attempt to put the Word of God into practice.  He showed up in church every now and then to hear somebody preach but never gained a relationship with God.  He just couldn’t handle hard truths of the Bible.  When the rains descended and the floods came, and winds blew and beat upon that house, it fell.  The latter part of Matthew 7:27 says, And great was the fall of it.  The sand had not strength to hold the weight of the structure because he built his house with little preparation and no foundation.  

They knew Palestine was a hilly, mountainous area and that in wintery weather it was subject to flooding and violent winds.  He didn’t bother to make inquiries regarding the best location for building.  He didn’t examine the land.  He didn’t seek out more experienced builders.  The only blue-print that interested him was from the “sand” of his own selfish way of doing things, his own way of thinking, and his own goals and dreams.  If he did seek help, he didn’t like what he heard and refused to listen to good advice.  

What’s the point in going to an expert if you’re not prepared to listen to and follow the advice?  Why go to a Doctor and listen to what he has to say and then don’t follow his instructions?

His commitment was intellectual, pure head knowledge and no heart relationship with God.  He was aware of 2 Timothy 2:15, Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth,  But his own agenda took priority over spending time in the word.  He was aware of 1 Corinthian 3:12, of the kind of materials to use on his foundation:  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, but didn’t take time to dig through the sand to find the rock.  He wanted the easy way out so he decided to lay wood, hay, and stubble on his foundation - that which was cheap, flammable, worthless, temporary material called “sand buildings”.  Sand is unstable, ever changing, and moving.  It has no stability and is not good for building a house.  It can never provide a firm foundation, and it certainly can’t withstand the strength of storms.

God demands total surrender to His will.  But “sand-builders” make excuses.  Their works are based on religion that has the appearance of being right, like the fig tree.  It was full of leaves, but it had no fruit, had the form of godliness but denied the power thereof.  They’re empty and hearts are cold.

The “wise man” built his house on a “rock” in obedience to the words of Jesus, “Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them”  Matthew 7:24.  The “rock” is the gospel!  This is the same “rock” spoken of in Matthew 16.  Jesus asked His disciples in Verse 13,  Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?  Simon Peter answered saying, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God (Verse 16).  And Jesus answered and said unto him, “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona:  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 (petra, faith), I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Vs 17-18).

The “wise builder” in the Greek is phronomo’o, meaning knowledgeable, using good judgment, thoughtful, to be distinct.  He used wisdom in building his house.  Proverbs 24:3  By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established.  He prepared his foundation on a sure, solid “Rock” with the most valuable materials in nature.  He used that which was most solid, most durable, and precious stones, which cannot be consumed by flame, wind, or flood.

When the “rock builder” heard the words of Jesus, he patterned his life to it.  Jesus did say, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock” (Matthew 7:24).  The wise man’s faith came by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).  He laid his faith on his foundation.  He wanted to please God!  Hebrews 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him:  for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.  

He lived by faith!  Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  The “rock” builder’s action was not based on natural vision, even though Palestine’s location was hilly, rocky, mountainous, and subject to violent winds, and rain.  Even though it looked like a wonderful place with firm footing in summer time and in winter, it could become a raging torrent that could wipe away whatever edifice was standing there.  He took the time to assess the situation.  He took the time to seek out expert advice.  He tip-toed over to 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, and made connections with the Master Builder, the Chief Architect, Jesus the Christ!  According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.  But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.   An architect is one who lays out the floor plan and designs the blueprint.

He found out the “Master-builder” had already laid a foundation that another builds upon.  He couldn’t build with just any kind of material; he had to choose:

the gold - the divine nature of God!  God created an element that can never be transformed or changed unlike pearls and precious stones.  They have been transformed from one form to another.  Iron and steel can change through the years, but “gold” remains the same.  It is the strongest and the most unchangeable element!  God used “gold” to signify His divine nature because it’s precious, expensive, and valuable.  When we worship God, we will have the sensation that we are “golden”, shining, and weighty!  

the silver:  points to the redemptive blood of Jesus Christ.   Leviticus 17:11  For the life of the flesh in in the blood.  The “silver” symbolizes the price of atonement or at-one-ment!  There is no atonement without blood.  The atonement money was collected from the males of the Israelites.  Exodus 38:25  And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.  Verse 26  A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men. Verse 27  And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the vail; an hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.  The tabernacle rested entirely upon a foundation of “silver”.  Jesus’s blood was not derived from man, but it was “divine blood” and a divine contribution, the blood of God!  This blood is the very “rock”, the very “silver” (life) foundation upon which all of our hope is built!

and precious stones:  The foundation of God’s building is His Son, Jesus Christ, the living stone.  The living stones in turn are believers who accept Christ and place their lives on this foundation.  Those who reject the Stone are those who want to build their lives their own way, which is on the “sand”, and not God’s way, which is to build on the “rock”.   We the “wise builders” are the “precious stones” built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ Himself being the corner stone.  

1 Peter 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.  Upon Him the whole building is fit together as a dwelling place for God.   

Ephesians 2:19-22  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone, in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:  In whom you also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.  

Ephesians 4:15-16  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:  from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

So the “wise builder” could not use the wood, hay, and stubble.  Whatever you choose, your work will be tried by wind, flame, or flood.  If the material of choice is durable, don’t worry.  You will survive any storm, any wind, any flood, any fiery test that confronts you!  If not, you will surely burn and suffer loss.

1 Corinthians 3:13-15 Every man’s work shall be made manifest:  for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss:  but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.   This “fire” is not a physical fire, but it’s the “fire” of God Himself!  

Hebrews 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire.  That “fire” is already inside of you by the Holy Ghost!  

Malachi 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming?  And who shall stand when he appeareth?  For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap.  Our Savior has come, appeared or manifested Himself to us and is in us by the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost.  

Matthew 3:11  I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance:  but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear:  he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire!!!

The “wise man” had the right blue print.  Blue print instructions are engineered to hold the weight of the structure and keep it stable.  The “wise builder” had to follow the exact plan of the blue print.  Doing so would produce the exact copy of the structure designed in the blue print.  

Genesis 1:26  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.  If the “wise man” had left anything out of that foundation, the structure would have fallen.

Remember God is eternal, which means His building is eternal.  The “stone” He laid(s) will never decay nor waste away.  Our function is to declare the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.  Jesus is that Light.  Never forget where the “light” comes from – not from us.  We’re not the source, nor the generator!  We’re like the moon - it has no light of its own.  It reflects its light from the “Sun”!  We, as God’s “precious stones”, shine or reflect our light by virtue of the “Son” of God!

Do you want to talk about “built to last”?  Would you agree we’re built to last?  All you have to do is connect with the master builder, master designer, chief architect, who is Jesus Christ the Anointed One!!  He will hand over His blue print to you!  James 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.  God doesn’t change like shifting shadows.  Malachi 3:6  For I am the LORD, I change not.  Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

Don’t be like the “foolish builder” and drift off onto sinking sand.  Seek advice from the most experienced “builder”.  Seek out the “builder” from the Firm of “Joseph and Sons”, namely, Jesus the Christ.  I declare and decree, if you build on the principles of truth with durable materials, faith, gold, silver, and precious stones, and continue in God’s word, and do what James 1:22 says, (But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves), you will withstand the storms of life because you are “built to last”!

Evangelist Brenda Hansley