Sermon on the Mount: Two Houses
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Sermon on the Mount – Two Houses
Matthew 7:24-29
1. Introduction – Today we come to the end of something really special.
a. I always have a sense of satisfaction when we finish an in-depth like this one.
i. It is rewarding and fruitful to spend this much time in one section of Scripture.
1. My Bibles no naturally flop open to the SM – it happens when we studied Esther, Revelation, Malachi, 2 Corinthians, and Joel.
a. It’s pretty to cool knowing that I’m wearing those sections out.
b. 41 sermons – I read thousands of pages of research and wrote a few hundred pages of my own research.
i. I have found this study so enriching and rewarding – as we learned together what it means and what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus.
1. We saw what basic Christian character looks like in the Beatitudes.
a. How we are to relate to God’s Laws…how we are to pray…how we are to treat other people.
ii. And for the last few weeks we’ve been looking at who we are to respond to Jesus’ teaching.
1. Hearing Jesus’ teaching shouldn’t simply cause us to nod our heads and smile…
a. Hearing Jesus’ teaching, whether it’s the SM or this other teaching in the Gospels… should motivate us to a response.
i. And as we saw last week…and what we’ll continue to look at today is that the proper response to Jesus ‘teaching is obedience.
1. Not only hearing, thinking about and debating God’s will…but actually doing it.
c. The passage we’re looking at today is a famous parable.
i. It has been made into a kids’ song – a song we all know and love.
1. But like a lot of kids’ songs – it is profound in what it teaches.
a. The paragraph we are looking at today is a perfect way to close out this incredible sermon.
i. Wise people build on a solid foundation of hearing and doing.
1. While the fools go for the prime real estate and the view…but take no consideration for the elements.
ii. So let’s read this famous parable together, then we’ll dive deep into its meaning.
1. Hear God’s Word – Matthew 7:24-29.
d. So here is what we’ll do today – we’ll look at the extended metaphor of this parable…the building of houses.
i. We’ll discuss what Jesus meant by this parable…and we’ll see what our response should be.
2. The Metaphor – We know it well – but we are going to look at this parable in depth anyway.
a. I want us to really understand the visual that Jesus is painting so we can really comprehend what Jesus is teaching.
i. Jesus compares 2 builders – the wise builder and the foolish builder.
1. Most of you know that to pay for seminary I worked at a stucco company.
a. And while I got pretty good with a hawk and trowel in my hand…I also learned quite a bit about house construction in the process.
i. I’m a visual learner…so by watching the other trades I learned about framing, roofing, putting on fascia, soffit and eavestroughs.
2. And we worked with a lot of different builders along the way – some better than others.
a. And some just downright cheap.
i. I’d like to take a drive around some of the areas ai worked and see if those houses are still standing…because there was some pretty shoddy construction done on some of them.
1. Preparation and attention to detail…not cutting corners are keys to a successful build.
a. And Jesus says here…making sure the structure is built on a firm and solid foundation.
b. Jesus uses the image of a house in order to draw the line even closer.
i. Remember the line has been moving close and close over the last few weeks.
1. A line was drawn dividing those who are saved and those who are lost – the broad or narrow way.
a. A line was drawn divided those who are insiders with those who are merely pretending to be insiders…trees that bear fruit according to their essential character.
i. Last week – a dividing line between those who do God’s will and those who talk a good game.
ii. And today – notice this – both house builders hear Jesus’ teaching.
1. Presumably, both builders believe in Jesus’ teaching…but only one house stands firm because of the care and preparation that was taken from the beginning.
c. The wise man built his house upon the rock….meaning what?
i. Well, from a construction point of view, he took time to dig down to some solid earth…to bedrock.
1. When my new garage was built, the very first thing that was done was removing a lot of earth.
a. The foundation wasn’t simply poured straight onto the existing topsoil…
i. No, I had a skid steer rip my lawn apart and the builder dug down to solid earth…so that the foundation wouldn’t shift.
d. But Jesus describes a second type of building…the quick and careless type.
i. When building the house this builder didn’t take the time to dig down to bedrock or solid earth.
1. But instead built on the soft and shifty surface.
a. Remember, where Jesus lived while he was on earth is mostly desert…so shifting and unstable sand would be a well-known idea to the people.
e. Two houses – on the outside they look the same – but the difference was revealed when a storm rolled it.
i. The wind kicked up and the rain came down – torrential downpours that lead to flooding.
1. Or as the song says, “The rains came down and the floods came up…”
a. Regardless of how they were built – the houses both experienced a storm…then the difference was revealed…and the outcomes were drastically different.
i. The house on the rock stood firm…the house on the sand went splat.
ii. The one who took time, dug down to bedrock…that house was able to withstand and weather the storm.
1. But the house that was built on the sand…even though it may have used the same building materials and same construction techniques as the other house…
a. Even though the houses looked the same – the house built on the sand was doomed for failure…
i. Because the structure wasn’t built on a firm foundation…but shifting and unstable sand.
f. One house able to weather the storm while the other collapsed.
i. That house…though it may have been well built, had one major flaw…a bad foundation.
1. And that fatal flaw led to what Jesus described as a great fall.
3. Meaning – So, that’s what it says – a parable we all know…a parable we have heard a lot….
a. But what does it mean?
i. Well, I said earlier that in this section Jesus is bringing the dividing line even close to home…
1. Because in this section Jesus is describing 2 kinds of Christians.
a. And these are the 2 types of Christians…
i. Those who hear God’s Word…listen to Jesus’ teaching and then proceed to do what it says…
1. And those who hear God’s Word…listen to Jesus’ teaching, but don’t take the extra care of doing what it says…
a. Let’s look at the similarities then the differences.
b. As the houses were built – the casual observer would hardly notice the difference.
i. Similar materials were used, similar construction methods.
1. And in the same way – to the casual observer – the 2 types of Christians often look alike.
a. You might not be able to tell which is which.
ii. What is common to both spiritual households is that they hear the teaching of Jesus.
1. Both are visible members of the Christian community, both go to church, sing the hymns, recite the creed, pray the Lord’s Prayer and partake of Communion.
a. Both nod their heads along with the pastor as he preaches.
i. Both read their Bible privately, listen to sermons and maybe read Christian literature.
iii. On the surface and to the outside observer – these 2 Christians look the same.
1. They participate in the same activities, say the same things, read the same books, listen to the same sermons…
a. They are like the cookie-cutter houses built in the same subdivision.
i. They all look the same…but Jesus says there is one major difference.
1. But that difference won’t be revealed until the storms of life hit.
b. When the storms of life hit – it will reveal either a solid foundation or a weak and faulty one.
i. So even though the outside façade looks the same, these 2 types of Christians are radically and fundamentally different from each other.
1. Because for all the outside similarities…there is one deep difference…and what is that difference?
c. Well, Jesus puts it like this…the wise Christian listens to his words…and then does what he what he says.
i. While the foolish Christian listens to Jesus words, but doesn’t take the extra step of doing what he says.
1. Take note of something – building the house – coming to Christ, doesn’t spare you form the storm.
a. Anyone who teaches that the Christian life is all rainbows and sunshine and unicorns and butterflies…that person is lying to you.
i. Anyone who says that when you come to Christ all your problems go away…is lying to you.
1. Jesus says it – the storm will come…in John 16:33 Jesus tells his disciples that they will experience hardships and trials of all kinds in this life…
a. In life – the storms will come…the rain will fall; the flood waters will rise…the wind will be howling…a blizzard will roll in
ii. And this same storm will hit the wise and the foolish alike.
d. But again, the difference…when the storm hits the wise, they are able to withstand it.
i. Being wise and doing what Jesus teaches doesn’t spare us from the storm, but protects us through the storm.
1. Just as a house built on a solid foundation doesn’t spare us from storms, but supports the house during one.
a. But the house the crashes – I’ll say it again – it is not the house of a godless pagan – or the house of a blasphemous heathen…
i. It’s not the house of someone who hasn’t heard Jesus’ teaching…
1. Hear it again…the house that crashes is the house of a Christian who finds Jesus’ words important enough to listen to, but not realistic enough to live out.
ii. It is the house of someone who comes to church, sings the songs, listens to God’s Word being preached…
1. But can’t be bothered to do anything else…to practice anything that was taught.
a. For whatever reason, Jesus’ words are only heard…they aren’t done.
i. Maybe such Christians don’t think Jesus’ words are practical enough for modern day life.
1. Maybe they think Jesus’ teaching is too naïve for contemporary life…or, they think they are just too hard to live out.
iii. Whatever the reason – Jesus say that this is a recipe for disaster.
1. Hearing plus not doing equals building a house on sand…which will result in the total collapse of the structure…of your life.
4. Response – We know the metaphor well – we know what it says, what it means…but most important, we need to figure out how all of this applies to our lives today…how will you respond.
a. Know this – everyone is building a house…a life, a career…a family…everyone builds a house on some sort of foundation…
i. Because everyone believers that something is true and stable.
1. And here Jesus invites his listeners to believe that his words are the most stable foundation in the world.
a. And what the stable foundation consists of is hearing Jesus’ teaching…and then doing what he teaches.
ii. It does you no good to hear God’s word…if you don’t obey its instructions.
1. The decision to NOT do Jesus’ words is a decision to do much. It is the decision to live by someone else’s words.
b. Doing is an indispensable part of the Christian life.
i. Understand that we are not saved by doing – we are saved by grace through faith.
1. However, those who truly hear the gospel and profess faith will always obey Jesus words.
a. Your faith is expressed in your good works.
i. The writers of the NT never forgot this. John wrote in 1 John about the perils of a verbal only profession.
1. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie.
a. If we say, “I know God,’ but disobey his commands, you are a liar.
2. James famously wrote that an arid orthodoxy can’t save, but only a faith which issues in good works.
a. So, James writes, we are to be doers of the word, and not hearers only.
i. Paul wrote that it is by grace we are saved through faith so that no one can boast about earning their salvation – Eph. 2:8-9.
1. But in Eph. 2:10 – he writes that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do what??? Nothing???
a. To simply go to church or to fill a pew???
i. No, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.
c. The question is not whether we say nice, polite, orthodox or enthusiastic things about Jesus…whether we hear his words, listen, study, ponder, memorize his words…
i. The question is – do we DO what he says…and do what we know we should do?
1. Remember – the wise man was the one who heard Jesus’ words…and then did them.
a. The fool hears but doesn’t do…which category do you fall in to?
ii. This has been an age-old problem for God’s people.
1. God said to the prophet Ezekiel – they sit before you as my people…and they hear what you say…but they will not do it.
d. The image is clear – one foundation leads to safety and security – protection through the storm…
i. The other foundation leads to collapse and ruin.
1. The choice has been laid before you this morning.
a. The foundation of hearing and doing Jesus’ words – on the foundation of hearing only?
i. The storms of life will come…a health issue will arise that you are not ready to deal with.
1. Maybe a job loss or the lose of financial security…
a. Family issues may arise…or life issues of another kind…and those storms of life WILL expose your foundation.
e. I hope and pray that each one of you will be doers of God’s Word…not simply hearers.
i. That you will be carrying out the teaching we’ve learned from the SM this year.
1. That you will carry about the Great Commandment to love God with all you’ve got and your neighbour…
a. That you will carry out the Great Commission to make disciples wherever you are going.
f. I pray that you will be building the house of your life on the Lord Jesus Christ – by listening to his Word, and then doing what he commands you to do.
i. It is the only way to have protection through the storms of this life.
1. The only way to keep your life from falling to pieces when those storms hit.