BUILT by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson
Introduction: One of my favorite TV shows from years ago is “Home Improvement” with Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor. Tim is a family man who has a TV show on home repairs. He has a good knowledge of tools and general mechanics but he often forgets to follow directions, skips a step or two, and always tries to make some crazy modifications. Of course, his assistant Al Borland tries to warn him every time but he doesn’t listen. As a result, he is on a first name basis at the local hospital, not to say that his projects usually fall apart. We love to laugh at Tim’s many accidents and mishaps but many peoples’ personal and spiritual lives are no different. Because they forget to follow God’s directions, skip a step or two, and try to make some crazy modifications, they too find themselves in a mess. If you want to build a life that will stand on the day of judgment, you need to build on the right foundation and that foundation is Jesus and his words. We’re in our series on the parables of Jesus and today we come to parable of the wise and foolish builders. The message is titled BUILT.
Matthew 7 24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
Question: Are you a wise builder or are you a foolish builder? Are you building a life that will last? Are you only a hearer of the word or are you a doer of the word as well? Are you saved? Have you heard the gospel? Have you done anything about it?
Background: Before we dive into this parable, let me make a quick clarification. The parable of the two builders is found in both the gospels of Matthew and Luke but with minor variations. While Matthew focusses on 2 different building sites and the description of the weather, Luke focusses on 2 different building processes. I encourage you to go home and compare Matthew 7:24–27 with Luke 6:47–49. Same parable but different wording. Why is there a difference in the wording? It could be that Jesus gave the parable twice with two different emphases. Or, maybe the gospel writers were not trying to quote Jesus verbatim but simply trying to convey the gist of his stories. What am I trying to get at? Red letter bibles can be great but they can also be a little misleading. The difference between Matthew and Luke’s account of the parable is proof that the gospel writers sometimes put in their words what Jesus said and that’s okay. Now, back to the parable—24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them…”
Question #1. Who were the “whoever”?
Let’s back up to Matthew 5:1 “And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.” Primarily, Jesus was speaking to his disciples but it was in the hearing of the multitudes. In other words, the listeners were a mixed bag of committed, curious, conditional, and covert. To this group Jesus preached the greatest sermon ever preached, the Sermon on the Mount:
- He began by introducing them to the Kingdom Values (the Beatitudes): 3 “Blessedare the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” and on and on. He reminded them that his disciples are to flavor the earth and illuminate the world: “You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world.”
- Then he challenged them to a Higher Living–Matthew 5:20 “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” He gave them the 6 Antithesis: You’ve heard it said…but I say to you. For example: Matthew 5 27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”
- After this, he told them to be Sincere. He warned them against hypocrisy and the temptation to parade their piety in public, especially in their giving, praying, and fasting—Matthew 6 3 “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” 6 “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” 17 “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” He even gave them a Model Prayer (Lord’s Prayer/Disciples’ Prayer) to go by—Matthew 6 9 “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. 10Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
- But, it’s not over. Next, he warned them against accumulating earthly treasures. Instead, Matthew 6:20 “lay up for yourselves Treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
- He was still not done. Next, he reminded them not to stress and worry but to Trust and Obey. Matthew 6 31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?’ or “What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
- In closing, he told them—
- Don’t be Judgmental (trying to look at the speck in your brother’s eye when there’s a plank in your own eye),
- Have Childlike Trust for good gifts from God (Matthew 7 9 “Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”),
- Be Countercultural—Matthew 7 13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it”,
- Exercise Discernment—Matthew 7 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits.”
This makes up the rock on which we are to build our lives.
Application: Is this your foundation? Are you hearing and doing what Jesus said?
Question #2. What are the “storms”?
We often think that the storms are the crisis we have in this life—relationships, finances, health, moral and ethical value shifts, etc. This may be but I don’t believe that’s what Jesus had in mind. How do we know that? Back up to Matthew 7 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
Isaiah 28 16 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily. 17 Also I will make justice the measuring line, And righteousness the plummet; The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters will overflow the hiding place. 18 Your covenant with death will be annulled, And your agreement with Sheol will not stand; When the overflowing scourge passes through, Then you will be trampled down by it.”
Invitation: You may be able to withstand the storms of this life. Saved or lost both can. But, how about the storm that is coming on the Judgment Day? Will your house stand? Are you saved? Are you hearing and doing the words of Christ?
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