Matthew 7:24-29

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain fell, and the ^[c]floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.²⁶ Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.²⁷ The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

²⁸ When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching;²⁹ for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

All religions around the world claim that Jesus was a good teacher. However, Jesus challenges the idea that He is not just a good teacher.

What does He say? He says the person is wise, “who hears these words of mine and acts on them.”

Jesus doesn’t beat around the bush here. He says that if we don’t obey His words we are like a foolish man.

This closing story in Jesus’ sermon on the mount is pure common sense. Everyone knows that it is wiser to build a house on solid rock than on sand. And everyone knows that no one can stop storms from coming, rain from falling, or wind from blowing. We all know the story of the Three Little Pigs.

Jesus speaks with all authority. If we don’t obey the words of Jesus, if we don’t faithfully follow His teachings, we are like the foolish man. We will not stand.

We often think that we’ve “settled” when we buy a house at the beach. We’re still surprised when storms reveal the sandy foundations upon which we have built our lives. We’re are shocked in how quickly the devastation happens, and how long the recovery process takes.

During pandemic, storms assail us and we suffer. That is why we must be obedient to what Jesus has told us. Jesus wants us to put into action what He has said. We need place to our full trust in Him, in all things.

He’s calling us to change. He’s calling us to choose.

Make a choice today about where your foundation will be built. 

Let’s build our foundation on Jesus and His teachings.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. Glory to God!