“The Builders”

Sunday, June 04, 2017

Our Savior concluded the greatest sermon ever preached, the Sermon on the Mount, with the parable of the builders. It is found in Matthew 7:21-29 and a similar parable is located at Luke 6:46-49.

Two men each built a house. One built on a solid foundation of rock while the other build his house on sand. When faced with storms and floods and winds, one house stood the test. The other collapsed and was ruined.

The Lord tells us that the one who built on a rock foundation is the person who “hears these sayings of Mine, and does them.” He is called wise and the children often sing a song, “The wise man built his house upon the rock.” His house withstood the tests and trials of life.

But, as our children can tell us, “The foolish man built his house upon the sand.” When the storms of life came along, his house was poorly constructed and it was destroyed. This is the person who “hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them,” according to Jesus.

What a simple story to illustrate an important spiritual truth. The fact is that there are really only two categories of people in the world. Wise and foolish. Saved and lost. Righteous and unrighteous. The obedient and the disobedient. The good and the evil. Those who are going to heaven and those who will go to hell.

We would like to think there is some middle ground, some who are mostly obedient and will probably be saved and some who do a few wrong things and may or may not be saved, but it’s kind of “iffy.” To the Lord, everyone is either a believer or an unbeliever. And He clearly knows the difference.

And we can recognize the difference also, based on what Jesus said. The wise, saved ones are those who hear the message of the gospel and obey it. The foolish, lost ones are those who hear the word of God and do not obey it.

Human beings want to come up with all kinds of loopholes, exceptions, extraordinary situations, imaginary ideas and doctrines and commandments of men to try to get some of those foolish ones into heaven. The Lord will tell them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23).

Hear God’s word and obey it. It really is that simple. Be a wise builder.

--Roger Hillis

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