Matthew 7:21-29 (text) / mp3 / podcast
"Not every one
who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who
does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to
me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your
name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to
them, `I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.' "Every one
then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who
built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and
the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had
been founded on the rock. And every one who hears these words of mine and
does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and
the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that
house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it." And when Jesus finished
these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them
as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
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If you could forsee a
threat to your life and the lose of your home and goods, wouldn't you take the
necessary precautions to avoid such a disaster? Jesus' story of being swept
away by flood waters and wind storms must have caught the attention of his
audience who knew that terrific storms did occasionally sweep through their dry
arrid land without any warning signs. When Jesus described the builders who
were unprepared for such a life-threatening storm, he likely had the following
proverb in mind: When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the
righteous stand firm for ever.
What’s the
significance of the story for us? The kind of foundation we build our lives
upon will determine whether we can survive the storms and trials of life that
are sure to come. Builders usually lay their foundations when the weather and
soil conditions are at their best. It takes foresight to know how a foundation
will stand up against adverse conditions. Building a house on a flood plain,
such as a dry river-bed, is a sure bet for disaster! Jesus prefaced his story with
a warning: We may fool one another with our words, but God cannot be deceived.
He sees the heart as it truly is – with its motives, intentions, desires, and
choices. There is only one way in which a person’s sincerity can be proved, and
that is by one’s practice. Fine words can never replace good deeds. Our
character is revealed in the choices we make, especially when we must choose
between what is true and false, good and evil. Do you cheat on an exam or on
your income taxes, especially when it will cost you? Do you lie, or cover-up,
when disclosing the truth will cause you pain or embarrassment? A true person
is honest and reliable before God, neighbor, and oneself. Such a person's word
can be taken as trustworthy.
What can keep us from
falsehood and spiritual disaster? If we make the Lord and his word the rock and
foundation of our lives, then nothing can shake us nor keep us from God's
presence and protection. Is the Lord and his word the one sure foundation of
your life?
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"Lord Jesus, you
are the only foundation that can hold us up when trials and disaster threaten
us. Give me the wisdom, foresight, and strength of character I need to do what
is right and good and to reject whatever is false and contrary to your will.
May I be a doer of your word and not a hearer only."
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