False Security
Matthew 7v24-27
30th May 2025
In verses 13-14, Jesus taught us about two gates, two roads and two destinations. In verses 15-20, He taught us about two types of animal - sheep and wolves in sheep's clothing - and two types of tree - good trees and bad trees. In verses 21-23, He taught us about two religious types - true Christians and people who think they're Christians but aren't. In all these sayings, Jesus teaches about the vital importance of making good choices: which gate to enter, which road to follow, which prophets (and teachers) to listen to. Good choices result in our becoming Christians, continuing in the Christian life, and entering heaven. He now moves on the the question of false security with this very well-known parable about two men and two houses:
Matthew 7v24-27
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is
like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that
house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is
like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that
house, and it fell with a great crash."
Note the word "Therefore". This parable is both a fitting sequel to verses 13-23 and a fitting end to the sermon as a whole. In the light of what Jesus has already said, He proclaims the necessity of hearing His words and living in accordance with them.
Consider these two men and their houses. The men seem quite similar. They both want a nice house to live in. They're both willing to build that house. So far as we know their two houses are also similar, but with one vital difference. The houses stand for a person's life, both before and after death. Most people want a comfortable life, a clear conscience, and an eternity in heaven, although different people's concepts of heaven may be quite different.
Once can imagine these two men sitting next to each other in church. Two churchgoers may want much the same things: the welcome and fellowship of Christian believers, the sense of belonging, a safe place to contemplate God, a comforting and encouraging sermon. They may both be glad to give the "amen" to spoken prayers, and to sing songs of worship. But one many be building on sand while the other builds on rock.
One man built his house on a proper foundation. He dug down through the sand until he reached the rock underneath. The would probably be a lengthy and tiring phase of the building project. He was prepared to put the effort in, and accept the additional expenditure and the time delay before beginning the work of building the house itself. The other man wanted no delay, no cost, no effort. He wanted his house built straight away, with the minimum of "fuss".
The application of this story is obvious. It is wise to build both our earthly life and out eternity on a solid foundation, but finding that foundation is costly, in terms of time, effort and resources.
It is strange and troubling that many Christians misread this parable, thinking that Jesus tells us to build our lives on Him. That is an excellent, praiseworthy and noble idea, but it's not what Jesus says (perhaps we can assign some of the blame for this error to a well-known children's song based on this passage). Jesus says we must build our lives on His words.
This follows on from verse 21, where Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." We are called to hear what God says and put [his words] into practice. It also flows on from all that has preceded it in the Sermon on the Mount. There is no point listening to Christ's words and then ignoring them.
Many churchgoing people, including many Christians, willingly, joyfully, acknowledge Jesus as God and accept Him as Lord, but don't study the Bible with any enthusiasm or commitment. I understand, of course, that some of us are more naturally scholarly than others, but we can all study the Bible. Also, many churchgoing people, including many Christians, do study the Bible, but reject or wilfully misinterpret parts of it, bending it to conform the Bible to their own ideas, rather than changing their own ideas to conform to the Bible. Perhaps we all do this to some extent. But to study the Bible and obey it is to build our houses on the rock.
Romans 12v2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s
will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
We cannot do this unless we read the Bible, believe it and obey it.
Jesus says that if we are wise we will hear His words (which for us means reading the Bible) and obey them. He promises that our future (on earth and afterwards) will be safe from whatever storms assail it. He doesn't say there will be no storms, only that the storms that come will not cause out future to fail. But if we call ourselves Christians while ignoring any part of the Bible, or argue any part away, if we pick and choose what Biblical teaching to accept, then our futures will fall with a great crash.
It is remarkable and tragic that so many church-going people will teach this parable to their children while ignoring what it says.