REFERENCE BIBLE VERSES
Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV) | Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on 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.
Psalm 111:10 (ESV) | The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
OBJECTIVE
To understand that an impactful life is founded on the fear of the Lord
To understand that wisdom is seen through our obedience, not our knowledge
CONTENT
Jesus closes His Sermon on the Mount with the parable of two builders — one who hears the words of Jesus and acts on them, and another who does not. He likened those who obey to a wise man who built his house on the rock — a strong and sturdy foundation. Those who hear His words yet fail to obey are like a foolish man who built his house on the sand — unstable and easily destroyed. Many came to hear Jesus speak, but not everyone went home wiser.
The Men
- Jesus mentioned 2 men as an illustration to compare those who are wise and those who are foolish. Who were the two men? They both are hearers of the Word so it is important to distinguish the foolish man from those who never hear at all. Those who never hear the word are lost in a different way — they do not even realize they need a house, unaware that a storm is coming for them. The foolish man, however, knew he needed shelter. He heard Jesus' words, understood the danger but still chose to build on sand. Therefore these verses are for all believers who hear the Word.
The Rain, Wind and Flood
- The rain falls, the floods come, and the winds blow for both builders. This tells us that Jesus makes no promise of a storm-free life to the hearers of the Word. What sets the two builders apart is not the storm they face, not the building they built but their foundation. They both faced the same storm. Both men built and finished their houses up.
- This tells us that there is no difference in the result of their project. The true test comes with the storm because not only it tested the building but also tested the foundation. Those whose lives are rooted in the fear of the Lord were likened to the rock foundation; endures with faith that holds and a hope that does not collapse. The foolish, however, fall when the storm hits — and as Jesus warns, "great was the fall of it." The latter’s foundation was upon sand. Despite finishing the house, his house did not stand long.
Rock and Sand
- The difference between the two foundations was in their obedience. Jesus described the wise builder not as someone who is smarter, older, or more experienced, but as someone who simply obeys. This stands in sharp contrast to how the world defines wisdom today which is by having all the answers. But true wisdom is about being obedient to God.
- As Psalm 111 reminds us, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom — and it must be actively practiced. Fear of the Lord is not passive. It demands a response. Our obedience is the outward expression of that reverence. And it is through obedience that our lives become like a house built on solid rock.
REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- How has the fear of the Lord protected you from temptations, losing hope, or any other hardships in the past?
- In what ways have you struggled to obey God? What has made obedience difficult?
REFERENCES