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Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount provides us with a beautiful picture of how we ought to live as His followers. We understand that blessed people are not those who achieve and live for self but rather those who are poor in spirit and pure in heart (Matthew 5:3-10). We recognize that anger, divorce, and lust are not so much about adhering to some kind of legalism but allowing God to change our heart, and thus our actions will follow (Matthew 5:21-32). Jesus taught His disciples how to pray and fast and not to freak out about the trials of this world (Matthew 6:5-34). We are called to be persistent in prayer, treat others as we would be treated, and that not everyone that claims the name of Christ truly is His disciple (Matthew 7:7-23).
The final piece to His sermon is a parable found in Matthew 7:24-27, a story that if any of you grew up in Sunday School then you know this catchy song: “The wise man built his house upon the rock…the foolish man built his house upon the sand…and the rain came a tumbling down.” Jesus provides this illustration that reminds us that there are two kinds of people in this world – ones that have a sure foundation of solid rock that their lives are built upon and when the storms of life come crashing down, they stand firm and aren’t destroyed. The other are ones who build upon the shifting sands of materialism and success and relationships and discover there is nothing stable when those things take a turn for the worse.
The moral of the story is simple. Wise people walk in obedience to Jesus. They are Humbly Submitted and Biblically Formed. Their lives are centered on Christ and His Word and they withstand the floods that seek to destroy. Foolish people are the opposite. They live for self and possessions and achievement. They may build large castles that appear impressive to most but when the rains come down and the water rises, they are left helpless. Their lack of foundation withers away and they are left with nothing but despair and desolation.
One thing lost in this parable is that both builders construct their homes in the very place where the floods will hit. In Israel, these valleys that host the rushing water flowing from the mountains are called Wadis, and they are found through the wilderness region of the land. In Jesus’ day, people would have heard this story and thought that both men were foolish because no one in their right mind would build in a Wadi. Yet in Jesus’ tale, they do. Why? Because all of life has its storms and floods and it's not a matter of avoiding them but a matter of how you deal with them. It’s not about the environment but about the foundation. The floods are coming, you can be sure of that. Does your house have what it takes to handle it?
Let’s be fully aware that storms and floods will arise in our lives, in our families, in our Life Groups. Let us realize that to deal with them, we need Jesus and His Word and the support of a community of believers. Wise people recognize this and laid the right foundation. For those who are foolish enough to live the opposite, let us point them to the truth.