THE PARABLE OF THE WISE AND FOOLISH BUILDERS

Passage : Matthew 7:24-27 ; Luke 6:47-49

• Audience: A Great Crowd
• Context: The Sermon on the Mount
• Theme: Be doers of the Word

Construction workers would best understand the requirements of structures and what is needed to make them stand. Just like there are health codes in the medical field where I am best suited to relate to, there are building codes that have to be adhered to in the attempt of setting up any structure. The starting point is always the foundation and from the limited knowledge I have gathered, I have learned that the sturdiness of a house is dependent on how deep the foundation is. The irony is that the foundation is not visible yet it carries great importance. 

WHAT KIND OF HOUSE ARE YOU BUILDING?

It has been two shaky and stressful years of a pandemic and one thing that our Bishop kept emphasizing in conversations was the state of our houses- metaphorically speaking- while posing the question; What kind of house are you building?. Our houses will be shaken, what will make us stand/fall is the structure or lack thereof of the foundation of our houses. The Word of God is the foundation and the foundation is strengthened through obedience. Jesus outlines a contrast between the wise and foolish builders by citing that the wise will build on a rock (Jesus; His word) while the foolish will build on shifting sand( beliefs, unstable ideologies). Our lives are a constant show of God’s house, 1 Peter 2:5 “you also as living stones are being built up a spiritual house.”

Houses can look the same from the outside even though they have been set up on different foundations and our faulty nature as hurried human beings trap us in the illusion of completing rather than diligently doing the harder work beneath the surface.

We can all attend the same church, Bible Studies, and be exposed to the same truths but it is only obedience that will separate the wise and foolish. James 1:22  states Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror, for he observes himself goes away and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks in the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the word, this one will be blessed in what he does. 

We already know enough, we need no new revelation rather we are called to live by that which we already know. (John 14:15;1 John 2:3) and like the Psalmist says “I will hurry without delay to obey your commands” (Psalm 119:60)

DO YOU KNOW THE MATERIAL/SUBSTANCE TO BUILD ON?

The present generation has been called a quick fix generation, the kind that loves to get things done easily and fast. Offered a choice between sand and rock, the obvious choice is the rock. It almost seems unlikely and inconsiderable that one would go for sand knowing the instability of sand yet that is what we often do so we can get it done quickly.

• Are we focused on appearance that we miss the substance?
• Are we always in the business of building our lives upon things that pass? The shaky beliefs and system of the world? 

These beliefs are like shifting sand which ultimately passes away but God’s word is eternal and credible ( Matthew 24:35; Isaiah 40:8)

Luke’s account takes a rather interesting approach as he introduces this parable. Luke 6:47 “But why do you call me Lord Lord and not do the things which I say?“. He cautions against busyness; the illusion of working for the Lord instead of working with the Lord and prioritizing busyness over obedience

Our credibility as disciples is not in what we profess/confess but in what we exhibit and are characterized by in deed. 

DIG DEEP

Luke 6:48 “He is like a man building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.” The emphasis dug deep caught my eye because hurried hellos and quick hugs in the place of communion cannot guarantee a strong foundation. There is a need to have focused attention on God in the secret place. Carefully studying His truths and seeking to know Him beyond the surface level. The sand may stand for a while but it cannot withstand the pressure of the rain, floods, and wind

A builder, before beginning any construction does a reconnaissance of the site, figures out what is needed for the intended structure i.e how deep to dig, and upon completion, he sets up a plan in motion to put in the work. Merely researching doesn’t set up the foundation. 

Ezra is always a reference point as one who gave Himself to Study the word of God and Obey it before teaching it. (Ezra 7:10) There is a succession: Study-Obey-Teach. We cannot obey that which we do not know hence the need to study, to search out the treasures of His word: What does it mean? What does it apply to now? How can I apply this to my life? 

The rain, the flood and wind

The rain, the flood, the wind are symbolic of the harsh realities of life which we will all go through. The suffering, the persecution, the sorrow of losing loved ones, losing jobs, the cry for healing, the patience to trust God, the reality of unmet dreams, and the longing for the manifestation of the promises of God. One way or another, we can all relate to these circumstances. It is often said that you are either in a storm, coming out of one, or about to get into one.   Many get drowned and sucked in it because they lack the influence of God’s word and are not anchored in His truth

Psalm 119:92 “If your instruction hadn’t sustained me with joy, I would have died in misery”

Psalm 119:81 “I am worn out waiting for your rescue but I have put my hope in your word.”

No trouble must pull us from God’s truth. We should stay planted as we receive His instruction and obey it. There are great rewards as we walk in obedience and righteousness. Proverbs 10:25 “When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more. But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.”

In God’s word, we have the right blueprint. The code is in the word.

Every time we hear the word of God, we are stacking up a brick. The cementing glue is in obedience which ensures the brick doesn’t fall off. Thankfully God allows us to build with the gift of His patience and grace. Even as we make the mistake, He allows us to reroute and start over provided we do not opt for the shifting sand. Let us stay patient building on the rock and not be swayed by the hurriedness of completion devoid of depth and stability