Intro: In Italy, the Leaning Tower of Pisa will collapse. Every year, scientists go to the town of Pisa to
measure the building's gradual fall. They say that the 179-foot tower, built in 1173, moves about one twentieth of an inch a year and is currently 17 feet off center. The 810-year-old tower may have been saved from collapse thanks to recent renovations. The fact that "pisa" literally translates to "marshy land" provides some insight into the reason why the tower began to sag even before it was finished. The fact that its foundation is only 10 feet deep is another problem! The Leaning Tower of Pisa has a problem with its foundation because it is built on it. |
| A tale of two builders |
The story we've just read is about two builders who created two distinct houses using two distinct kinds of foundations. Jesus teaches us in this "Tale of Two Builders" that the foundation on which we build our lives' houses is of the utmost importance. I want to highlight a few aspects of this parable that demonstrate the significance of your life's foundation. Take note of these today as we examine A Tale of Two Builders with me.
I. REMEMBER THE ACCORDS This succinct parable seems to compare two very distinct types of people. The two people Jesus depicts here share a number of significant traits. Let me highlight them.
• They Heard Christ's Words Both of the people in this parable heard Jesus preach the gospel of faith and repentance, vv. 24, 26. Subsequently, the two individuals referred to in this anecdote knew the method of salvation. They both responded differently when they heard the Gospel.
• Both Built Houses: These two individuals each constructed a house based on their comprehension of what Jesus said. The house in this illustration is an image of a daily existence. That is, each man fabricated a daily existence in view of how they deciphered the message of Jesus. This indicates that both individuals initially believed the message. Each of them put Jesus' words into practice in the way that worked best for them.
• Both were constructed in the same location - a severe storm is described in verse 27. This tempest impacted the two houses, so they probably been underlying closeness to each other.
• Their homes were built in a similar way; there is no mention of their differences. They probably had the same layout and used similar materials. From an external perspective, these two home seemed to be comparative. In fact, you might not have been able to tell them apart because they were so similar. It brings to mind our house. Our home is very much like the house nearby. The main distinctions are the shade of the siding, the shade of the screens, and the cold of the shingles. They are alike in size, shape, and layout.
The illustration depicts people and their distinct responses to the Gospel message. To be clear, the Gospel is very straightforward. “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures,” reads the verse again. And that the Scriptures say he was buried and rose again on the third day,” 1 Cor. 15:3–4. If someone wants to be saved, they need to believe that message.
The Good book puts it along these lines: " That if thou shalt admit with thy mouth the Ruler Jesus, and shalt trust in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved," Rom. 10:9. Salvation is basically as straightforward as trusting the Gospel. Naturally, the Bible says in that verse, "...confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus." Salvation requires not only faith in the Gospel but also repentance of sin and a willingness to submit to the Lordship and control of Jesus Christ over one's life.
As a result, people receive that message and respond in various ways. They all build their lives around what they believe Jesus is saying, regardless of how they feel about it. All of these people construct their homes in the same area. That is, they experience the same storms, perform the same tasks, attend the same churches, listen to the same sermons, and lead the same kinds of lives. The two listeners really aren't that different from one another from the outside.
It is evident that the people depicted here are religious, orthodox in their beliefs, and members of the church who support and serve it. They live in a responsible manner. Both appear to trust exactly the same things and carry on with similar sort of lives. They share a ton practically speaking, to some extent outwardly.
I. Think About the Comparisons II. Consider the Contrasts Although these two types of people share a few similarities, there are some very significant differences. Those distinctions are quite significant.
• A House Built by One Man on the Sand: A house built by one man with little preparation He tracked down a spot for his home and started to construct. Sand is unsteady, consistently changing and moving. Sand does not offer stability. A house should not be built in sand. Sand can never give a solid groundwork.
Building on the sand refers to people who hear the Gospel but instead believe it and come to faith in Jesus because they believe they can build their lives on the shifting sands of human philosophy, wisdom, opinion, and religious accomplishment. Instead of having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, they are motivated by making religious appearances and having faith in themselves.
When they hear the Gospel, people who build on sand decide to save themselves. Although they hear the Gospel and accept its general message, they decide to follow God on their own terms. To them, His Statement is not entirely clear. If He tells them to do something, they can choose to obey. They won't do it if they don't like it.
They fabricate the place of their lives on self-will, self-satisfaction, independence, vanity, and affectedness. Their religion is based on works and appears to be right, but it does not have the power to save souls. The following is how Paul describes that kind of person: Having a type of righteousness, yet denying the power thereof: from such dismiss," 2 Tim. 3:5.
Because it is simple, people construct on the sand. It doesn't take much effort. Only a bit of progress here, and a little change there, and they can trick themselves, and everybody around them in to thinking they are right with the Ruler. A day to day existence based on the sand requires no responsibility, no penance, and no confidence.
People who build on sand believe that all they need to do is sign a card, say a prayer, and join a church, and everything will be fine. It can be turned on and off like a switch by building on the sand. They can be in today and out tomorrow and in again the following day. In the end, sand builders believe in themselves.
They make excuses when God demands complete surrender to His will and makes demands of sand builders. Jesus experienced this very thing during His service. " A certain man said to him, "Lord, I will follow thee wherever thou goest," as they were making their way along. Jesus then instructed him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests." The Son of Man, on the other hand, has no place to rest. Another person heard him say, "Follow me." Yet, he said, Ruler, endure me first to proceed to cover my dad. Let the dead bury their dead, Jesus told him. but go and proclaim God's kingdom. Another said, "Lord, I will follow thee," as well. But first, let me go say goodbye to them, who are at my house. According to Luke 9:57–62, Jesus addressed the man, "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
God will not serve those whose lives are built on religion, self-righteousness, and a false hope. They won't forfeit. They only take the simplest route. Sand builders value immediate outcomes, immediate benefits, instant contentment, and pleasure. They are shallow individuals who love the levels, however can't stand the profundities. They go from being hot to cold. They enter and leave. They are up and afterward down.
• A single man constructed his home on the rock. The word "rock" means "a large outcropping of rock; the bedrock." One man dug deep while the other built a house on the sand. He dug until he reached the bedrock, where he constructed his home. The rock remains stationary. It doesn't change and is stable. Rock offers a solid groundwork for a house.
People who hear the Gospel and believe it to the point where they build their lives on it are referred to as "building on the rock." "These words of mine" are used to identify the "rock" in these verses. The Gospel is the "rock." It is the same "rock" that Matt mentions. 16:16-18. According to those verses, "He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?" When Simon Peter heard Simon's response, he declared, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus then responded to him and said, "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona:" It has only been revealed to you by my Heavenly Father, not by flesh and blood. Furthermore, I say likewise unto you, That thou craftsmanship Peter, and upon this rock I will construct my congregation; and it will not be stopped by hell's gates. The word "rock" in that passage refers to Peter's declaration of faith in the words of Jesus. To put it another way, it means having faith in the Gospel.
Rock manufacturers comprehend that Jesus alone has the ability to save their spirits. Rock builders listen to His Word and follow it in their lives. They learn that Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life:" as stated in the Bible. John 14:6 says, "No man comes to the Father but by Me." They hear that message and they get it with their entire existence. They read from John 3:16, which says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." They hear, "Come unto me, all ye that work and are weighty loaded, and I will give you rest," Matt. 11:28. That message hits them like a lightning bolt. They understand it completely when it enters their hearts. They believe the truth when they hear it about Jesus. They welcome it. They respect it. Their lives are altered by the message.
They do what the Bible tells them to do. They avoid doing what God tells them not to do. They follow any path, pay any price, and do whatever the Lord instructs them to do. Someone who knows that God deserves the best built the house on the rock. To honor the Lord, they work, sacrifice, and do anything. They obey Him, love Him, and show Him respect. John 14:15 says that the rock builder's love for the Lord is demonstrated by their obedience to God's Word. Rock manufacturers hear the Expression of God, the Gospel, and make it the establishment for their lives.
Moreover, this is how the redeemed are aware that they have been redeemed. Also, thusly we truly do realize that we know him, assuming we keep his rules. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his decrees, is a liar, and the fact of the matter isn't in him. But the love of God is truly perfected in him who keeps his word: thusly know we that we are in him. According to 1 John 2:3–6, "He that saith he abideth in him ought also so to walk, even as he walked."
Thus, there are two individuals who develop immeasurably various lives in light of how they hear and answer the Gospel. Faith in the Gospel and the Lord Jesus Christ is the solid foundation upon which one house is constructed. The shifting foundation of religion, self-righteousness, and works is the other. The kind of life you're creating right now is exemplified by one of those houses. Either you believe in Jesus and the Gospel or you practice a false religion and have a false hope of salvation. I just wanted to remind you that only knowing Jesus Christ as your Savior can save you.
Hear once more the unmistakable message of the Holy book.
• "There is no other source of salvation: Acts 4:12 says, "for there is none other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved."
• According to Acts 16:31, "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, as well as thy house,"
• "No man can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. 3:11.
Who, for sure, is the establishment for your life? What or who are you constructing on? Are you constructing your life on the Gospel's solid foundation? Or are you constructing your life on shaky ground?
I. Think About the Comparisons II. Take a look at The Contrasts III. Consider the repercussions The parable explains that the winds of destruction were blowing, the floods came, and the rains came. This picture isn't just about some tempest throughout everyday life. The image of judgment is like this. In the end, a terrible storm of judgment swept through both houses. While one house survived, the other was completely destroyed.
• The sand-built house fell because it was unable to withstand God's wrathful judgment. "And great was the fall of it," Jesus said. This indicates that the house was completely demolished. You was nothing passed on to show for the life lived inside it. Everything was destroyed and swept away as if it had never existed, including hopes, dreams, plans, efforts, and works.
Every person whose life is built on anything but Jesus Christ and the Gospel will experience this. A day of reckoning is coming. There will come a time when everyone will have to confront God. The house they have built will crumble and fall before God's judgment if they place their faith in religion, good works, a prayer they prayed, an emotional experience they had, a profession they made, or anything else. The individual who constructs their life on the sand will spend time everlasting in Damnation when they pass on.
In verse 24, take note of the word "therefore." This word connects the verses preceding this parable. Matt. 7:21-23 tells the shocking story of a few exceptionally strict individuals who fabricated their lives on the sand. They were thrown out of God's presence when these people presented God with all of their works and self-righteous deeds. God doesn't acknowledge heathens into His Paradise in light of our benevolent acts, or our strict endeavors. Sinners are only accepted into heaven by God if they have a faith relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. He that hath the Child hath life; John 5:12 says, "And he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." John 6:37–40, Ill.
• The same storm affected the rock-built house as well. The house was "beat upon" by the wind, flood, and rain. To "hit, batter" is the meaning of the word "beat." Despite being battered, this house was able to withstand the storm. Despite being shaken, this house did not collapse. It survived the storm thanks to its sturdy foundation.
Again, the foundation of this house was the Bible and the gospel of grace. The builder dug deep and built this house on something bigger than himself, and it still stands today. This builder based his house on the Lord Jesus Christ's finished work. The Gospel was held by this builder. This builder was aware that Jesus could save anyone who would believe in Him, that He died for his sins, and that He rose from the dead. This person was accepted by God and built his life around Jesus.
That is the means by which it works companions.
• You can join the congregation yet push off.
• You can be baptized without going to Hell.
• You can be a decent individual, according to others yet take a hike.
• You can still build your home on religion and end up in Hell.
• You can assemble you house on secularism, human insight, human ways of thinking, and whatever else you can name, and you will in any case kick the bucket and get lost.
• On the other hand, your house will stand and you will be saved if you build your life on faith in Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection.
The person who constructed his house on the sand had no idea that it would fall. He believed he was acting appropriately. He was under the impression that he was building a house that would withstand any challenge. He is sure that his house will survive. He was off-base. He has no faith in the Lord; It is within him. His trust is ill-conceived. His home checked out. The materials were in good condition. The foundation of his house is the problem.
That is today's lesson. Your house will fall if you build it on anything but Jesus Christ and the Gospel. It might appear robust. The materials may be okay. It might be pretty to look at. The house might be fine to everyone else. However, assuming it is based on some unacceptable establishment, it will fall. At the point when it falls, you will be lost perpetually, and you will spend your time everlasting in the flames of Misery.
Moreover, the false prophets mentioned in verses 15-20 were the ones who sold this man the land on which he built. Anyone who preaches anything other than the Gospel of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ should be avoided. Be careful with anybody who says salvation is everything except by elegance alone, through confidence alone, in Christ alone.
Conc: Everyone in this room is building an otherworldly house. You attempt to improve your home each day by attaching boards, driving nails, adding rooms, and so on. Despite how you treat the house you are building, what makes the biggest difference is the establishment. Make sure you're building on the Gospel and Jesus Christ.
Assuming you have acknowledged today that you are expanding on some unacceptable establishment, you can change today. Jesus is within your reach. He will save you and kick you off expanding on the right groundwork. Please don't disregard what I'm saying right now.
Your house is directly in the path of a storm that is approaching. The only houses that will survive the storm are those that are constructed on the solid foundation of the Bible.
Please come to Jesus today if you are on the wrong footing.