Matthew 7:24–27

²⁴ “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: ²⁵ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. ²⁶ “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: ²⁷ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

Commentary

The Lord Jesus now makes it clear that simply hearing His Words is not enough; one must put them into practice. And so to bring that point home Jesus now likens doing His Word to that of a wise man who built his house on the rock, i.e. on a very solid foundation, and so when the rains fell and floods came and winds blew and beat on that house it did not fall for it was founded on the rock. And so when a person builds their life on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and keeping His commandments they will be able to withstand the tempests and the storms of this life, for there is no greater peace and security for ones person and life in this life then to believe and obey the Lord Jesus Christ (vs. 24-25). Conversely Jesus warns that everyone who hears His sayings and does not do them will be like the foolish man who built his house on the sand. And so when the rain descended, and the floods came and the wind blew and beat on that house it fell and great was its fall because it was not founded on the Rock. Now to build ones house on the Rock requires work and effort, for well built houses (i.e. believers’ lives) do not get that way by being complacent or lazy. And so though salvation is gift requiring no effort or work on our part, Christian discipleship requires not only our faith, but also our obedience, and in this there can be no shortcuts. 

Scripture Quotations

The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.