Have you ever played Jenga? In this game, players take turns removing wooden blocks from below, then re-placing them higher up. Everything must balance, but as the game goes on, the structure becomes increasingly unstable. When the tower collapses, the game ends.
As we near the end of Matthew 7, Jesus once again uses true and false contrasts to challenge everyone hearing or reading the Sermon on the Mount. He first describes a wise man who built his house on a foundation of rock (vv. 24–25). As a result, when the storm came, the house stood firm. This describes “everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice,” that is, obeys them.
By contrast, a foolish man built his house on a foundation of sand (vv. 26–27). As a result, when the storm came, the house collapsed. In fact, “it fell with a great crash.” This describes “everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice” that is, disobeys them (also see Ezek. 33:31).
Wisdom, obedience, life, and endurance or perseverance all go together. In the same way, foolishness, disobedience, death, and destruction all go together. These are the two ways the two gates lead to in Matthew 7:13–14. Jesus Himself said He is the one and only way to God (John 14:6). And Scripture also testifies that God is the Rock (Ps. 18:2; 62:2). Lives built on the Rock won’t be spared the storms of life, but they will be able to endure them. Lives built on sand, on the other hand, will ultimately collapse: Jesus never knew them.
Jesus’ challenge or exhortation is clear: Obey My words. As He also said, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15).
Go Deeper
On what is your house built? Are you like the foolish man, building your life on things that will ultimately collapse? In what ways can we put Christ’s words into practice?
Pray with Us
We build our lives on You, our Rock. We are grateful for Your constant presence with us. We know that You will never leave us, even when things feel hard. Praise be to God!
It did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.Matthew 7:25
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