Conclusion: Where will we build?
How many children's songs about the wise and foolish builders do you remember?- "Don't build your house on the sandy land..."
- "Build your house upon the rock (X3) and it will staaaand!"
- "The wise man built his house upon the rock... the rains came down and the floods came up... (and in vs2) ...and the house on the sand fell FLAT! (Accompanied by a hall full of kids collapsing flat on the ground)
There really is not much need to explain this passage - its plain sense is clear and obvious.
Three thoughts stand out:
Firstly, building well requires hearing and obedience. We often fail on both counts. Many of us have filled our lives with too much noise and activity and we just can't hear His guidance for our lives. When it comes to obeying, we rationalise, justify and make excuses because we're afraid, guilty, stubborn, proud and sinful. We need to quiet down and make time to hear where the firm ground is and we need to deal with the obstacles that prevent us building well.
Secondly, Jesus makes it clear that we must choose. There will always be choices. We need to be aware of them and we must develop the skills needed to make the right ones. This is particularly important when we raise children.
Thirdly, the rains and the wind will come. May we be ready.
And so we reach the end of the Sermon on the Mount...
Jesus started by announcing the blessedness (thus God's interest) of those considered the "underdogs". He raised the standards of ethics and morality to being a matter, not of rules, but of the heart. He powerfully promoted discretion in the matters of piety. He tackled the issues of possessions, what we focus on and the anxiety this can cause us. In ch.7 He speaks about our relationships with those we are tempted to judge, with toxic people, with God, with manipulative people and those who claim to know God.
The threads that weave throughout the story are:
- God loves us relentlessly and looks and sees beyond exteriors.
- When it comes to morals and ethics, God looks deep.
- We have choices to make: Rock or Sand, God or Mammon, Trust or Worry, Lampstand or Bushel, Transformed from the inside by the Spirit or try to obey the law in my own strength...
It's my prayer that you've enjoyed this series!
What's been striking for you?
I will resume again next week on Ash Wednesday (Can you believe it is nearly Lent already?)
| Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. (Matthew7:24-27) |
