HOUSE ON A ROCK… HOUSE ON THE SAND

Most of us have never undertaken to build our own house. We have relied upon others to construct the property and we have depended upon government regulations and builders’ guaran­tees to protect us from any difficulties that may arise. However, those of us who live in areas prone to coal mining subsidence will have proved the importance of a good foundation!

It is important to notice that the only factor that separated the two houses that were built was the foundation. Externally, one might suppose that the same materials were used in the con­struction and the end result was two very similar buildings. As the Lord taught, the difference between true and empty profes­sion is very difficult to see. Only when ‘the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew’ was the wisdom of the builder clearly shown. Only the time of trial and testing will dis­tinguish the genuine profession from the false.

As the Lord came to the close of His Sermon on the Mount, how would His hearers react? They ‘were astonished at his doc­trine’, v. 28, but was there a response in their heart? Many, as today, will listen to the word of God, even nod their assent, but leave, the truth having made no impact upon their lives. The sad epitaph of such is ‘foolish’! Others, responding to the challenge of the truth, will have their lives transformed by the outworking of the principles that the Lord taught. These the Lord describes as ‘wise’. Such is the application of these verses to the gospel.

It would be easy to read the word of God and these medita­tions every day but neither to have any effect upon us as believers. In Luke’s account of this illustration, the wise man was prepared to dig deep in order to ensure that his house was secure. If we are to profit from the truth of God, snatching a few moments out of a busy day is not enough. The storms of life will arise. The challenges to our Christian testimony will come. Will we have the resources to stand the test because we have made time to dig deeply into divine resources, establish our faith, and work out biblical principles in our lives? Of one life, the testi­mony of scripture is that the storm ‘could not shake it’, Luke 6. 48; of the other, ‘the ruin … was great’, Luke 6. 49.