WISE AND FOOLISH BUILDERS - MATTHEW 7:24-27 William Knelsen Family Pastor Bergen Missionary Church Fellowship January 29, 2017 Bergen, Alberta, Canada
William Knelsen 2 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. (Mat. 7:24-27, ESV) Take a look at these two houses. See if you can spot any differences Before you spend too much mental energy on it, I ll just tell you that there are no differences. They are identical. But we don t have the whole picture yet. Okay, now can you see any differences? What s different? One is built on sand, one is built on a solid foundation. Maybe it s hard to tell, but it s there. Same house, different foundation. This is what I ll be talking about this morning. It is not what the wise man builds, but where he builds which marks him a saved man. (C.I. Scofield)
William Knelsen 3 When we build on a foundation made up of anything other than Christ, it doesn t matter what we build. But, this is not to minimize the importance of what we build. Listen to Paul: According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw each one s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (1 Cor. 3:10 15, ESV) It matters very much what we build. God will judge us and reward us according to how we have spent the time we have on earth. But, in regards to salvation, the foundation is all the matters. It is Christ, or it is hell. This is the difference between the wise and foolish builder. And so, the main point of this message is:
William Knelsen 4 Foolishness does not mean the house is poorly built. It means the foundation is poorly chosen. Another way to say it would be: Wisdom is not only building a beautiful house. It is also, and most importantly, choosing the right foundation. I want to read to you a few sentences describing someone s accomplishments in life, and in your head, think about whether this describes a foolish person or a wise person. - Prays daily - Preaches powerfully - Gives generously - Evangelizes effectively - Memorizes Scripture faithfully This will make some of you uncomfortable. It made me uncomfortable thinking about it and deciding to preach it this morning. You see, the two houses may look exactly alike. What is visible can look identical. It is only what is hidden that makes a difference.
William Knelsen 5 Jesus, in the parable of the wise and foolish builders, is not comparing bad people and good people. He is comparing wise people and foolish people. Good morals and strong discipline do not automatically mean wisdom in the eyes of Jesus. Jesus wants his followers to be obedient to God, but obedience goes deeper than behaviour. True obedience to Jesus has roots deep in our soul. It has far more to do with affection, desire and passion, than it has to do with mere discipline and resolve. So, what does this look like? I hope you are asking the question, How can I be wise in the eyes of Jesus? A great preacher by the name of John Wesley helped me out with this sermon. I found a message written by him on this passage, and when I 1 read it, I was cut to the heart. The sort of preaching I discovered in his sermon is rare these days. I won t suggest that I will do it justice, but I feel compelled to share with you the convicting message I heard and felt through the words of John Wesley. 1 John Wesley. SERMON 33 UPON OUR LORD S SERMON ON THE MOUNT DISCOURSE 13. Sermons, on Several Occasions. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1999.
William Knelsen 6 Jesus said in Matthew 7:21: Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. This is a truth that will stand forever. It requires us to thoroughly understand the force of Jesus words in the Sermon on the Mount and in the parable of the wise and foolish builders. The implication of Jesus words in verse 21 and following is that whatever good works we do, whatever religious activity we engage in, whatever number of prayers we repeat, whatever professions of faith we make, whatever good things we say about Jesus, whatever mighty acts we perform We may proclaim the gospel of Jesus and even bring lost souls to salvation, and yet it is possible that all this may be no more than saying, Lord, Lord. After I have successfully preached to others, I still may be a castaway. I may, through my preaching, snatch souls from hell, and yet drop into it when I am done. I may bring many others to the kingdom of heaven, and yet myself never enter there. I may have a conscience void of offence toward God and others. I may be able to say to others, which of you can convict me of sin? I may be
William Knelsen 7 clear of all uncleanness, ungodliness, and unrighteousness, and yet I will not be justified. I may attend church services faithfully, listen to sermons every day on the radio or television or podcast, or YouTube. I may do good to my neighbour, give to the poor, and be so zealous of good works as to even give all I own to the needy. I may even do all this with a desire, and real belief that I am pleasing God, and still may not have a part in the glory of Christ. Jesus said, everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who builds his house on the sand. And you will now be asking, if all these good and godly things do not demonstrate wisdom, what could Jesus possibly require of us? He said, everyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is truly wise. What is he referring to? If not these things I have already mentioned, then what? He who is truly wise is poor in spirit, he knows himself as he is known by God. He sees his sin, his guilt, his shame, and he weeps. He sees the cross, and the blood, and the death of Jesus, and knows he has been made clean by no effort of his own.
William Knelsen 8 The wise man is aware of his lostness, and the wrath of God that he deserves. He sees the utter inability to help himself. He meditates upon this vision of himself until he is filled with the peace and joy of the Spirit of Jesus. His soul is thirsty for majesty of Jesus. He is hungry for the glory of God. He loves the Lord with all his heart, with all his mind, his soul, and his strength. He who is wise will face hardship and persecution with exceeding gladness, knowing in whom he believes. He is assured that these light and momentary afflictions will work out for him an eternal weight of glory. The wise man knows himself to be an eternal spirit, which has been born of God, and now dwells within a house of clay, not to do his own will, but the will of God. He knows the world, the place in which he is to spend a few days or years, not as a resident, but as a pilgrim. And he knows God, his Father and his Friend, the One who is the centre of all Creation, the sole source of happiness and wisdom. The wise man builds his life on the foundation of the blood and righteousness of Jesus, the One who is the cornerstone of our faith.
William Knelsen 9 He says to God, I have sinned, and I deserve your wrath. But I am justified freely by your grace, through Jesus Christ, and the life I now live I live by faith in Him. And when temptation and trials come, the wise man will be tried as gold in the fire and will come out pure. He will face the attacks of the enemy and upon the foundation of Christ remain standing firm. The floods will come, they will lift up their waves and rage horribly. But to them the wise man will say, by the power of God you will come no farther. Here shall your waves by stayed. The winds will blow and beat upon the house as though they would tear it up from the foundation, but they will not prevail. The house will not fall, for it is founded upon a rock. The wise man will not fear though the entire earth be moved, and though the hills be washed away into the sea. Still he will stand and remain under the defence of the Most High God, safe under the shadow of the Almighty. How is it, then, that we can become wise? Ask yourself this question: What is the foundation of my hope? On what do I build my expectation of entering into the kingdom of heaven?
William Knelsen 10 Is it built upon my orthodoxy, my right opinions, my moral convictions, my knowledge of Scripture, my good deeds, my innocence, the faith of my parents, or my commitment to religious duties? If I build my hope upon this foundation, I am sure to fall. Or is the foundation of my hope built upon the knowledge of myself as wicked, unworthy of the kingdom of God? I was born into sin and have been heaping sin upon sin ever since I could discern good from evil. I am hopeless of ever being able to save myself. Except for the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus, who has taken away my sins. He has made me completely dependant upon him for every good thought and word and work. And I am glad for this. Do I weep for my sins? Do I feel the weight of my guilt? Do I hunger and thirst for that which will endure forever? Do I love both my friends and enemies as I love my own soul? Do I enjoy, above all, things which bring glory to God? If you have heard these words and desire to be like the wise man, let your soul be filled with a hunger and thirst for God. Let your hope be found in the unshakeable salvation of Jesus Christ. Let your life be shaped by the righteousness that comes through the Spirit.
William Knelsen 11 What is filling your heart? What captivates your imagination? What drives your passions? Is it a love and gratitude for Jesus? The difference between those who are wise and those who are foolish is found only in the heart. Know yourself. Be honest with yourself. I cannot judge your heart. Is it filled with self-righteous pride? Then your foundation is sand. Is it filled with a hunger for the righteousness of Christ? Then your foundation is a rock. I d like to read from Deuteronomy 6. I don t believe that Jesus had a new message for God s people. It is an old message revealed in a new way. In Deuteronomy 6 God reminds His people of His commands for them as they enter into the Promised Land. As I read, I will be changing a few words to make it apply to us directly. The message remains the same, but a few changes make it a little more personal. The promises and commands that God gave to the Israelites as recorded in Deuteronomy 6 are a foreshadowing of the promises through Christ to us. Trust these promises, may they be your foundation.