The Wise Builder and the Foolish Builder

The Wise Builder and the Foolish Builder
Matthew 7:20 - 29

One day the Lord Jesus was speaking to his disciples, and explaining to them that not everyone who said to him "Lord, Lord," would enter into the kingdom of heaven. But only those that do the will of his Father which is in heaven. Jesus had explained to them just before this that true believers are known by their fruit, that means that they show love, joy, peace, longsuffering (that means patience), gentleness, goodness, faith... these things the true believer will show, while someone who only says they are a believer will not show. Jesus said "by their fruits you shall know them."

And then Jesus told his disciples that whoever heard his sayings, and did them, he would be the same as a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it was founded upon a rock. Jesus was saying that He is that rock, and whoever did the things that he taught, would not be moved, no matter what trials happened to him, because his faith was founded on the Lord Jesus.

And then Jesus said that everyone that heard his sayings, but did not do them, would be like a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it had a very great fall.

Have you ever built a sandcastle and watched the tide knock it down? That is what happens to a person that does not follow Jesus' teachings, that has not really received the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. When the waves come on the castle, one after another, it collapses. Just like when difficult things happen one after the other to a person that does not follow Jesus, their faith will fall very much.

And when Jesus finished telling the people these things, they were amazed, because he taught them with authority.

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Memory Verse: Matthew 7:25 ".....it did not fall, because it was founded upon a rock." Parents or teachers: please stress the fact that the Lord Jesus taught that the house was built on "a" rock not "the" rocks.

Questions:
1 Who were the people that Jesus said would enter into heaven?
2 How did Jesus say that true believers were known?
3 Where did the wise man build his house?
4 Where did the foolish man build his house?
5 Why did Jesus say the man like the foolish man would fall?

Answers:
1 Those that do the will of his Father in heaven and did what Jesus taught.
2 By the fruit that they bear. By showing love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith.
3 On a rock
4 On the sand
5 Because he heard Jesus teachings, but he did not follow them, and when difficult times came, his faith will fall.

Vicki C. Gross/August'03

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