SOTM 39-Sand

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/som-39-sand/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><p><strong>24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 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. 26 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.27 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” (Matthew 7:24-27).</strong></p><p><strong>Key points</strong></p><ul><li>It’s not enough to hear—we must also obey. See <strong>Ezek 33:30-33</strong> and <strong>Jas 1:22-25</strong>.</li><li>The master of parables drives home the point with a parable.</li><li>The rock is <i>bedrock.</i> “Whoever comes to me, and hears my sayings and does them, I will show you what he is like: He is like a man who built a house, and dug deep, and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, but could not shake it” (<strong>Luke 6:47-49</strong>).</li><li>Yet the foolish, lazy man simply builds on top of the dirt or sand, without any foundation. </li><li>"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain" (<strong>Ps 127:1</strong>).</li></ul><p><strong>Which "words of mine"?</strong><br />Let’s not rush, deflecting Jesus’ powerful words with so-called <i>practicals:</i> "Build our financial portfolio," "build our marriage and family," "build our character." These are all good, but this is the conclusion to <i>the Sermon on the Mount,</i> not a conclusion for the Proverbs or the Song of Solomon. The words referred to in our passage include many things:</p><ul><li>We are blessed. Let’s appreciate—and internalize—the beatitudes.</li><li>We are salt and light. Let’s live t