Welcome to Week 5 of He Gave Us Stories, our series studying some of the parables Jesus told. This week we’re in Matthew chapter 7 studying the parable of the Two Builders (in some Bibles it’s called the Two Foundations). Both Matthew and Luke record this parable. Matthew locates it following the Sermon on the Mount and Luke has it right after the Sermon on the Plain. Scholars disagree over whether these are the same sermon or just similar sermons. I tend to take the Bible literally, so when Matthew says Jesus preached from the mount and Luke says Jesus preached on a plain, I would say these are most likely similar, but not identical sermons. That makes this parable even more significant, since it would appear Jesus concludes his major sermons with the same story.
The point of the parable is clear: you’re wise if you hear AND DO my words. Jesus makes that point with the example of two builders, one who chose a location where bedrock was present (Luke’s version includes the information that the builder dug down until he found bedrock to use). Whether it was by making a savvy choice of where to build or expending the additional effort to dig down to bedrock, the wise builder is shown to be one who constructs a house on a firm foundation.
The unwise builder does not, choosing to build on the sand (or in Luke’s version, choosing not to dig down to the bedrock). Once again this week, it’s a short parable with a straightforward meaning. So we’ll look at the parable first, then move on to some other locations in the New Testament where it speaks of building on a good foundation and doing what Jesus said.
Prayer guides authored by Tracy Lautenschlager.
Index to Days 2 through 5
Day 1
The Wise Builder
Observe
Jesus wants you to know that if you’re smart, you will both hear AND DO his words.
Matthew 7:24-27
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.”
Colossians 2:6-7
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Ephesians 4:11-14
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
James 1:22-27
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
At that time in history and in that area of the world, builders were known to dig down until they encountered bedrock, in order to build a sturdy home. Some examples have been discovered of them digging down as much as ten feet to hit rock. It took some effort to build your house on a firm foundation, but when tested by a storm, the house built on the rock did not fall. In the same way that the evidence of a well built house was standing through a storm, the evidence of whether one is truly a believer is in whether one DOES the words of Jesus.
- What do you think it means to “do” the words of Jesus?
- Why does it matter whether or not we do his words?
Dear Jesus, I desire to both hear and obey your words. Some days, I don’t listen very well. The demands of the day can distract me, and I don’t even go to your word. Lord, draw me back here every day, throughout the day, to the Word, and tune my ears and my heart to hear and accept it. Show me from your word what I ought to do, and, then Lord, strengthen me to obey. Amen.
Day 2
The Foolish Builder
Observe
Jesus gives a warning to those who hear what he says but choose not to do it.
Matthew 7:24-27
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 7:15-20
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
Ezekiel 13:10-14
10 Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash, 11 say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out. 12 And when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the coating with which you smeared it?’ 13 Therefore thus says the Lord God: I will make a stormy wind break out in my wrath, and there shall be a deluge of rain in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to make a full end. 14 And I will break down the wall that you have smeared with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you shall perish in the midst of it, and you shall know that I am the Lord.
Proverbs 12:7
7
The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
but the house of the righteous will stand.
Scholars disagree over whether the storm in this parable represents difficulties we encounter in this life or whether it’s referring to the final judgment of believers vs. unbelievers. Since this parable immediately follows verses 21-23, where Jesus sends away those he had no relationship with, despite the many good works they did, I think it’s more likely a reference to final judgment. This would be supported by Jesus describing the fall of the house as “great,” indicating complete destruction and not just some storm damage that could be fixed. Saving faith is a relationship with Jesus that creates a life that bears good fruit.
- Until the storm tested them, there would have been no apparent difference between the house built on the rock by the wise builder and the one built on the sand by the foolish builder. How can we know that our house is built on the rock?
- What should someone do if they realize they’ve built a house upon the sand?
Dear Lord, You know my heart, that I want my life to matter. I want my life’s work to have eternal value. But I confess that at times I’ve wasted my efforts on worthless things. Forgive me Lord, and help me to see again the glory of the new life you have given me as your child. Renew in me the wonder and joy of being your follower and a builder of your kingdom. Amen.
Day 3
A Wise Master Builder
Observe
The Apostle Paul labels himself a skilled (or wise) master builder. We can learn about building on a good foundation from him.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15
10 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. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 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. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
Psalm 103:10-12
10
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
Matthew 16:27
27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
2 Corinthians 5:10
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul says he worked as a skilled (the same Greek word is often translated as wise) master builder, laying a foundation and building upon it. The foundation is Jesus Christ, Paul says this plainly. He uses six examples of what might be built upon this foundation: gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and straw. The first three are formed and purified by heat and pressure, the second three are destroyed by the same thing. The first three are eternal and will outlive us, the second three are temporary and will soon perish. Notice that when the foundation is Jesus Christ, the result of testing what has been built is either reward or loss, but not destruction. According to Paul, a wise master builder builds things that are permanent and eternal, that will survive when tested by fire.
- What is an example of something we could build on the foundation of Jesus Christ that will last through time and survive testing?
- Paul says if anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. What does that mean?
Heavenly Father, Thank you for all the believers, the friends, teachers and ministers, you’ve sent to work in my life, who have built in me a desire for you. Thank you for their patience and love toward me. And thank you for the ministry you’ve given me to do also. Help me to work diligently and humbly, pointing others to you. Lord, if you have some new work for me, show me clearly and I will step out to do it. Amen.
Day 4
Love Means Keeping His Commandments
Observe
The Apostle John views everything about Jesus through the lens of him loving us and us loving him. He makes the connection between loving Jesus and keeping his commandments.
John 14:15
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
John 14:21
21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
John 14:23-24
23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.
1 John 5:2-3
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
Matthew 22:34-40
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
John 13:12-15
12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.
John chapter 14 records Jesus connecting loving him with keeping his commandments. Whenever we bring up the idea of being doers of the word or keeping his commandments, the specter of salvation by works rears its head. That often scares people enough that they drop the subject, but Jesus didn’t and we shouldn’t either. In Matthew chapter 7:21-23, when Jesus was separating those who would enter the kingdom of heaven from those who would not, his reason for rejecting some, even though they claimed they’d done many mighty works in his name, was “I never knew you.” They believed their works should have earned his favor, but they had no relationship with Jesus. We don’t keep (or do) Jesus’ word because we want him to love us. John says it plainly: we keep his commandments because we love him.
- Why is it important to understand why we keep his commandments (or do his words)?
- How can we know that we love Jesus? (It’s in our related verses for today.)
Dear Jesus, Oh, how you’ve loved me! That you would search for me and save me and make a place for me in your family is too wonderful. There was nothing good in me, yet you loved me enough to die for me. I was dead and you made me alive. Your love did that. How could I not love you? Because of your great love, I commit this day, each day, to follow you and obey your teaching. Amen.
Day 5
Reaching Conclusions
Observe
Paul writes about faith in Romans and says it’s not just some transaction by which we add eternal life to the portfolio of things we own. It’s a change on the inside of us so profound that we confess it and call upon his name.
Romans 10:5-17
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Psalm 119:11
11
I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
Hebrews 4:12
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
John 6:63
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
Our parable this week told us that hearing his words and doing what he says is wise, in the same way as a builder who finds a good foundation for his house. We also saw how building on the foundation of Jesus Christ with things that are eternal leads to reward on the day of judgment. John told us there is a direct connection between keeping his commandments and loving him. And to those who only hear his words but do not do them, there is a warning: the house you build will be utterly destroyed in the end. The good news is we don’t need to fear this parable, or what Paul, John, or anyone else has said, either. Jesus loved you and gave himself for you, and if you truly believe that you will love him also. Let your love for him lead you into doing his words/keeping his commandments, and be comforted that the house you build won’t even budge when the storm comes.
- After your experience of coming to faith in Jesus, what was the first thing you wanted to do?
- How would you describe the manner in which your love for Jesus has grown and changed over time?
Father God, Help me to remember the long path you’ve traveled with me to this day. Help me to recall each time you’ve been faithful. Bring to mind the times you have calmed my fears, provided for my family in a time of need and comforted me in sorrow. Because you are faithful, I know that my salvation is sealed. Help me to rest in that. But let your faithfulness strengthen me in your service, in work that has eternal value and builds your kingdom. Amen.