THE WISE AND FOOLISH BUILDERS
Key verse: 24
NIV
The Wise and Foolish Builders(A)
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice(B) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things,(C) the crowds were amazed at his teaching,(D) 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Build Your House on the Rock
24 (A)“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like (B)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 (C)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.”
The Authority of Jesus
28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, (D)the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 (E)for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
Read full chapterThe Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. The house on the rock (24-25)
Each of the two men in this parable built a house. One man, however, was wise. He chose a strong foundation of rock on which to build. So when the torrents and floods came, his house stood. The person who studies the Bible from his heart and obeys God's word is like the wise man. He will stand in the storms of life.
2. The house on the sand (26-29)
The second man built his house on a very unstable foundation. Perhaps he followed his own reason; or perhaps he was faithful to his own feelings and conscience; or perhaps he did what everyone else was doing. In any case, he was foolish, because such foundations cannot survive the storms of life. When the storm came, his well-built house collapsed. We must not only study the Bible, but also we must accept it as God's word, hide it in our hearts, and, with God's help, obey it.
Prayer: Lord, help me to hide your word in my heart, obey it and build the house of my life on the rock.
One Word: Be a wise builder
