Read Matthew 7:24-28
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.”

28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

While we were in Israel, we experienced something in the desert that was very rare.

Flash Floods

The day before we were hiking in the Judean Wilderness, where it was at least 120 degrees outside. I have never cried from being hot like I did on that day. I will never go for a hike in the desert ever again as long as I’m alive.

*I don’t know who this nice, contemplative lady is, but it definitely wasn’t me.  I was a hot mess off to the side, crying and praying for a swimming pool.

The next day we’re driving back to our hotel, and something unusual started to happen, in the desert, in June. It started to rain. The very place where we were hiking on dry land just 24 hours before, was now like gushing rivers of water in just a few moments. Cars were stuck in the road, water was flooding the streets, it was unreal.

*This was footage of a flash flood similar to the one we saw.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t access the video of the one we saw in 2012.

When Jesus tells us not to be foolish and build our house on sand, he is giving us a picture of what we saw that day in Israel. A picture of what it’s like building apart from Christ the solid rock, explaining how it will all wash away in a matter of minutes in a storm.

In the book of Proverbs, the wise and the fool are mentioned often. The wise takes heed of instruction, the fool gives way to his own desires. The wise listens and obeys, the fool sees and acts in haste.

Jesus ends his Sermon by reminding us that wisdom comes not just from hearing, but also from doing. Jesus has spent time teaching carefully how to enter the Kingdom, to rid us of self-righteousness, to seek what really matters, to love others and act accordingly.

But merely knowing Jesus said these things is not the same as living differently because of them. Jesus is not concerned about simply giving us life changing information, but He is concerned about changing our lives.

His teaching left the hearers in awe and astonished, in worship. Our worship of Jesus should lead us to repentance and obedience.

As we end our time in the Sermon on the Mount, take some time to reflect on Jesus’ words.

Will you build your house, your life, on the solid rock or shifting sand?

Will you seek first His kingdom or continue to seek and build your own?

Are you emptied of your self-righteousness, poor in spirit to be filled by His?