The Wise and the Foolish

Each one of us is building a life. Some of you are just beginning your life as some of you are halfway through your life in some of your coming towards the end of your life. Some of you here are building a family and you I began that building process of your home and your family with great expectations but the reality is that some tensions and difficulties in problems may have been blown into your home and your family and you realize that your wife, your husband, your children, your parents are not perfect and some of them have attitudes and habits you simply don't like some of your singles in your building your life are building a career you're building a future your building relationships. Some of your contemporaries are drifting through life having no anchor, no stability, no foundation in your life you don't want to live like that. You want a life of future are you on strong relationships are you want a secure foundation to your life joyful foundation and one which will last you to a building a life.

Children and students listening or larger type of COBIT 19 with all of its restrictions.

When you two are building a life whether you have ever thought of that way or not, your building value system of future some of your friends at school in the neighborhood people you know some of them you realize are making bad decisions. Some of them have bad attitudes and that may characterize you as you see others experimenting with drugs and alcohol and sex gasket goods. What sort of life do you want your parents faith in foundation.

Their beliefs are not automatically yours, you have to think of fresh eyes to what you believe as to the foundation of your life you are facing very important decisions as I some of your coming towards the end of your life.

Some of you sitting here today are retired as some of you listen by lifestream or about to retirement your empty-nesters and you're wondering what life is all about your mom and what you going to do with the rest of your life. Your seams and that you are wondering what to do with all of that stuff you've accumulated over the years.

Yes, you two are building a life building a future as you face retirement to join the what you going to do with your self and has become today to the end of the brilliant teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and what we call the salmon undermines here is the question.

The question that Jesus is asking us? I ask you, are you wise what are you foolish asking what is the foundation of your life and that's what your preferences are your interests I'm asking something which is foundational.

What is your life built on Jesus comes to the end of the sermon on the mind is challenging his listeners and we are being challenged today to apply the truth that he has taught we over the weeks that I have considered the teaching of Jesus and what we know is my two, five, six and seven.

I know the message is about to come to an end today on the question is has what you learn. As the truth was Jesus as presented as that led to the personal application of the truth present.

We saw last time the Jesus warns against self deception. We learned that professional faith is vastly different from possession of eternal life that there are those in the Christian community.

We would say that those who come to church by the end of the day are going to say to Jesus, Lord, Lord, think of all the things that we have done.

Lord in your name we read the passage last time and on the day of judgment.

Some people here these terrible words recorded in our Bibles.

In Matthew seven verse 23 and then will I the Lord declared to you I never knew you depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. Can you think of more awful words that on the day of judgment as you present yourself to the Lord, and you use the Lord's name, and you don't mind the Lord that all you've done in his name for him to say well in actual fact, I did know you depart for me. Your life is a denial of what you're saying you are a worker of lawlessness. I consider attention doesn't move because we live in a culture where it is relatively easy to say that when a Christian even to go to church to be involved in the ministry, but the question that Jesus is asking and I'm asking you is, do you truly know God through Jesus Christ to use Jesus words that we thought of last time you entered by the narrow gate output to be that while your words, your religious heritage. Christian activities are really quite impressive. You've never ever been born again by the spirit of God, you really don't know God, you know about God and the Christian community.

But when it comes down to it, you have never had a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ to drive home the message presented in the sermon on the minds Jesus, not a master teacher closes with a compelling part about this is not a difficult part about none of us are going to misunderstand this bondable today. Some of his parables are more difficult. But this is not a difficult one. And as Jesus finishes this magnificent sermon we read last verse of Matthew seven. If you have your Bible. Matthew seven verse 28 when Jesus finished these sayings. Matthew 656 and seven, when he is finished these sayings that is when it finishes teaching on the sermon on the Mount. The crowds were astonished at his teaching 40s, teaching them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes is not interesting.

This teaching was different because of the authority when the scribes taught. They base their teaching on what was said previously in our bodies.

So-and-so said that Rabbi so-and-so said that that was their style of teaching.

Jesus is different is*this if you remember in the salmon undermines that he, God incarnate, is the very fulfillment of the law and the prophets. All of the law and the prophets are pointing to Jesus is the fulfillment of them, but he's also the temperature of the law. Jesus calling for more than astonishment doesn't want just to be admired doesn't want just to be patronizing saying all that was a beautiful message teacher that's not the point of the sermon on the Mike is calling for regions. We can see that what I read the parable of masking you does Jesus make any difference in your life beyond this before God. What difference does it make that you take the name of Jesus Christ repeatedly in the sermon on the Mount, Jesus had said something like this you've had that it was said but I say to you four times in the sum of the mind. He uses the word. We hope we know it.

I said it earlier. Amen, amen. Translated, Joe brought up as I was in the old King James Vallely member in John three better lay verily, I say to you, man. Amen. A word used to emphasize the importance here, said truly, truly, this is what I'm saying to you listen to me this is the truth four times in the sermon on my here is the authority they of heaven itself.

We have the song sung so beautifully and powerfully this morning help from heaven.

Do you need help from heaven.

Of course you do. Well listen when heaven speaks not only listen but obey. Here is the very authority of heaven. Here is the one who comes from heaven to was the perfect teacher and is telling you and me how to enter the kingdom of heaven probing this morning know what you say about Jesus, but even what you're saying about not what you profess, but the reality of your faith were doing this morning with money fund Dacian of your faith on this little part of all of them with 32 year makes a distinction between authentic faith and phony faith between image and substance between reality and illusion between truth and self-deception between wisdom and foolishness ready to hear someone Jesus ends it. If you have your Bible followed along. Matthew seven is our Scripture today versus 24 through 29. Matthew 724 and everyone then who hears these words of mine undoes them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock and the rain fell on the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been funded on the rock 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 signs and the rain fell at the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell in great was the fall of when Jesus finished the sayings, the crimes were astonished at his teaching 40s, teaching them as one who had authority are not as their scribes is not a brilliant story Jesus told words in the parable that is comparison.

That is a contrast in the conclusion. In comparison, we compare similarities in a contrast we contrast differences. So first I comparison.

Secondly, a contrast and third the conclusion.

First, the comparison to men are compared in the parable, both men build a house. I'm sure both men as they began to build a house thought of the needs of the family size of the room. The location of the cost of building a new house is very exciting isn't it.

Build a house with the point, the parable man here the same words of Jesus.

This is so important.

Both of these men listen, as it were, to the same settlement. Both of them, as it will go to the same synagogue both attend the same life group discussed the teaching of Jesus. It is not misapplying here is not that in the parable that one rejects the teaching of Jesus and the other accepts it. Yes, there are people who say no. The Christian faith is not for me.

Jesus is not God. I want nothing to do with it a little olive my own life are I will follow blue dog whatever this is not the case here. Both men build a house. Both man here the same teaching of Jesus both outwardly accepted.

They give the same answers to the questions to men build houses both houses are exposed to the same storm. Once these two men build other houses that are exposed to the same rain and wind and floods. We know all houses experienced arms only, and we know that Psalms and difficulties and disappointments and problems and setbacks and devastating situations common to all of our lives.

Is there anyone here who is never had the storm in the life parts of your very very young.

Yes, every single one of us knows about problems usually setbacks unfair treatment and so on. A Jesus said in the world you have tribulation followers of Jesus are not exempt from Psalms don't think if you follow Jesus Christ everything in life is going to be wonderful in the middle problems never going to have any health issues or families going to be perfect and everything is just wonderful.

No storms come to us all with a single or married with a young or old enough and the song comes. I have observed the they often come quickly, and unexpectedly have you found that in your life parts.

If we are wise wise people build their lives, wise people build their homes, having regard to future starts.

Let me illustrate something we do here at Cova church of a couple come to any of us as pastors and stated like one of the pastors to marry them.

They're very excited. Of course getting married is very exciting than fallen in love and everything in the world is absolutely incredible is not right honey yes you are absolutely amazing and that's how they talk to each other right there in the wonderful to bring them down to ask a little bit we say yes, but we would be privileged to officiate at your wedding, whether it's held here on anyone else, it will pass recovery church.

But in order to get married you to go through premarital counseling. Some couples and say we really want to go through premarital counseling and those others who say I guess we have to do it. And then there's others who say no nothing to do that because we require about six months. We're going to do all were going to help them build a foundation not so much for the wedding day.

They get excited about that and some couples I know we fallen in love and were going to love each other and we have no problems. I remember one couple I spoke to, they said no we don't need premarital counseling and they said this friend of ours, give this book about having a good marriage and that the young man said, I'm not even going to read it. He said I'm in love with my wife. She's in love with me and we don't need to hear that their choice was I surprised that their marriage only lasted you know and manage in life foundation is important.

Some of you today may be the very storm of your life and the foundation of your life. The foundation of your career foundation of your ministry of your business some relationship may be shaking and threatening to be torn apart. These men go through the same experience, build homes, both experienced arms rain, wind, and floods comfortable with hugs, that's a comparison contrast to mentor contrasted with the contrast the contrast of the foundations verse 24. One man built his house on the rock. When Luke regards the parable in Luke six, verse 48 he says that one man dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. So one man built his house on the rock. Verse 26 there's another man builds a similar house but he's building his house on this island now outwardly I think the buildings would've looked almost similar but of course there was a fundamental difference. Foundation in all buildings foundation is of critical importance were good and I lived in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We built a house we had put an offer for an existing house and one of the deacons was a builder and I thought asked them to look at.

I was and then see what he thought of it and he said this is a good hugs John, but he said I can build you a better house for the same price. Now I'm a skeptic by nature, particularly when it comes to giving money and I said really and he said you said you telling me you can build a better house for the same price. This is all the money I have all that I've included. He said we can do it on the fact he did.

It was a master builder and we went with his help, and we selected our sites the corner sites as we went to builders name was Jim. I said Jim there's a lot of rocket. He said yes.

In Halifax there's a lot of rock.

But he said were going to be last effect of this part of lease is John were going to build your house on the rock, and indeed we did, but I learned that when you build your house on the rock.

It takes a while to do. In fact, to my surprise, are you not that a little about building and he said were going to have to blast away some of the rock connected with it require more money said absolutely is that this is what were going to do in order to get the proper foundation for the rock. The actually blasted away some of the rocket will be much easier. Much quicker.

Initially much more impressive in the short term.

If we had built a house without that kind of foundation she should build a house without a solid foundation is a past project is with the foolish minded. I'm sure you build with inferior materials when I worry about the building codes. I think when Jesus is describing a foolish man. He made me thinking about the hypocrites they refer to in Matthew chapter 6 number with their hypocrites to they are concerned with the praise of people when they go through life.

They want to be well thought of nothing this foolish man he would've liked my house I going to impress the neighbors quickly on building this house he was building outwardly, but that was a fundamental problem before the wise man began to construct his house. He went down before he began to build up he went down and I learned as we as we I should say we invite one day I went to look at how we are doing in the builder was a deacon of the church you said what you doing here John Lashley worked with my wife, who is much more knowledge about these things and I am and I said well just checking what you said this is my house and he said why did you go back to church and you dictated the church altogether building a house.

I sent you is a very good idea because I don't know. I'm looking at, but I did learn that when it comes to the framing of the house is very exciting.

It was all very quickly doesn't.

So here's the foolish visit to Holmes one is going up very quickly. I can imagine people walking down the street and looking at a house of the foolish mind and say well that's an impressive 50 then organize the houses going up very very quickly and then they pass another one and thought this guy doing is building a house, always doing his digging a big hole to building a foundation may not be the most exciting thing is going through premarital counseling may not be the most exciting thing someone does is not as exciting as the wedding is the flowers and the photographer out in the limo and the reception, but long time with this is sometimes more important than the photos in the flowers and the dresses which are gone in a day to building a foundation in your life when it may not be seemingly very exciting and then the short term, and there may be nothing to show for it. Wise builders never take shortcuts, they never ignore the foundation to build a house that will last. My builder that Deacon was a wise man you talk to a lot of time and not put quite a lot of money into that foundation, which you could never see but which meant that house was built to last were but you know your house about your life wise or foolish.

Think of the contrast between these two men one is wise one is foolish man who built his house on the rock.

The man who had a foundation the man who dug deep was a wise man on the other hand, the man who didn't dig deeply who didn't lay his foundation. In fact, think of the folly of it.

He built his house on sand.

There's a contrast. So Jesus one is wise and the other is outwardly the appeal of the same.

I can imagine the two men sitting on that my intent is to listen to the teaching of Jesus, and I can I can picture the foolish man as he listens to the teaching of Jesus even nodding, and perhaps even chided man Lawrence.

I agree with that good teaching is all outward was to impress others, was the difference.

Look at verse 24. Everyone then is the point. Please get it.

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The wise wise woman. The wise ball in the wise student builds a life on a five edition on the rock. You see, what does that mean no. I want to be wise, it is you not only hear the word what you do.

Wonderful to hear the teaching of Jesus wonderful to come to Calvary church and said son, listen to the preaching and teaching of the Bible. Wonderful to zoom in at 6 o'clock this evening to your life group and discuss the Bible, then that's wonderful. But the question is are you doing are you will be regions who were the ones who were allowed into the ring them, of heaven, or who were the ones who are allowed in verse 21, the one who does the will of my father who is in heaven together, the one who does the will of my father in heaven.

Jesus is calling for a bridge in life's he's calling not just for lip service is calling for heart service is calling for life service throughout the Scriptures that are those who try to impress God's with their sacrifices with the religious rituals here is getting Saul.

And Samuel tells him to do something and he doesn't do it and when Samuel comes in questions again and says why haven't you done thousands such as those as well.

We we offered up the sacrifices to God and back.

We will overdub the very best of the animals to God when we were involved in, and worship Samuel number was on the system for some the 15 will be regions is better than sacrifice, and to hear than the final frowns yes yes there's a time to offer up the sacrifice, but there's something much, much important. That is obedience is the people of God in Jeremiah chapter 7 and they go into the temple and they think is wonderful to be in the temple and they say the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord wonderful come to worship in the offering up the sacrifice of the horses on your sacrifices when you obey me. I want to be here is so the apostle John puts it in first John two verses four through six whoever says I know him. I think most of us here would say I know Jesus Christ think about most of us here would profess to be Christians most certainly not all listing biologically would say yes, I'm a follower of Jesus Christ all right said John.

First John 24 whoever says I know him, but does not keep his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word and him truly the love of God is perfected by this we may know that we are in him.

Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked Drive John's Gospel. John's are busily saying you say this you say this you say this, but what difference can you say you love God's and then live as you like.

You say you're a follower of Jesus Christ and then willfully and persistently disobey God. How is it you say that you're following Jesus Christ. When the reality is when you re-examine your life you really following the world you're following your own sinful desires. Just living as if you wonder believer but you say you know God by compatible was the point to hear and not to obey his foolishness to hear and to verbally say I know that I believe that, but not to obey his foolishness. If you do that, my dear friend, you're building your life and send foolish minuses that he hears us and what is a wise man agrees with the teaching part of the community of faith, but that is no personal application to his life. He doesn't put what he hears, and to practice the word of God makes no real difference in his life is superficial, shallow. He has no foundation is a full Jesus and say Jim speaks about this. Of those who should be not only hitters of the word, but he says if you don't like the man who lives in the modern in the there's some dirt in your face and you say, about 30 face but your leave and you don't deal with it� Is self-deception. So James don't Christian communities are those who observe who speak well and saying well and to even open the word of God to other spots are ultimately foolish wise man does the will of my father in heaven, but your phone is as adept early this week was speaking about a friend of hers and some that I don't know very well that I said to you. What kind of person is such and such and said I think you like her. John she has dance dance that would all like to think that we had that that there was something about does that wasn't hollowed out wasn't superficial. Know what what what what what walking site with leaders of the word of God. We should all know our Bibles better. That is true, but good nursing this woman life as a foundation foolish man hears the word of God mentally goodies doesn't do it.

He continues a sinful lifestyle. And so Jesus is to invest 23. These are words of Jesus not mind the part for me, you workers of lawlessness. It's not, I repeat that the foolish man openly rejects Jesus is not that the foolish man is hostile to Jesus's mistake and the supplemental supplemental mistake and it is in a sense a fatal mistake is that he hears, but does not obey those implications for his life and is certainly implications for is eternal destiny comparison and contrast the conclusion well for houses for individuals, all of us the time of testing.

Inevitably, the flawed, the wind and the rain and the saw factors both houses we get at it here in North Carolina we have storms that by that houses the high was built on the firm foundation of the house built on the rock stands when exposed to the same flawed the same way. In the same room rain. The house built on sand.

What happens during those 27 it fell say Jesus. And great was the fall of totally collapsed.

Don't blame the storm storms come to all of us.

Problem was the storm. The problem was the lack of foundation you see the storms of life. The winds laying on the floods that come into our lives and interim outages into our homes and then told relationships are not businesses in the church is these things that inevitably come into every single life they expose whether or not the likes of built on the rock percent storms tests don't play the foundation of her life. When things are going well. It's as easy as you praise the Lord. The real test. Those who do you stand in the store is in the fact that this parable concludes the sermon on the amount it shows its importance.

You can say you're a follower of Jesus, you can profess Jesus you can sing the hams. You can read the Scriptures you can answer that by biblical questions but the question still remains, Jesus worn out I was think to fight this question. Have you personally applied the word of God to your life.

Do you truly know God through Jesus Christ your lips.

Praise God.

Your heart is disobedient. Part of the critical self-righteous. Whatever this because those saved by the grace of God do the will of our father who is in heaven. See John but were not saved by our works are really no absolutely not. Is not. Don't confuse the situation saved by works from it. We do a thing to atone for our own sin is whether the understanding of your own sinfulness. Your on deceitfulness on waywardness.

You realize that is nothing you can do to atone for your own center to get rid of the said no.

This thing is too deep. You need God's grace.

You need God's mercy is entirely based on the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. But here is the point point we don't like to hear is this, but that is a hollow faith that is a false faith that is a faith which does not reduce works. Listen to Paul we love.

Ephesians 2 verses eight and nine but we sometimes ignored verse 10 we read them to wonderful versus for by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not your own doing is the gift of God not a result of work, so that no one may boast.

Paul is making it very very clearly is a preacher of the pure grace of God that you cannot be saved by what you do, you are not saved by your religious sacrifices and your religious rituals and going through the farms trying to change your life. No is entirely a work of supernatural work of God revealed through our Lord Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins, was buried, and rose again in the gospel is if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved.

So Paul is saying, for by grace we are saved through faith know if a dozen saves us. Faith is the instrument faith is the outstretched arm. God says come to me and I'll give you rest.

We come let's faith but notice verse 10, Paul says, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. How wonderful that now I am a follower of Jesus Christ I'm indwelt by the Holy Spirit in my life is changed and now I am going to do good works.

There's going to different not because I'm saved not to save myself not as a condition of my salvation, but as a consequence you creation in Christ. James warns us about this hollow faith. This foolish faith James to verse 14. What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith.

I believe I believe was a foolish man, he does not works is no evidence Salom�'s mom the answers the questions in a Bible study he takes a box, but when it comes right down to it is life is not built on Jesus Christ asked the question I asked was beginning his evidence in your life you're full of Jesus Christ in your home and in the way you speak in new in the way you relate to others in the way you do business the way you talk to your life and the way you handle your resources as a different as Jesus Christ made a difference or do you just call your Christianity is IPO on the my suit when I come to Calvary church and then I go home I take it off and I got out of my own life that what it is that is there's a dreadful possibility that you my friend are building your life on sand your hearing the words we do not drink knowledge about the Lord Jesus without personal acceptance and trusting him results in spiritual disaster, said to me this week I want to grow in my spiritual life.

How wonderful to hear but there is no spiritual growth is progress in the spiritual life without hearing and obeying the word of God. You could sit in these pews for 50 years and you could fill 100 notebooks with biblical truth.

But if it's not apply to your life you're building your life on sand. The one who hears my word says Jesus and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on the side of the scope 19 pandemic has shaken a thousand shaken individuals and shaken communities that shaken our government shaken the whole world so much as changed in the in the in the just a few weeks a few months is that since it started. Life is change. Think of those who lost their jobs. Those who been followed. Think of the protest.

The riots that they debate over facemask and social distancing of the closure of schools the closure of churches and us learning about zoom in social distancing tremendous confusion as happened in the hospitals been inundated with people being tested and questions are you going to be enough ventilators. All this has happened in the space of a few months, and in a sense it's their world upside down. Yes is a bit of a star. What does it produce uncertainty for you to say what happened to my investments. I have no idea.

Anxiety, anger, resentments, debate, blame the government's blame those who criticize the government, anger, frustration, storms. This is a nation. They had us as families they had us as churches. They had us as individual by asking what do you do in the storms of life. You know the him we sent part of this morning. It was like this was when darkness fails, his lovely face while arms in the storm gets dark yesterday. Good he said to me it's getting dark was happening.

The clothes were coming to see the sun. The storm comes early companies they will start this is not what I expected is godforsaken me what's happened when darkness avails his lovely face. I rest was into it on his on changing grace in every high on stormy Gail my anchor holds within the veil on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is what sinking site. That's it. That's what I learned to do the signs on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. Everything else around us can be shaking our very future and we wonder what's going to happen. Storm unexpected has blown into your personal life or your family life or your business of the church or what is and what are we to do to panic and fear. Yes, if you're the foolish man you got no foundation. You will know what to do if you're wise, the grace of God. Your life is built on the solid and I know this I don't know the future. I don't know is what happened to COBIT 19. I don't know about the stock market. I don't know about your personal circumstances. I don't know is when I am the Calvary church many things we don't know.

I don't know God's plans other than his revealed in Scripture.

But I know this.

I know God's I know his on changing grace and I rest on God's faithfulness, God will never ever let me done. I rest on his sovereignty.

God is in control.

I might my life is committed to God he's holding me sometime saying he will hold me far less than the storms why you panic came while you feel full of anxiety. They this is my fun day should the solid rock of Jesus Christ.

Why, because my life is committed to Jesus Christ and God's grace saved me, cleanse me from my sin.

He filled me with this, but I'm not a perfect person. Far from it, but my life is built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ and that is the on changing and the changeable rock of ages, and I will never ever be separated from the love of God in Christ Jesus you say that that's my personal testimony is a hewers testimony Ottawa John Monroe has done, but what my Lord Jesus Christ has done and if you have never committed your life to Jesus Christ. I asked you to do for his mercy for salvation for his grace and he will forgive all of your sins and fill you with.

For those of you who are authentic followers of Jesus Christ.

Make sure day by day in your life and your relationships and your mileage in your home and your business. Certainly in the charge that all we do is centered on Jesus Christ that he's not on the periphery of her life is not on the circumference is not just someone we tried to in an emergency, but he is with us each day is the very center foundation of our life will be foolish.

Don't just hear be a wise woman be a wise boy.

Build your life on Jesus Christ.

All of the grounds sinkings father, help us to do that, we thank you for this parable. It hits us father is convicting one.

It does shake us makes us think with thinking that it drives us back to Christ. The storms of life. We thank you that he is an anchor Colts within the veil encourages father those who are followers of Christ strengthen us through your spirit, and for those who opt will know you have been foolish. We returned to Christ and the Christ double in his name we pray