Wise builders

Hello,

Are you familiar with that Sunday School song, "The wise man built his house upon the rock"? I'm sure you are we used to sing it with gusto when in Sunday School. The song is based on the parable that Jesus told:

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 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 foundations on the rock. 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. The rain came down, the streams rose and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." Matt. 7:24-27

The words of the song are:

The wise man built his house upon the rock

The wise man built his house upon the rock,
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
And the rains came tumbling down!

The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
And the house on the rock stood firm.

The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
And the rains came tumbling down!

The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
And the house on the sand went SPLAT!

So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ,
So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ,
Build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ
and the Blessings will come down.

The blessings will come down as your prayers go up,
The blessings will come down as your prayers go up,
The blessings will come down as your prayers go up,
So build your house on the Lord!

(Thank you to http://www.ebibleteacher.com/children/songs.htm for the lyrics.)

Well, it's a lovely little song, but I can't help thinking that it misses the point of the particular parable.

Here is the analogy the analogy that Jesus is drawing.

A person who hears these words of mine and PUTS THEM INTO PRACTICE is like the wise builder.

A person who hears these words of mine but DOES NOT PUT THEM INTO PRACTICE is like the foolish builder.

Let us consider in both cases. "The rains came down and the winds blew against that house." The rain and the wind are an illustration of the difficulties that we experience in life. The difficulties may be different, but the fact that come can be guaranteed. Jesus used the phrase: "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice" - when we see a "therefore" in the Bible we must find out what it's there for! In other words, let us look at the context of this parable in the Bible. It comes right at the the end of what we call "The Sermon on the Mount." It covers a lot of ground, and I believe that Jesus was referring to everything he was saying in that Sermon, but it would take too long to cover it all in this blog but let me focus on the section immediately before the parable.

WARNING: The following statement may disturb those with a nervous disposition.

Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven. Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, "I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!" Matt. 7: 21-23

This statement of Jesus must give every Christian pause for thought. Every Christian needs to ask the question to ask the question of themselves: "What is the basis of my relationship with Jesus Christ?" Many people are living under the delusion that they are Christians. This is a dangerous delusion.

Whenever I have to travel over a international border, I always check that I have my passport with me, and some time before I travel I ensure that I have the requisite visa stamped in my passport. But just imagine I set off on my journey (say travelling from Zimbabwe to South Africa by road.), but I had not checked that my passport was with me. Just imagine I assumed it was in my briefcase. I set confidently driving South to Beit Bridge and I arrive at the border post. I walk into the building with my briefcase under my arm, but when I get to the desk and the official asks me for my passport, I look in my briefcase and to my horror I can't find it. I had assumed it was in my briefcase, but it wasn't there. Do you think that the official will say, "That's alright friend, I'm sure you've got one, I will let you through. The fact is, he wouldn't. He is not allowed to." I would have to turn my vehicle around and return to Harare. I can tell you now, that if that were to happen to me - it never did, I promise - but if it did, I would not tell anybody about it. I'd be too embarrassed. People would say, and they would be quite justified in saying it, "That was VERY FOOLISH. You should have checked that you had your passport before you left."

The first group of people who I would put in the "deluded" category are the regular "church attenders." These people are very faithful in attending church services and may even very involved in their church, teaching Sunday School, pouring tea after the service, be a sidesman or deacon in their church, taking up the collection, or distributing the bread and wine during a communion service, being in the church choir or worship team. These involvement's in themselves are very good but if a person believes that by performing these "good works" they are in for a horrible surprise. The people Jesus referred to who called him Lord, Lord, were "busy Christians" doing all sorts of "holy things." But these things did not impress Jesus.

In the "lost and found" series, I hope you realised who it is, in the case of the Lost Sheep, and the Lost Coin who was doing the searching. The son's return in the parable of the Lost Son, was at the mercy of the Father. Our return to the God is because He takes us in, and not because we would make a useful servant. It is the Good Shepherd (John 10:10) who notices that one of his hundred sheep are missing and goes in search for it. The woman in the parable of the Lost Coin, represents our Lord, lighting a lamp, and sweeping the house clean till the coin that was missing is found. My point is, our Salvation is not due to our own effort. There is nothing we can do for ourselves to get out of the predicament we are in. Salvation is both initiated and completed by our God.

Ephesians 2:8-10 says: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is a gift from God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Do you think that you deserve to go to heaven? We are completely dependent on God for our salvation. There is nothing that we can do to save ourselves. The only thing we can do is accept the help that the one Person who can save us, offers. That my friend is where faith comes in. I by faith receive Salvation from God, who gives it willingly and freely (without demand for recompense.) - We couldn't pay Him anyway.

Salvation is made possible by the Grace of God. We receive that Salvation through Faith. We do not earn our salvation by works. Any good works that we do do, were prepared in advance for us to do. God does have a purpose and a role for us.

Friend, if you feel that your good works are earning you points, your religion is based on a lie. In order to immigrate to some countries, like Australia and New Zealand, the applicant needs to earn "points." These points are awarded according to a person's age, and the profession or trade that they are qualified to do. Unless you can get a minimum number of points, you can't immigrate. But Salvation is NOT ON A POINTS system. The truth is, nobody would be able to earn enough points anyway. Neither is there a lottery, a lá the USA's Green Card Lottery. The Bible tells us that Salvation is BY GRACE - that is our Salvation was purchased through Christ's death and resurrection.

Jesus made the way because he was Crucified and rose again. It was that act that opened the way to Salvation. Without that death nobody could be saved. But we have to exercise faith and that is deciding to walk in the way. Did you know that before the term Christian was used, believers in Jesus Christ spoke about themselves as being disciple who "belonged to the Way" (Acts 9:2)

If you are reading this and questioning whether you "belong to the Way" you don't have to wonder or guess or hope. You can be sure. This is how:

The Bible says: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23) and "the wages of sin is death." (Rom 6:23). In short, we do not deserve heaven, we actually deserve death. You need to acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess that. "Lord, I know that I am a sinner, that I have sinned in what I have done, in what I have said, and in my thoughts."

But God has stepped in and made a way and it is the only way for all of us to be saved. "This is good and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people." (1 Tim 2:5-6) Pray and ask the Lord to save you.

Surrender your life to Jesus right now. Acknowledge His Lordship of your life.. This is different to simply saying "Lord, Lord." Surrender all the control over to Him. Be willing to accept his lead in your life. The Bible says "Offer yourselves as LIVING SACRIFICES." (Rom 12:2)

If you have taken this step of confessing and repenting from your sin and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord then you need to tell people about it, and resolve to live differently from now onwards. Will you slip up? Yes. But we have a merciful God who died for all our sins. The difference now is that you are no longer a slave to sin, but are free to live the life God has called you to live. Previously you sinned and didn't care, now you have conscience and desire to live right.

Tell someone who you know is a Christian about this change. That person can help you as you begin your walk with the Lord. Then tell others about what Jesus has done for you. If they are Christians they will celebrate. If they are not they may think it strange. They might say: But I thought you were a Christian already, and then you can tell them about the difference between being a church attender and "belonging to the Way."

Friends I have more to say but that's enough for this week. God bless

John