Have you ever heard of Bryan Berg? He is a professional “cardstacker.” He is the only person known to make a living building large-scale, free-standing card houses.

• In 1992, he built a tower 14½ feet tall.
• He has been commissioned to break his own Guinness Record 10 times.
• His most recent record is a tower that was over 25’½ tall.
• (You can see pictures of his creations here.)

I watched a profile about Bryan. He said his favorite part of a project is knocking it down because it proves he’s not lying when he says he didn’t tape or glue or anything else to keep the cards together.

What happens at the end proves his point. The same thing is true of Jesus’ final words in the Sermon on the Mount. Let’s turn to Matthew 7 now. You’ll find it on page 686 in the pew Bibles. You can also access the passage along with sermon notes in the events section of the You Version Bible app.

          While you’re finding Matthew seven, let me remind you that the Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ longest recorded teaching in the New Testament. It spans Matthew chapters 5-7. It is Jesus, in his own words, describing the life of his followers. If we had to sum it up in one word, we might use the word different.

Matthew 7:24–29 (NIV84)

²⁴ “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. 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, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, ²⁹ because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

I also want to look at verses 24-27 from The Message: ²⁴ “These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. ²⁵ Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.

²⁶ “But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach.
²⁷ When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.”

          When you think about a house of cards collapsing, you picture total destruction. Everything is gone. Nothing is left standing. That’s what Jesus is saying here.

          As we dig into this last section of the Sermon on the Mount, I’m going to deal with it in reverse order. We’ll look at verses 28 and 29 and then we’ll go back to verses 24-27.

Verses 28-29

Jesus’ teaching was different than what folks were used to hearing. It was different because he taught with an authority other teachers of his day just didn’t have. The custom was for teachers to quote the rabbi they’d studied under and the rabbi he’d studied under and the rabbi he’d studied under, and on and on. This constant appeal to authority is what gave credence to a teacher’s words.

But Jesus didn’t do that, he didn’t need to. As God’s son, he possessed the authority to teach and interpret God’s word. Remember the sections of the sermon where he said, “you have heard it said, but I’m telling you”? He had the authority to do that and those who heard him were amazed. There was something different about him.

I believe the same thing is true today. There are many great teachers, but Jesus is different. He’s different because he isn’t a man talking to us about God, he’s God talking to us about God and man. And we would do well to heed his words!

Now, let’s move on to verses 24-27.

          There is a caution I have offered a couple times in this series that I must offer again now. I know it doesn’t apply to everyone here today, but it does apply to a large number. If you are familiar with this last part of the Sermon on the Mount, you must be careful not to assume you already know it all and so not pay attention to the message. You cannot afford to let that happen.

          This section is more than the basis for a children’s song with motions. First, it is a warning—a warning of impending crisis and destruction that will be disregarded at great cost to the hearer. Then, it is a source of comfort to those who heed its words because crisis will not destroy them. They can survive the storm.

          Jesus closed the sermon not so much with a call to action, but with a stark illustration of choice and consequence. It was aimed directly at those who had listened to the sermon and because he is the Son of God, it is also aimed directly at us.

          He described nearly identical scenarios.

• Houses were built and then, at some point in time, rain, wind, and flood let loose against them.
• One house stood and the other collapsed.
• The only difference in the houses was the builders’ choice of foundation material.
• The builder of the house that stood chose to build his house on the rock.
• The builder of the collapsed house chose to build on sand.

          We hear this parable and think no one in their right mind would choose to build their house on a faulty foundation. That’s likely true in the world of construction. But Jesus wasn’t talking about construction, he was talking about personal lives and eternal destinies.

          His listeners were the builders. Those who heard his words and put them into practice were wise, ensuring the safety and stability of their lives in the time of crisis. On the other hand, those who heard his words and did not put them into practice were foolish, ensuring neither the safety nor stability of their lives when crisis arrived.

          According to Jesus, it doesn’t matter what you build with your life. It doesn’t matter how big, how beautiful, how impressive, how important, or how fulfilling your life is. It doesn’t matter what attention, awards, or recognition you gain. If you build on the wrong foundation, it’s a house of cards and it’s only a matter of time until it collapses.

Listen, folks, we’re not talking about people ‘out there;’ we’re talking about those of us in here! Jesus’ listeners were responsible for what they’d heard and had to make a choice. They could build on only one of two foundations. Their choice made all the difference and so does ours! If we come to church week after week but don’t act on what we’ve heard, we’ve already chosen. Once we’ve heard, we must decide. Not choosing is choosing.

Now, it’s important for us to note that the foolish builder didn’t deliberately choose sand, he simply failed to take the necessity for a solid foundation seriously.[1] The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is not meant to be admired; it is meant to be obeyed.”^[2] If we don’t choose, we’ve already chosen!

Sadly, it’s often only in times of crisis where the reliability of our faith is proven.[3] Is there still time to choose wisely when crisis comes? Maybe. I’d like to say yes, but I don’t really know. Personally, I think waiting is taking too big of a chance.

Let me make another observation here. Today, in this sanctuary, we have both wise and foolish builders. The trouble is that they often look alike so that we can’t easily tell which is which.

• Both are present during worship.
• Both hear the sermon.
• Both appear to be building Christian lives.
• The foolish builder looks the part!
• We often can’t tell the difference because the deep foundations of their lives are hidden from view.

The real question isn’t whether we hear Christ’s teaching (nor even whether we respect or believe it), but whether we act on what we hear. Often, only a storm will reveal the truth.[4]

What does it mean to act on what we hear? First, we need to understand that Jesus does not give us a string of easy ethical rules. He gives us a set of values and ideals which is entirely different from the way of the world. He calls us to abandon the secular culture in favor God’s way. Repeatedly, during this series, we have heard God’s call to be different from everybody else.^[5] More important than the choice of a job or career, more important that the choice of a life-partner is the choice about life itself. Which road are we going to travel? On which foundation are we going to build?^[6]

So, what does it mean to act on what we hear? It means that we acknowledge Jesus knows what he’s talking about—we are sinners who need the Savior. We look to all kinds of things to save us in this life—money, career, possessions, people, achievement, recognition, advancement, alcohol, drugs, education, etc. They may feel like they’re working for a while, but they are foundations of sand and lives built on them will eventually come crashing down—in this life or in the judgment that follows it—and the destruction will be complete!

But it doesn’t have to be that way!

There are only two choices—Jesus or not Jesus. One choice leads to life and the other leads to destruction. We’ve been given the facts in advance. The choice should seem clear. Is it?

Video – Two Sets of Jones’

          Today is decision day! I’m asking you to decide to build your life on the rock-solid foundation of a relationship with God through Christ. I’m asking you to own your sin and the grace that goes with it. There is nothing you’ve done that is so bad God won’t forgive you. Don’t project your inability to forgive yourself or someone else’s inability to forgive on to God. That’s not how it works!

          I’m not saying your sin isn’t bad…it is. But I am saying that God will forgive you. How can I be sure of that? Because that’s what his word tells us…and his word trumps what we feel and what others say.

          Listen, I understand that coming to Christ is a process, but I need you to understand the not choosing is choosing. If you’ve been attending church faithfully and have never committed your life to Christ, you’ve already been choosing every week—choosing not to follow him, choosing not to act on his words. I implore you: Please, choose to follow Christ today!

You should have received a card this morning. On it is a prayer you can pray if you choose to follow Christ. When I pray at the close of this message, I’m going to ask you to pray that prayer. Then, we’d like to know about your choice. You can drop the card in the box in the foyer or call or email me or Pastor Kristin. Our contact information is on the card.

Praying doesn’t make you a Christian. It is simply how you communicate to God that you are going to shift all your trust from yourself or from whatever you may have believed in the past to what Jesus did on your behalf through his death, burial, and resurrection when he paid the price for your sin.

After you pray that prayer, you’ll then begin to learn about how God wants you to live and to adjust your life to that standard. We learn about that in the Bible.

          Maybe you’re still not convinced or maybe there is some obstacle that is keeping you from coming to Christ as your Savior. I want to ask a favor of you this morning. If this is your story, would you let me know? You can check a box on the card you were given and put it in the box in the foyer or contact me or Pastor Kristin. If you have questions or concerns, we’d love to walk with you as you look for answers. Would you please let us do so?

          Now, I want to address one more group of people. Those who are facing crisis and are wondering if your faith in God is going to hold up to the test.

First, I want to tell you not to listen to well-meaning Christians who are clueless about Scripture. I’m talking about the people who tell you that God won’t give you more than you can handle. They are lying to you! They probably don’t know they’re lying and they wouldn’t want to lie to you, but they are. I know that’s harsh, but truth often is. People who say that are misquoting Scripture about God not letting you be tempted beyond what you can stand up to.

There are times when God does give us more than we can handle, and those times are meant to drive us closer to him. They are not meant to destroy our faith, but to strengthen it.

Concerning a difficult experience in his life, Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:8-10, NIV).

Jesus’ brother James made this admonition: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”
(James 1:2-4).

Now, let me offer these pointed words from Mark Batterson (you’ll encounter them again in a couple of weeks): “We’re often so anxious to get out of difficult, painful, or challenging situations that we fail to grow through them. We’re so fixated on getting out of them that we don’t get anything out of them. We fail to learn the lessons God is trying to teach us or cultivate the character God is trying to grow in us. We’re so focused on God changing our circumstances that we never allow God to change us!”[7]

I don’t mean this as tritely as it sounds. Hang in there! Don’t give up! Don’t go it alone! God didn’t give up on you; He has faith in you. Do you have faith in him?

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[1] Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew (pp. 182–183). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.

^[2] Blomberg, C. (1992). Matthew (Vol. 22, p. 134). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

[3] Blomberg, C. (1992). Matthew (Vol. 22, p. 134). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

[4] Stott, John. The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (The Bible Speaks Today Series) (pp. 208-9). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.

[5] Stott, John. The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (The Bible Speaks Today Series) (pp. 209-10). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.

[6] Stott, John. The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (The Bible Speaks Today Series) (pp. 211). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.

[7] Mark Batterson, Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), pp. 34-35.