Two Houses Two Finalities

Years ago, during the construction of one of our churches, we discovered that the site had a spring running under it. It was twenty-one feet down but would necessitate a lot of extra support to be a stable construction. We had to sink thirty-two concrete columns to secure the firm foundation. We spent a lot of money on a part of the building that, to this day, no one has ever seen.

In Matthew seven, at the end of his Sermon on the Mount Jesus left the crowd with a short story that must have left them scratching their collective heads. What did this story of the two houses have to do with anything that had preceded it? But that was the conclusion of Jesus' longest recorded message.

So, what was it all about? In fact, Jesus says what he meant at the end of the story. Those who hear my words and practice them are like a house built on a strong foundation. Those who don't listen and obey are like the house built on sand. The storms of life come on both types of houses. When they hit with full force, only the strong foundation of Christ's words gives staying power.

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