Narrator (3:59)

Hears these words of mine and does them is like a man who built his house on the rock.

Zach (4:06)

How important is comfort to you? Do you seek after comfort at all costs? Is comfort king in your life? You see, those who seek comfort above action are those who build their house on sand. Here's the storms will come. The question is, have you invested enough time and effort to strengthen your base? This is the Jesus Podcast. I'm Zach with Prayer.com, here to showcase stories of terror, triumph, love and struggle. We've spent a better part of a month now exploring different parables from Jesus. This one is short but holds special significance as it was right towards the end of the Sermon on the Mount. This is a story of two brothers, two houses, two foundations. One house was built on the rock, a sturdy and sound foundation. But the other was built on sand. Shifting, movable, unsteady. Jesus invites us into this parable and asks a question about whether our foundation is built on the rock.

Narrator (5:03)

Aharon and Gershon looked out at the sea and smiled. The wind whistled from the water and up the sandy hills. The sound of gulls and crashing waves filled the air. Aharon breathed it all in and stretched out his arms. This is the spot. This is where I'll build my home. Gershon kicked the sand underneath his feet and shook his head. You'll need stabler ground than this, brother. How will your house stay upright without a foundation? Aharon chuckled and brought his brother in close. He pointed to the setting sun and.

Zach (5:44)

Said.

Narrator (5:46)

This view, the gentle breeze, and the comfort of being close to the shore are enough for me. It'll be fine. Geshan didn't look forward to the shore. He looked backward towards the Rocky Mountains. He traveled to the base of a jagged hill. The grass surrounding the area was soft and perfect for plowing, and the hardened ground at the mountain's base would be a perfect foundation for his home. The coastal breeze didn't reach him, nor did he have a view of the sunset. There are more important things than comfort, he sighed. He took a stick and drew out the lines of his home in the dirt. Tomorrow he would begin building. Both men rose early before the sunrise. The clanging of tools and dragging of wood broke through the morning silence. They worked tirelessly throughout the day. Aharon was able to make quick work of building his frame and Putting up walls. Everything was built upon. The sun kissed sand as the day passed. He was thankful for the cool coastal breeze against his neck. Now Gershom built at a much slower haste. The first building day was spent chiseling at stone to make his foundation. He measured everything carefully and tested every inch for sturdiness. The sun's rays were harsh against his back, but eventually the shadows of the hills provided some welcome shade. Days turned into weeks, and Aharon was already done with his home by the time Gershon began building his frames. Aharon's home was a splendid site with a perfect ocean view. His house, a marvel of aesthetics, rose swiftly, its walls reflecting the golden sun, its balconies inviting the sea breeze. What joy to wake to the song of the sea, Aharon thought, his heart swelling with pride at the sight of his creation. His priorities were comfort and convenience, and he received both. For the first few weeks now, Gershon's home was a humble sight, but it served all his needs. His house rose slowly, each stone a testament to his foresight. This house shall be my legacy, standing long after I return to the dust, Gershon thought, laying each brick with the patience of a philosopher. His thoughts often wandered to the teachings of the old masters. A house must endure, not just in years, but in wisdom, he reflected, his hands moving with the rhythm of a seasoned craftsman. Early one morning, Gershom walked the rugged path upward towards Aharon's home. He examined its shaky beams and uneven flaws. He said nothing. The two men looked out at the sea once again. This time, the ocean breeze had a harsher whistle to it. The wind churned up the glassy waters, and the sunset was covered by clouds in the distance. Looks like a storm, gershon said, nodding to the horizon. Good thing I have plenty of blankets. Wouldn't want to be cold while I wait out the rain. However, the cold was the least of Gershom's fears. He knew coastal storms could flood a home's foundation, leaving it weak and shaky. And if the wind could bend a cypress tree from its roots, it could certainly bend the beams of a poorly crafted home. If you need me, you know where to find me, Gershom said. He marched down the hill and prepared for the worst. The sunset was hidden that evening. Dark clouds blocked its descent, covering the skies with nightmarish shadows. The harsh wind blew in from the sea, howling like a pack of ravenous wolves. Rain fell like arrows, stinging the side of Gershom's face. He was outside, fortifying the perimeter of his home from flooding. Rain fell violently on his back, but he knew the discomfort would pay off when his house remained standing for an hour, he worked, toiling with stone and wood to ensure his house would endure. Before heading back into the house, he looked up the road. He knew that his brother Aharon would be in for a treacherous night. Aharon was wrapped in wool blankets, listening to the thrashing of waves and piercing wind outside. He was happy to be warm. He sipped on a cup of warm broth, thinking comfort would somehow save him from the monster outside. Suddenly, the house began to shake. The walls began to bend and bow with the shifting wind throwing Aharon onto the ground. He felt the floor beneath him. It was sopping wet. Water was coming in from below. Aharon trudged through water and mud to the front door. He tried opening it, but the wind blew him backward. The wet sand beneath his home began to slide down, taking the entire house with it. Aharon tumbled with the house and the wood began to splinter into thousands of pieces. His entire roof had blown blown off, and Aharon looked up in horror to discover his home was being swept away to the sea. He jumped into the water, desperately trying to escape the oncoming waves. The sea was relentless, pulling and pushing Aharon until he had no strength to fight. He held onto a large piece of wood that used to be a part of his deck. He wept as the wind and waves thrashed him around, lamenting his poor choice to build a house on the sand. Whoever hears these words of mine and does them will be like the wise man who built his house on the rock. But whoever hears these words of mine and neglects to put them into practice will be like the foolish man who builds his house on the sand. He will succumb to the storm.

Jesus (12:23)

The crowd fell silent. The authority by which Jesus spoke was unrivaled. Many teachers of the time built upon the foundation of other teachers before them. Over time, every sermon was a regurgitated and watered down version of what it once was. The people were amazed as they listened to Jesus story because it spoke to their feelings. Deep down, they knew that they had been building their lives on eroding and shifting sands. But when they heard Jesus speak, they felt sturdier, surer of themselves and their mission. All that was left for them was to act. For it isn't enough to hear the Word, they must be doers as well.

Zach (13:18)

At this point in scripture, Jesus had just concluded the Sermon on the Mount. He laid out a vision of the kingdom citizen. Someone Mobilized by faith and fueled by love. It was a compelling sermon. The Bible said that people marveled and were astonished because he preached like someone who had authority. We've all heard sermons from Jesus. We all have heard his words. But hearing isn't enough. It's is it? It's what we do with what we've heard that matters. Jesus contrasted two examples of disciples. One hears the words of the sermon and acts upon them while the other hears the words and doesn't act upon them at all. Jesus likened the first disciple to a wise builder who built his house on the rock and the second disciple to a foolish builder who built his house on the sand. The house that withstood the rains, flood and winds and was the one that had a sturdy foundation down to the bedrock. You could imagine Jesus telling this story against the backdrop of the Sea of Galilee. It was host to many storms. No Galilean in their right mind would ever build their house right on the sandy shore. I think Jesus uses sand as an example for a very specific reason. You see, those who were listening would have been very familiar. Bethsaida in Galilee was the birthplace of Philip, Andrew, Peter, James and John. These locals probably knew something that we wouldn't at first glance and that's that the sand on the shore of Galilee is very firm in the summer, but softens during the winter months. I could imagine that some of the disciples would laugh at the notion of someone building a house on the sand because they might have had a dumb uncle who during the summer months thought that they were building on a firm foundation all for in the winter months it to crumble under their feet. When the early winter rains came, the Jordan river overflowed into the banks of the Sea of Galilee. This coupled with the winter wind storms caused the houses not built on the foundation to completely collapse. The wise builder looked at the future and knew that the early rains would eventually come and that the Jordan river would overflow into its banks and loosen up the hard lascivial sand and make it unstable. If the house had no foundation, it would certainly collapse. The foolish builder, on the other hand, only thought about the view, the present, the comfort of his own home. Much to his surprise, it didn't withstand. The wise builder was concerned not just about the comfort of the house, but would it remain standing when the storms came? The wise builder counted the cost and put in the time, energy and effort to build the foundation of his house, while the foolish builder took shortcuts and ignored the need for a foundation. The application of these two parables is obvious, but nonetheless difficult to apply. Jesus intended his disciples to hear his words and then obey them, act upon them. He wanted them to put in the hard work of loving their enemies. He wanted them to wrestle with the discomfort of repentance. He wanted them to struggle through the process of forgiving others, fleeing from lust and seeking the kingdom first. He wanted them to have a firm foundation so when the winter came and the sand softened, they would be prepared. The wise builder dug a foundation and built his house on top of it so when the winds and the rains and the flood came, the house remained sturdy. Likewise, a serious disciple of the Lord must put in time, energy and effort to not just hear the words of Jesus, but to act upon them. Build a solid and sturdy foundation for our lives so that when hardships come, we can withstand them. For all the podcasts we consume, for all the sermons that we listen to, for all the church services that we attend and sit in the pews and raise a hallelujah, are we doing something with what we've been learning? Are we taking the words of Christ and the precious Word of God and building upon the foundation? Are we building upon the rock so that we could be sturdy for those around us? Do our lives reflect a depth of character that has been tested by the storms of time? These are all questions for us to consider. Have we been doers of the Word and not just hearers? Only our next episode we are going to begin part one of the most famous parable told by Jesus. It's a story of grace and a father's love for his son. This is an I Heart podcast.