Matthew 7:24-25

BUILDING UPON THE ROCK

‘Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and It fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.’

Matthew 7:24

Christ is ‘the Rock,’ and a man’s religion is compared to ‘the house’ which is ‘built’ upon it. And the similitude, winding up as it does, and clenching the whole of ‘the Sermon on the Mount,’ assumes an unparalleled weight and importance. There are a few persons who are too fond of looking at foundations; they are always tormenting their minds, and distrusting and disparaging the love of Almighty God. But many more commit the far more dangerous and vital mistake of not searching into them enough.

I. Untrustworthy foundations.—Most persons who think at all have certain floating, unfixed thoughts and ideas, on which they try to erect a certain kind of faith and practice.

(a) Natural religion. Of this character is the notion a great many men have about the general goodness of God—‘He is a kind God—too good to punish.’ And then comes all the poetry and all the sentiment of natural religion.

(b) Good works. Presently, taken off this, and seeing something of its unworthiness, these men go a little more down into the reality of things—they rest much upon duties—they lay out a breadth of religious observances—they try to form many good habits—they endeavour to do some good works—they discipline themselves very strictly, but find it of no avail.

(c) Feelings. Then, a little beneath this, comes the trust of the man who, seeing the untenableness of a good life as a ground of hope before God, leans rather on what he feels in his own mind.

II. ‘The Rock’ at last.—But again it fails him, and again he has to go deeper still, till gradually that man is led to see that a sinner’s ultimate resting-place must be something outside himself, something apart from himself. So he begins to see the necessity of a Saviour. Now that man is beginning to touch a ‘Rock.’ He is beginning to feel something that will bear. At last, the Spirit of God shows that man ‘the Rock’ in all its strength—and there now it is, beneath that man’s feet, like adamant.

The Rev. James Vaughan.

Illustration

‘In all matters relating to his home and land the peasant of Palestine is very shrewd. The position of a village will show that the inhabitants are well versed in the knowledge that points to the best site for their dwellings. They are built on the top or side of a hill, and seem at the first glance in the sunlight of a bright summer day to be a part of its rocky side. When the rain has washed the white dust from their walls they are much more distinct, or when surrounded by trees and gardens. Security from the attack of foes and the storms of winter seem to have prompted their choice of a site for the village. The position on or near the summit of a hill commands a view of the surrounding country and renders it in ordinary warfare wellnigh impregnable. To add to this desirable situation the houses are built like little forts and close together. When storm clouds burst and the rain rushes in torrents over the rocks on the hillsides, and innumerable little streams tumble precipitately down the mountains, the village homes are free from damp walls or standing pools, as the water seeks the lower land. To prevent the house from following the course of the rain it is firmly built on the rock with strong, thick walls—the precaution of a wise man (St. Matthew 7:24). In the plain below the hills where there is no stone the houses are often made of clay and mud, and raised on the sand. If they do not disappear altogether before the rainy season is over, they become so saturated with the wet that when the sun comes out the roof will dry and crack.’