Hi, welcome to the STC Daily podcast. I’m George and I’m doing the training year here at stc as a student intern. Today we’re going to be looking at the second half of Matthew 7, verses 15-29. These are Jesus’s closing points at the Sermon on the Mount. It is packed full of stuff which has been covered in the podcasts over the last week or so where Jesus leaves with some pieces of wisdom for the crowd to mull over and reflect on (maybe with some 1^st Century coffee and biscuits afterwards). However, the parting thought is not one that can easily be dismissed but instead has ramifications for how we live our entire life.

REFLECTION:

Let’s read verses 24-27 where Jesus says

“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 foundation 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.”

This is a great challenge to us. Where Jesus has previously talked about very specific things – he’s taught the Lord’s prayer, told us to turn the other cheek and even touched on some messy issues such as adultery – but this is his overarching message of what happens when we take on board what he says.

I remember in Sunday school, I was probably no older than 3 years old, singing along to the song which goes “the wise man builds his house upon a rock” and while it probably seemed like very sensible building advice to my 3-year old self I’m not sure I was able to fully understand the message that it was meant to convey.

Moving forward a few years to last summer, I was roped in to help my Mum with her long-term dream to build an extension onto the house. What I didn’t realise was that, because there wasn’t the possibility of getting a digger down the side of the house, I was going to be digging the foundations for the extension for two whole days. By the end of it I was sweating, covered in dust, had blisters on my hands and a bad back. I can confirm from first hand experience that foundations are hard work to dig. I was also a student ambassador for the Economics department and selling new students on coming to the university here in Sheffield by telling them about the brand new Social Sciences building due to be finished next year. I’m sure you’ve seen in the local news all the problems that dodgy foundations beneath that building have caused.

Of course, Jesus is not giving construction advice. The builders for the extension didn’t consult the Bible for their knowledge – although the builders of the social sciences building might have been better off doing so. What Jesus is referring to is the storms of life. This means different things for different people but is especially true now people are adapting to the “new normal” and regulations and advice that might be out of date by the time this is released. This could be separation from loved ones as a result of new regulations, ill health and the fear of getting coronavirus or it could be uncertainty at work or disruption to your education. I don’t know individual circumstances but I can be fairly certain that there’s something that is on your mind at the moment.

Proverbs 10:25 says…

When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, but the righteous has an everlasting foundation.

When I reflect on these passages, I don’t see it as a threat or warning that if we don’t follow the teachings of Jesus will be washed away in a great storm. Instead of being fearful of the inevitability of life throwing bad news our way – and there definitely seems to be a lot of that at the moment – I see the hope that we have in Jesus. That whatever comes our way, we will be able to stand firm in the words in the promises of Jesus.

PRAYER:

Lord, I am so thankful that despite the turbulence and uncertainty of the world at the moment that we have foundations that you have shown to us. I pray for a breakthrough where people may be going through difficult situations at this present moment and lift those circumstances up to you. And I pray that in these situations we won’t focus on the storms of life but the hope we have in you to give us peace in these times. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BIBLE READING: Matthew 7:15-29

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in 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 in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

“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 foundation 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.”

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.”