Looking at the realtor’s glossy advertisement, the house seemed to be brimming with potential. It sat on a quiet, tree lined street and was close to good schools. The floorplan was versatile, and the large backyard had a panoramic view. But it was the price that initially drew us in. The numbers on the brochure were far lower than any we’d seen in the area. It seemed too good to be true.
Touring the property with a realtor, my husband and I soon discovered the reason for the low price: the house had a cracked foundation. A large gash in the concrete slab was widening incrementally over time. The garage was shifting in the opposite direction from the house and would eventually pull away from it altogether. Assuring us that it was an “easy fix,” the realtor claimed the money we were saving with the low price would more than cover the repair job.
With a bit more research, we learned that contractors hadn’t been able to determine the extent of the problem. They didn’t know if the house would have to be lifted so the deteriorating foundation could be replaced, or if the crack could simply be shored up. This meant estimates of the cost and the time it would take to fix it were rough guesses at best.
The more we thought about it, the less enthused we became. Buying a home on a faulty foundation just seemed like a bad idea. Wary of all the unknowns, we decided to pass on the opportunity and to keep looking. At that point, we learned that when something seems “too good to be true,” it probably is.
I’ve thought a lot about that house and what a metaphor it’s been for my adult life. With each decision my husband and I have made, our goal has been to build a solid foundation in both the physical and spiritual worlds. That’s why Jesus’ closing warning in the Sermon on the Mount resonates with me so much:
“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.” (Matthew 7:24-27, NIV)
Jesus urges us to put what we’ve been learning from Matthew 5-7 into practice. Through this series we’ve explored the upside-down economy of the Kingdom of God. The Beatitudes show us the value of meekness, gentleness, and humility. We see Jesus raise the bar on our righteousness, telling us to impact our surroundings with the salt and light of the Gospel. He urges us to have righteousness that surpasses the Pharisees by confronting the hatred and lust in our hearts. Jesus also raises the bar on the grounds for divorce and reminds us of the sacredness of marriage. He then launches into some challenging teaching on keeping our word, not retaliating, loving our enemies, and being generous in secret. He reminds us our true treasure is in heaven and admonishes us not to worry, but to trust God’s provision. Jesus also instructs us to examine our own faults and not to judge others, to seek the Lord boldly in prayer, and to stay on the narrow road and bear good fruit. He packs this sermon with challenging but powerful truth. His purpose isn’t to disseminate information, but to spark life transformation. Which part of His teaching convicted you? Will you let His words change how you live today?
Putting Jesus’ teaching into practice isn’t easy, but it is the best way to live. Be encouraged knowing He is also the one who says: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NIV) Author and pastor John Mark Comer explains, “Jesus’s invitation is to take up his yoke—to travel through life at his side, learning from him how to shoulder the weight of life with ease. To step out of the burnout society to a life of soul rest.”1 Comer continues later by quoting another source: “Jesus means that obedience to his Sermon on the Mount [his yoke] will develop in us a balance and a ‘way’ of carrying life that will give more rest than the way we have been living.’”2
Does this resonate with you as you consider how chaotic and overwhelming the world feels right now? In the midst of the tumult, rest assured that building our lives with Jesus as the foundation is the only lasting solution for experiencing peace and hope.
As we close our series on the Sermon on the Mount, consider the succinct and direct words of Jesus’ brother, James: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” (James 1:22-25, NIV)
My prayer is that you’ll persevere in learning and living the ways of Jesus. I look forward to continuing the journey with you as I kick off the next series based on my new study Extraordinary Prayer.
“Build My Life” seems like a fitting song to drive home Jesus’ final teaching in the Greatest Sermon of All Time. Click here and listen to this version by Pat Barrett. Make it your prayer today.
1. John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, Waterbrook Press, 2019, 80.
2. Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary, Volume 1:The Christbook, Matthew 1-12 (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2004), 538 (as quoted in Comer’s book, 87)
Post inspired by Caleb Bonifay’s sermon “The GOAT 13, Sermon on the Mount, Two Houses” at CPC Danville. Click here to watch.