Dear Christian friends:

In our text Jesus talks about two kinds of church members. The wise and the foolish church member. When Jesus first preached this sermon many foolish church members were in the group. By the Holy Spirit Jesus left this lesson in the Bible for future church members and for us today. Jesus knew there will always be wise church members and foolish church members. In His wonderful love and mercy He here encourages the wise and warns the foolish to change and be wise.

Let us therefore attend to our text while Jesus explains about the wise and the foolish church member. Let me ask you the question:


Both the wise and the foolish church member appear the same. Jesus says that they both hear His words. Both may be baptized, both may be confirmed, both may come to church regularly every Sunday. Both even come to Wednesday evening Bible Class. Both may even sing in the church choir. Both may pray and worship and give money to the church and help the poor and do many good works.

The foolish church member may even appear better than the wise church member. He may have more money, a better house, more friends, and much respect in the community. He may even be a teacher or preacher or leader in the church like the Pharisees and the teachers to whom Jesus first preached this sermon.

So you can't judge by the outward appearance or by whether you hear God's Word or not. Now while both the wise and the foolish church member appear the same they are different in one important thing. How are they different?

Jesus says that the wise man does what he hears while the foolish man hears and does not. "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:" (verse 24)

"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." (verse 25)

"And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:" (verse 26)

So whoever does Jesus' sayings is a wise man, and whoever fails to do as Jesus says is a foolish man. Now what does it mean to do Jesus' sayings? What did Jesus refer to? Does He refer to the Ten Commandments? Many think so. They say, "If we try to keep and obey the Ten Commandments we are wise and good church members. You are wrong if you think like that. Jesus here refers to what He preached in Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7. True, He preached about the Ten Commandments in Matthew 5, but He used the Ten Commandments to prove and show the people their law breaking and sins. Read Matthew 5:21,22,27,28 below.

"Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:" (Matthew 5:21)

"But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." (Matthew 5:22)

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:" (Matthew 5:27)

"But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:28)

By the 5th Commandment Jesus shows that all people are murderers even you and me. "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer." and by the 6th Commandment Jesus shows that all the world are adulterers also you and me. "Whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart."

The one great saying of Jesus is this: "Repent and believe the Gospel." (Mark 1:15) Confess your sins. Be ashamed and sorry and believe in Me for forgiveness. I will die and shed my blood and rise again for your salvation. This is the one chief saying of Jesus and the one great saying in the Bible.

Paul says, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." (1 Timothy 1:15)

A little while ago the choir sang, "My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less."

My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand:
all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand;

The wise man builds his house, his hope and faith on Jesus the true rock of salvation. But the foolish man builds his house, his hope and faith on his own good works, self-righteousness and in his heart he doesn't care about Jesus' blood and His righteousness.

The foolish man doesn't want to hear about his faults and sins and finds no thrill or joy in Jesus crucified. He may come to church and hear, but thinks preaching and the Lord's Supper is dry and of little worth.

The wise church member builds on the rock Jesus crucified and risen again, but the foolish church member builds on the many sands of self-righteousness. That is the big difference in their final place. Jesus shows that the wise go to heaven while the foolish go to hell.

The storm is death. The wise while dying see his sins and Satan blames and accuses him but He is not afraid. He argues not his own right, but Jesus' blood and right and so he passes on to heaven hid in Jesus.

The foolish while dying sees his sins and Satan blames and accuses, but he has no defense, no plea, no Christ crucified, no blood, no merit, and no rock of ages.

Is your hope and faith established on Jesus the Rock, the Rock of ages? All other ground is sinking sand when the last storm comes.

Amen.