Matthew 7:21-29: a reflection

21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ 23Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’ 24“Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26Everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell—and its fall was great.” 28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching, 29for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes.

Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount with a sharp warning and a vivid picture. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom, he says, but the one who does the will of my Father. And then the parable of the two builders: the one who hears Jesus' words and does them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock, which stood when the storms came; but the one who hears and does not do them is like a foolish man who built on sand, and his house fell with a great crash. The difference is not hearing, but doing.

Notice where Jesus locates the difference: not in hearing his words, or even in calling him Lord, but in doing them. Both builders heard the same words; both houses faced the same storm. The difference was that one built on the rock by doing what he heard, and the other built on sand by only hearing. It is possible to hear Jesus' words, even to call him Lord, and yet not do them, building a life that will not stand. Hearing and professing are not enough; the wise build by doing.

That is a searching challenge. It is possible to be a hearer of Jesus' words, familiar with his teaching, ready to call him Lord, and yet not to do what he says, building a life that looks fine until the storms come, then falls. But the one who both hears and does his words builds on rock, and stands. Do not be content merely to hear Jesus' words, or to profess him as Lord; do them. Build your life on obedience to what he says, not just on hearing or professing it, so that when the storms come, your house stands. The wise builder is the one who hears these words and does them; be that one, building on the rock of doing, so that your life will stand when the storms beat against it.

Lord Jesus, you ended the Sermon on the Mount warning that not everyone who says Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom, but the one who does the Father's will; and that the wise builder is the one who hears your words and does them, whose house stands when the storms come, while the one who only hears builds on sand. Challenge me with that. It is possible for me to hear your words, even to call you Lord, and yet not to do them, building a life that looks fine until the storms come, then falls. Both builders heard the same words; the difference was doing. Keep me from being content merely to hear your words, or to profess you as Lord; help me do them. Help me build my life on obedience to what you say, not just on hearing or professing it, so that when the storms come, my house stands. Make me the wise builder who hears these words and does them, building on the rock of doing, so that my life will stand when the storms beat against it. Help me be a doer, not a hearer only.