IS your house founded upon a rock for eternity? You may not (Luke seize the import of the question. Turn to Luke 6:46-49,46And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: 48He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 49But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. (Luke 6:46‑49) and see what the Lord has to say about it. In the hearing of a great multitude (vs. 17) He said, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Here was One who read the hearts of all, and knew the ways of all. His hearers all more or less professed to serve the Lord. They were both jealous and zealous for the externals of their religion. The temple of the Lord was in their midst. The priesthood and the ritual and sacrifices, &c., were all professedly according to His law. But, alas, their doctrines were the commandments of men, and their hearts far from Him. Moreover, Jesus, who was in their midst, was their unknown Jehovah. Astonished at His doctrine and power to heal, &c., they called Him “Lord, Lord,” but the mass were doing their own will instead of the things which He said.
Now the Lord puts all to the test. First, He asks them why they called Him Lord, but yet were insubject to His Lordship, adding, “Whosoever cometh unto me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like.”
Let us weigh these momentous words for a moment before we seek to understand the comparison used by the Lord, which follows. “Whosoever cometh unto me.” This is the key to all. It is easy to repeat “Lord, Lord,” with the lips, but have you come to Him? All are welcome. “Whosoever” is a world-wide word. We gladly repeat what has so often been said of it, it includes all and excludes none.” Hence you are one, whoever and wherever you may be. And it is quite certain that whatever you may profess, you will never hearken to His sayings, and do them, till you first come to Him.
It is the one who is attracted in heart to Him, and finds himself in the secret joy of His blessed company, whose ear is open to listen to the precious teaching which issued from His blessed lips, and who, in response to His love, seeks to do what He says. The Lord’s order is first to come, secondly to hearken, thirdly to do. Hearkening and doing are evidences of having come to Him; they are proofs that the cry of “Lord, Lord,” is more than a lip profession. But, alas, thousands are content with much doing, without hearkening, and they hearken not, because they are content with the lip profession of “Lord,” while their heart is far from Him, and engrossed with their own advantages, pleasures, and joys.
Now the Lord graciously went on to show to whom the man is like who comes to Him, and He showed also the folly of him who does not. Surely if He so graciously takes the trouble to show us, it is the height of folly on our part to turn a deaf ear or to be careless about it. Our eternal welfare depends upon whether we pay heed thereto or not. Who will listen to the gracious but faithful words of the divine Teacher? God is speaking to us in Him.
Whom then is that one like who comes to Him, hears His voice, and does His will? “I will show you,” said the Lord. “He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock; and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded upon a rock.” What a striking figure! No one needs to be an experienced architect or a trained builder to understand that. Surely the simplest could comprehend what the Lord meant. We all know what a man builds a house for. It is to dwell in. It is a needful place of shelter from storms, &c. All nations have learned the necessity of the house in some form. And ordinary common-sense has taught, that if you want your house to stand firm and steady, whatever the vagaries of the climate may be, one thing is an absolute necessity, and that is, to have a good solid foundation. And what could be more solid than a rock deep in the soil! The man that builds thus has no fear of the rising flood. The stream may beat vehemently upon his house, but not only does it fail to overthrow it, but it cannot even shake it. It is founded upon a rock.
Now the man that comes to Christ, and listens to what He says, and obeys, is like the man who builds thus. The man who comes to Him in true exercise of soul builds a secure house. He digs deep into the precious soil of the glad tidings of God’s boundless grace and eternal truth (if we may so speak), and the sure foundation is the Rock of Ages, the Son of God Himself. Hence his heart is assured, that when the flood of God’s holy judgment arises, and the streams of His wrath beat vehemently, not only will his house not fall, but not even shake. He has found a sure dwelling-place, both now and to all eternity, in the dead and risen Christ. This is the place of secure refuge and dwelling that the gracious Lord, dear reader, would show to you.
And now, mark well the solemn contrast portrayed in the following verse, “But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.” He that heareth and doeth not. That which necessarily precedes hearing and doing is lacking. The ear, maybe, hearkens, but the sayings find no avenue to the heart and conscience. And why? Because he has not first come to Christ. He is building a house upon the earth instead of upon the rock. It is without a foundation. What is the result? When the stream beats vehemently against it, immediately it falls. There is nothing solid to hold it. It cannot stand for a moment. Down it comes with a terrible crash. The ruin of that house was great.
Thus will it surely turn out in the day of God’s sure and rapidly approaching judgment (2 Thess. 1:7-97And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (2 Thessalonians 1:7‑9)). Thousands, alas, are only listening with the outward ear, and giving no heed in their hearts to the word of the Lord. They hear and do not. They have not received with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save their souls. Hence they are not doers of the word, but hearers only, deceiving their own selves (James 1:21, 2221Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (James 1:21‑22)). They have never come to Christ. They vainly hope their house will stand. But how is it possible if built upon the shifting soil of this sin-stricken and cursed earth? It is impossible. Only that which is built on Christ Himself will stand in the day of testing, absolutely nothing else. When God’s judgment, which is His strange work, does at last go forth, its mighty stream will sweep away every refuge of lies. Every house built otherwise than on Christ will topple to the earth in a moment, and its foolish builder shall not escape. The ruin of that house will indeed be great. The already fallen sinner will be buried in his unbelief in that dreadful fall; and his portion, in separation from God, in unutterable misery, will be fixed, irrevocable, and eternal (Luke 16:2626And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. (Luke 16:26)).
Listen then now, we beseech you, ere it be too late. Listen to the gracious voice of Him who says that whosoever cometh to Him, and heareth His sayings, and doeth them, is like the man whose house shall never even shake, much less fall, for it is founded upon a rock. Come now to Christ, who bids you while you may, dig deep, build upon the Rock of Ages; and when the world of the ungodly and all who build upon this sin-stricken earth without a foundation, are swept into eternal woe by the just judgment of God, you shall surety be found with Christ Himself in God’s everlasting glory.
“On Christ salvation rests secure;
The Rock of Ages must endure;
Nor can that faith be overthrown
Which rests upon the ‘Living Stone.’
No other hope shall intervene;
To Him we look, on Him we lean,
Other foundations we disown,
And build on Christ the Living Stone.”
E. H. C.