A Sermon Outline by John Kennedy
Matthew 7:24-26. 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: 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. 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.
Two classes are described in this text – each in the first class is likened “to a wise man”, and each in the second to a “foolish man”.
1. The Wise Man.
This wise man had a house to build.
He was careful to have a good foundation.
He cast all aside that interposed between him and the Rock.
He required a foundation that would meet His whole case as a sinner.
He required a foundation to meet the claims of God.
He required a foundation for grace through righteousness.
This man’s religion will be tried and tested by storms: the ordinary trials of life, the enmity of the world.
Floods of persecution require a good foundation.
This tries what true love there is to Christ, and the hope of glory.
The prince of the power of the air is a fierce wind.
This man’s building is safe, being founded upon a rock.
2. The Foolish Man.
This man heard Christ but refused to obey Him.
Some hear, but take no care to understand what they hear.
Some have their natural affections moved, as in the parable of the sower.
They have no faith in the heart, or love to Christ.
They have no spiritual exercise of soul in accordance with grace.
They do not obey the law of Christ.
They are like a house built upon the sand, which falls.
How great is that fall; it is an eternal fall.
Application.
Am I building upon the only foundation laid by God?
Each professing Christian says that he is building for eternity.
Some build upon the ground of works, which is sand.
All such buildings shall be tried now and at the judgement.
All sandy foundations may pass now, but not at death.
1Preached in Maryburgh, Ross-shire, on 17 July 1882, and edited.