Today’s Reading: Matthew 7:26-27 (HCSB)
But everyone who hears these words of Mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. And its collapse was great!
Today’s Question: What are the consequences for not following Christ?
Today’s Commentary:
The crumbling of a life rarely happens in an instant. From what I have observed, lives most often fall apart over time. One event causes a crack. One thing leads to another and the cracks are too many to fill or repair. Like a beach house in a hurricane, whose storm surge is too powerful for the house to withstand, a life without Christ is too hard to live.
In the conclusions of Jesus’ Great Sermon, He offers both hope and a warning. Hope comes from the promise that a life built upon His principles and teachings will withstand the storms and difficulties of this life. Jesus also provides a serious warning. A life built on anything other than His teachings is in grave danger. The probably of ruin is 100%.
It is always a sad scenario when lives crumble. It is perplexing when this happens to people who know better. Jesus makes this point to His audience in this passage. They have heard the truth. They have seen the blueprint for life in Christ unveiled before their eyes. But the Truth of Christ must be lived. It must be the foundation for every decision we make. As James 1:22 proclaims, “But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
Our faith in Christ requires action. Søren Kierkegaard once gave an illustration of those who would hear the Truth but choose not to heed it in his animal parable on “Duckland.” It was Sunday morning, and all the ducks dutifully came to church, waddling through the doors and down the aisle into their pews where they comfortably squatted. When all were well-settled, and the hymns were sung, the duck minister waddled to his pulpit, opened the Duck Bible and read: “Ducks! You have wings, and with wings you can fly like eagles. You can soar into the sky! Use your wings!” It was a marvelous, elevating duck scripture, and thus all the ducks quacked their assent with a hearty “Amen!”—and then they plopped down from their pews and waddled home!
Following Christ does not promise a life free of hardship. Not following Christ is a recipe for disaster. Following Christ offers hope and a glorious future with Him. Not following Christ will result in an eternity of suffering and hopelessness apart from God. Jesus makes the choice clear. Now is the time to make this decision.
“Follow One, Lead Others” Principle #58: Following Christ means helping others see the disaster that awaits those who choose not to follow.
Today’s Prayer Point: Pray for those who are broken by sin today, that they will see Christ and place their trust in Him.
Shepherding Well 