A Parable of Jesus

A ‘parable’ is a story told to illustrate a spiritual truth. This one illustrates our need to build our house of life on a good foundation! For each one of us are building in time for eternity, by our words, actions and beliefs.  This is what Jesus said: “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock” (read Matthew 7:24-28). In this parable, the storm broke with rain, wind and flood, but this house built on the rock stood, “for it was founded on the rock”.

Then Jesus taught: “Now everyone who hears these sayings of mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand”. When the storm raged and beat on this house, it fell, “And great was its fall”.

It is important to ‘hear’. Many times we ‘hear’ but we are not really listening! On another occasion, the Lord Jesus said. ‘Let these sayings sink down into your heart”! The Bible teaches that not the hearers, but the doers of the Word of the Lord are blessed.

In another parable Jesus told of a man who had two sons. He told the first “Son, go, work today in my vineyard” (Matthew 21:28-32). This son said, “I will not”’, but afterward he regretted it, and went”.“I go, sir”, but he did not go”. Likewise he told the second son who said,

Jesus asked his listeners who happened to be religious leaders in Israel, “Which of these did the will of his father”. To which they replied, “the first”.

To these men He said, “Assuredly I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you”! They were hearing the teaching of Jesus, but were not willing to obey, whereas the tax collectors and harlots heard the teaching of Jesus and many believed it and acted on it.

It is most important not only what we hear, but how well we hear. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). For heaven to be our eternal home, we need to build our house of life on a sure foundation, and that foundation is Christ Himself and his teachings or words.

Jesus died on the cross, taking upon Himself our sins. His precious body was put in the rock-cut tomb,  but after three days He rose from the dead, appeared to His disciples, and while they watched, He ascended out of their sight into heaven, with the promise that He would return again one day for them. We need to believe this and act on it.

A saving faith not only believes that Jesus is the ‘Way’, but is committed to follow in the way.

Albert Fairweather