0446. The Fool Who Builds Upon the Sand

The Fool Who Builds Upon the Sand

"And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who builds his house upon the sand" (Mat_7:26).

1. The first consideration in any building, is a firm foundation. An architect explained to us, once, the care that prevailed as to the foundations of the great sky scrapers that abound in New York city. He went into some details as to their constructions, and we were amazed as we beheld the solidity of base that marked man’s genius in making secure what he builded thereupon.

Yet, too often the very men who go down and down for solid rock, and who build with utmost caution the concrete foundation work of earthly buildings, are building their hopes of Heaven on the shifting sands.

2. Let us note some of the "sandy foundations upon which men build their hope of eternal life.

(1) Some build upon their own righteousness. They think that human goodness can be achieved and that, when achieved, it will suffice all demands for an entrance into life eternal.

The Word of God, however, says, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done." How can our righteousness save, when our righteousness is no more than filthy rags?

(2) Some build upon some great and noble deed. They make a beneficent and bountiful gift to some worthy cause, and think they have thereby bought their way to Heaven’s bliss. They do some humanitarian work, they build an orphanage, or a college, or a city hospital, and think themselves entitled, thereby, to a full salvation. They go to the front in time of war and pay the "supreme sacrifice" for their fatherland, and therefore suppose atonement has been made for their sins.

But all of these are building on the sands. For, "other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

(3) Some build upon church-membership and upon church ordinances.

But no man can safely build upon the church, for the church is no more than a superstructure, and is, itself, a building and not a foundation for the building. The church is an assembly of the saved, and not an assembly of the unsaved. The unsaved, by practicing those things which belong to the saved, cannot thereby become saved.

We need to get back to the impregnable rock of the Scriptures, and remember Christ is the Word.

"My hope is built on nothing less,

Than Jesus’ Blood and righteousness,

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ the solid rock, I stand,

All other ground is sinking sand."

3. Let us note the end of the one who builds upon the sand. "The rain descended, and the floods came and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."

God will sweep away every refuge of lies. Every false hope, every false trust will prove futile in the day of His judgments.

Only those who have builded upon Christ will stand. The others will go down in the storm. Imagine the cyclone of God’s wrath as it breaks against a world of sin; imagine the great white throne and Him Who sits upon it: He will judge righteously. In that day there will be but one hope and that is Jesus Christ.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR