Two Houses

Bible Reading: Matt. 7:24-27; Luke 6:39-49

summarized in the introduction

Introductory Study

We cannot overestimate the importance of a sound foundation. If a building is to be useful, sturdy, and permanent, it must have a solid base. This is one of those facts with which everyone agrees. Wherever men erect buildings, they must pay attention to the foundation. Since this is something understood by all men, God has used it to teach us Divine truth. A foundation supports a building. Each part of the building depends upon the foundation. The Bible speaks of our lives as buildings and tells us the kind of foundation upon which they must be built. The Bible also speaks of the Church as a building, and tells us the kind of foundation upon which it must be built. We will deal with the Church in our next series of studies. ln this series, we are going to study the personal foundation which each of us must have if we are to build lives that are sound.

What did Jesus teach us about our personal foundations?

THE PARABLE OF THE TWO HOUSES (Matt. 7:24-27); Luke 6:48-49)

a. What constitutes a sound life? (Luke 6:47)

1) "He ... comes to me"

2) "Hears my words"

3) "Puts them into practice"

b. Can one hear and not do? (Luke 6:46)

1) "Why do you call me, Lord, Lord"

2) "DO NOT do what I say"

3) "This is KNOWING the Word and NOT DOING IT"

c. What is a man like who hears and does the Word; (Luke 6:48a)

1) "Like a man building a house"

2) "Dug down deep"

3) "Laid the foundation on rock"

4) "He 'dug down deep'." He removed everything between him and the Rock. He made sure that he was on solid footing.

d. Why must the house be built "on a rock"?

1) "When the flood came, the torrent struck that house".

2) It is the nature of life to be stormy! (Heb. 12:25-29)

3) Nobody escapes the storms.

Note: WHEN not IF the flood comes

e. What happened to the house "on a rock"? (Luke 6:48b)

1) The storm "could not shake it"

2) Because it was well built - "ON A ROCK!"

3) There will be storms in your Christian life, but if you are hearing and doing the Word of God, the storm cannot destroy you.

f. What is the danger in building our lives? (Luke 6:49)

1) "One who hears my words, and DOES NOT put them into practice!"

2) "A man who built on the ground"

3) "WITHOUT A FOUNDATlON!"

g. What happens to the house without a foundation? (Luke 6:49b)

1) "The torrent struck" (Same storm)

2) "It collapsed"

3) "Its destruction was complete"

What did the Apostles teach about our personal foundations?

DESCRIBING THE FOUNDATION (Heb. 6:1-2)

repentance from acts that lead to death,
and of faith in God,
instruction about cleansing rites (baptism)
the laying on of hands,
the resurrection of the dead,
and eternal judgement.

Note: We cannot "go on unto perfection (maturity)" unless these foundation stones are rightly laid. This is why so many Christians do not grow and mature. Their foundation is not sound. Once the foundation is properly laid we must then "go on".

Summary

The Christian must have a good foundation if he is going to build a good house. The foundation must be laid according to the Architect's plan. We have this plan in the Bible. In the following studies we are going to carefully consider the things which must be in the foundation.

Study Questions for Lesson No. 1

How important is a foundation to a building?
ls it possible to erect a building without a foundation?
To what does our Lord liken human life?
According to the parable of the two houses, what does the Lord consider to be a good foundation?
Describe the manner in which one secures a good foundation for this life?
Through the parable used by our Lord, what is inevitable in the lives of all human beings?
Does it follow that one would build a good foundation because he has information as to how to do it?
According to Hebrews 6, what constitutes the foundation of a Christian Life?
Can one go on to spiritual maturity without a good foundation?

Read "Beginnings"

Lesson 2 - "Repentance (1)"