One of the most memorable
parables that Jesus told was the
00:00:30.02\00:00:33.94
famous parable of the man who
built his house upon the rock,
00:00:33.97\00:00:37.90
and the man who built
his house upon the sand.
00:00:37.93\00:00:41.49
And that is the parable that
we are going to study today,
00:00:41.52\00:00:45.68
as we conclude this series
on The Bible Or Tradition.
00:00:45.71\00:00:50.19
However, before we do we
want to ask for the Lord to be
00:00:50.22\00:00:54.10
present to guide our thoughts.
00:00:54.13\00:00:56.06
And so I invite you to bow
your heads with me as we pray.
00:00:56.09\00:00:59.25
Father in heaven, we come before
Your throne this evening to
00:00:59.28\00:01:02.69
thank You, first of
all, for having been with us
00:01:02.72\00:01:04.94
so far in this series.
00:01:04.97\00:01:07.10
And now as we conclude this
series we ask for the presence
00:01:07.13\00:01:11.73
of Your Holy Spirit, for
we know that only the Spirit
00:01:11.76\00:01:15.37
who inspired Scripture, is able
to come and explain it to us.
00:01:15.40\00:01:19.47
Help us to understand
the meaning of this parable,
00:01:19.50\00:01:22.80
and how it applies to our
own personal walk with Jesus.
00:01:22.83\00:01:26.49
We thank You for the
promise of Your presence,
00:01:26.52\00:01:29.29
and thank You for
hearing our prayer,
00:01:29.32\00:01:31.74
for we ask it in
Jesus' name, Amen.
00:01:31.77\00:01:35.38
Well do I remember when I was
a child in the Primary division
00:01:35.41\00:01:40.24
of Sabbath School,
singing that little chorus about
00:01:40.27\00:01:43.80
the man who built
his house upon the rock.
00:01:43.83\00:01:46.78
And when the winds blew, and the
rain came, the house stood firm,
00:01:46.81\00:01:51.80
because it was
built on the rock.
00:01:51.83\00:01:53.32
But my favorite part of
the song was when I had to sing
00:01:53.35\00:01:57.20
about the foolish man;
the foolish man who built
00:01:57.44\00:01:59.72
his house upon the sand.
00:01:59.75\00:02:01.12
And my favorite part was where
you got to the end of the chorus
00:02:01.15\00:02:04.62
and you said that the
house on the sand fell flat.
00:02:04.65\00:02:08.73
And I really enjoyed clapping
my hands together that that
00:02:08.76\00:02:11.93
house had fallen because
it was built on the sand.
00:02:11.96\00:02:14.82
But, you know, as I think
back I can't remember any of my
00:02:14.85\00:02:20.04
teachers explaining
what the parable meant.
00:02:20.07\00:02:23.76
Yes, it was a lot of fun singing
it, but what does it mean for
00:02:23.79\00:02:28.93
the wise man to build
his house upon the rock,
00:02:28.96\00:02:31.25
and the foolish man to
build his house upon the sand?
00:02:31.28\00:02:34.33
Well, in our study today we are
going to interpret the meaning
00:02:34.36\00:02:38.83
of this parable as it's related
to the series that we have
00:02:38.86\00:02:42.25
been studying here
the last several sessions.
00:02:42.28\00:02:44.75
So first of all lets read
the parable as it is found in
00:02:44.78\00:02:50.03
Matthew 7:24-27,
Matthew 7: 24-27.
00:02:50.06\00:02:57.50
Here Jesus is
speaking and He says:
00:02:57.53\00:03:00.62
Now comes the
other side of the coin.
00:03:27.35\00:03:29.84
Now this parable
contains many symbols.
00:03:50.80\00:03:54.04
And when we interpret
each individual symbol
00:03:54.07\00:03:57.49
and put them together, we
will know what Christ wanted
00:03:57.52\00:04:01.13
to teach through this parable.
00:04:01.16\00:04:02.92
Now what are some of the
symbols that we find here?
00:04:02.95\00:04:05.77
First of all we have a wise man.
00:04:05.80\00:04:07.40
That's a symbol.
00:04:07.43\00:04:08.46
We have a foolish man.
00:04:08.49\00:04:10.31
That is also a symbol.
00:04:10.34\00:04:11.79
We have the symbol of a house.
00:04:11.82\00:04:14.41
The rock is a symbol.
00:04:14.44\00:04:16.96
The sand is a symbol.
00:04:16.99\00:04:19.01
The act of
building is a symbolic act.
00:04:19.04\00:04:22.74
The winds and the
floods are symbolic.
00:04:22.77\00:04:25.92
And the great fall of the
house that was built on the sand
00:04:25.95\00:04:29.59
also represents
something very important.
00:04:29.62\00:04:33.92
Now the parable of the men who
build their houses on the rock,
00:04:33.95\00:04:38.16
and on the sand is
actually the conclusion of the
00:04:38.19\00:04:41.71
sermon on the mount.
00:04:41.74\00:04:42.77
In other words, this
parable concludes the famous
00:04:42.80\00:04:46.31
sermon on the
mount that Jesus told.
00:04:46.34\00:04:48.58
In the book Thoughts From
the Mount of Blessing, page 147,
00:04:48.61\00:04:53.66
we find this statement:
00:04:53.69\00:04:55.87
So basically, the purpose of
this parable is that Jesus is
00:05:09.88\00:05:13.94
teaching that everything that
He's said in the sermon on the
00:05:13.97\00:05:17.10
mount should be
put into practice.
00:05:17.13\00:05:19.27
The purpose of the parable
is to teach people to put into
00:05:19.30\00:05:22.67
practice what Jesus said
in the sermon on the mount.
00:05:22.70\00:05:26.25
Now Adam Clarke, the great
commentator, had something very
00:05:26.28\00:05:30.05
interesting to say
about this parable.
00:05:30.08\00:05:33.16
This is what he says:
00:05:33.19\00:05:35.00
By the way, he was not
a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:05:39.51\00:05:42.01
But now notice:
00:05:54.13\00:05:56.21
After all, is it a very easy
thing to turn the other cheek?
00:06:12.35\00:06:17.79
Is it a very easy thing to
carry something two miles when
00:06:17.82\00:06:23.11
somebody asked you
to carry it only one?
00:06:23.14\00:06:25.61
Is it real easy to give
up our coat when somebody
00:06:25.64\00:06:29.26
asks for our shirt?
00:06:29.29\00:06:30.68
That goes far
beyond the obligations of
00:06:30.71\00:06:34.50
the ten commandments.
00:06:34.53\00:06:35.56
And so what Adam Clarke is
saying is that the old is not
00:06:35.59\00:06:39.50
abolished, but it is intensified
in the sermon on the mount.
00:06:39.53\00:06:44.07
Now what is the geographical
setting of this parable?
00:06:44.10\00:06:48.22
I found this
statement in Thoughts From
00:06:48.25\00:06:52.41
the Mount of
Blessing, pages 147 and 148,
00:06:52.44\00:06:55.81
that will help us
understand the geographical
00:06:55.84\00:06:57.72
setting of this parable.
00:06:57.75\00:06:59.50
This is the way it reads:
00:06:59.53\00:07:01.40
So now you can visualize that as
Jesus was telling this parable,
00:08:32.70\00:08:37.87
the people were sitting there
and they knew that what Jesus
00:08:37.90\00:08:41.71
was talking about was
true, because they had seen it
00:08:41.74\00:08:44.95
with their own eyes.
00:08:44.98\00:08:46.23
Now, first of all, we want
to determine what is represented
00:08:46.26\00:08:50.71
by the rock that the
wise man built his house upon.
00:08:50.74\00:08:54.64
Well, the Bible tells us clearly
what the rock represents.
00:08:54.67\00:08:58.62
Lets notice Deuteronomy 32:4.
00:08:58.65\00:09:02.21
In this series we're talking
about the Bible or tradition,
00:09:02.24\00:09:05.27
right? So lets notice
what the rock represents here.
00:09:05.30\00:09:09.43
It says in Deuteronomy 32:4,
this is the testimony of Moses
00:09:09.46\00:09:13.89
who is writing
Deuteronomy, of course,
00:09:13.92\00:09:16.18
inspired by God's Holy Spirit.
00:09:16.21\00:09:17.94
Here Moses,
speaking about the Lord says:
00:09:17.97\00:09:21.83
So the rock is a person, right?
00:09:37.78\00:09:39.85
Did you notice the number of
times that the personal pronoun
00:09:39.88\00:09:43.01
is used? His, his, God,
he, in other words the rock
00:09:43.04\00:09:50.11
represents a person.
00:09:50.14\00:09:52.13
Notice also 2 Samuel
22:2, 3, 2 Samuel 22:2, 3.
00:09:52.16\00:10:00.52
This is David, the
psalmist, who is saying this.
00:10:00.55\00:10:03.82
So the psalmist also says
that the Lord is his rock.
00:10:22.30\00:10:27.24
In other words, the
rock represents a person.
00:10:27.27\00:10:30.22
Now the question is,
which person does it represent?
00:10:30.25\00:10:34.26
Well, the fact is here it
says that it represents God.
00:10:34.29\00:10:37.69
But we know that there is
God the Father, and God the Son.
00:10:37.72\00:10:41.88
So the question is,
which of the two individuals
00:10:41.91\00:10:44.96
is being spoken of here?
00:10:44.99\00:10:46.44
We don't have to guess.
00:10:46.47\00:10:47.50
Go with me to 1 Corinthians
10: 1-4, 1 Corinthians 10:1-4.
00:10:47.53\00:10:54.48
Here the Apostle Paul is
reminiscing about some events
00:10:54.51\00:10:57.51
in the history of Israel.
00:10:57.54\00:10:58.68
And this is what he says:
00:10:58.71\00:11:00.33
So what does the rock represent?
00:11:26.93\00:11:29.45
It is a person; it is God.
00:11:29.48\00:11:31.09
But specifically,
what person? Jesus Christ!
00:11:31.12\00:11:35.02
The rock represents
none other than Jesus Christ.
00:11:35.05\00:11:38.72
1 Corinthians 3:11 tells
us that the foundation of
00:11:38.75\00:11:43.72
the rock is Jesus, and
there is no other foundation.
00:11:43.75\00:11:46.66
This is how it reads:
00:11:46.70\00:11:48.45
The Apostle Paul says
in 1 Corinthians 3:11:
00:11:48.48\00:11:51.68
How many true foundations are
there? only one: Jesus Christ.
00:12:01.42\00:12:06.42
Now the question is, what
is represented by the house?
00:12:06.45\00:12:11.27
We know what
the rock represents.
00:12:11.30\00:12:13.16
Building on the rock means,
represents, building on Christ.
00:12:13.19\00:12:17.46
But the question is,
what is meant by the house?
00:12:17.49\00:12:20.84
There are four
answers to this question.
00:12:20.87\00:12:23.56
1. The house can
represent an individual,
00:12:23.59\00:12:28.60
a member of the church.
00:12:28.63\00:12:30.83
Notice Matthew 12:43, 44.
00:12:30.86\00:12:34.48
It has an
individual application.
00:12:34.51\00:12:36.31
Matthew 12:43, 44. It says:
00:12:36.34\00:12:40.79
Notice, out of a
man, an individual.
00:12:43.25\00:12:45.37
So the man is called a
what? a house. So it says:
00:12:53.91\00:13:00.08
And that is from the
man from which I came.
00:13:03.62\00:13:05.76
So the first application
of the house is that it
00:13:09.95\00:13:12.55
represents a person.
00:13:12.58\00:13:14.32
It represents an individual.
00:13:14.35\00:13:16.28
Now there's a second
meaning to the word house,
00:13:16.31\00:13:19.24
and that is the family unit.
00:13:19.27\00:13:21.63
The family, not an
individual, but the family.
00:13:21.66\00:13:24.93
Notice Psalm 127:1 and we will
also read verse 3, Psalm 127:1,
00:13:24.96\00:13:32.86
and then we'll jump
to verse 3. It says:
00:13:32.89\00:13:35.54
Now what was the psalmist
talking about here when he says,
00:13:41.00\00:13:44.41
Well, verse 3 explains that
it's talking about the family.
00:13:48.79\00:13:52.19
It says there:
00:13:52.22\00:13:53.25
So, secondly, the
house represents the family.
00:13:59.38\00:14:03.10
So it can
represent an individual,
00:14:03.13\00:14:04.98
it can represent the family.
00:14:05.01\00:14:07.20
3. On a broader scale, the
house can represent the entire
00:14:07.23\00:14:13.54
nation of Israel; the
entirety of God's people.
00:14:13.57\00:14:17.99
Notice Jeremiah
18:6, Jeremiah 18:6.
00:14:18.02\00:14:25.39
Here Jeremiah says:
00:14:25.42\00:14:27.20
So the house can represent
the entirety of God's people
00:14:42.60\00:14:46.95
in the Old Testament.
00:14:46.98\00:14:48.01
It can represent God's Israel.
00:14:48.04\00:14:51.01
4. The house can also
represent the Christian church.
00:14:51.04\00:14:56.04
You say, Really? Absolutely!
00:14:56.07\00:14:59.25
In fact the Old Testament tells
us very clearly that the temple
00:14:59.28\00:15:05.72
is the house of God.
00:15:05.75\00:15:07.13
And you find this in many
texts in the Old Testament.
00:15:07.16\00:15:09.86
You know, there were so many
of them that I decided not even
00:15:09.89\00:15:12.66
to put one in the material.
00:15:12.69\00:15:13.84
Because you can look up the
expression in a Concordance,
00:15:13.87\00:15:16.22
house of God, and you'll find
that the temple is referred to
00:15:16.25\00:15:19.49
that time and again
in the Old Testament.
00:15:19.52\00:15:22.43
But now I want to ask the
question, What is God's house
00:15:22.46\00:15:27.13
in the New Testament?
00:15:27.16\00:15:28.62
In the Old
Testament it was the temple,
00:15:28.65\00:15:30.40
but what is God's temple today?
00:15:30.43\00:15:32.21
God's temple today
is us individually,
00:15:32.24\00:15:35.84
but it also
represents the church.
00:15:35.87\00:15:38.94
Notice 1 Timothy 3:14,
15, 1 Timothy 3:14, 15.
00:15:38.97\00:15:48.19
Here the Apostle Paul says:
00:15:48.22\00:15:49.48
So you'll notice here that the
Christian church is also called
00:16:13.94\00:16:18.27
the what? It is
also called the house.
00:16:18.30\00:16:20.74
So the house
represents four things:
00:16:21.09\00:16:23.36
1. The individual.
00:16:23.39\00:16:25.62
2. The family unit.
00:16:25.65\00:16:28.09
3. God's Old Testament people.
00:16:28.12\00:16:31.00
And in the 4th place:
God's New Testament people,
00:16:31.03\00:16:34.19
the Christian church.
00:16:34.22\00:16:36.08
Let me ask you, must we be built
upon the rock individually? Yes.
00:16:36.11\00:16:41.76
Must the family be built upon
Jesus Christ, the Rock? Yes.
00:16:41.79\00:16:45.96
Was Old Testament Israel
built upon the rock? Absolutely!
00:16:45.99\00:16:50.35
They were built upon the Lord.
00:16:50.38\00:16:52.32
What about the church?
00:16:52.35\00:16:53.46
Is it supposed to also be built
upon the Rock, Jesus Christ?
00:16:53.49\00:16:57.72
Absolutely! Now do you
know what the sad thing is?
00:16:57.75\00:17:00.96
The Roman Catholic Church
says, No, the rock is not Jesus;
00:17:00.99\00:17:05.42
the rock is Peter.
00:17:05.45\00:17:07.81
And they use
Matthew 16:18 where it says,
00:17:07.84\00:17:13.94
where Jesus is speaking:
00:17:13.97\00:17:15.50
The word Peter means a pebble.
00:17:19.15\00:17:21.54
You are a pebble, a
moveable stone, a small stone.
00:17:21.57\00:17:25.81
You are petros, Peter, a pebble.
00:17:25.84\00:17:29.88
Which we already
know is the house of God.
00:17:36.17\00:17:38.19
That is the grave.
00:17:41.47\00:17:42.50
And the Roman Catholic Church
basically interprets this as
00:17:45.31\00:17:48.12
saying, Jesus is saying to
Peter, You are Peter, and upon
00:17:48.15\00:17:52.37
this rock I
will build my church.
00:17:52.40\00:17:54.13
But really what Jesus is saying
is, You are Peter, and upon this
00:17:54.16\00:18:00.24
Rock I will build My church.
00:18:00.27\00:18:02.42
Do you know that there is
not a single text in the Bible
00:18:02.45\00:18:06.30
that says that the rock
is a human being, a man,
00:18:06.33\00:18:09.39
a mere man? There is
not one in all of the Bible!
00:18:09.42\00:18:13.02
In all of the Bible the
rock is always the Lord,
00:18:13.05\00:18:17.19
without exception.
00:18:17.22\00:18:18.25
So you say, Why did Jesus say,
you are Peter and upon this rock
00:18:18.28\00:18:23.52
I will build My church?
00:18:23.55\00:18:24.58
Well, that was a
way of Jesus speaking.
00:18:24.61\00:18:26.32
Notice John 2:19 where you
have a similar way of speaking
00:18:26.35\00:18:30.93
on the part of Jesus.
00:18:30.96\00:18:32.09
You know, Jesus
made this statement that
00:18:32.12\00:18:34.81
really riled the Jews.
00:18:34.84\00:18:35.98
It says there in John 2:19:
00:18:36.01\00:18:40.18
To what was Jesus
referring when He says,
00:18:50.81\00:18:52.77
Destroy this temple?
00:18:52.80\00:18:54.25
He was referring to Himself.
00:18:54.28\00:18:56.62
So when Jesus uses the
expression, upon this Rock
00:18:56.65\00:19:00.84
I will build My church,
it's the same as Jesus saying,
00:19:00.87\00:19:03.41
this, destroy this
temple, and in three days
00:19:03.44\00:19:08.03
I will raise it up.
00:19:08.06\00:19:09.09
Jesus was making a contrast.
00:19:09.12\00:19:10.83
He was saying, Peter,
you're a little pebble.
00:19:10.86\00:19:13.93
You're petros, a
movable, unstable pebble.
00:19:13.96\00:19:18.41
But upon this Petra, upon this
Rock, I will build My church.
00:19:18.44\00:19:23.28
It is inconceivable, folks,
that the church would be able to
00:19:23.31\00:19:27.16
withstand the gates of
the grave if it was built upon
00:19:27.19\00:19:30.89
a mere human being.
00:19:30.92\00:19:31.97
It would be impossible for
the church to be able to stand.
00:19:32.00\00:19:36.10
Now the question is, How
do we build upon the rock?
00:19:36.13\00:19:39.64
Yeah, we know that the
rock represents Christ,
00:19:39.67\00:19:42.01
and that we're
supposed to build upon Christ.
00:19:42.04\00:19:44.49
But what does it
mean to build upon Christ?
00:19:44.52\00:19:47.43
How can you build upon a person?
00:19:47.46\00:19:49.86
The answer is
found in the parable.
00:19:49.89\00:19:52.61
Do you remember
that the parable said,
00:19:52.64\00:19:54.91
Therefore
whoever... Listen carefully.
00:19:54.94\00:19:58.32
Therefore whoever hears these
sayings of Mine, and does them,
00:19:58.35\00:20:04.12
I will liken him to a
wise man who built his
00:20:04.15\00:20:07.69
house upon the rock.
00:20:07.72\00:20:08.88
So how do you
build upon the rock?
00:20:08.91\00:20:11.65
By hearing what?
00:20:11.68\00:20:13.98
By hearing the sayings
of Jesus, and doing them.
00:20:14.02\00:20:18.52
Where do we find
the sayings of Jesus?
00:20:18.55\00:20:21.17
We find the sayings of
Jesus in His Holy Word.
00:20:21.20\00:20:26.05
Now do you know
what's interesting?
00:20:26.08\00:20:27.58
The word, sayings, that
is used there in the parable,
00:20:27.61\00:20:31.34
is the identical word that
is used in John 1 where it says,
00:20:31.37\00:20:35.72
In the beginning was the Word.
00:20:35.75\00:20:37.60
It's the Greek word logos.
00:20:37.63\00:20:41.10
And in John 1, logos
applies to whom? to Jesus!
00:20:41.13\00:20:46.92
In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God,
00:20:46.95\00:20:49.94
and the Word was
God, referring to Jesus.
00:20:49.97\00:20:53.03
So Jesus here says, in the
plural, Whoever hears these
00:20:53.06\00:20:57.18
logo of Mine,
these words of Mine.
00:20:57.21\00:20:59.63
Because the Word is speaking
the words, and does them.
00:20:59.66\00:21:02.96
He says, that's what it
means to build upon the rock.
00:21:02.99\00:21:07.22
In other words, as we
assimilate God's message
00:21:07.25\00:21:11.61
from His Holy Word, we are
building upon Jesus Christ.
00:21:11.64\00:21:16.77
As we study His Word, as
it goes through our eyes,
00:21:16.80\00:21:20.90
and through our ears,
it becomes part and parcel
00:21:20.93\00:21:24.49
of our very being.
00:21:24.52\00:21:26.04
That's what Jesus meant
when He said that we need to eat
00:21:26.07\00:21:31.19
His flesh, and we
need to drink His blood.
00:21:31.22\00:21:33.39
You know, the Roman Catholic
Church says, See, you know,
00:21:33.42\00:21:36.07
in the Mass, you know,
the priest is really drinking
00:21:36.10\00:21:38.78
the real blood of Jesus.
00:21:38.81\00:21:39.93
And people in the host are
eating the real flesh of Jesus.
00:21:39.96\00:21:42.83
They totally
have missed the point.
00:21:42.86\00:21:45.04
Jesus becomes part and
parcel of you, not literally by
00:21:45.07\00:21:50.08
drinking His blood,
and eating His flesh.
00:21:50.11\00:21:52.18
Because Jesus explained what
it means for Jesus to become
00:21:52.21\00:21:56.09
part and parcel of us.
00:21:56.12\00:21:57.71
In John 6:63
the Lord Jesus says:
00:21:57.74\00:22:01.68
In other words, eating my
flesh would profit nothing.
00:22:08.49\00:22:11.29
And then He says:
00:22:11.32\00:22:12.35
So how do we build upon Jesus
Christ, the person, the Rock?
00:22:21.04\00:22:25.38
We build upon Jesus by hearing
His words and doing them;
00:22:25.41\00:22:30.37
by partaking of Jesus
spiritually, by allowing Him
00:22:30.40\00:22:34.65
to come, through Scripture, into
our eyes, and into our ears.
00:22:34.68\00:22:38.64
He becomes part and parcel
of us, and we are building
00:22:38.67\00:22:42.02
upon Him, the Rock.
00:22:42.06\00:22:43.71
In Thoughts From the Mount
of Blessing, pages 148, 149,
00:22:44.06\00:22:48.74
Ellen White makes
this profound statement.
00:22:48.77\00:22:51.71
What is that a reference
to? whoever builds on what?
00:23:07.79\00:23:10.93
on them. What does them mean?
00:23:10.96\00:23:12.53
On His what? on His Words.
00:23:12.56\00:23:15.70
Does this leave any
room for building upon
00:23:31.12\00:23:34.26
the traditions of
men? Absolutely not!
00:23:34.29\00:23:37.67
It is building upon the
Word of God that will help
00:23:37.70\00:23:41.37
God's people stand firm.
00:23:41.40\00:23:43.52
Notice Ephesians 2:19, 20,
where we find an additional
00:23:43.55\00:23:49.19
explanation of what it
means to build upon the rock.
00:23:49.22\00:23:53.28
Ephesians 2:19.
The Apostle Paul says:
00:23:53.31\00:23:57.27
What? Ah, there you have
the idea of the house again.
00:24:05.72\00:24:08.62
That's the church, right?
00:24:10.89\00:24:12.21
We already read 1
Timothy that this is the church.
00:24:12.24\00:24:14.71
And so it says:
00:24:14.74\00:24:15.88
And then notice
what the foundations are.
00:24:21.04\00:24:23.21
We're talking about
spiritual foundations.
00:24:23.24\00:24:24.90
How can we build on
the apostles and prophets?
00:24:29.06\00:24:32.31
Only by reading
what they wrote, right?
00:24:32.34\00:24:35.33
Because the apostles
and prophets are dead.
00:24:35.36\00:24:37.50
We can't build upon them
as people, but we can build
00:24:37.53\00:24:40.78
upon what they taught.
00:24:41.11\00:24:42.14
And notice who is the chief
cornerstone of this structure?
00:24:42.17\00:24:45.56
Ah, it says:
00:24:45.59\00:24:47.19
Is any human being, mere
human being the cornerstone?
00:24:52.28\00:24:56.05
Absolutely not! Building upon
the rock means building upon
00:24:56.08\00:25:02.72
the chief
cornerstone, Jesus Christ,
00:25:02.75\00:25:05.19
through
assimilating His Holy Word.
00:25:05.22\00:25:08.05
We find in Mount of Blessings,
page 150, this remarkable
00:25:08.08\00:25:13.37
statement. And I
want to emphasize one
00:25:13.40\00:25:15.24
particular point here. Notice:
00:25:15.27\00:25:16.97
You know that the
Apostle Peter says that Jesus
00:25:22.05\00:25:24.96
is the living stone.
00:25:25.07\00:25:26.11
He's not just a dead stone.
00:25:26.14\00:25:28.45
He is a living stone.
00:25:28.48\00:25:30.15
And now notice what
she continues saying:
00:25:30.18\00:25:31.89
Of course, through His Word.
00:25:34.41\00:25:35.44
So because He is a living
stone, when we build upon Jesus,
00:25:40.63\00:25:45.34
His life comes into us, because
we are building upon the stone.
00:25:45.37\00:25:49.86
Notice:
00:25:49.89\00:25:50.92
And then she quotes:
00:25:56.54\00:25:58.16
Now this is a
remarkable statement:
00:26:09.68\00:26:11.33
In other words when we
build upon God's holy word,
00:26:26.49\00:26:29.31
His written word, the
life of the word comes into us,
00:26:29.34\00:26:33.48
and we become living
stones, built upon the stone
00:26:33.51\00:26:37.35
of God's holy word.
00:26:37.38\00:26:39.16
How can we be sure that
we're building upon Christ?
00:26:39.19\00:26:43.85
Luke 6:47, 48 answers
that question. It says there:
00:26:43.88\00:26:48.51
Notice the individual.
00:26:49.15\00:26:50.24
What? Oh, did Jesus
say we're supposed to
00:27:07.16\00:27:10.64
dig deep into the word?
00:27:10.67\00:27:11.94
Oh, to find the
treasure you have to dig deep.
00:27:12.01\00:27:14.60
And so it says:
00:27:14.63\00:27:15.66
In Mount of Blessing, page
146, we find this statement:
00:27:22.95\00:27:26.22
And on page 149 the
writer continues saying:
00:27:38.99\00:27:44.61
Folks, holiness is not going to
church and rolling in the isles,
00:27:57.77\00:28:02.72
and laughing in the
spirit, and speaking in tongues,
00:28:02.75\00:28:05.66
and having miraculous healings.
00:28:05.69\00:28:08.01
That is not holiness.
00:28:08.04\00:28:09.87
I know it's called
the holiness movement,
00:28:09.90\00:28:12.34
but holiness is not that.
00:28:12.37\00:28:15.38
What is holiness then?
00:28:15.41\00:28:16.74
So what does it mean
to build upon the rock?
00:29:11.43\00:29:13.89
It means to hear
the words of Jesus.
00:29:13.92\00:29:16.17
It means to read the
words of Jesus as they're
00:29:16.20\00:29:18.96
found in His Holy Word.
00:29:18.99\00:29:20.25
And it means not
only to hear them and say,
00:29:20.28\00:29:22.66
Oh, this is
beautiful, but to do them.
00:29:22.69\00:29:25.62
That's what it means
to build upon the rock.
00:29:25.65\00:29:28.89
Studying the written word
of God, and making it part
00:29:28.92\00:29:32.27
and parcel of our lives.
00:29:32.30\00:29:33.82
The Bible warns against the
idea of hearing and not doing.
00:29:33.85\00:29:37.48
Notice Romans 2:13, Romans 2:13.
00:29:37.51\00:29:43.75
The Apostle Paul says:
00:29:43.78\00:29:45.13
And some people say,
Okay, so you're saved because
00:29:54.72\00:29:57.18
you do right things.
00:29:57.22\00:29:58.70
No, you're not saved
because you do right things,
00:29:58.73\00:30:01.53
you're saved, and as a
result you do right things.
00:30:01.56\00:30:04.28
You're not saved by your works,
your works reveal if you have
00:30:04.32\00:30:08.41
true faith. In other words, you
know, there's so many Christians
00:30:08.44\00:30:13.11
that say, Oh, I'm saved!
00:30:13.14\00:30:14.48
You know, Jesus is my
Savior, and they live the same
00:30:14.51\00:30:17.72
as they lived
before they came to Christ.
00:30:17.75\00:30:19.63
Their works deny that they
truly are followers of Jesus.
00:30:19.66\00:30:24.29
They are hearers of
the word, but they are not
00:30:24.32\00:30:27.38
doers of the word.
00:30:27.41\00:30:28.78
In 1 John 3:18 we
find the Apostle John,
00:30:28.81\00:30:35.25
the beloved disciple saying:
00:30:35.28\00:30:36.65
Now the question
is, what is truth?
00:30:45.52\00:30:47.68
If we're supposed to, according
to John, we're supposed to love
00:30:47.71\00:30:51.42
not in word, but we're to
love in deed and in truth,
00:30:51.45\00:30:54.67
we need to find
out what truth is.
00:30:54.70\00:30:56.65
Well, in John 17:17
we find this statement,
00:30:56.68\00:31:02.26
this short
statement that Jesus made:
00:31:02.29\00:31:04.12
So what does it
mean to build upon Jesus?
00:31:10.61\00:31:12.97
It means to build upon His word.
00:31:13.00\00:31:16.20
It means studying His
word, reading His word,
00:31:16.23\00:31:19.63
letting the word come in through
our eyes and through our ears,
00:31:19.66\00:31:22.47
into our heart, and transforming
and changing our lives;
00:31:22.50\00:31:26.17
doing the word. And that way
we are building upon the rock.
00:31:26.20\00:31:31.02
What happens when we simply
follow the sayings of a church,
00:31:31.05\00:31:34.95
or the sayings of a man?
00:31:34.98\00:31:36.46
There is no power, because we're
not building upon the rock,
00:31:36.49\00:31:40.83
upon the stone. By the way,
do you know that acceptance,
00:31:40.86\00:31:44.57
or rejection of the truth
at the end of time is going
00:31:44.60\00:31:47.41
to be the big test?
00:31:47.44\00:31:48.47
You know, in our last study
we read 2 Thessalonians 2:9-14.
00:31:48.50\00:31:54.79
Lets read that again, and notice
how important the truth is;
00:31:54.82\00:31:57.88
building upon the truth,
which is God's Holy Word.
00:31:57.91\00:32:01.13
It's speaking about the coming
of the antichrist, and it says:
00:32:01.16\00:32:04.59
Why do they perish?
00:32:17.16\00:32:18.75
And what is the truth?
00:32:23.39\00:32:24.42
God's word is truth.
00:32:24.45\00:32:27.14
Do you have to
receive the love of the truth
00:32:30.91\00:32:32.77
in order to be
saved? Absolutely!
00:32:32.80\00:32:34.80
Notice what it
continues saying in verse 11:
00:32:34.83\00:32:37.47
Some people say, You mean God
is going to delude people? No!
00:32:40.46\00:32:43.72
You see, in the Bible what
God allows is attributed to God.
00:32:43.75\00:32:49.41
But these people simply
said, I don't want the truth.
00:32:49.44\00:32:52.44
And so God says, You
don't want the truth.
00:32:52.47\00:32:54.45
You would rather have
the traditions of men.
00:32:54.49\00:32:56.38
I step back. I give
you freedom of choice.
00:32:56.41\00:32:58.45
Not a problem! And then the
strong delusion comes upon them.
00:32:58.48\00:33:02.75
Because the protection of
God is no longer with them.
00:33:02.78\00:33:05.21
And so it continues
saying here in verse 11:
00:33:05.24\00:33:08.79
And we notice that the
lie means the counterfeit
00:33:13.59\00:33:16.46
second coming of Christ.
00:33:16.49\00:33:17.52
The devil's going to counterfeit
the second coming of Christ.
00:33:17.55\00:33:19.70
And His word is
truth, by the way folks.
00:33:26.81\00:33:28.88
And then the Apostle Paul
becomes positive. He says:
00:33:31.95\00:33:34.61
Is truth the testing
issue at the end of time?
00:33:48.83\00:33:53.03
It most certainly is.
00:33:53.06\00:33:54.73
And God's word is truth.
00:33:54.76\00:33:57.00
The big test is going to be
the traditions of men versus
00:33:57.03\00:34:01.66
the simple, clear word of God.
00:34:01.69\00:34:04.44
Matthew 7:21, 22. Notice that
this comes immediately before
00:34:04.47\00:34:14.11
the parable that we're studying.
00:34:14.14\00:34:15.92
So we have to look at
these verses, because they come
00:34:15.95\00:34:19.05
immediately before the parable.
00:34:19.08\00:34:20.60
Now notice what
Matthew 7:21, 22 has to say:
00:34:20.63\00:34:26.98
Does that have any relationship
to the parable? Yeah!
00:34:38.23\00:34:41.46
Whoever hears these
words of mine and does them,
00:34:41.49\00:34:44.13
is the one who
builds upon the rock.
00:34:44.16\00:34:46.10
Are there going to be
some individuals who hear
00:34:46.13\00:34:48.32
but don't do?
Absolutely! Notice, it says:
00:34:48.35\00:34:51.94
Now the question is, what is the
will of the Father in heaven?
00:34:59.76\00:35:02.88
Well, lets go to 1
Thessalonians 4:1-8.
00:35:02.91\00:35:06.72
We want to know what the will
of God is, because clearly Jesus
00:35:06.75\00:35:10.64
had said here that he who
does the will of the Father
00:35:10.67\00:35:14.65
is going to enter
the kingdom of heaven.
00:35:14.68\00:35:17.03
So we want to know what
the will of the Father is.
00:35:17.06\00:35:19.63
Notice 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.
00:35:19.66\00:35:22.65
Does that have
to do with behavior?
00:35:38.38\00:35:40.83
Whenever the Bible uses the
word walk it means behavior.
00:35:40.86\00:35:46.04
It means conduct. So it says:
00:35:46.07\00:35:48.80
Now notice what
the will of God is.
00:35:59.95\00:36:01.81
That means that you become holy.
00:36:06.01\00:36:08.36
Does the will of God have
anything to do with living
00:36:51.46\00:36:56.68
a sanctified and holy life, with
walking, and with pleasing God?
00:36:56.71\00:37:02.86
Absolutely! So we notice
that there are some people
00:37:02.89\00:37:05.87
that are going to say Lord,
Lord, but they're not going
00:37:05.90\00:37:08.11
to do the will of the
Father who is in heaven.
00:37:08.14\00:37:10.51
And the will of God is
that we be holy, and sanctified.
00:37:10.54\00:37:14.00
That we abandon the uncleanness
that we had before we
00:37:14.03\00:37:17.71
came to Jesus Christ.
00:37:17.74\00:37:18.79
Wait just a minute!
00:37:18.82\00:37:21.12
Those individuals who say
Lord, Lord, are going to have
00:37:21.15\00:37:24.70
miracles in their midst,
so they must be of God, right?
00:37:24.73\00:37:28.49
Notice Matthew 7:22.
00:37:28.52\00:37:32.76
Are these individuals who claim
to be Christians? Absolutely!
00:37:43.95\00:37:47.62
But they say, Lord,
Lord, but they don't do
00:37:47.65\00:37:50.39
the will of the Father.
00:37:50.42\00:37:51.45
And the will of the
Father is our sanctification.
00:37:51.48\00:37:53.74
And sanctification is
based upon God's holy word.
00:37:53.77\00:37:57.37
Now some people say, Well,
Pastor Bohr, but, you know,
00:37:57.40\00:38:01.30
these people when they did the
miracles, and these people when
00:38:01.33\00:38:04.37
they cast out demons, and
when they prophesied, you know,
00:38:04.40\00:38:07.87
they were in a good
relationship with Christ,
00:38:07.90\00:38:09.79
and then later they went astray.
00:38:09.82\00:38:11.57
No, they were never
on the side of Jesus.
00:38:11.60\00:38:15.44
And you say,
How do we know that?
00:38:15.47\00:38:17.55
Notice Matthew 7:23.
00:38:17.58\00:38:20.53
Now we'll come back
to that in a moment.
00:38:32.89\00:38:34.98
There's a statement I
want to read just before this,
00:38:35.01\00:38:37.61
in Mount of Blessing, page 146.
00:38:37.64\00:38:40.16
Because today the Christian
world is captivated by the
00:38:40.19\00:38:42.99
spectacular, the supernatural,
and signs and wonders.
00:38:43.02\00:38:47.40
That is the in thing these
days; that which appeals to the
00:38:47.43\00:38:50.82
feelings and the emotions.
00:38:50.85\00:38:52.34
Notice this
remarkable statement from
00:38:52.37\00:38:54.49
Mount of Blessings, page 146:
00:38:54.52\00:38:56.36
In other words, to
build upon signs, and wonders,
00:39:28.78\00:39:33.68
and feelings, and emotions, and
music, and having a good time,
00:39:33.71\00:39:37.64
and rolling in the isles,
and laughing in the Spirit.
00:39:37.67\00:39:39.79
And if you're not obeying
the word of God you're saying,
00:39:39.82\00:39:42.83
Lord, Lord, but you're
not building upon the rock
00:39:42.86\00:39:45.98
of God's Holy Word.
00:39:46.01\00:39:48.03
Now is building
a difficult work?
00:39:48.06\00:39:51.32
Remember that we read this
statement from Mount of Blessing
00:39:51.35\00:39:54.88
about how difficult it was
to build this house among the
00:39:54.91\00:39:57.68
rocks? Well, let me read
you from Mount of Blessings,
00:39:57.71\00:40:00.85
page 147. Ellen White speaks
about these houses that were
00:40:00.88\00:40:04.84
built upon the rock
in his time. It says:
00:40:04.87\00:40:07.26
Building was a difficult work.
00:40:25.82\00:40:27.95
Let me ask you, is building upon
God's word, building a character
00:40:27.98\00:40:32.36
upon God's word, building
a church upon God's word,
00:40:32.39\00:40:35.68
many times a very
difficult work? Yes it is.
00:40:35.71\00:40:39.49
In the book, Child
Guidance, page 164, we find this
00:40:39.52\00:40:44.64
statement about the difficulty
of building a character,
00:40:44.67\00:40:47.21
because the house represents
our individual character,
00:40:47.24\00:40:50.11
and it represents the church.
00:40:50.14\00:40:52.23
This is what the writer says:
00:40:52.27\00:40:54.33
Because we all take steps
in the wrong direction, right?
00:41:02.62\00:41:05.76
And if we took a wrong
step, we say, Oh no, I blew it!
00:41:05.79\00:41:09.07
No! Well, we did blow it.
00:41:09.10\00:41:11.49
But that's not what
determines character.
00:41:11.52\00:41:14.62
What is it that
determines character? Notice:
00:41:14.65\00:41:17.06
It takes work, hard
work to build upon the rock,
00:41:48.24\00:41:52.06
because you have to
open the Scriptures.
00:41:52.09\00:41:53.99
You have to
study the Scriptures.
00:41:54.02\00:41:55.50
You have to
search the Scriptures.
00:41:55.53\00:41:57.21
And then you have to pray and
say, Lord, help me to live in
00:41:57.24\00:42:00.52
harmony with this.
00:42:00.55\00:42:01.71
And we have to go against
the natural tendencies of our
00:42:01.74\00:42:04.88
evil, sinful characters.
00:42:04.91\00:42:06.61
Now lets talk about what it
means to build upon the sand.
00:42:06.64\00:42:10.93
Now if building upon the
rock means hearing the words of
00:42:10.96\00:42:16.84
Jesus, and obeying
what is written in the word,
00:42:16.87\00:42:20.07
then what must it mean
to build upon the sand?
00:42:20.10\00:42:24.37
Well, Jesus explains it.
00:42:24.40\00:42:25.72
He says everyone who
hears these sayings of mine
00:42:25.75\00:42:29.12
and does not do them, will
be like a foolish man who built
00:42:29.15\00:42:34.78
his house upon what? who
built his house upon the sand.
00:42:34.81\00:42:39.76
Lets take one specific instance
that we've been dealing with
00:42:39.79\00:42:44.52
during this series.
00:42:44.55\00:42:45.60
Is the word of God absolutely
crystal clear that the day of
00:42:45.63\00:42:49.79
worship that God has
established for Christians
00:42:49.82\00:42:52.63
is the holy Sabbath?
the seventh day Sabbath?
00:42:52.66\00:42:53.82
Is that very clear?
00:42:54.94\00:42:55.97
So when you go to the word,
and you read the clarity of
00:42:56.00\00:42:59.27
the word, you say, Okay Lord,
you say that I'm supposed to
00:42:59.30\00:43:02.81
keep the Sabbath. Well,
you know, I work on Sabbath.
00:43:02.84\00:43:05.40
I'm going to lose my job.
00:43:05.43\00:43:06.46
But it's more important
to build upon the rock;
00:43:06.49\00:43:08.50
to build upon Your word.
00:43:08.53\00:43:09.65
Well, I'm worried about
what my relatives might say;
00:43:09.68\00:43:12.51
what my friends might say.
00:43:12.54\00:43:13.57
No, but I've got to
build upon the rock.
00:43:13.60\00:43:15.78
Oh, but what is my priest
or my minister going to say?
00:43:15.81\00:43:18.94
They teach that
Sunday is the day of rest.
00:43:18.97\00:43:20.90
No, but I've got to
build upon the rock.
00:43:20.93\00:43:22.84
I've got to
practice what I'm reading.
00:43:22.87\00:43:25.26
That's what it means
to build upon the rock.
00:43:25.29\00:43:28.39
But what do many Christians do?
00:43:28.42\00:43:30.70
They can read it in Scripture.
00:43:30.73\00:43:32.17
It's very clear that the
seventh day is the Sabbath.
00:43:32.20\00:43:34.66
But they say, I hear
it, but I don't do it.
00:43:34.69\00:43:38.56
And that happens
in many areas of life.
00:43:38.59\00:43:42.00
So what is meant by
building upon the sand?
00:43:42.03\00:43:45.36
Well, let me read you
a statement that we find,
00:43:45.39\00:43:49.09
once again, in The
Mount of Blessings.
00:43:49.12\00:43:53.28
Did you catch that?
00:44:01.24\00:44:03.31
You know, when Jesus finished
this parable, He contrasted
00:44:33.88\00:44:38.57
what it means to build on
the rock, and what it means
00:44:38.60\00:44:41.37
to build on the sand.
00:44:41.40\00:44:42.59
Notice Matthew 7:28, 29.
00:44:42.62\00:44:46.14
When Jesus finished His parable,
and the sermon on the Mount,
00:44:46.17\00:44:49.21
two groups are
contrasted here by Matthew.
00:44:49.24\00:44:53.09
Notice Matthew 7:28.
00:44:53.12\00:44:56.63
What? Why do you suppose they
were astonished at His teaching?
00:45:04.78\00:45:08.88
We've studied this before.
00:45:08.91\00:45:11.37
Why were they
astonished at His teaching?
00:45:11.40\00:45:13.36
Because Jesus based His teaching
on what? on the written word.
00:45:13.39\00:45:19.18
He didn't speculate.
00:45:19.21\00:45:20.91
He didn't philosophize.
00:45:20.94\00:45:23.16
He didn't conjecture.
00:45:23.19\00:45:24.61
He didn't quote the Rabbi's.
00:45:24.64\00:45:26.88
He had the authority.
00:45:26.91\00:45:28.75
He always faced every
issue with the written word.
00:45:28.78\00:45:33.51
And so it says here:
00:45:33.54\00:45:35.20
What was the foundation
upon which the scribes built?
00:45:45.35\00:45:49.25
the sand. That's why Jesus
did not teach like the scribes.
00:45:49.28\00:45:54.11
What is being contrasted
here is building upon the rock
00:45:54.14\00:45:58.55
with authority, and building
upon the sand, which the scribes
00:45:58.58\00:46:03.01
were doing because they depended
on the writings of human beings
00:46:03.04\00:46:07.26
instead of depending on
the written word of God.
00:46:07.29\00:46:10.92
Now we still need to talk about
the winds, and we need to talk
00:46:10.95\00:46:15.62
about the floods, and the storm.
00:46:15.65\00:46:17.61
What is represented by
the winds in this parable that
00:46:17.64\00:46:22.01
beat upon the house?
00:46:22.04\00:46:23.33
Revelation 7:1, 2
provides the answer.
00:46:23.36\00:46:27.99
Revelation 7:1, 2.
00:46:28.02\00:46:30.09
What does that mean that
they were holding the winds?
00:46:43.73\00:46:47.40
Well, those winds
are the winds of strife.
00:46:47.43\00:46:49.95
What's going to happen when
the angels release the winds?
00:46:49.98\00:46:54.85
We're going to have the time
of trouble such as never was
00:46:54.88\00:46:57.36
in the history of the
world, since there was a nation,
00:46:57.39\00:47:00.52
the Bible says. A time of
trouble, which is called the
00:47:00.55\00:47:04.22
time of Jacob's trouble.
00:47:04.25\00:47:05.46
A time of severe anguish.
00:47:05.49\00:47:07.85
That is what is represented
by the releasing of the winds.
00:47:07.88\00:47:11.98
And the winds are going to beat
against every single individual.
00:47:12.01\00:47:16.41
And those who have built upon
the solid foundation of God's
00:47:16.44\00:47:20.58
word, the winds will not blow
them away, the winds of strife.
00:47:20.61\00:47:25.20
But those who have built
upon the sand of human opinions,
00:47:25.23\00:47:28.57
the winds will blow them away.
00:47:28.60\00:47:31.25
The Apostle Paul also spoke
about what it means to speak
00:47:31.28\00:47:35.38
of winds. In Ephesians
4:14, 15, the Apostle Paul says:
00:47:35.41\00:47:41.07
So the winds not only represent
strife, but they also represent
00:47:48.72\00:47:53.69
different winds of
doctrine that are blowing.
00:47:53.72\00:47:55.87
Are people blown away by
winds of false doctrine today?
00:47:55.90\00:48:00.44
Absolutely! So he says that:
00:48:00.47\00:48:02.28
What? Here's the contrast.
00:48:14.53\00:48:15.90
Do you see the contrast
between the truth and the winds?
00:48:23.00\00:48:27.27
James 1:7 adds a detail
about what the winds represent.
00:48:27.30\00:48:32.52
When we pray.
00:48:32.55\00:48:34.53
In other words, we are
to trust the word of God.
00:48:37.93\00:48:40.29
We are to have faith in
the word of God with no doubt.
00:48:40.32\00:48:43.40
And then he says:
00:48:43.43\00:48:44.66
Now what is
represented by the floods?
00:48:52.16\00:48:55.26
The floods, folks,
represent persecution.
00:48:55.29\00:48:59.67
Notice Revelation 12:15,
Revelation 12:15. It says:
00:48:59.70\00:49:08.40
Which represents the church.
00:49:15.57\00:49:17.46
This is speaking about the final
persecution that is going to
00:49:23.47\00:49:27.42
come upon God's people.
00:49:27.45\00:49:28.79
Are there going to be a people
that will not be affected by
00:49:28.82\00:49:32.32
the winds of false
doctrine, by the winds of doubt,
00:49:32.35\00:49:35.47
by the winds of strife?
00:49:35.51\00:49:36.59
That will not be affected when
the floods of persecution come,
00:49:36.62\00:49:40.11
are those who are going to
be firm, and going to remain
00:49:40.15\00:49:44.47
solid in the Lord? Yes.
00:49:44.50\00:49:45.98
Those who have built upon the
rock of God's written holy word.
00:49:46.02\00:49:51.31
Now what particular
time is this speaking about,
00:49:51.35\00:49:56.92
where it speaks about floods,
and it speaks about winds?
00:49:56.96\00:50:00.77
We find in Mount of Blessings,
page 152, this statement:
00:50:00.80\00:50:04.58
That's talking about
the great tribulation.
00:50:17.09\00:50:19.37
Which is God's written word.
00:50:25.51\00:50:27.85
We find in Great Controversy,
593, 594 what our only
00:50:27.88\00:50:32.92
protection will be in this time
of severe crisis when the winds
00:50:32.96\00:50:36.65
are blowing, and when the
floods of persecution come,
00:50:36.68\00:50:40.05
and when the storm breaks
out we are told what will be
00:50:40.09\00:50:43.42
our only protection.
00:50:43.46\00:50:44.49
The Great
Controversy, 593, says:
00:50:44.52\00:50:46.82
Do you know what is represented
by the fall of the house
00:51:17.42\00:51:20.78
that is built on the sand?
00:51:20.82\00:51:21.92
We noticed that the church is
represented by the house, right?
00:51:21.96\00:51:26.77
Have you ever read in Revelation
18, as well as chapter 14,
00:51:26.81\00:51:32.21
where it speaks about Babylon
the great has what? has fallen,
00:51:32.24\00:51:37.61
has fallen. Why does
Babylon fall at the end of time?
00:51:37.64\00:51:41.43
Babylon falls because it
is built upon the foundation
00:51:41.47\00:51:45.22
of human tradition.
00:51:45.26\00:51:46.43
It is built upon the
sands; the moveable sands.
00:51:46.47\00:51:51.79
And so Babylon
will have a great fall.
00:51:51.82\00:51:54.90
It says that Babylon
will have a great fall.
00:51:54.94\00:51:57.10
Just like the parable says
that the house when it fell,
00:51:57.13\00:52:01.59
it was a great fall.
00:52:01.62\00:52:03.64
Now at the end of time there's
going to be a worldwide system,
00:52:03.67\00:52:07.55
and we're seeing the formation
of that worldwide system today.
00:52:07.58\00:52:11.42
Some call it
the New World Order.
00:52:11.46\00:52:14.89
It's a system based on human
greatness, and human prowess,
00:52:14.92\00:52:19.87
and human wisdom, and human
ideas, very similar to what
00:52:19.90\00:52:24.82
happened at the tower of
Babel, where God had said,
00:52:24.85\00:52:27.84
disperse over the earth.
00:52:27.87\00:52:29.22
And they all gathered together
in rebellion against God.
00:52:29.25\00:52:32.52
We find this statement in The
Patriarchs and Prophets, 117,
00:52:32.55\00:52:35.79
118, where Ellen White is
talking about what happened at
00:52:35.82\00:52:38.75
the tower of
Babel, speaking about the
00:52:38.79\00:52:41.35
plain where they built:
00:52:41.38\00:52:42.41
Now lets notice the application
that is given to this
00:53:37.26\00:53:40.94
in Patriarchs and
Prophets, 123 and 124.
00:53:40.97\00:53:44.36
This is the
application to our time.
00:53:44.40\00:53:47.79
That's people who have no faith.
00:53:53.91\00:53:56.42
There are Christian
infidels who are Christians,
00:53:56.46\00:54:00.59
but they don't believe in
the Bible story of creation,
00:54:00.63\00:54:02.85
for example. So she says:
00:54:02.88\00:54:05.07
And now she's going to
talk about the professedly
00:54:36.64\00:54:40.26
Christian world. It's not
only unbelievers. She says:
00:54:40.29\00:54:43.88
So what does it mean
to build upon the sand?
00:55:47.39\00:55:50.40
It means to build upon
the deductions of science.
00:55:50.44\00:55:53.69
It means to build
upon the traditions of men.
00:55:53.73\00:55:56.92
It means to build upon the ideas
of the great men of the earth,
00:55:56.95\00:56:01.15
of the theologians, and the
scholars, independently of what
00:56:01.18\00:56:05.35
God's holy word says.
00:56:05.38\00:56:07.26
I'm not saying that it's wrong
to read the works of scholars,
00:56:07.30\00:56:11.12
but we must compare them
with the unerring standard;
00:56:11.16\00:56:13.96
the standard of
God's written word.
00:56:14.00\00:56:16.71
We must check out every
tradition, every practice and
00:56:16.75\00:56:19.61
make sure that it is based on
the eternal word of a holy God.
00:56:19.64\00:56:23.84
And God makes a wonderful
promise to those who build
00:56:23.88\00:56:28.26
upon the rock, who
build upon the word of God,
00:56:28.30\00:56:31.60
and not upon the
traditions of men.
00:56:31.64\00:56:33.68
Psalm 27:5, we have
this beautiful promise.
00:56:33.72\00:56:38.10
I love it! It says:
00:56:38.14\00:56:39.71
That is a promise
for the time of trouble.
00:56:55.32\00:56:57.98
God's people who dwell upon His
word, no matter what the winds,
00:56:58.02\00:57:02.75
no matter what the floods,
no matter what the storm,
00:57:02.78\00:57:05.56
no matter what the
tempest, no matter what comes.
00:57:05.59\00:57:08.30
Those who build upon Jesus
Christ, as He is found upon His
00:57:08.33\00:57:12.29
word, will eventually
end up living eternally
00:57:12.32\00:57:16.47
with Jesus in the kingdom.
00:57:16.50\00:57:19.05
So lets be those who
build upon the solid foundation
00:57:19.08\00:57:24.20
of Jesus and His word.
00:57:24.24\00:57:26.16