There are many people who build their lives on shifting sand.

We do not listen to warnings or we ignore God’s wisdom. That is how we live our lives if we do not live them according to the word of God. Perhaps he decided to ignore the warnings of people who had experienced the past floods. He might have liked the way the building site looked. A foolish builder would build his house without thinking about what kind of foundation there was. During heavy rainfall these became swollen rivers that washed away everything in their paths. In the area of Palestine there were low valleys and gullies that had been exposed by water from rain and storms. This kind of life will not stand up against the problems that come our way in life. We cannot just say we are Christians or attend church or read the bible and then not do what the word of God says. In Luke’s account of this parable ( Luke 6:47-49) Jesus begins by asking the question, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say?” That is the real point of this lesson. After all of the teachings in the sermon it was important that the people understood that simply listening to his words was not enough. He made sure his audience understood the meaning by explaining it. Jesus told the parable of the wise and foolish builders at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount. Sometimes he spoke in parables so that believers could understand but enemies of the gospel could not ( Luke 8:10). Sometimes parables were used by Jesus to help people understand spiritual lessons more easily. On a figurative level the story represents deeper and often spiritual situations. On the literal level the story is simple and the meaning straightforward. A parable is a story with two levels of meaning.

Sermon on the plain clip art