Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come teaches that everyone faces the same rains, floods, and winds of life. Jesus shows that the difference lies not in the storm but in the foundation. Those who hear His words and do them build on the rock. Those who only hear build on sand. Obedience is the digging. The Word is the foundation. A life built on Christ will stand.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
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Scriptures used in this lesson:
Matthew 7:13-27, Matthew 7:13-14, 2 Corinthians 11:14, Matthew 7:15, Revelation 13:11-13, Matthew 7:16-20, Luke 3:8-14, Matthew 7:16, Matthew 7:20, Revelation 16:13, Matthew 7:21-23, Matthew 10:1-8, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, Matthew 7:22, Matthew 7:24-27, John 15:1-6, Matthew 7:24-25, Matthew 7:26-27, (KJV) Matthew 7:28–29,
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
I want us to open the Bible to Matthew and examine Matthew 7:13-27. My goal is to finish this section of the Sermon on the Mount. This passage contains many important thoughts. Of everything we have studied so far in Matthew and in the Sermon on the Mount, this section has been one of the most meaningful to me.
As we move through it, I want us to open our hearts and really hear what Jesus is saying. He will say things that will refresh us and bring joy, even though they are also serious. This section urges us to enter the kingdom of God, but it does so with clear warnings. Jesus does not present the kingdom as an easy path in which everything turns out well. Instead, He describes danger, opposition, and deception, what Scripture calls false prophets, false brothers, false apostles, and false Christs. Simply saying “Lord, Lord” is not enough and leads to destruction.
The kingdom of God is made up of people who do the will of the Father, not just those who speak religious words. A person who only says “Lord, Lord” is like a foolish man who builds his house on sand, and it will not stand. The one who does the word of the Lord is like a wise man who builds on a rock. All of this begins with a choice between two gates. We must decide which one we will enter.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
It is important to understand who Jesus is teaching here. He is not speaking to lost people who know nothing about God. He is speaking to religious Jews who believed in Jehovah God and assumed they were going to heaven. Jesus addresses the distinction between religion and the kingdom. Religion is a broad way, but the kingdom is a narrow way. This distinction is crucial for understanding what Jesus means when He talks about these gates.
The heart of this passage, particularly verses 15-27, centers on warnings regarding entry into the kingdom. Those warnings are directed primarily against false teachers and false prophets.
Throughout these verses, Jesus sets one thing against another. The straight gate is contrasted with the wide gate. The narrow way is set against the broad way. True ministry is contrasted with false ministry. Good fruit stands in contrast to evil fruit. Doers are contrasted with sayers, and the house built on rock is contrasted with the house built on sand. Together, these contrasts provide a clear overview of what Jesus teaches in this section.
There is a great deal of truth packed into these verses, and I want to cover it thoroughly.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
The Strait Gate and the Narrow Way
Matthew 7:13–14
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
To enter this gate, you have to find it. That entails asking, seeking, and knocking, as we discussed last week. This gate does not open automatically. It must be sought deliberately and intentionally.
Jesus is not speaking here to the lost. That point is critical. Initial salvation is a gift of grace and does not require such seeking. What He is addressing is the person who has already experienced salvation and must now find the gate that leads into the kingdom of God and walk its straight and narrow way.
The word “strait” denotes a narrow passage and a path filled with obstacles. It pictures a mountain gorge with steep sides and a very narrow trail running through it. Rocks and barriers impede progress. This image stands in sharp contrast to the idea that following Jesus is always easy.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
Jesus presents the path to the kingdom as difficult by divine design. The way is narrow because God made it that way. It cannot be entered by self-merit, nor can it be traveled while clinging to sin or a desire to continue in it. When someone first comes to Christ, they may come as they are. However, once they enter this gate and begin walking this road, they cannot carry their baggage with them.
What Jesus is describing is not a gate into initial salvation. It is a gate and a road that lead into life in the kingdom of God. The narrow way demands change, surrender, and persistence. That is the meaning behind the picture of the mountain gorge and the pressing path.
You can come to God and come to Jesus Christ just as you are. That is His unmerited favor and grace. However, once you begin to enter the kingdom of God and walk in it, the path becomes difficult. The kingdom requires laying down baggage and garbage, things that religion allows you to keep while traveling the broad way.
Religion makes few demands. As long as you show up and participate, everything seems acceptable. Nothing is confronted, and nothing is challenged. Sin can remain unaddressed, and life need not change. Jesus is showing us that the kingdom is entirely different from that kind of religion.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
The way of the kingdom is narrow by God’s design. It is pictured as a tight mountain gorge with obstacles pressing in on every side. That difficulty removes anyone who thinks self-effort, self-identity, or continued sin will carry them through. Evil desires cannot move freely on this path.
The kingdom of God begins with righteousness, which means being in right standing with God. You cannot be righteous while sin is hanging on you. Those things must be removed. You cannot walk this road with baggage attached. What can be carried down the broad religious way cannot be carried down the straight and narrow.
That contrast is striking. Modern religious messages often suggest that everything will be fine once you come to Jesus. Jesus presents something very different. Entrance into the kingdom is desirable, but it is not easy. The gate is narrow; it must be found, and the road connected to it is constricted.
Christ’s appeal is not aimed at the careless or selfish crowd. It reaches those whose hearts have been drawn and whose consciences have been stirred. The promise is blessings, but it comes with the expectation of righteousness.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
What I want us to see is what I said last week. We do not work for our salvation, but we work from our salvation. Once salvation comes, something happens inside us. That inner change creates a desire to live in right standing with God and to pursue righteousness.
This is not about earning salvation. It is about what follows salvation. When salvation comes, we must begin laying down our baggage. Garbage, excess weight, and things we want to carry must be removed. The picture Jesus gives is a narrow mountain trail filled with rocks. Trying to walk that path loaded down with luggage is impossible.
Imagine trying to take a tractor-trailer down a narrow mountain gorge. It would never fit. Everything would have to be stripped away and left behind. That is the image Jesus paints, and it shows how difficult this road really is.
The wide and broad way leads to destruction. The word “wide” denotes spread out and spacious. Destruction means ruin or loss, whether physical, spiritual, or eternal. This does not describe initial salvation, which is a gift of grace. It is describing what comes after.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
Jesus is talking about finding the precious pearl of the kingdom and walking the road that leads to becoming like Christ. He is teaching religious people who believe in Jehovah God. The lesson is the difference between religion and the kingdom. Religion is wide and easy, while the kingdom is straight and narrow.
One path offers little resistance and attracts many. The other is filled with obstacles and leads to life. To walk the way of the kingdom, common baggage must be left behind. Earthly treasures, unforgiveness, selfishness, self-righteousness, sin, and evil cannot be carried. Few are willing to make that journey.
The wide gate and the broad way allow a person to enter while keeping all their baggage. Religion makes no demands for change. A person can practice religion without leaving anything behind. That is why large crowds move easily along this path. There are no restrictions, and people believe they are free, even though they are actually enslaved by religion.
One way leads to destruction, while the other leads to life. This is why the way of the cross leads to life. That picture helped me understand what the Lord was showing us and clarified the meaning behind His contrast.
Beware of False Prophets
Once we find the narrow gate and begin walking the straight way, Jesus gives us warnings. At that point, we are already in the kingdom and are kingdom people. The next thing He says, after bringing us onto this path, is a warning.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
The very first warning is clear. He tells us to beware of false prophets. They are coming. False teachers, false prophets, false brothers, false apostles, and liars will appear. That warning follows immediately after entering the narrow way.
Matthew 7:15
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Jesus warns us to beware of false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing but are inwardly ravening wolves. The word “beware” means to guard the mind. It means being careful about whom we give our attention and whom we allow access to our thinking. The Word of God must guard our minds because they need to be reprogrammed and cleared of garbage.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
To beware is to hold the mind steady and focused. It means paying attention, being cautious, and deliberately adhering to the truth. Jesus is telling us to guard our minds from false teachers and false prophets. This subject is not outdated. It is current and relevant, as fresh as today’s newspaper, and it is meant to help us recognize false ministries.
Once we enter the narrow and straight way, warnings begin immediately. Along this path, we encounter many forms of deception. There are false brothers, false apostles, false teachers, and false speakers, both in churches and on television. These are not truly from God, even if they appear convincing. Jesus is preparing us to discern truth from falsehood.
To illustrate this, Jesus points to false prophets, and Revelation provides a clear picture. One beast rises from the sea, representing the world, and another rises from the land. The second beast is called the false prophet. Although he looks like a lamb, he speaks for the dragon. His appearance is deceptive, like a wolf dressed in sheep’s clothing.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
Revelation 13:11–13
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
This false prophet operates with great power. He performs signs and wonders, even calling fire down from heaven in the sight of men. The picture is clear. False ministry can appear impressive, powerful, and convincing, yet remain deceptive at its core.
I believe this is precisely what the Lord is addressing here. He is about to speak of people who say, “Lord, Lord, I prophesied in Your name, I worked miracles in Your name, and I did many good things in Your name.” That language directly relates to the depiction of the false prophet in Revelation. That figure represents false ministry, something that has always existed and will continue to exist.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
Scripture repeatedly identifies this figure as the false prophet. We see unclean spirits proceeding from the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. This points to a false anointing. As Scripture teaches, Satan himself can transform into an angel of light, so it should not surprise us that his servants can appear the same way.
Revelation 16:13
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
2 Corinthians 11:14 (KJV)
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
False ministry has always been present, is present now, and will remain.
We must recognize that this danger is real. Jesus is leading us into a straightforward way to discern truth from deception. He is not leaving us confused. He intends to show us how to distinguish what is real from what is false, and that understanding is intended to help us.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
How do we recognize these false people?
Known by Their Fruit
Matthew 7:16–20
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Let me show you what Jesus is illustrating. A thorn bush can be trained, supported, and made to look good. You can wire it up and call it a grapevine, but it will never produce grapes. In the same way, you can fertilize weeds and care for them, but they will never produce figs.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
That is precisely what Jesus is saying about ministry. You can call a man a minister, place him in a church, make him look impressive, and educate him. None of that makes him a true minister. The first thing we must look at is fruit. We ask what his life is like and what it produces.
If you really want to know me, you would talk to my wife or my children. They would tell you the truth about my life. Ministry works the same way. If I am genuinely a minister, there should be fruit in my life and in my ministry. Lives should be changing, and something should emerge. If nothing is being produced and my personal life is a mess, then I am not a minister of God, regardless of what title I put on myself.
This principle runs throughout the Word of God. Character always reveals itself. God’s character is revealed, and ours is too. Jesus shows us how to discern ministry. Just as grapes do not come from thorn bushes and figs do not come from weeds, false ministry will reveal itself. You can give something any name you want, but fruit tells the truth.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
A tree tells its own story. Ministry tells its own story, whether good or bad. People may speak against me or criticize me, but when fruit is produced, the truth becomes clear. When the fruit of ministry is visible, accusations fall silent, because fruit cannot be argued with.
The first thing we look at in a man who claims to be in ministry is fruit. We ask whether he is producing anything at all. Jesus then takes it a step further and gives us a second test. He explains that a healthy tree produces good fruit, while a sick or decaying tree produces bad fruit. The issue is not appearance, but health.
Different translations make this clear by contrasting healthy fruit with sickly fruit. A ministry may appear to produce results yet remain corrupt internally. When that is the case, the fruit will reflect that corruption. Jesus makes it plain that a good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. That principle is absolute.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
The kind of fruit produced depends entirely on the tree itself. True ministry produces faithful and healthy people. A corrupt or false ministry produces unhealthy and unfaithful people. A healthy ministry cannot continually produce unhealthy fruit, and an unhealthy ministry cannot produce healthy fruit. The fruit will always match the ministry.
This is why discernment is so necessary. A false ministry may hide itself for a time, but it cannot conceal its fruit. Fruit always tells the truth.
You recognize a tree by its fruit, even though a man can hide himself. Sin can be hidden for a time, and appearances can be misleading. I was reminded of this recently in a conversation in which someone acknowledged that truth can be uncomfortable yet still necessary when it speaks to the kingdom of God.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
What I want us to see is that ministry consistently reproduces itself. The first question is simple: Is there any fruit at all, or are there only thorns and thistles? The second question follows naturally. If there is fruit, is it good and healthy, or is it evil and unhealthy?
Jesus presents these two sides so that we can discern correctly. We begin by examining the life. We ask whether fruit is present. Then we look closely at the kind of fruit being produced, because that fruit reveals the ministry behind it.
Any tree that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. Scripture speaks clearly about this principle. John the Baptist said, “The axe is laid at the root of the tree,” when addressing the nation of Israel, indicating that judgment begins where fruit is lacking.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
Luke 3:8–14
8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth
Abiding in the Vine
Here is the sentence with each book followed by a clear Scripture reference about fruit, added in parentheses and nothing else changed in meaning:
John 15 teaches that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:1–8). Branches that do not bear fruit are cut off and burned (John 15:6).
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
John 15:1–6
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Scripture consistently speaks about fruit, from John’s Gospel (John 15:1–16) through Galatians (Galatians 5:22–23), Ephesians (Ephesians 5:9), Philippians (Philippians 1:11), Colossians (Colossians 1:10), and James (James 3:17–18).
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
It is impossible for true ministry to produce bad or unhealthy fruit consistently. The reason is simple. The Word of God is living, sharp, and powerful. It cuts deeply and divides. The Word continually prunes real ministry, and that pruning is intense.
Corrupt people and rotten fruit cannot remain under a true Word ministry. The Word cuts, prunes, and exposes. Consequently, unhealthy branches cannot survive. True ministry is continually cut back and purified, and the Father uses His Word to accomplish that work.
Where the Word of God is preached, pruning always follows. Hearts and lives are shaped, and what is unhealthy is removed so it cannot spread disease. The Father is the husbandman, and He is constantly pruning His vine.
Jesus explains this clearly in John 15. The Father removes branches that bear no fruit and purges fruitful branches so they will bear more. Abiding in Christ produces much fruit, but apart from Him nothing can be produced. Branches that do not abide are gathered, withered, and cast into the fire. That is the principle Scripture lays out.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
What I am saying is that the Word of God cuts and prunes, and it is the Word that does the cutting. Sometimes people get upset and say, “You don’t have to say that,” but I am not trying to hurt anyone. I am simply saying what I am impressed to say. I know the Word cuts, and I know it hurts at times, but that is not my intent. It is doing what it is designed to do.
This shows a clear principle. In true ministry, dead branches cannot remain. They will be cut off. If we do not produce fruit, there is burning involved. I do not want to rush to say that this always means hell, though it could. What I do know is that the symbols point to purifying and purging. God burns out what is bad to preserve what is good. He puts people through trials to purify them. There is cutting, and there is burning, and that process is real.
If you are a branch, parts of you will be cut. Sometimes parts of you will be burned. The Word can hurt, but it is necessary. Jesus states twice that we are known by our fruit, underscoring the importance of this principle.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
Matthew 7:16
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Matthew 7:20
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
To identify a ministry, we look at its fruit. At the same time, we must never lose sight of our own personal fruit.
People can look at me all they want. They can examine my life, my family, and my finances. Ministry is meant to be observed, and I understand that. But we must not forget to turn that same examination inward. The real question is what our own lives are producing.
We are all ministers in some sense, and we need to ask what our personal lives reveal when others look at our fruit. We must ask what our families reveal, what our church reveals, and even what our state and nation reveal. Ultimately, it always comes back to the individual and the family. Everything flows from there.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
“Lord, Lord” and the Will of the Father
Jesus makes this even clearer when He says that not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 7:21–23
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Entry belongs to those who do the will of the Father. Many will claim spiritual works and mighty acts done in His name. The contrast is between those who only speak and those who truly obey.
It is absolutely critical to reiterate that Jesus is not addressing lost people. He is speaking to people who think they know God. He is addressing those who believe they have a relationship with God, yet are religious and still do not know Him. The tragedy is that He does not know them either.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
This point cannot be overstated. Jesus is not speaking to people ignorant of God. He is talking to people who think they are in touch with Him but are actually deceived. The idea that all a person has to do is say the name of Jesus is false. Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom. What matters is not how you say His name, but what you are doing with your life.
The sobering reality is that He continues to speak about ministry. He is addressing people who call themselves ministers. They may prophesy, speak in tongues, interpret tongues, discern spirits, and operate in words of knowledge and wisdom. They may function in gifts of healing, faith, and miracles. All of those things can impress us, and we can stand back amazed at what they do.
But we do not know a ministry by its gifts or its miracles. We do not know it by its ability to prophesy or display power. A thorn bush can look impressive, but it still produces thorns. Scripture teaches us that ministry is known by its fruit. The question is not what they do, but what they produce.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
The Bible repeatedly warns about false ministry. Some come with power, signs, and lying wonders. There are examples throughout Scripture of people who attempted to use spiritual power falsely. Even some who worked alongside true ministry eventually revealed their hearts. The lesson is clear. Ability and activity do not prove authenticity. Fruit does.
Judas and False Ministry
Matthew 10:1-8 shows that Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve sent out by Jesus. He was included by name. Jesus gave the twelve authority to cast out devils and to heal the sick. Judas was part of that group and was given the same commission.
This reminds us that a person can be sent, authorized, and used, yet still not be right in their heart. Authority and activity do not guarantee authenticity. Judas operated in ministry, but his life did not bear the fruit of obedience.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
Matthew 10:1–8
1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
False Apostles and Deception
Second Corinthians 11:13-15 warns about false ministry. It shows that false apostles can disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. They appear safe and spiritual, but they are dangerous. The deception is real and intentional.
2 Corinthians 11:13–15
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
What is stirring in me is a shepherd’s warning. I know it may sound as though I am against specific ministries, but that is not the case. I am not judging people. However, I am looking at fruit.
False ministers are not rare. They never have been, and they never will be. Every age and covenant has had them. They deceive people while operating in spiritual gifts. They prophesy, speak in tongues, interpret, move in words of knowledge and wisdom, and even work miracles of healing and faith. Yet they are ravening wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
They use every means possible to deceive. The principle is simple. Do not look at what they do. Look at what they produce. When Jesus says, “I never knew you,” He is addressing individuals who preached but did not practice. They called themselves grapevines, but they were thorn bushes. They called themselves fig trees, but they were weeds, and judgment followed.
This is not new. We have seen it before, and we see it now. The words may be sweet, and the power may look impressive. Miracles can appear convincing. However, when the covering is removed, the life beneath is corrupt, and the deception is exposed.
Matthew 7:22
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Jesus uses the word “many” for a reason. He says many will say, “Lord, Lord.” This is not a small number. I believe the Lord is showing us that there are more thorn bushes than grapevines, and more weeds than fig trees. That reality should sober us.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
Because of that, I am careful. When I seem strong against ministry, it is not personal. I want to see fruit before I allow someone to minister to God’s people. If there is fruit, I want it to be good, strong, and healthy.
The Foundation of the Local Church
God’s present-day instrument to accomplish His will is the local church. Other ministries are fine, but they must function as extensions of the local church, not replacements. God raises ministries to serve regions and declare the kingdom, but anything not built on the local church will fall.
Jesus said He would build His church. Anything not submitted to that structure will not stand. That promise leads directly into His words about the wise man who hears His sayings and does them. He is still talking about the foundation. He is still talking about obedience. And He is still talking about fruit.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
Two Builders and One Foundation
Matthew 7:24–27
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And 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.
What I want us to see is that Scripture consistently presents two paths. From Genesis to Revelation, there are two seeds: the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. Jesus teaches this same pattern throughout Matthew. He speaks of two eyes, a good eye and an evil eye, and He describes two gates, the straight gate and the wide gate. He shows two ways: the narrow way and the broad way, and He contrasts those who lose their life to find it with those who find their life and lose it.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
Jesus continues this pattern repeatedly. He speaks of those who are given the mysteries of the kingdom and those who are not. He discusses those who have and receive more, and those who do not and lose even what they have. The Lord contrasts those who hear and understand with those who hear but do not understand. He describes good soil and bad soil, though only two produce lasting fruit.
The same contrast appears in His parables. There is good seed and bad seed. There is wheat and tares. We have good fish and bad fish. Some guests enter the wedding, and those who are cast out. The point is simple. There are not many categories. There are only two.
This applies to individuals, even those who identify as Christians. There are not many levels or degrees. We have only two kinds. Some build their lives on the Word of God, whereas others do not. The same is true of ministries. There are not many kinds. There are only two. Some build on the Word of God, and some do not.
Jesus illustrates this with the two houses.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
Matthew 7:24-25
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Matthew 7:26-27
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And 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.
The Foundation Revealed
Externally, the structures appear identical. As long as conditions are good, both seem fine. When storms come, the difference is revealed. One stands, and the other falls. The difference is the foundation.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
The question always comes back to this. What is your life built on, and what is your home built on? What is your church built on, and what is your ministry built on? We can ask what your city, your nation, and even this world is built on? If it is not built on the Word of God, Jesus tells us precisely what will happen.
Both houses experienced the same rain, floods, and winds. The same forces beat both. Yet one fell, and the other stood. The one who stood had dug deep. He removed everything between himself and the rock. He laid aside false ministries, wide gates, broad ways, and distractions, and he sought first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Because of that foundation, the house stood.
Both houses heard the sayings of Jesus. The rain came on both. The floods came on both, and the winds blew on both. The same storms beat each house. They stood side by side, and the conditions were identical. The same pressures that came against my life go against yours, and the same things that attack my marriage attack your marriage. The same forces that oppose this church oppose other churches, cities, and lives. Storms are the same for everyone.
What makes the difference is the foundation. The question is what they are dug into and what they are rooted in. Everything else must be removed. The issue is whether we seek first the kingdom of God and whether we are grounded in His Word. This is not about lost people. Both hear the Word. The real difference is whether they do it.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
The digging in our lives is doing the Word of God. One digs and one does not. One obeys, and one does not. This makes one wise and one foolish. One builds on the rock, which is the sayings of Jesus. The other builds on sand. One stands, and the other falls. The fall is great. One translation says it fell with a great crash.
Jesus is talking about our lives. He is talking about our homes. He is talking about our church and our ministry. The similarities and differences are readily apparent. Storms come on every life, marriage, ministry, family, and church. The rains come on both. The floods come on both, and the winds come on both.
The promise of Jesus Christ is clear. If the house is built on His sayings, which is the same as His Word, it will stand. That applies to life, marriage, ministry, family, and church. The one who builds that way is a wise person.
No matter what you are building, the solution is the same. If a marriage is in trouble, the Word must be the foundation. If sin is an issue, everything must be removed until you are standing on the rock, which is the sayings of Jesus. When a church is struggling, the answer is to remove everything until the foundation is His Word. That is the promise.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
There is also the other side of that promise. If we do not build on the sayings of Jesus, whatever we build will fall. The fall will be great, and it will crash.
Astonished at His Authority
When Jesus finished these sayings, the people were astonished.
Matthew 7:28–29
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
He taught with authority, not like the scribes. The word astonished means to be struck with amazement. His words carried power that deeply affected people.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
The word translated as astonished points to an origin or source. It refers to the place from which action proceeds. The question is whether Jesus is that place and cause, the source from which everything flows. The idea also carries the sense of being struck or driven out of oneself. It describes being hit in the mind and overwhelmed.
Different translations all point to the same response. The crowds were astonished, amazed, overwhelmed, and deeply impressed. They were bewildered with wonder. The teaching had an internal effect on them. It affected how they thought and how they perceived truth.
The principle is straightforward. When we truly hear the words of Jesus, it blows our minds. When His message finally reaches His church, His bride, and His people, it strikes us out of ourselves. We lose our old way of thinking so His mind can replace ours. Such hearing changes our thoughts and reshapes our understanding.
Jesus ministers to the soul. He speaks to the mind, the emotions, the intellect, and the will. He gets between our ears and does work there. When we really grasp what He is saying, it transforms how we think and how we live.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
The word authority explains why this happened. It means power, ability, privilege, force, competence, freedom, and mastery. Jesus carries delegated influence and control. He is not merely empowered by authority. He is the source of it.
The people had listened for years to repeated traditions and lifeless teaching. Then Jesus spoke, and everything changed. He was not anointed in the usual sense. He is the anointing. His words shattered old patterns of thought. When that occurs, lives change, and people begin to think differently.
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
Matthew 7 13-27 How to Stand When Storms Come
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