The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.
Matthew 7:27 (CSB)
This is the end of Jesus’ short story about two builders. It is also the last thing Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, the teaching in Matthew chapters 5 through 7.
The same storm hit both houses, so the storm is not what made the difference. The wise man’s house stood because it was built on rock, and the foolish man’s house fell because it was built on sand.
Many Bible teachers believe the biggest storm in this story is the final judgment, the day when every person will stand before God. Jesus speaks honestly about that day. In Matthew 25 He says that some will go away into eternal punishment, which means a judgment from God that never ends.
Jesus’ warning about judgment is not meant to frighten someone who is trusting Him, because Jesus took the punishment for our sins when He died on the cross. The Bible says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Condemnation means being found guilty and punished, and for those who belong to Jesus, that verdict has already been taken away.
But the warning is real for anyone who hears about Jesus again and again and never trusts or obeys Him, and that may include people we love. So we ought to pray for the people in our lives who have heard about Jesus but have not come to Him. And we should speak to them kindly and honestly while there is still time.
Jesus died for our sins and rose again. Everyone who trusts Him is standing on a foundation that will not fall.