This week's lesson comes from Matthew 7:21-27 and is called "The Wise & Foolish Builders." Download this week's Family Worship Guide and refer to the teaching points from this week's lesson to make the most of your family worship time.

You can know what’s in a person’s heart by the behavior of their life

The Lord told Samuel that “’man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart’” (1 Samuel 16:7). It is easy to say you believe in God, but it is much more difficult to obey the Lord with your life. In this passage, Jesus warns that there will be those who will come into the church claiming to speak for God, and yet inwardly be wolves (Matthew 7:15)—they won’t really love God and in fact will be bent on destruction. We shouldn’t be fooled by those whose lives don’t match their words. This principle applies to us all: our behavior, especially how we act in private when no one is looking, is a good indicator of what and whom we really love.

Words alone are worthless

This passage teaches us the sober truth that people are Christians not just because they call themselves Christians (Matthew 7:23). Just because a person calls Jesus Lord doesn’t mean that God has changed his or her heart. James said it like this: “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” (James 2:19). We know that demons will not go to heaven, yet they know who Jesus is and even declare it publicly (Mark 1:23–24). Our good words and good deeds are not enough; we must believe and completely entrust our lives to Jesus. Believing in Jesus’ atoning death on the cross is the only way to salvation. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

The wise builder builds upon the rock

Jesus gave a picture to help us see the difference between actually trusting him and only saying we trust in him. Christ is the Rock in the parable. If we really trust Jesus, our lives are pictured by a man building his house on a rock. Jesus must be what motivates us; he alone must be the foundation for what we say and what we do. If we say and do the right things publicly, but inside do not trust Jesus, our lives are pictured by the man who builds his house on the sand. Notice that both houses have to endure storms. God will send trials to test the foundation of our faith. James 1:3 and 1 Peter 1:6–7 explain that God uses the stormy trials of life to test our faith.

How does today’s Bible story fit into God’s greater plan of redemption?

Jesus Christ is the Rock. The sure foundation upon which we build our lives is Jesus himself. No other foundation will do. That Rock—Jesus—is the basis of our claim to forgiveness and life everlasting. The ultimate trial will come for all men when they must stand before a holy God at the last judgment. There will be no hope for those who have not built on the Rock. Psalm 1 tells us that the wicked will not be able to stand in the judgment, but will be blown away like chaff (Psalm 1:4–6) and perish in the fires of hell.