Lessons from the King: True Obedience

A Tale of Two Houses

A few years back, researchers in South Carolina built two identical houses in a lab to test them against hurricane-force winds. One was a standard build—nothing special. The other had reinforcement straps tying every level to its foundation. When they cranked the fans to 110 miles per hour, the standard house held up for a bit—until it didn’t. After ten minutes, it collapsed. The reinforced house? It stood strong, barely scratched. The engineer’s question stuck with me: “Which house would you rather be living in?”

That’s the question Jesus poses at the end of His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:24-29. He’s been teaching us what it means to live as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven—people who pray for God’s will to break into this world, not just for our own sake, but for His reign. And He wraps it up with a stark picture: two builders, two houses, one storm. The wise builder digs deep, anchoring his house on rock. The foolish one slaps his together on sand. The storm hits both, but only one stands. The difference? Obedience.

Wisdom in Action

Jesus says, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (v. 24). Notice that—it’s not just hearing; it’s doing. Wisdom, in the Bible, isn’t about being smart or collecting facts. It’s knowing God and living like it. The wise builder doesn’t just nod at Jesus’ teaching; he lives it. The foolish one? He hears the same words but shrugs—maybe he’s too busy, too distracted, or just doesn’t care. When the rains come, his house crashes down, “and great was the fall of it” (v. 27).

Storms Reveal the Foundation

Here’s what grabs me: both builders face the same storm. Jesus isn’t promising a storm-free life. The “rain and floods and winds” might be the big judgment day—His return—or the everyday trials we all hit: a health scare, a broken relationship, a financial mess. Either way, storms reveal what we’re built on. I’ve seen it in my own life—times I’ve coasted on good intentions or religious habits, only to wobble when pressure mounts. Build on sand—wealth, success, even churchy routines without real obedience—and it won’t hold. Build on the rock of Jesus’ words, lived out, and you’ll stand.

The Authority of the King

What floors me most is Jesus’ authority. The crowd was “astonished” because He taught “as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (v. 29). The scribes leaned on tradition; Jesus spoke as the source of truth. When He says, “these words of mine,” He’s claiming His teaching is the bedrock—God’s own Word. That’s why obedience matters. It’s not about earning points; it’s about loyalty to our King.

Which House Are You In?

So, here’s my pondering for us today: Which house are we living in? It’s easy to hear Jesus’ words—read the Bible, listen to a sermon, agree with it all—but are we doing them? I’m challenged to examine my foundation. Am I just a hearer, or am I anchoring my life to Christ by obeying Him? Maybe you’re there too. If your foundation feels shaky, don’t panic—it’s not about perfection. It’s about intention. Start digging into His Word, ask the Spirit to guide you, and take one step to live it out.

A storm’s coming—maybe not today, but someday. Jesus doesn’t want us to admire His teaching; He wants us to build on it. As citizens of His Kingdom, let’s pledge our loyalty through obedience. Because when the winds blow, I want to be in the house that stands—don’t you?

A Prayer to Build on the Rock

Prayer: Lord, thank You for Jesus, our King. Give us wisdom to not just hear Your Word but do it. Help us build on the rock of His teaching, trusting You more than ourselves. Show us where we’ve settled for sand, and lead us deeper into obedience. Amen.

The headings—“A Tale of Two Houses,” “Wisdom in Action,” “Storms Reveal the Foundation,” “The Authority of the King,” “Which House Are You In?” and “A Prayer to Build on the Rock”—break the post into digestible chunks, guiding readers through the narrative and reflection. They align with the sermon’s flow while making it skimmable for blog readers. Let me know if you’d like any changes!

Immediate Obedience Required

 

"The moment you know what God wants of you is the moment to do it. He doesn't expose sin in our lives so we can take care of it later. When God speaks, it requires immediate attention. We might be tempted to put things off until it's easier to deal with them. We might hesitate in an attempt to minimize the consequences. Yet courage does what's right regardless of situation or consequence." 

Erwin McManus, Uprising, pp. 100-01

Christians are people of faith. Biblical faith is more than simply believing, it is about trusting and obeying. In other words, we are to trust God more than we trust ourselves. This trust will come out in the way we live. If we trust God then we will do what He says. We will act immediately, regardless of the potential consequences.

In our American culture, it's easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and ignore the Holy Spirit nudging us to take action. It also becomes easy to put off doing what we know is right because we don't want to deal with the difficulty, discomfort, or even the opposition that may come with it. But as McManus wrote, we cannot afford to procrastinate when it comes to fulfilling God's plan for our lives.

The Bible  has many examples of people who were called to do difficult things for God but initially hesitated or procrastinated. Moses, for instance, was reluctant at first to lead the Israelites out of Egypt because he didn't feel equipped for the task. Yet, once he finally submitted to God's will, he became the prototypical leader for Israel.

Similarly, Jonah resisted God's call at first to preach repentance to the people of Nineveh, but a few days in the stomach of a fish, Jonah listened to God’s call, and great city of Nineveh experienced a revival. 

Both of these stories remind us that obedience to God's will often requires us to step outside of our comfort zones and do things that we simply don’t want to do.

Along those same lines, when God reveals our sin to us, it's not so that we can feel guilty or ashamed. Rather, it's an opportunity for us to repent and turn away from our wrongdoing. But this process of repentance requires courage and humility. We need to acknowledge our faults, confess our sins, and seek forgiveness. This is crucial to do, even if it means admitting our mistakes to others.

It is essential to recognize that sin has serious consequences. It damages our relationships with others, harms ourselves, and ultimately it separates us from God. This is why it's vital to deal with sin as soon as possible rather than putting it off until a later time.

I also want to note that following God's will doesn't necessarily mean that life will be easy or without challenges. In fact it is often quite the opposite. We may face resistance, persecution, or even danger when we step out in faith to do what God has called us to do. Yet, as Erwin McManus emphasized, courage does what's right regardless of the situation or consequence.

Courageous obedience to God's will requires that we trust Him more than we trust ourselves and that we believe He has our best interests at heart, even when we can't see the bigger picture. This boldness requires us to believe that God will provide us with the strength, wisdom, and resources we need to accomplish His plan for our lives.

Whaat Erwin McManus wrote in Uprising is a good reminder that following God's will requires immediate action. We must step out in faith, even when it's uncomfortable or inconvenient. We must confront our sin and seek forgiveness, knowing that this is the first step towards restoration with God.

As we strive to live a life that honors God and demonstrates His character, we need to remember that we are not alone in this journey. We have the Holy Spirit to guide us, the Bible to instruct us, and the Church to support us. Let us commit to living a life of courageous obedience to God's will, trusting that He will lead us on a path of purpose and fulfillment.