“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (Mat 7:24-29 NKJ

Jesus finishes his teaching on the Sermon on the Mount by again comparing the person that hears and applies the Word to their life, as being like a person that builds the house on a strong foundation, on solid rock.  When the trials of life come, they’re not shaken or moved.  The foolish person who has heard the Word, and does nothing is like the person that builds their home on sand.  Rains, floods, and winds soon mean that the house is gone.

 So Jesus’ final words to those listening to his sermon and to those reading the Word throughout history, is to be not just a hearer of the Word but a doer, and there’s a lot to do.