THE HOUSE ON THE
ROCK Matthew 7:24-27
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Two Friends
A long time ago there were two friends. One was wise, and one was foolish. One day, the two friends decided to build homes for themselves.
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The Foolish Man
So they found some wood and nails and set out to look for the right place to build their houses. The foolish man found a beautiful beach and began to build his house on the sand.
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The Foolish Man Wouldn’t Listen
His wise friend tried to tell him it was a bad place to build a house. But the foolish man wouldn’t listen. ”See how nice it is,” he said. ”I like it here!”
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The Wise Man
The wise man found a flat area of land away from the beach. There he built his house on the sturdy rock. He knew this was a safe place to build his house.
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A Terrible Storm
One night, there came a terrible storm. The foolish man was frightened and ran outside. The wind hit the house and washed it into the sea. 26
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Standing Strong
Meanwhile, the wise man sat safely in his warm, sturdy house. Although the wind blew and blew, the house stood strong. The wise man was not afraid, for he knew he had built his house on firm ground. 28
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The house on the rock
—read the story in the Bible “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27
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THE SON WHO CAME
HOME Luke 15:11-32
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A Sad Father
A long time ago, there was a man who had two sons. One day, the younger son told his father he wanted to leave home. He asked his father for a lot of money. The father gave it to him and sadly said goodbye.
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Bad Friends
The son traveled to a land far away. There he used his father’s money on foolish things and spent time with bad friends who did things he knew were wrong.
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All Alone
Now the son had spent all of his father’s money. His bad friends had left him.
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He was all alone, with no money to buy food. So he got a job taking care of pigs. He was so hungry he even ate the pigs’ food.
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The Son Goes Home
Finally, the son decided he would go back to his father and ask if he could work for him, like a servant. He thought he was no longer good enough to be treated as a son.
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The Father Is Waiting for His Son
His father was waiting at home. As soon as he saw his son coming, he ran out and hugged him. He forgave his son completely. He still loved his son, no matter what he had done.
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A Homecoming Party
The father loved his son so much he even had a party for him. �My son was lost, but now he has come home!� he smiled.
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The son who came home
—read the story in the Bible “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called 46
your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Luke 15:11-20
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