What does Matthew 7:27 mean?

Jesus concludes His simple illustration of two houses built on two different foundations. The one built on solid rock stood firm when the storm assaulted it. The one built on a foundation of sand fell hard. The first builder was wise; the second, foolish (Matthew 7:24–26). The point of this teaching is not merely about selecting the right building site for a home. Christ's imagery is meant to explain that only a worldview built on something solid—which is Christ alone (John 14:6)—creates a life that can withstand the natural attacks of human life.

A person who does as Jesus has taught, including His lessons in this Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1–2) is wise. No person, Christian or otherwise, is promised to escape the storms of life. Those who are solidly rooted in Christ, however, will stand strong through them. The person who hears Jesus' words but continues on without doing them is foolish. The same storm will level that person's life. The consequences will be dire—not the least of which is an eternity separated from God (John 3:36).