Building the Right Foundation
What is the foundation for your life?
Is it your relationships? Accomplishments? Money?
Jesus makes a clear distinction between building ones life upon a firm and unchanging foundation, verses an insecure and unassured foundation. The following verse concludes Jesus’ famous ‘Sermon on the Mount’, where some of his most well-known teachings and parables can be found.
“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 (NIV)
Last Sunday, Pastor Febby contrasted the differences and similarities between these two men, revealing their fundamental similarities, yet polar-opposite outcomes.
S I M I L A R I T I E S
Both men had the same purpose and vision - to build a house
Both men had heard the same - “words of mine [Jesus] ” (verse 24, 26)
Both men had faced the same challenges - “the rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house” (verse 25, 27)
D I F F E R E N C E S
They had different characteristics - one was wise, and the other foolish (moros - Greek)
They had different foundations - one was rock, and the other sand
They had different outcomes - one remained upright, and the other “fell with a great crash” (verse 27)
Parables were often used by Jesus to illustrate his teachings. This one taught the gathered crowd (and today’s Christians) that the true foundations you build your life upon will come to light when you encounter struggles. Luke 6: 46-49 shares a similar parable that offers the same lesson: the foundation that Jesus offers is firm, unchanging and everlasting. This foundation is built when we hear the words of Jesus and diligently practice them in our everyday lives.
“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever”
- Isaiah 40:8 (NIV)
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for sending Your Son to die for us on the cross. We pray that Your Holy Spirit would examine our hearts and reveal to us what we should build our lives upon. We pray that Your precious and mighty Word would be our source of strength and joy.
In Your holy and precious name we pray,
Amen.