Matthew 7:24-27 / Building on the Rock

My two year-old loves to build with blocks these days. And what I’ve noticed is the height of the building is determined by the foundation itself. Unfortunately, the foundation we build on much of the time is our living room couch. Despite my suggestion to build on the rock-hard floor, the couch is comfortable. So we begin the careful, tedious work of balancing block on block, meticulously stacking them higher and higher while they begin to wobble on the couch cushion, only to fall over again and again (much to his chagrin). 

Whether we realize it or not, every day we are seeking to build our lives on a foundation that will last. The question is, how can we know the foundation we’re building on is the right one and won’t come crumbling down at any moment like a stack of blocks? In essence, how do we make the right decisions of what to give our lives to—our future, our finances, our moment-by-moment choices between right and wrong?

In Matthew 7, Jesus answers the age-old question of how to build wisely. 

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”

Jesus shows us that a life built on a solid foundation comes from obedience to the words of Christ. When we trust and obey Jesus’ commandments, we build our lives in a way that will last. There’s a catch though: building on the rock isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes building on the rock means giving up everything we’re used to and heading into the great unknown. But we’ve become comfortable, like a toddler comfortable building on the couch.  So where can we find the strength to make the change, to build on the right foundation no matter the cost? 

Our hope comes from the one who went before us—Jesus Christ. Jesus faced the storm of persecution at the cost of His life, yet stood firm on the foundation of His Father’s will. Through His resurrection from the dead, He secured an eternal residence for us that will not fall. This is our confidence to build on the rock—that Jesus offers true life on the other side of the storms and has proved it by His death and resurrection.

So when faced with the choice of what’s comfortable or what’s right, we build on the solid foundation of Christ that will last when everything else crumbles and falls.

Am I building my life on the rock or on the sand (Matthew 7:24-27)?

In what ways are Christ’s commands good for me, and how do they help me thrive?

Blessings, 

Pastor Kevin G