“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.” (Matthew 7:24-25)

A solid foundation is the beginning of a solid house. It is with this principle, that Jesus teaches the crowds how to live a life that is pleasing to God. Everything must rest on a solid foundation. John the Baptist would announce the foundation which God was laying for people to come and build their lives upon. “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) Paul would tell the Church in Corinth, “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:10-11) When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, He puts a foundation in our lives that will hold us forever. 

With a firm foundation to build our lives upon, we must learn obedience from Jesus. Jesus had learned all things from His Father. “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” (John 5:19) Paul presents Jesus’ humanity in His obedience to His Father, as Jesus shows us the importance of obedience. “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8)

Jesus teaches us how to build on the foundation, “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.” (Matthew 7:24) The entire Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ teaching about the material used to build our house on the rock. When we build with all that Jesus provides, when the time of trial and testing comes our house will stand. “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.” (Matthew 7:25) Jesus reminds us of the trouble we will face as we live in this world, yet it is through these times where we learn the stability which Jesus brings into our lives.

Once we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, He gives us eternal life. Yet, for us as believers, God will also judge how we build on the foundation of Jesus Christ. “If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.” (1 Corinthians 3:12-15)

Jesus is the foundation. When we come to Him by faith we begin to build on the foundation. This is a reason why James says, “But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.” (James 2:18) When we come to Jesus by faith, He changes us and calls us to come follow me. When we follow, we begin to build upon the foundation with the material Jesus provides. “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:3)

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block