“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.”
Most houses look great in good weather. It is only when inclement weather comes that a house’s true strength is shown. A weak house can’t fool anyone when the floods and winds come. The Palestinian deserts were susceptible to severe storms that would bring flash floods. The original hearers would have known that building a house on rock was the only way to stand against storms. Jesus used a familiar truth to express the importance of listening and obeying His words.
Jesus’ words aren’t meant to just be heard, they are meant to be obeyed. Jesus gives a warning that tough times will come. Every person will experience storms – situations that will shake our lives. Jesus’ commands aren’t simply for us to memorize but to follow. A solid spiritual foundation comes from hearing and applying God’s Word – listening and doing.
Building your house on the rock means that you have listened to Jesus’ teachings and have applied them to your life. You follow Jesus’ words and live them out. Building your house on the sand means that you hear Jesus’ teachings (reading your Bible, listening to a sermon, or attending a Bible study) but never live it out.
It is easier to build your house on the sand. Digging down to the rock takes time and energy. Building a house would be quicker and cheaper if builders would simply build a house on top of the dirt. But the problem is that a house that isn’t built on a solid foundation will not stand against the elements. Water, wind, and storms will destroy the house once the storm rages.
Building a house on rock requires a builder to dig down deep and ensure the foundation of the home will be solid. Trying to build your life on Jesus will take discipline, submission, and intentionality. If you want to be ready when the storms of life come, you must fully rely on the words of Jesus to be the foundation for your life.
Living as a follower of Jesus means that we are to walk in obedience to Jesus’ commands.
Live It:
- How well do you live out your faith in Jesus?
- Are you spending quality time in God’s Word each day, sitting in the presence of God in study and prayer?
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Chase Snyder
Writer, Pastor
