Built To Last

🧱 The House That God Builds – Week 4: Built to Last

RECAP....

We’ve talked about being stamped with God’s image.

We’ve learned that marriage is a covenant, not a contract.

We’ve discovered that raising arrows means preparing children for purpose.

Now we come to the final piece:

what it means to build something that lasts.

Because....

what good is a beautiful house if it crumbles in the storm?

And what good is a busy family if nothing eternal is being built within its walls?

Church, God doesn’t just want to bless your home — He wants to build it.

And anything God builds is meant to stand the test of time. AMEN?

Matthew 7:24–27 NIV

24 “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. 25 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. 26 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. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Jesus does NOT say if the storm comes — He says when.

Every home will face wind, rain, and rising waters.

The only question is — what is YOUR HOME built on?

WILL IT STILL BE STANDING AFTER THE STORM?

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT THIS MORNING......

Storms don’t just destroy what’s weak;

Storms reveal what was never strong.

AND...If the foundation of your home isn’t Christ....

YOUR house WON’T last.

WELL.....PASTOR CHRIS.......WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT WON’T LAST?

I KNOW LOTS OF FAMILIES THAT HAVE LASTED AND HAVE GREAT HOMES AND...

THEY WERE DEFFINATLEY NOT BUILT WITH JESUS AS THE FOUNDATION....

SO DON’T YOU THINK YOUR REACHING A LITTLE WHEN YOU SAY THAT A HOUSE CAN’T LAST?

LET’S TALK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE....

You’re right.....

there are absolutely families who seem happy, stable, and loving —

even though they don’t follow JESUS.

They may have...

strong communication,

STRONG shared values,

healthy habits,

or EVEN emotional bonds that help them stay together.

So when I SAY..... “the house can’t stand without Christ,”

it’s not necessarily claiming that unbelieving families can’t function or...

experience love, OR peace, or even long-term unity on a human level.

LET’S UNPACK THIS REAL QUICK...

💎 A. “Standing” in Scripture means enduring through every kind of storm — including spiritual ones.

SO....

When Jesus talked about the house built on the rock (Matthew 7:24–27),

He wasn’t just talking about the storms of life — LIKE...finances, relationships, sickness —

He was ALSO talking about the final storm....

judgment, eternity, and the testing of what our lives were built on.

MATTHEW 7 SAID....

“The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house…”

Those storms represent everything that tests the soul —

I’M TALKING ABOUT....trials now and eternity later.

So yes I WOULD SAY....a family can stay together for decades without Christ.

But what happens when tragedy hits?

When sin enters THE HOME?

When death separates them?

Without a foundation of Christ..... there is no eternal stability.

The love may be real, but it’s not redeemed — it ends with this life.

🔨 B. Christ is not just the foundation of stability — He’s the foundation of redemption.

IN OTHER WORDS.....

A home can be peaceful without Jesus,

but it can’t be holy without Him.

Christ doesn’t just help you get along IN YOUR FAMILY — He transforms your nature.

OH MY LORD THAT IS SO GOOD.....

He heals,

HE forgives,

HE renews,

HE restores,

and HE empowers love beyond what human effort can maintain.

So when we say, “The house can’t stand without Christ,”

we mean that ultimately.....

only what’s built on Him will stand before God and carry eternal weight.

1 Corinthians 3:11 NIV

11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

C. A Christless home may stand structurally — but not spiritually.

From the outside, it can look strong:

good morals,

laughter,

traditions,

success.

But YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS....

spiritual strength is measured by whether the presence of God dwells there.

The house built on sand may look identical to the one on the rock —

until the storm comes.

THAT IS THE KEY....

The difference between sand and rock isn’t visible at first — it’s revealed over time.

SO YEAH....

“The house built on sand can still look nice.

The family photos still hang on the wall.

But when life shakes it.....

OH COME ON SOMEBODY.....WHEN LIFE SHAKES THE HOUSE

only a foundation anchored in Jesus can keep it standing through the storm and beyond this life.

🕊️ D. the message isn’t condemnation — it’s invitation.

I’M not saying other families can’t have love or joy.

I’M saying there’s a deeper kind of love —

a redeemed love,

a resting peace,

a lasting legacy — that can only come from the One who conquered death.

Because Christ doesn’t just make your family happy — He makes it holy.

And holiness is what makes it eternal.

OH THAT IS SO GOOD....I HOPE YOU WROTE ALL THAT DOWN

OK SO.....NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT THE FOUNDATION AND HOW TO BUILD A HOME THAT LASTS

1. Strong Foundations Build Strong Futures

OH THAT’S GOOD....

Every lasting structure begins underground.

Before the walls rise, before the roof is framed....

the builder must dig deep.

In the ancient world, foundations were laid with stone and mortar —

layer upon layer,

pressed firm into the earth.

If you wanted your house to endure earthquakes or floods....

you didn’t start by decorating the walls;

you started by anchoring the foundation.

Joshua 24:15 NIV

15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua wasn’t just making a momentary choice —

he was laying a family foundation.

HE WAS ESTABLISHING A FOUNDATION TO BUILD A HOUSE THAT WILL LAST

He was saying, “This house will be known for one thing........serving God.”

OH COME ON SOMEBODY.....

DADS, MOMS, grandparents — what foundation are you building on?

If the Word of God is not the base of your home,

no amount of success can keep it standing.

OH COME ON SOMEBODY....

It’s not the paint color or the paycheck —

IT IS the presence of God that holds the house together.

GOD’S PRESENCE IS THE CONCRETE THAT HOLDS TOGETHER A HOME FOR GENERATIONS TO COME

Legacy does NOT start with what you leave behind —

it starts with what you stand on.

I’LL SAY THAT AGAIN.......

Legacy does NOT start with what you leave behind —

it starts with what you stand on.

SO STOP SPENDING ALL OF YOUR TIME BUILD FOR RETIREMENT OR...

BULDING SO YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR KIDS SOMETHING WHEN YOU DIE

START SPENDING TIME TOGETHER AT THE TABLE

START SAYING NO! TO OVERTIME WHEN IT STARTS TO ROB YOU OF FAMILY TIME

START TALKING TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT GOD

AND START MAKING CHURCH AND WORSHIPPING GOD A PRIORITY IN YOUR HOUSE

THEN AND ONLY THEN WILL YOU LEAVE A LEGACY THAT WILL TRANSCEND GENERATIONS

2. Every Brick Matters

Once the foundation is laid,

the builder begins stacking brick by brick.

Each one might look small, but every piece matters.

In Hebrew, the word banah (to build)

also means to establish, to continue, to make firm.

It’s used in Scripture for both houses and families —

because in God’s eyes, building a home and raising a family are the same sacred act.

In the ancient world

builders inspected every stone.

If a stone was cracked or uneven, it was rejected — unless the builder could reshape it to FIT...

OH MY LORD....

THEY COULDN’T RESHAPE JESUS

IT DIDN’T FIT THEIR MOLD

HE REFUSED TO GO ALONG WITH CULTURE TO GET ALONG

HE REFUSED TO BOW TO THEIR TRADITIONS AND RELIGIOUS IDEOLOGIES

SO GUESS WHAT HAPPENED......

MATTHEW TELLS US.....THAT JESUS WAS THE STONE THAT THE BUILDERS REJECTED AND THREW AWAY...

WHY? BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT FIT WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO BUILD...

BUT IF YOU KEEP READING....

OH MY LORD.....

I LOVE HOW IT’S QUOTED IN ACTS....

PETER AND JOHN.....ARE PREACHING THE GOSPEL AND PEOPLE ARE BEING SAVED AND LIVES CHANGED....

THEYRE BEING HEALED OF DISEASES AND RESTORED

BUT PETER AND JOHN GET ARRESTED FOR THIS...

THEY ARE TAKEN IN BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN

AND THEY ARE QUESTIONED ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING

LET’S READ IT......

Acts 4:7–12 NIV

7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

THE CORNERSTONE WAS JUST THAT...

IT WAS PLACED IN THE CORNER AT THE START OF BUILDING

AND IT KEPT THAT BUILDING ALIGNED

EVERYTHING FROM THAT POINT WAS BUILT AROUND THE CORNERSTONE

IT PROVIDED STABILITY AND STRENGTH AND ALIGNMENT

OH COME ON SOMEBODY......

THIS IS why Jesus is called the Cornerstone.

He IS the piece that aligns the rest of the house.

1 Peter 2:5 NIV

5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

JUST KNOW ....

That Every prayer you pray together, every apology, every act of love —

that IS another brick in your spiritual house.

OH MY LORD....I WISH SOMEBODY WAS GETTING THIS

Some of you think the small stuff doesn’t matter.

But faith isn’t built in the spotlight — it’s built in the secret place.

It’s in how you speak when you’re frustrated,

how you forgive when you’re wronged,

how you show grace when no one’s watching.

Every brick builds something.

CAN SOMEBODY SAY AMEN????

....Neglect the small things, and cracks form in the walls.

Be faithful in the small things,

and your home becomes a fortress.

3. Build Beyond Yourself

You are not just building a house for your lifetime —

you’re building a legacy that will outlive you.

Proverbs 13:22 NIV

22 A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.

This verse isn’t just talking about money.

It’s about spiritual inheritance —

the values, convictions, and faith you leave behind.

In ancient Israel,

families built homes with generations in mind.

The father built the foundation;

the sons added rooms;

the grandchildren expanded the courtyard.

Every generation built on the previous one’s work.

When you live for legacy....

you stop asking, “What can I gain?” and start asking,

“What am I giving to those who come after me?”

Parents — you’re not just raising kids;

you’re raising future kingdom builders.

Your obedience today could break a curse that’s been in your family for generations.

Your prayer life could spark revival in your grandchildren.

Legacy means...

what God starts in you..... doesn’t end with you.

Psalm 78:4–7 NIV

4 We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. 5 He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, 6 so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. 7 Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.

Explanation: God’s design for legacy is generational discipleship —

parents teaching children, who teach their children, who keep the faith alive.

It’s the family as a living chain of covenant faithfulness.

.....WORSHIP TEAM JOIN ME.....

4. The House That Speaks When You’re Gone

In ancient Israel,

when a patriarch died,

his children would often visit the family home to remember his faith.

They WOULD touch the stones he laid,

walk the paths he walked,

and remember the God he served.

What will your home say about you when you’re gone?

Will your children say,

“They built a life around Christ,”

or “They built A LIFE around convenience”?

Hebrews 11:4 NIV

4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

When you live by faith,

your life keeps speaking after you’re gone.

That’s legacy. That’s a house built to last.

The storms may beat,

the years may pass,

but when your home is built on Jesus —

it doesn’t just survive, it testifies.

THAT IS SO GOOD.....

Closing Challenge and Altar Call

Church, what are you building?

Are you building something that will fade, or something that will last?

Something that will crumble when culture shifts,

or something that will stand until Christ returns?

......STAND TO YOUR FEET......

It’s time to build homes that preach even when we’re silent.

Marriages that point people to covenant love.

Children who fly straight and carry the legacy of faith forward.

Psalm 90:17 NIV

17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.

Altar Call

As couples, as parents, as individuals. Maybe the foundation has been cracked,

maybe the walls have weakened —

but i need you to know.......the Builder is here today.

If you’re ready to dedicate your home, your marriage, your family —

to build something that lasts....I WANT YOU TO COME WITH YOUR FAMILY IF THEYRE HERE

IF NOT THATS FINE......COME AS YOU ARE....STAND FOR YOUR FAMILY

.....WORSHIP TEAM PLAY AS THEY COME.......THE BLESSING

Isaiah 58:12 NIV

12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

Church, that’s who you are — repairers,

rebuilders,

restorers. A people, a marriage, a family —

THAT IS.......Built. To. Last. AMEN???

CLOSE IN PRAYER

“Lord, rebuild what’s been broken. Strengthen what’s been shaken. Make our house a house of Your presence — a house built to last.”

And for every believer here — even if they live alone — help them remember: they are a living stone in God’s eternal house. Help them choose to be a part of the legacy He’s building.