The Truth

If you were to walk around our city, you could go to areas that are building new homes and you would see concrete slabs. The rest of the house can’t go up until the foundation is laid.

No walls can be built. No roof shingled. No plants planted. No windows installed. No walls painted. No memories made until the foundation is laid.

As a matter of fact, I found a website online that says there are 7 steps to laying a foundation for a house. Those steps didn’t even include the measurements and the surveys and all the other things you have to do before building the foundation.

Jesus finished his famous sermon, the Sermon on the Mount, by talking about two different builders. One He called a wise man, the other He called a foolish man. This story is found in Matthew 7:24-27

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.”

In verse 24 and 26, Jesus says, “everyone who hears these words of mine...” The words Jesus is talking about here is the sermon. He had just spent the last 3 chapters of Matthew with His famous sermon. These four verses are Jesus’ conclusion to his sermon. All throughout this sermon there was good truths that He taught on.

He began this sermon in chapter 5 with the Beatitudes. He talked about what light was like. He used an illustration with salt. He talked about murder, adultery and divorce. He talked about what to do if someone hits you on one cheek. He talked about loving our enemies. This is also the place that He gave us His most famous prayer that we call, “The Lord’s Prayer.” He told us about fasting and about storing up treasures in Heaven. He told us not to worry and not to judge others. He talked about a narrow and wide gate. He also taught that not everyone who says Lord Lord will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

But He ends it with our text today. He has told us the truth. He has given us all this good information on how to live our life. How we can please God. He has touched a number of many subjects. And He sums it up with a quick word of advise. He says, “everyone who hears these words of mine” and then He places all of us into two categories. He says we are either wise men or we are foolish men. The wise are those that put Jesus’ words into practice. The foolish men are those that does not put Jesus’ words into practice.

The wise man built his house with a foundation made out of rock. The foolish man built his house with a foundation made out of sand. When the storms came, foolish man’s house didn’t stand because it was built on a bad foundation. But the wise man’s house stood because His foundation was built upon the rock. Jesus uses the same word for rock here that He used in our text last week. That is the same Rock that Peter referred to the chief cornerstone when He referred to Jesus in 1 Peter 2:6

1 Peter 2:6 NIV

6 For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

Jesus tells us here that if hear His words that are true and put them into practice then when the storms come our way, then you will be able to withstand those storms.

The Truth Changes Everything

1 Corinthians 3:11 NIV

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

The word of God is the truth. There are no lies. It is not wrong.

Hebrews 4:12 NIV

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

The Bible is not just right or wrong. It’s a different kind of truth. It is God breathed. It’s an alignment with the Creator of the universe and the way He intends things to be. Therefore it carries His power and authority.

Have you ever had to say the words, “I was wrong?” It is hard to admit when you are wrong. When you discover the truth about someone or something or a situation that you are in and you have to change your opinion about something and admit that you were wrong, it’s hard, but it was the truth that changed that.

I like to read non-fiction books. I want to know something that is real. I like history. I like true-crime. I believe that we can learn from the past so that we don’t repeat it.

Several years ago, John Grisham, wrote a non-fiction book called “The Innocent Man.” It is about a murder case that was botched and a man went to prison for many years for a crime that he didn’t commit. Once the truth came out they released this man from prison. The circumstances didn’t change, but the results changed. All because of the truth.

The truth is a powerful thing. Jesus gave us the truth and He wants us to put the truth in our life and make the foundation our life is built upon a solid foundation.

We Need to Walk in the Truth

Real quick I want to give you 6 items that will help you walk in the truth.

1. Reading Your Bible

The best way to get the truth into your life and to have a solid foundation is to read the truth.

John 8:31–32 NIV

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

None of us like being bound in chains. If I was to bring you up here and put chains on you and tell you that you needed to walk around with those heavy chains binding you, you wouldn’t want to do that. No one likes being bound. The Word of God, the truth, sets you free. When we read the Word of God, it keeps us free from bondage. But don’t just read it. Study it.

2. Study the Word of God

Put the scriptures in your heart.

Psalm 119:11 NIV

11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NIV

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 2:15 NIV

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

These last few verses in 2 Timothy was words that Paul wrote to a young preacher. Paul was giving Timothy advice. He was telling him to make the scriptures a part of his life so that he could deliver those words to his congregation. Why? Because God’s Word is the truth and it will help you to build a solid foundation in your life.

You Need God’s Word!

3. Talking to God

You need to ask yourself, “Have you made a conscience effort to talk to God today?” Have you spent more time with God than just a rubba dub dub thanks God for the grub? Have you prayed more than just a lay me down to sleep prayer at night when you go to sleep?

God wants to have a conversation with you. Even if you don’t know what to say or how to say it, just simply say thanks. But take a minute of each day and spend it with God.

If I went an entire month and didn’t talk to my wife, how do you think that relationship would go? We would probably be talking to a lawyer before long. I have conversations with my wife everyday. When we first started dating, we would have long talks just getting to know one another. We still talk today, but our conversations are different. The same thing is with God, as you grow in your relationship with the Lord, you begin to talk to Him differently. The key is to talk to God.

4. Talking to One Another

We need each other. We need to talk to one another. Everyone of us in this room are on different spiritual levels. Some of us are new believers, some of us have been saved a long time, some of us are right there in the middle. The truth is each of us can contribute something to someone’s life. You may have experiences that I don’t have. I may have experiences that you don’t have. Each one of us has something to contribute.

5. Attending Church

Acts 2:42–47 NIV

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

This is how the first church started. This is where the church needs to be today. Somewhere along the line, some churches strayed from this path. We need to be in alignment with this.

I believe that we are working towards this. Are we their yet? Not fully. But each week we are taking a step to get there. It is important for you to attend church and be a part of this church. But if you don’t like this church, then you need to find a church you do like.

But, let me say this. It is not always about what you want. It is what God wants and if God is calling you to a church, then you better figure out where you can get involved and start living in God’s will.

6. Attending Wednesday Night Connect Groups

Small groups are so important for you to be involved in. You need more than just a once a week dose of a time of worship, prayer and God’s Word. If you are spending time with God on your own, then you need to come on Wednesday nights and let God do a work in you.

God wants to take you to a level that you haven’t ever been to. You just have to be receptive to where He wants to take you. I believe Wednesday night Connect Groups is a part of that.

Conclusion

Have you ever heard someone say, I’m just not feeling it? If we do everything on our feelings, then we are building a life on shaky ground. Why is that?

Our feelings change like the weather. Look at the world and how they react to things. One day something is wrong and the next day it’s okay now. One day marriage is just between a man and a woman and the next it’s okay for a woman to marry another woman and a man to marry another man. One day you can’t abort a baby after a certain amount of time and the next day it’s okay to abort a baby right after they are born. We can’t build a solid foundation on feelings. The world reacts to their feelings.

We have to build our life upon a solid foundation We have to build our life upon the rock, our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.