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Introduction
In about 2 months time, our church will send 13 people to Guatemala to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, distribute food to those who are hungry, minister to those who are hurting, encourage children who are struggling, and to construct homes for those who have next to nothing.
While we are there, we will build between 10-12 homes for families and provide them with about a month’s worth of food and give the family a Bible as we dedicate the house for the glory of God.
Whenever you think of building a home, you probably think of a 2/3 bedroom and 2/3 bathroom house with a living room, kitchen, closet space, and perhaps even a deck on the back patio.
This isn’t the world that people live in in Guatemala… Many people in Guatemala live in what we would consider “lean two’s” with dirt floors and 2-3 generations of people living under the same roof.
This idea shocks so many of us in the United States because we quickly come to realize how good we have it compared to others around the world!
So often a home represents stability and security for a family.
The home is where we can be ourselves.
It is the place where we grow and learn.
The home is essential in so many ways and it must be taken care of.
One of the most important parts of a home is its foundation.
You can have the nicest house in the world but if your foundation isn’t solid, your house is in danger.
Likewise, your house might not be the strongest but if your foundation is solid, you’re more likely to be safe and secure.
As we go to Guatemala later this summer and construct homes, one of the things that will stand out about the homes that we build for these families is that they will be build on a solid, concrete foundation rather than on the dirt that can quickly turn to mud.
It is amazing to see the looks on the faces of the people who receive these new houses and the gratitude they have for something that we would consider to be a simple room.
Why is a foundation so important?
For one we build our home upon it.
If our home is important, which it is, then the foundation we build upon better be secure and solid!
A bad foundation is a recipe for disaster.
A good foundation is a recipe for success.
Whenever a storm comes and whenever the ground shakes, your foundation better be strong or else your house will collapse.
Whenever difficulty arises in life, if our foundation and worldview is not built on solid ground, we too will fall victim and face disaster.
As we conclude Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7 this morning, we must reflect on what our foundation is built upon.
Sure, we understand why a physical house should be built on a solid foundation… But so many of us are tempted to build the foundation of our lives and souls on a shaky foundation and we’re content with that.
We’re tempted to take the easy way out.
We’re tempted to follow the broad path.
We’re tempted to trust in our plan.
We’re tempted to think that we are exempt from the storms.
We’re tempted to think that the Christian life is the struggle-free one.
Enter the words of Jesus this morning: the storms are here and the final storm will come.
Buckle up.
Check your foundation.
Who is your contractor this morning?
Is your hope built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness?
Is Christ your hope in life and in death?
I pray that that we all leave here today trusting completely in Christ’s solid foundation and plan for our lives.
The Foundation that Stands (24-25)
Think of some things in life that stand the test of time.
Looks will deteriorate.
Wood will rot.
Metal will corrode.
Opinions will change.
Styles will come and go.
So many humans are tempted to live their life and build their entire foundation on something that could be gone the very next moment.
What type of foundation could stay in tact whenever disaster strikes?
Over in Italy there are dozens if not hundreds of villages up in the mountains and one village has a river that runs directly through it as it meanders down the mountainside.
Back in 1586 a surveyor came by and recorded a drawing of the village.
Many of the houses are built on either side of this river but 4 houses are built on top of a massive boulder that project out of the ground.
For over 400 years this boulder has been a landmark for this tiny village but in 1923 this boulder turned into a life saver.
A dam was built higher up on the mountain above this village but the cost was immense and the materials given to the workers were poor in quality.
As a result, mere months after its completion, the dam burst and over 1 billion gallons of water came rolling down the mountain side.
This village was right in the path of this wall of water and was destroyed.
Roads, bridges, houses, and buildings were swept away by the water and 356 people lost their lives.
However, the few houses built upon that boulder were not only still standing but they were completely untouched.
The foundation that stands in the midst of the storms of this life is the one built on the solid rock.
What is Jesus’ point in sharing this at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount?
He tells us what it means in verse 24.
The one who hears His words and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
What does this statement imply?
For one it implies action, but what does the rock represent?
The rock represents a person - it represents Christ.
Whenever you and I hear His Word in Scripture and we actually act upon it and apply it to our lives, we are like a person who builds our house upon the solid rock.
The solid rock doesn’t budge whenever the water rises and the wind roars!
We know how dangerous storms can be in the midwest.
We know that if you have a really warm day and the next day is in the 50s or 60s that you’re in danger of some severe storms in the near future!
We know that in the spring time if you get enough rain in a short period of time, you’re going to have some nasty flooding and storms and floods represent danger in this part of the country on a frequent basis.
Because of this, it helps to have a solid foundation.
A shelter in the storm.
A foundation that is above the floodwater below.
We understand the importance of staying away from the rising river today… But why would Jesus mention this to the large crowd listening to him on the mountainside?
Because they had the same situation and struggle.
In the summer months the sand on the seashore would harden and it would look to be solid enough to where you could build a beautiful home.
But the bedrock was sometimes 10 feet below this hardened sand.
Whenever the winter season would come and the rains along with it, the rivers would flood and the house built on the sand with no foundation would be swept away and destroyed.
Yet, the one with the solid foundation on the bedrock would be save from the flood.
The foundation that we all need is Jesus.
He is the bedrock that withstands the floods of this life and whenever we build our lives on Him, we will be safe too!
As Jesus is saying this, though, He isn’t only talking about the storms that we face today and tomorrow.
He is also talking about *the* storm that we will all face on the last day.
Paul Washer talks about God currently holding 2 hands.
With one hand He graciously invites us to come home to Him and be saved and with the other hand He holds back His judgment against sin.
The cross is our ark - Jesus is the greater Noah - we are invited on board to be saved from the coming flood because one day God will drop both hands and it will be too late to get on board and escape the coming flood.
See, Jesus is the only way that we can survive the flood of God’s judgment and stand on the last day.
It’s not just a nice idea to build your life’s foundation on Christ, it’s the only way that you and I can survive!
So if it is of this much importance, how do we do this?
How do we make Christ our life’s foundation?
By simply acting on His Words.
Have you ever heard someone say that actions speak louder than words?
This is true on multiple levels, but it’s especially true as we read our Bibles.
The Bible continually tells us that we are supposed to follow Christ.
To submit to Him.
To live for Him.
Jesus doesn’t just want your lip service… He want’s your heart.
Look at what James 1 says about this
You and I are called to be doers of the Word - not just hearers.
If we only hear what we’re supposed to do but we never do it, we’re doomed.
This happens every year it seems, but say that someone is watching the news and they hear that the nearby river is at record breaking flood levels and that people need to evacuate the area.
This person gets the brilliant idea to go toward the river water instead of away from it.
What good does hearing life saving news do you if you reject it?
It does you no good.
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