BUILD YOUR HOUSE ON A SOLID FOUNDATION

PROCLAMATION

“As for everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like.  They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock.  When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.  But the one who hears My words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation.  The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”  Luke 6:47-49 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to Luke, the physician.   On the Sabbath while in the synagogue, Jesus healed a man with a shriveled right hand.  He asked if it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath.  The scribes and the Pharisees who saw Him do it were furious with Him and began to discuss among themselves what they might do to Jesus. (Luke 6:5-11)  There was a large crowd which followed Him, some of them wanted to hear Him, while others wanted to be healed.  He taught them to love their enemies, (Luke 6:27-29) to give to anyone who asks, (Luke 6:30) to do unto others as they would have them to do unto themselves, (Luke 6:31 – The Golden Rule) to lend money without expecting repayment, (Luke 6:34-36) not to judge others, (Luke 6:37) and to give and it will be given to them. (Luke 6:38)  He also told them that good trees produce good fruit and bad trees produce bad fruit. (Luke 6:43-45)  Then He said that people who hear Him and put His words into practice are like a man who builds his house on a solid foundation. (Luke 6:46-49)

 

APPLICATION

It is not enough to hear The Word of God, we must also internalize it and put it into practice. (James 1:22)  Our beliefs and our behavior, our spiritual house so to speak, should be built on a solid foundation. (Matthew 7:24-27 and Luke 6:47-49)  The only truly solid foundation is Jesus, The Christ.  He is The Rock of our salvation and our foundation.  Our life, our thoughts, our words, and our actions must be built upon The Rock. (1 Corinthians 10:4)  It is our foundation in Christ that keeps us standing when the storms and the temptations of life come up against us.  As the words of the Christian hymn state: “On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” (“My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less” by Edward Mote)