Rock Solid

Using the metaphor of building a house, Jesus contrasts two ways of approaching life:

1.  Solid Foundation.  “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. 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" (Matt 7:24-25).

2.  Shifting Foundation.  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. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash" (vv 26-27).

One foundation, being the rock solid words of our Lord, withstands the storms of life and the tsunami of sin, death and judgment. The other foundation, being anything other than the Words of Life, which come only from Christ (cf. John 6:68), does not survive the withering storms of life and will be completely washed away in the tsunami of death.

Something worth noting in these two house is that there was nothing said about the layout or materials or effort put into their construction. As far as we can tell, the two houses were constructed identically apart from their foundations.

Reversing the metaphor, these two individuals may have grown up in the same neighborhood, went to the same school, attended the same church, etc.  However, one entrusts his life in Jesus, following Hus words as a template to address life and as a cover to weather the storms therein. The other trusts in self or science or wealth or whatever other than Christ thing seems best to him in which to hang his hopes.

The one standing on the words of Jesus - it's promises and power and provisions - stands firm and survives everything thrown against him, all the same kinds of struggles and sorrows the man on the sand has to endure only the man on the sand doesn't endure to the end - he doesn't survive the storm.

The storms come - that is the bad news. There is a Rock Solid Foundation upon which to build - one that will never give way no matter how the storm rages in this life and remains Rock Solid even into death. As Jesus himself promises,  "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you" (Jn 14:18).

So, Rock Solid - Jesus Christ or really shifting - anything but Jesus. The choice is yours. Upon what shall you build your life.  Jus' Ask'n.