A contrast between a wise man build his house on the rock and an unwise man build his house on the sand could be seen in the Bible in Matthews' Gospel 7: 24—27. The building of the house referred is not about the building of the house with sand and cement on the rock or sand. The contrast is made between those who hear and obey Jesus Christ and those who do not hear and obey Him. The response of Jesus to those, whose hopes were built upon their works and not upon their relationship with Christ, will be, “Depart from me, I never knew you” (Mat. 7: 23)
Look at the text: two types of people are mentioned for examination. Notice first the similarities between these two people:
We are living in a stormy time. We are never promised exemption from these storms simply because we are believers. It will rain on the just and the unjust, the wicked and the good, the saved and the unsaved, the one who goes to the church and the one goes to the temple or mosque.
These are stormy times for all people. Unemployment is up and the stock market is fluctuating. Inflation is shaking the developed countries while profit margins are going down. Terrorists attack on most prominent places and monuments of the world as well as the very headquarters of the defence departments. The world is rocking and the times of uncertainty come up. The problems of the winds and waves of change beat against the church, against homes and communities. In the times of uncertainty, we have to better make sure that upon what we have built our faith.
We are living in a time of catastrophic change. Here in this world we are being challenged with changes. The financial stability is uncertain. Family problems are increasing. Divorces are increasing. Families are shattered. Political instability could be seen everywhere. People are selfish and money minded. Many are discouraged by seeing all theses things. There are uncertainties in this world. Many are uncertain about the world to come. They do not know where they will go after their death.
There are only two options: to build on the Sand or build on the Rock. This choice will make all the difference to whether or not we survive with our faith intact.
We are living in a time of catastrophic change. Here in this world we are being challenged with changes. The financial stability is uncertain. Family problems are increasing. Divorces are increasing. Families are shattered. Political instability could be seen everywhere. People are selfish and money minded. Many are discouraged by seeing all theses things. There are uncertainties in this world. Many are uncertain about the world to come. They do not know where they will go after their death.
There is a firm foundation, for our faith. His name is Jesus. When somebody put his or her trust in him is the one building on the rock. Then they do not have to live in fear because they have not been given the spirit of fear, but of love, and of power and of a sound mind.
We try to build our house on the rock, but when it comes to our house of faith, we had better be sure that we had built on the Rock. When our faith is built on the Rock, we will not fall. When our faith is built on the Rock we can stand even if everything and everyone else around us falls.
It is not the colour of our skin that will determine whether we stand or fall, but the red blood of Jesus Christ that makes us one with the Rock and with one another. Neither is our nationality our Rock. Nations rise and fall, but the church stands on. Empires have risen and fallen, but the church of Jesus Christ is still standing. The Rock is not our culture. It is not the culture such as Indian culture, or European culture, or the African culture, or the Hispanic culture that is our Rock. They may all fail but the principles of Christ will stay forever.
It is not even democracy or capitalism that is our Rock. For over a generation communism was the rule in Russia. They tried to wipe out God from the hearts and minds of people. However, without a bullet being fired the iron rule came down. The communist party had failed and communist philosophy proved futile, but the church was still standing because the Rock is not the government, the political philosophy, or even the constitution, the Rock is Christ Jesus as declared by the Word of God. Even if democracy fails, or capitalism goes the way of communism, there will still the people who build their life on Jesus Christ will survive.
In the time of terror and of uncertainty with regard to safety, people who have built their faith on the rock know that God is our strong-tower, our fortress and our help in a time of trouble.
The life built on the Rock is like a city set on a hill that cannot be hid. Those who standing on the Rock only will stand up against the storms will only stand in times of social and cultural uncertainties,
People who have built their faith upon the Rock will not struggle in times of economic uncertainty. We know who our source is. Our source is not anything of this world but our source is the Rock. It may be a journey through a wilderness. It may look bad all around us. However, in the middle of this uncertainty, there is a Rock and from that Rock the rivers of living water flow. If you have built your faith on the Rock, then we have the promise of provision even in times of poverty.
The name of this Rock is Jehovah-Jirah, The God who Provides. “My God is more than enough, He'll supply all my need, He is my El-Shaddai, He always takes care of me. Jehovah-Jirah, He is my Rock.” I do not have to stop offering or giving or helping others, because I know Whom the source is and His supply will never diminish.
Companies may crumble. Stock markets may crash. Banks may fail. However, if I have built my faith on the Rock, I will still be standing because my God shall supply all my need according to His riches in glory!
We live in a world that is rocking' and if we are not standing on the Rock, then we will fail and fall. So what does it mean to say that we are building our house on the Rock? Does it mean that we just go to church and claim to be believers? No. Jesus tells us that it is more than mental consent that He is looking for. He said the man who is building on the Rock is that man who hears and does His Word. Only those living in obedience to the Word of God are building their house on the Rock and therefore only those people will be left standing like rock.
What about it today? Have you built your faith, your spiritual house, upon the Rock Christ Jesus? The Lord Jesus is calling. Come to Him and build your spiritual life on the Lord