Is Your Belief Based On a Solid Foundation?

"I choose not to be arrogant nor to put my hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put my hope in God, who richly provides me with everything for my enjoyment. I choose to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. I choose to lay up treasures in heaven that are a firm foundation for the coming age, so that I may take hold of life that is truly life."  (taken from 1 Timothy 6:17-19)

A solid foundation is important to the longevity of a building’s life. It is also crucial to the life and health of a church, and our life in Christ. Today, I want to talk about our foundation. We're going to take a look at it from God’s perspective, and see what we can do to patch up the cracks and make sure our foundation is solid!

Most of us are probably familiar with the Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5 through 7 of Matthew‘s gospel, but in Luke 6 we have what’s known as the sermon on the plain, (not in a plane!) on a level ground.

There are many similarities between these two sermons, but there are some main differences. The most notably is that Matthew states that Jesus was on a mountainside when he gave the sermon, whereas Luke’s account states that he was on a level place.

It’s clear that he went up on a mountain to pray all night, chose his twelve disciples and then came down to a level place to preach. In Luke’s gospel, he left out the Jewish sections which would not pertain to the gentiles. Jesus preached this sermon to the multitudes as well as to His apostles, and His message applies to us today.

Open your Bible and turn to Luke 6:46-49; our key scripture verses today, Jesus turns his focus to obedience and he rebukes those who claim to be his followers but do not obey his teachings. Jesus’ words in verse 46 cut to the core. He’s basically saying to them, “Why do you call me Lord, but do not obey me?”

He's talking to his followers. What kind of faith and trust is this? You call me Lord, you call me master, and yet you will not do the things I tell you? How much does this sounds like our world today. People like being called Christians, as long as it doesn't inconvenience them.

The Barna Research group gathers statistics on Christian America and reported the following information in 2002:

• 85% of Americans claim to be Christian;
• 8 out of 10 people consider themselves to be Christian;

It’s apparent that many do not really have a relationship with Christ.

A majority of these do not agree with the teachings of the Bible. Many do not believe in spiritual beings, or in hell. How many people who don’t agree with the bible are going to do what is expected of them? Dr. B.J. Miller once said, “It is a great deal easier to do that which God gives us to do, no matter how hard it is, than to face the responsibilities of not doing it!”

It’s one thing to disregard the teachings of the bible, but these people in Luke were calling Jesus Lord. To call Jesus Lord means we have made a commitment to Him as master of our lives. Why would these people call him Lord, but then refuse to obey his teachings? The things he taught were meant to help them. His true followers applied His teachings to their lives. The issue in verse 46 of Luke was obedience. Jesus expected it of them, and he expects it of us today!

In verse 47 he offers them an example, a parable of what it's supposed to be like when we hear his words and apply them to our life. “I will show you what he is like who comes to me and listens to my words and puts them into practice.” Jesus gives them a visual picture of what a God-exalting life is supposed to look like. He uses the example of a man building a house.

He says that this person “dug down deep” and laid the foundation on rock. In other words, if we are going to have a strong foundation we need to dig down deep. What does that mean? To dig down deep is to get beyond surface-level Christianity. It means:

• Not just church attendance, but service in and to the church;
• Not just faith, but deeds that reflect our faith;
• Not just reading the bible, but discovering it’s truths;
• Not just fellowship, but strong heart-level relationships;
• Not lip service, but TRUE obedience to Christ as Lord.

So, we need to dig down deep to make sure our foundation will last.

Jesus is the rock upon which God builds his church. He is the only solid foundation upon which we should build. When things are good, it doesn't seem so important to build on the rock. We see houses that are like a laid on a slab foundation.

What’s wrong with that? What happens when times are not going very well?

• With no foundation in a marriage, we have divorce.
• With no foundation in our relationship to Christ, we have backsliding
• With no foundation in our church, we lack faith and vision.
• With no foundation under a house, we have a mess!

Thus, a solid foundation is crucial in all aspects of life!

The hills in Palestine had little vegetation on them, the winter rains produced violent floods that swept away any building in their path. Those built on the marshy or sandy ground would go quickly, but those built on the rock would remain. Christ used this metaphor to teach that the only solid foundation for enduring life could be found in his teachings and truth.

Without a solid foundation, when hard times come, when things don’t go right, when we face struggles at home, on the job, at school...we will not have the strength to endure! So how do make sure that our foundation is on the rock? This can only be accomplished by self examination!!

In closing, we need to take an honest look at our faith, our beliefs and our trust in the rock. We need to apply the teachings of Jesus in our lives. It's not enough to say Lord. If we try to live the Christian life on a foundation other than that of Christ Jesus, we will not remain steadfast and committed to true Christian living. We will fail to bring God the glory.

We need to reevaluate our beliefs and level of obedience to God’s commands so that we are not deceived by the devil. He wants us to think that everything is fine. Each of us know in our heart of hearts if everything is really fine, or not.

Scripture: Matthew 7:24; 1 Corinthians 3:11-13; 2 Timothy 2:19; Isaiah 28:16; Psalm 11:3; Colossians 1:16-17;  Luke 6:46-48 

Prayer: Dear Lord, please help me remember that I am not alone. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Ophelia