“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.” (Luke 6:46-49)
In each situation, both the man who built his house on the rock and the man who built his house without a foundation, it says, “And WHEN a flood arose” and “WHEN the stream broke against it”. Having adversity, opposition, trial, tribulation, etc. these are not a matter of if, but when. We must be prepared, and our preparation is Jesus.
Notice here that one who builds their foundation on the rock has to dig deep in order to lay that foundation. It takes work, digging deep into the Word of God to build a strong foundation on Jesus, our Rock. Time is sacrificed, but never wasted, when building on Jesus.
Three characteristics Jesus mentions of those who build their house on the rock:
1. They come to Jesus
2. They hear Jesus’ words
3. They do what Jesus said
James exhorts us to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22) Even further describing the one who is a hearer only as being “like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” (James 1:23-25)
When we see the outcomes of the two examples Jesus gives us, we see that the house built on the rock was called “well built” and the flood could not shake it. While on the other hand, the house built without a foundation fell immediately and its ruin was great. These are the only two outcomes. You either have a house built on the foundation of Jesus, the Rock, or you don’t. Don’t let the world fool you into thinking you can fortify yourself by any other means, because when you build your life on Jesus, not only is He your Rock, He is your fortress, your deliverer, your shield, your salvation, your stronghold – He’s your everything.
I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:1-2)
Building your life upon Jesus as the foundation is only the beginning, but a necessary start to the rest of your life in Him. Maybe you thought you had built a foundation on Jesus, but you’re realizing your faith is being shaken by things in life, or you realize the Jesus you’ve been serving isn’t actually the Jesus of the Bible and you’ve been blinded by false teachings. If this is you, you can start afresh today and build your life on the foundation of Jesus Christ, and Him alone.
Regardless of where you stand right now, do a foundation check and hear the Spirit’s call for you to come to Jesus, hear His words, and do what He says.