Scripture: “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” – Matthew 7:25
Examination: In the end of this final chapter of the “Sermon on the Mount”, Jesus is teaching about the importance of obeying His teachings. Those who do so will be able to weather life’s storms and remain strong; those who don’t will struggle and eventually be destroyed.
Application: What was this rock upon which the wise man built his house? Jesus actually explains it in the previous verse. His reference is to the importance of doing what He has taught. Normally, Christians think of the rock as only being Jesus, but it is more than that. It is Jesus plus His teachings, which are found in the Bible.
A strong foundation for our faith is woven throughout the pages of Scripture. The Bible is full of “stones” that are used to create our footing, but Jesus Himself is our corner stone. In masonry, the corner stone is the first stone set, and it determines the position and alignment for the rest of the structure. The corner stone guides the placement of the rest of the stones that will be used. As our corner stone, Jesus is the One who sets our faith and aligns the other biblical “stones” that support our practice of that faith.
When we accept Christ as our personal Saviour, our cornerstone is set, and then as we learn more about God through His Word, our foundation becomes stronger as we build it up with more “stones”.
- The Cornerstone
- “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.” – Isaiah 28:16
- Jesus is our corner stone.
- Memorial stones
- “And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.” – Joshua 4:20
- Joshua built an altar of twelve stones as a memorial to God’s grace.
- Our faith grows stronger when we read about His grace to His children in the Bible, as well as remembering God’s amazing grace in our own lives.
- Ebenezer stones
- “Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.” – I Samuel 7:12
- “Ebenezer” means “stone of help.” Samuel set up a stone as a reminder to the children of Israel of God’s help in battle resulting in victory for them against the Philistines.
- Our faith grows stronger when we see God helping us through answered prayer, divine protection, illumination of His Word in our hearts, and providing spiritual victories.
- Promise stones
- “And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God.” – Joshua 24:27
- Joshua sets this stone as a symbol of the covenant between God and His people. It stands as a physical reminder to obey the Lord.
- Our faith grows stronger when we read and experience the faithfulness of God in keeping His promises.
- Living stones
- “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 2:5
- We are the living stones upon which the church is built. Through our service to God, our faith continues to grow stronger, and our testimonies encourage the growth of faith in others.
When our faith is firmly set upon the Rock, the Lord Jesus Christ, it will continue to grow through the addition of more biblical “stones” to our foundation. Let us build a house for Jesus that will stand through the ages, and then one day, one final stone will be added. Revelation 2:17 states, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” We can look forward to the moment when Jesus will give us a new name that will be written in heavenly stone!
Memory Verse: “The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.” – 2 Samuel 22:47
Stretching your thoughts:
1. If someone’s life is built on “sinking sand”, how could you help them build a foundation built upon the Rock?
2. When circumstances in life try to chip away at your foundation, what steps can you take to fortify it?
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand:
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
(from “The Solid Rock” by Edward Mote)