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HOW TO HAVE A ROCK SOLID HOME--PART 1
MATTHEW 7:24-27
Introduction:
On September 19, 1985 at 7:17 AM, an earthquake of a magnitude of 8.1 hit Mexico City. Of a population of 18 million, an estimated 10,000 people were killed, and 50,000 were injured. In addition, 250,000 people lost their homes, and property damage amounted to $5 billion. Over 800 buildings crumbled, including hotels, hospitals, schools, and businesses.
Mexico City sits on top of a dried up lake bed which made the ground more soft which caused more destruction. The expansion of the capitol (Mexico City) and the gradual draining of the lake left the world's largest population center located largely on unconsolidated lake-bed sediments. These soft sedimentary clay deposits amplified the seismic waves. The earthquake did tremendous damage because of the inadequate foundations of the buildings.
Many lives may have been saved if proper precautions had been taken when the construction of these buildings took place. Many times foresight is short while hindsight is 20/20. No one ever thought that an earthquake would devastate Mexico City.
A house is no better than its foundation! Jesus uses this imagery of a foundation to illustrate a spiritual truth. (READ–Matthew 7:24-27).
When we studied Biblical Interpretation in a series of Wednesday night studies, we said that a Scripture has one interpretation, but can have many applications.
Now we need to understand that the immediate context of these verses show that the Lord Jesus Christ was specifically speaking about a person’s eternal destiny. Look at that first word of verse 24–the word “therefore.” It refers to something that has been previously said. So when we see “therefore,” we must look back to see what it is there for. (Look at Matthew 7:21-23)
So, the immediate context is talking about a person’s eternal destiny.
We also need to understand that Jesus was referring to a group of individuals whose lives fit a certain profile. Look at verse 24 and you see the word “whosoever.” The word “whosoever” can refer to a person who belongs to a group of people fitting the context of what is being said.
For instance take the word “whosoever” in John 3:16–“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
So we see that Jesus is specifically teaching about a person’s eternal destiny as it relates to the foundation that his life is built upon.
Jesus Christ is the only sure foundation for salvation! He is the Rock! Look at verse 24 again!
Anything else that you try to build your life on is a foundation of sand! Look at verse 26!
So if you are not building your life on Jesus, you are inviting disaster to wipe out what you have lived for!
So, I know and we all can agree that the basic interpretation of this passage relates to salvation. But this morning I would like to make another application!
Jesus is saying that we know that a house is no better than its foundation.
Jesus applies that to a life and says that a life is no better than its foundation.
This morning however we want to look at this illustration and relate it to the home.
A home is no better than its foundation! How can we have a rock solid home?
In building our homes today, we need to realize some things:
I. WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT STORMS WILL COME!
Storms are a part of life and come both to the just and to the unjust.
In other words, there will be some things that will come along in this life at some time or another that will try the strength of your home and will try its very foundation.
It is God who allows the storms to come our way that test the foundation.
A. That Storm Could Be In The Area Of Finances!
B. That Storm Could Be In The Area Of Health!
C. That Storm Could Be In The Area Of Outside Interference!
1. It might be in-law (or out-law) problems!
2. It might be from folks who are your enemies!
3. It might even be from folks who are supposed to be your friends!
4. It might be from some other Satanic hindrances!
D. That Storm Could Be In The Area Of Personal Conflicts Or Disagreements!
Did you know that after almost 25 years of wedded life, my wife and I do not agree on everything?
We are individuals with our own likes and dislikes and even with our own idiosyncrasies just like you!
But the foundation of our marriage is solid and sure which allows us to get beyond those areas of personal conflicts or disagreements.
E. That Storm Could Be In The Area Of ________________!
You fill in the blank!
WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT STORMS WILL COME!
II. WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT GOD HAS LEFT US INSTRUCTIONS OF HOW TO BUILD OUR HOME!
For every structure that is built, there is someone who oversees the construction!
Psalm 127:1–“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it:”
The Lord wants to be the Architect and General Contractor of both our lives and homes!
If the Lord is going to build our life or our home, that means we are going to have to work off of His set of plans, His set of blueprints and follow His instructions!
The Lord’s set of plans for constructing a life or a home is found in the Word of God
A. He Gives Instructions To Husbands And Fathers.
Ephesians 5:25–“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”
Ephesians 6:4–“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
B. He Gives Instructions To Wives And Mothers.
Proverbs 31:10-31–The virtuous woman.
Ephesians 5:22-24–“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.”
C. He Gives Instructions To Children.
A good portion of the Book of Proverbs is written from a father unto his child.
Ephesians 6:1-3–“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”
It takes every worker following the plans to insure building a good building!
III. WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT OUR HOME WILL EITHER STAND OR FALL DEPENDING UPON THE FOUNDATION IT IS BUILT UPON!
It doesn’t matter how large or how beautiful a structure is, if the foundation is not right
it will not weather the storms!
Building a good building begins with a laying a good foundation!
Salvation is foundational to whatever you are building in this life!
Does it matter what is built on the foundation? Of course it does! We’ve already said that we must use God’s blueprints to build the right kind of building.
But the right foundation is foundational to what you are building!
If we are going to let the Lord build our homes, where is He going to want to start the actual construction? It all starts with the foundation!
WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT STORMS WILL COME!
WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT GOD HAS LEFT US INSTRUCTIONS OF HOW TO BUILD OUR HOME!
WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT OUR HOME WILL EITHER STAND OR FALL DEPENDING UPON THE FOUNDATION IT IS BUILT UPON!
IV. WE NEED TO REALIZE WHAT IT TAKES TO BUILD A HOME THAT WILL STAND. (Turn to Luke 6:47)
A. Building A Home Takes Want – “Whosoever cometh to me. . .”
If you want to build your own home in your own way, God will let you!
But, don’t blame God when your home falls apart in the storms!
B. Building A Home Takes Wisdom – “Whosoever. . .heareth my sayings.”
Not only must we come to God, but we must be open to God’s plan for the home from the Word of God!
If we come to God and He reveals His plan to us, but we turn a deaf ear to Him,
and say, “Well, that’ll never work,” what good does that do?
We have to realize the wisdom of God’s plans! We can’t nitpick God’s plans!
We can’t take what we like and leave what we don’t like!
C. Building A Home Takes Willingness – “Whosoever. . .doeth them.”
Not only must we accept God’s plans as being the right plan, but we must put them to work! We must use them!
We can’t say, “Well that’s a good plan, but I’m going with my own plans.”
D. Building A Home Takes Work – “digged deep” (Luke 6:48)
In the average home today there is:
1. More Sin Than There Is Godliness!
2. More Deceit Than There Is Truth!
3. More Blame Shifting Than Accepting Responsibilities!
4. More Exposure To The World Than Exposure To The Scripture!
5. More Strife Than Love!
6. More Fighting Than Praying.
7. More Excuses Than Obedience.
8. More Complaints Than Praises.
Conclusion
So, where do you stand this morning?
1. Where Do You Stand In Your Personal Life?
a. Are you building your life on the right foundation?
The foundation of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?
1 Corinthians 3:11–“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
Hear what the great Architect of life says:
Matthew 7:26-27–“And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”
b. Maybe you’ve got the right foundation, but the building materials you’ve been using are all wrong because you’re building with the wrong set of plans.
2. Where Do You Stand In Your Home Life?
If your home is not weathering the storms, something is wrong.
Is it the foundation that is the problem?
(Husband or Father? Wife or Mother? Children?)
Or maybe, just maybe you are using the wrong set of plans to build the home.
Psalm 127:1–“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it:”
The Lord wants to be the Architect and General Contractor of our lives and our homes!
If the Lord is going to build our home, that means we are going to have to work off of His set of plans, His set of blueprints and follow His instructions!
The storms will come!
God has left us instructions of how to build our life and our home!
Our life and our home will either stand or fall depending upon the foundation it is built upon!
It takes some key ingredients to build a life or a home that will weather the storms!
It takes Want!
It takes Wisdom!
It takes Willingness!
It takes Work! (You’ve got to dig deep!)
Home Page Contact Us Service Times Sermons Are You Going To Heaven?
NOTICE: THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!