Build on the rock
20/01/2022 - Matthew 7:24
‘Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.'
‘Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.'
It seems completely counterintuitive to us that the Bible tells us to welcome adversity. It goes as far as to tell us that we should, ‘Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds’ (James 1:2). If we are honest, we would rather be comfortable and allowed to get on with life with as few unpleasant disturbances as possible. Surely counting it ‘pure joy‘ is taking it all too far! James goes on to explain that when our faith is tested, perseverance is produced and when perseverance has finished its work, we will be ‘mature and complete, not lacking anything’ (James 1:3-4). In other words, if we respond to testing in the right way, it will produce a wholeness of Christian character that encompasses the whole of who we are.
There are two distinct parts to each of us and, for most of us, this means our extrovert and introvert. Most people grow up living predominantly in their extrovert because they have not learnt how to live comfortably in their introvert. When someone becomes a Christian, they respond to the Lord with the part they are used to living in. As we walk with Him, a process begins that enables Jesus to be Lord of our introvert as well as our extrovert.
Our verse reminds us that the only true foundation to life is to put into practice the words of Jesus. If we take that analogy further, we can say that those words need to penetrate the foundations of our lives, that is, into our introvert. God’s truth needs to challenge the deeply established patterns, attitudes, and responses of our hearts so that we live our lives on solid ground. Jesus’ hearers would have understood His illustration. In the summer, many gullies offered pleasant locations in which to build. It was a different story when the torrents flowed in the winter, and the sand was swept away. How many times have we seen that work out in people’s lives? While the sun is shining, what can go wrong? Life moves along, albeit at a superficial level, but what happens when adversity strikes? What happens to us when the ‘trials of many kinds’ start flooding in? The undeveloped introvert is exposed. The extrovert is well practised in coping with life to a point, but now the pressure is on, it is proving not to be fit for purpose.
What to do?
For the Christian, he can choose to let the words of Jesus penetrate the depths of his heart. The storms may well be exposing the fears, insecurity, and weakness of the introvert, but it is an opportunity to apply the truth that Jesus brings to that deeper level. Because the Spirit of God lives within, we know the truth that is ever-present in each Christian. That awareness may have become overlaid with layers of sand, but if we dig deep through the sand, we will come to the solid rock. We know the truth within, that truth resonates with the words of Jesus, and we can now build on the rock.
Do we have to wait until some major challenge comes our way before we start building on the right foundation? Certainly not. Fix the roof when the sun is shining, not in the middle of a hurricane. James speaks of trials ‘of many kinds’, which includes the little issues and large. The key is in our response to the everyday, even mundane, challenges of life. Start practising now on whatever comes up in your day. You may sense that you are getting irritable - let Jesus’ grace go deeper. You may be struggling with disappointment - let the love of Christ satisfy your heart. Guilt might be your unwanted constant companion - apply the truth of God’s complete forgiveness to the most stubborn remnant of guilt. Refuse to tolerate those weaknesses in your foundation and live in the strength of the presence and joy of the Lord.
Click here to add your own thoughts and experiences - 4 comments.
On 21/01/2022 Nicky wrote:
'Amen. Thank you John for these powerful images, which help us to remember what is important during the storms of life (and also during the sunshine): His Grace and His Love.'
On 22/01/2022 Lisa wrote:
'Thank you John for this reminder.'
On 23/01/2022 Cathy wrote:
'Yes, thank you John, that really resonated with me and I liked the thought of scraping away the sand to find the rock underneath. It chimed with something that happened the other day when I was being plagued with feelings of disappointment and frustration. I knew that I had to take up my cross and follow Jesus (Luke 9;23), as Tim reminded us in his talk, and the more I thought about that the more insistent I realised that wholehearted trust in Jesus was needed, no leaving some sand behind! When this was all cleared away I was suddenly O.K. I was loved, could love myself and others in return, what I thought was the problem wasn't the reality. It was I myself that was the problem, or what I felt about myself. Once that was sorted my feet were standing on the rock basically of God's encompassing love.'
On 4/02/2022 Rodney wrote:
'What a Powerful Summary of our Basic need – into finding a real and deep sense of Security. Thank you. John.'
There are two distinct parts to each of us and, for most of us, this means our extrovert and introvert. Most people grow up living predominantly in their extrovert because they have not learnt how to live comfortably in their introvert. When someone becomes a Christian, they respond to the Lord with the part they are used to living in. As we walk with Him, a process begins that enables Jesus to be Lord of our introvert as well as our extrovert.
Our verse reminds us that the only true foundation to life is to put into practice the words of Jesus. If we take that analogy further, we can say that those words need to penetrate the foundations of our lives, that is, into our introvert. God’s truth needs to challenge the deeply established patterns, attitudes, and responses of our hearts so that we live our lives on solid ground. Jesus’ hearers would have understood His illustration. In the summer, many gullies offered pleasant locations in which to build. It was a different story when the torrents flowed in the winter, and the sand was swept away. How many times have we seen that work out in people’s lives? While the sun is shining, what can go wrong? Life moves along, albeit at a superficial level, but what happens when adversity strikes? What happens to us when the ‘trials of many kinds’ start flooding in? The undeveloped introvert is exposed. The extrovert is well practised in coping with life to a point, but now the pressure is on, it is proving not to be fit for purpose.
What to do?
For the Christian, he can choose to let the words of Jesus penetrate the depths of his heart. The storms may well be exposing the fears, insecurity, and weakness of the introvert, but it is an opportunity to apply the truth that Jesus brings to that deeper level. Because the Spirit of God lives within, we know the truth that is ever-present in each Christian. That awareness may have become overlaid with layers of sand, but if we dig deep through the sand, we will come to the solid rock. We know the truth within, that truth resonates with the words of Jesus, and we can now build on the rock.
Do we have to wait until some major challenge comes our way before we start building on the right foundation? Certainly not. Fix the roof when the sun is shining, not in the middle of a hurricane. James speaks of trials ‘of many kinds’, which includes the little issues and large. The key is in our response to the everyday, even mundane, challenges of life. Start practising now on whatever comes up in your day. You may sense that you are getting irritable - let Jesus’ grace go deeper. You may be struggling with disappointment - let the love of Christ satisfy your heart. Guilt might be your unwanted constant companion - apply the truth of God’s complete forgiveness to the most stubborn remnant of guilt. Refuse to tolerate those weaknesses in your foundation and live in the strength of the presence and joy of the Lord.
Click here to add your own thoughts and experiences - 4 comments.
On 21/01/2022 Nicky wrote:
'Amen. Thank you John for these powerful images, which help us to remember what is important during the storms of life (and also during the sunshine): His Grace and His Love.'
On 22/01/2022 Lisa wrote:
'Thank you John for this reminder.'
On 23/01/2022 Cathy wrote:
'Yes, thank you John, that really resonated with me and I liked the thought of scraping away the sand to find the rock underneath. It chimed with something that happened the other day when I was being plagued with feelings of disappointment and frustration. I knew that I had to take up my cross and follow Jesus (Luke 9;23), as Tim reminded us in his talk, and the more I thought about that the more insistent I realised that wholehearted trust in Jesus was needed, no leaving some sand behind! When this was all cleared away I was suddenly O.K. I was loved, could love myself and others in return, what I thought was the problem wasn't the reality. It was I myself that was the problem, or what I felt about myself. Once that was sorted my feet were standing on the rock basically of God's encompassing love.'
On 4/02/2022 Rodney wrote:
'What a Powerful Summary of our Basic need – into finding a real and deep sense of Security. Thank you. John.'
John Sparkes
Return to Home page - Bible Insights
Go to Bible Insights 2019 - Bible insights 2018 - Bible insights 2017
Go to Bible Insights 2019 - Bible insights 2018 - Bible insights 2017
|
Copyright © 2014-2022 Halesworth Community Church. All rights reserved.
Registered Charity No: 1125417 Privacy policy |
|