"a wise man who built his house upon the rock"

Something I want to share during worship here this Sunday, based on Matthew 7.24-27:

"A wise man who built his house upon the rock."

Isn't that who we want to be? And aren't we now trying to "build our house," or maybe rebuild our house here? That requires a foundation, a common ground that we all share. A solid basis for life together, for a life that will last.

Now there are many things that people try to "build their house" on, things they hope will unite them and be a reliable basis for their life together. For example:

The land. It seems that the land we live on together is a good foundation to "build our house" on. We all need the food and shelter that comes from the land, and this shared need motivates people to work together. To bring in the harvest, chop wood for the winter, re-roof a house. But we also see that the land is limited. There's only so much. This often leads to conflict and division about how the land will be used, who will get the limited resources we have. And then the land can be taken away from us, can't it? The land is not a firm enough foundation for a shared life that endures. It is sand.

In the sermon on the mount, however, Jesus offered an alternative to relying on our land and our common work. He said, "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" And "seek first God's kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well." Is Jesus' promise a more reliable foundation for us than the land?
 
Then there's family. It seems that family is the natural foundation to "build our house" on. We have a God-given connection with the people in our family, a connection that is physical and emotional. And a natural love that motivates parent to care for child, and then child to care for parent. But we also see that family is not enough. We need others outside our family. And a shared life based on family will not connect us with these others, and often sets up fierce conflicts between families that tear both families down. Family is not a broad enough foundation for a shared life that endures. It is sand.

But Jesus offered an alternative to the limited, natural love of family. He offered a love that extends beyond our family, to anyone who asks for help, even to our enemies. "For if you love those who love you," he said, "what reward have you? ...And if you welcome only your brethren, what more are you doing than others?" Is this love Jesus offers a better basis for a shared life than the love of our family?

Then there's a group's common way of life, a basic part of what we call "community." It seems that commitment to a common way of life is a good foundation to "build our house" on. Commitment to a certain group of people and commitment to a common way of living together, values and practices that we all share, has been the basis for most all human societies. But we also see many different ideas about what this "way of life" should be. Conflicting ideas. And the bigger and stronger our community becomes, the more often we see the weaker members being crushed. We also see that a common way of life, after a long time, can become a rut that we have a hard time getting out of. A common way of living is not a stable enough foundation for a shared life that endures. It is sand.

Jesus offered an alternative, though. He was living in the Jewish community that had a well-developed common way of life, with values and practices based on commands from God himself. But in his sermon, Jesus offered something more. He said over and over, "You have heard that it was said to the men of old... But I say to you...." The alternative Jesus offered was himself. His listeners already had clear directions based on their common way of life, but Jesus called them to trust him instead. Instead of their community laws—a living, loving person. Instead of many teachers debating their values and practices—one teacher. Jesus.

He ended his sermon by saying, "Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock." I believe all of us here can find a common ground in this one man. In our commitment to Jesus. I believe if we "build our house" on him, if we trust his promises together, if we show each other the love he gives us, we will find a life together that endures.