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Contemporary Sermons 
Contemporary Service
“Flip This House” Series
Faith Renovation
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Scripture: Luke 6:46-49
"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I tell you? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, immediately it fell, and great was the ruin of that house."
Sermon: Building a Good Foundation: Grounded in Faith
You may have heard the story about the wealthy man who, setting out to build a house gave the blueprints to his secretary and told him, "I'm leaving on an extended trip and I want you to build a house for me in that location above the lake.” The boss told his secretary, “I'll be gone for ten months. Here are the plans and specs and funds to cover the cost."
Now, the secretary was no fool, and he saw it as an opportunity to line his own pockets. He hired a crooked contractor, employed unskilled labor whenever possible, and put cheap, inferior material into the building. When it was finished, it had the appearance of magnificence, a beautiful place, but was really a poorly constructed, insubstantial shell.
The ten months passed and the employer returned. He went with his secretary to see the building, which looked quite beautiful overlooking the lake. He asked the secretary, "What do you think of it?" The secretary answered, "I think it's wonderful.” To this, the boss responded, "I'm glad you like it. I'm retiring from business; I won't need your services much longer and I want you to have a nice house in your retirement. This house is yours." (Gulp!)
Now, can’t you just imagine how the secretary felt in that house every time a storm hit or the wind blew? If he even moved into the house, he probably was never able to get a good night sleep. And it serves him right, wouldn’t you say? Talk about building your house on the sand!
In our Scripture lesson Jesus told them a parable. “I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, immediately it fell, and great was the ruin of that house."
Today, in our faith renovation series we are talking about foundations. Building a good foundation. The thing about foundations, though, they are not something that you notice in particular. I don’t imagine many people get complimented on their house’s foundation. No. People may comment on the architecture or the paint or the location, but you don’t very often hear, “Whoa, that’s an amazing foundation.”
The same is probably true for our faith foundation, don’t you think? In your worship folders I included a piece written by Bruce Prewer called, “Our Foundations.” It reads:
OUR FOUNDATIONS
Everyone has a creed
on which they build life
knowingly or blindly-
love, beauty or greed,
sport or arcane belief.
Deep beneath one’s home
whether spacious or small
lies such underpinning
which decrees the outcome
of tears or serene smile.
With some it’s boldly professed
while others hide it in guile
until the storm and flood.
By creeds we’re cursed or blessed,
on them we stand or fall.
B D Prewer 1995
Our foundations aren’t revealed until somehow they are tested.
I am reminded of an old Sunday School song ~ I know, I’m often reminded of old Sunday School songs ~ but this one has hand motions!
The Wise Man and The Foolish Man
The foolish man built his house upon the sand (3X))
And the rains came tumbling down.
Oh the rains came down and the floods came up (3X)
And the house upon the sand went’ whoosh’
And now we have the wise man!
The wise man built his house upon the rock (3X)
And guess what?
The rains came tumbling down.
Oh the rains came down and the floods came up (3X)
And the house upon the rock stood firm.
Now that’s the thing about the parable, isn’t it? Regardless of whether you build your house on the sand or on the rock ~ with a foundation or without a foundation ~ the storms will come. The solid house doesn’t stand, set apart, storm free. Building on rock does not prevent the storm, it prepares for it. The storms reveal our foundations. As Bruce Prewer wrote, “Deep beneath one’s home /
whether spacious or small / lies such underpinning / which decrees the outcome.”
We know that storms will come. I’ve heard it said that there are two kinds of people. Those who are in crisis and those who will be in crisis. That is kind of depressing outlook on life, but there is truth to it. None of us get through life without loss, hurt, trials or pain. How we deal with it, though, it determined by our foundation.
Now, we know who the rock of our foundation is…. right? Who? But what are some of the building methods, so it speak, some of the tools we can use to build that solid foundation in Christ?
I’m thinking of:
Bible Study
Fellowship
Prayer
Worship
Service
In our church that might mean:
Attending Wonderful Wednesdays
Joining the Adult Sunday School class that meets at 10:00 on Sundays
Come to Friday morning Bible Study
Join the glean team
Volunteer at the shelter
Starting a small group
Are there other things you can think of?
Let’s be honest. It really is easier to build on the sand, isn’t it? Easier in the short term, at least. It costs us less in time, in energy, in resources. Building on the sand leaves our weekends free. When we build on the rock we have to dig down deep. Who wants to do that? We have to give of more of ourselves. When we build on the sand we can sleep in and only do what we feel like doing. It is easy to cut corners. Like the secretary in the story, we sometimes think we can get more out of it if we take the fast, cheap way.
But in the long run, we pay for it, right? Building a foundation is hard work, but is taking the long view. And we reap the rewards throughout life ~ in hope and peace, faith and joy. As the preacher Benjamin Reaves says, “Every one of us is building a house… Everything we do, every word we speak, every thought goes into the structure and becomes part of the life we build.”
There is one more verse of that Sunday School song I shared earlier.
So build your life upon the Lord, Jesus Christ (3X))
And blessings will surely come..
As your prayers go up, blessings come down (3X)
And heaven will be your home.
Let us pray…. |
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