A Firm Foundation

A Firm Foundation
Luke 6:46-49

Has anyone ever asked you this question..."What is your life based upon? Who or what is your hope in? If this where your last day on earth, where would you spend eternity?"

Two Different Types of People...

In this parable, Jesus speaks of two different kinds of people - those that listened to what He said and changed their lives and those that listened and went on with life as if they hadn't heart anything at all. The first group built their lives upon the solid foundation (Him); the second had no solid substance to build their lives on at all.

1. Those who have no foundation...

A. My free choice is not challenged. Each of us is given the ability to choose for or against Jesus. To choose for Jesus is to make Him Lord and Savior of our life. To not choose for Jesus isn't really making much of a choice at all for since we are born into sin we are already destined for hell.

B. My focus is on the present. Tom Friends of the New york Times asked Coach Jimmy Johnson what he told his players before leading the Dallas cowboys onto the field for the 1993 Super Bowl. "I told them that if I laid a 2 x 4 across the floor, everybody there would walk across it and not fall because our focus would be on walking the length of that board. But if I put that same board 10 stories high between two buildings, only a few would make it, because the focus would be on falling."

As long as circumstances are well, we don't have to worry about falling. But when the storms come and our 2 x 4 becomes airborne, our focus changes. We become more concerned about falling than anything else. But, if our focus is on Jesus, no matter what comes, our 2 x 4 is solidly anchored to Him.

C. My future is unsure. The manager and one of his salesmen stood before a map on which colored pins indicated the sales rep in each area. "I'm not going to fire you, Cartwright," the manager said, "but just to emphasize the insecurity of your position, I'm loosening your pin a little."

That's similiar to what the person faces each day that does not build their life upon Christ. The problem is that there is no promise of tomorrow - we don't know what the future holds, so why risk putting such an important decision off until an unpredictable future?

D. My fate is decided. Not choosing is making a choice. All of us are going to face judgment some day. We will receive the "wages" (Romans 6:23) for the choices we make in this life (Luke 6:49 and 1 Corinthians 3:11).

2. If I Have Christ As My Foundation...

A. My decision is to obey. When I confess that Jesus is Lord and Savior of my life, I am accepting the gift of eternal life that God gives me by His grace through faith - my sins are forgiven (Luke 6:47,48).

B. My direction is clear. The person who has Christ as Lord of their life has a clear direction. They know exactly where they are headed (Romans 8:28,29).

C. My destiny is secure. In various points of our lives, problems abound. Our temptation is to panic because we feel things are out of control. Yet, the truth is we've never been in control over the most important things of life. We've always been held up by the grace of God. Nothing happens without His say so.

In Jesus' parable, the storm came agains both houses. Neither was spared from the same exact storm (and it must have been a doozy). But only one was standing after the storm. The one with the solid foundation.

Where is your house (life) standing today? On shaky ground or on solid (Jesus)? It's not about your denomination, the church you go too, or even that you are a good person. It's all about who you know. And by that I mean Jesus. Please take the time to read Romans 10:9,10 for the answer to eternal life. It's time to trust Him!!!!!