Recently I've been pondering how we get the Gospel from our head down into our heart so that it transforms us. There is a wonderful passage in Matthew's Gospel that helps me shed light on how the Gospel applies to life. It is the parable of building your house on a solid rock. Here it is:
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV).
If we are to see how this passage helps us understand the Gospel and how the Gospel transforms our life, we need to get what it means.
Jesus has taught on a whole variety of subjects, and towards the end of the sermon, he brings it back to the point - do we really love Jesus and are we willing to give up our desires, desire for autonomy, for Him?
There is an image running right through this parable, at the end of the sermon on the mount. The image that Jesus speaks of here is the man who built his house either on rock or sand. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. The house that is built on the rock is perfectly steady and in wind, rain or worse, it stands firm and doesn't move an inch. It's solid and secure, immovable. However, the house that is built on the sand is not secure. When the wind and the rain come, it doesn't take very much for it to fall over because the foundation is not secure.
The house is our life. Jesus is, in this parable, talking about the foundation for our lives. In this parable, the rock is Jesus Christ. The sand is the way of the world (sinful way - satan's way - the way we are prone to go). If you are to build a solid house that will withstand the storms of the weather variety, you would get a good builder, get good land that is safe (not sand) and you would then ensure the foundations are solid and secure, in order that the rest of the house won't fall over. If the foundation isn't solid then the rest of the house is a waste of time as it may fall over or weaken in time and eventually fall.
And so it is with our lives. We can build our lives on the sand of the world, on the way we really want to go, or we can go God's way. The way of the world is sure to lead to destruction, as this passage teaches (house on the sand). The way of God is sure to lead to eternal life in Heaven, praising God around the throne for eternity - and life in Christ here on earth.
If your life is not built on a solid foundation, that is, Jesus Christ, we will never get to Heaven and we can't expect to. But if your life is based on Jesus Christ and everything you do is impacted by that, then you can be sure of being in Heaven one day.
If your life is built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ, you will be able to stand and have joy (yes, you heard me right) when the storms of life inevitably come. Jesus said in John 16:33 (keep context in mind - Jesus having overcome the world by the cross and resurrection), "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." Due to sin, everyone on earth will face trouble in life. The only way to stand in there through the storms of life is to build your house on the solid foundation, the rock that is Jesus Christ. In Him you can stand, in Him you can face whatever life may throw at you. He is sovereign. He is in control. He is good. He never changes.
To answer my own question, I can get the Gospel from the head to my heart by living it out daily and not just keeping it in a theological cupboard and bringing it out for an hour or two on a Sunday morning and evening (for worship). I need to live it out in the world, and so do you, if you're a Christian. We can't simply keep living as if we are Christians if we are not. If you are not building your life on the Gospel you need to ask yourself why. Maybe you are saved but have never really applied it to your life. You need to pray to God for Him to help you apply it to your life. You can't apply it yourself, only in Him can you apply it. Therefore ask for His help. Talk to friends in Church about it, work at it. After all, Philippians 2:12-13 says, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." God does it, but we take part in it.
Make it your goal in life, not just this year, to build your life on a firm foundation - Jesus Christ. He is the only firm foundation and the only way to Heaven. Trust in Him if you aren't already. Talk to me if you're not a Christian and want to explore further - I'd be delighted to help.
This talk of solid foundation reminds me of the wonderful hymn entitled "The Church's One Foundation". The first line is, "The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her lord". Amen. The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ, and so it is for us as believers. Our one foundation is Christ, and in Him we will be able to get through life. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it - if it was easy it wouldn't be worth it. And the best part? We don't deserve any of it! The Gospel is God's sheer grace to us in Christ. You don't need to work to earn your salvation for Jesus has done it all.
Build your life on the Church's one foundation, Jesus Christ, and watch what God does as you faithfully serve Him in the world.
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV).
If we are to see how this passage helps us understand the Gospel and how the Gospel transforms our life, we need to get what it means.
Jesus has taught on a whole variety of subjects, and towards the end of the sermon, he brings it back to the point - do we really love Jesus and are we willing to give up our desires, desire for autonomy, for Him?
There is an image running right through this parable, at the end of the sermon on the mount. The image that Jesus speaks of here is the man who built his house either on rock or sand. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. The house that is built on the rock is perfectly steady and in wind, rain or worse, it stands firm and doesn't move an inch. It's solid and secure, immovable. However, the house that is built on the sand is not secure. When the wind and the rain come, it doesn't take very much for it to fall over because the foundation is not secure.
The house is our life. Jesus is, in this parable, talking about the foundation for our lives. In this parable, the rock is Jesus Christ. The sand is the way of the world (sinful way - satan's way - the way we are prone to go). If you are to build a solid house that will withstand the storms of the weather variety, you would get a good builder, get good land that is safe (not sand) and you would then ensure the foundations are solid and secure, in order that the rest of the house won't fall over. If the foundation isn't solid then the rest of the house is a waste of time as it may fall over or weaken in time and eventually fall.
And so it is with our lives. We can build our lives on the sand of the world, on the way we really want to go, or we can go God's way. The way of the world is sure to lead to destruction, as this passage teaches (house on the sand). The way of God is sure to lead to eternal life in Heaven, praising God around the throne for eternity - and life in Christ here on earth.
If your life is not built on a solid foundation, that is, Jesus Christ, we will never get to Heaven and we can't expect to. But if your life is based on Jesus Christ and everything you do is impacted by that, then you can be sure of being in Heaven one day.
If your life is built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ, you will be able to stand and have joy (yes, you heard me right) when the storms of life inevitably come. Jesus said in John 16:33 (keep context in mind - Jesus having overcome the world by the cross and resurrection), "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." Due to sin, everyone on earth will face trouble in life. The only way to stand in there through the storms of life is to build your house on the solid foundation, the rock that is Jesus Christ. In Him you can stand, in Him you can face whatever life may throw at you. He is sovereign. He is in control. He is good. He never changes.
To answer my own question, I can get the Gospel from the head to my heart by living it out daily and not just keeping it in a theological cupboard and bringing it out for an hour or two on a Sunday morning and evening (for worship). I need to live it out in the world, and so do you, if you're a Christian. We can't simply keep living as if we are Christians if we are not. If you are not building your life on the Gospel you need to ask yourself why. Maybe you are saved but have never really applied it to your life. You need to pray to God for Him to help you apply it to your life. You can't apply it yourself, only in Him can you apply it. Therefore ask for His help. Talk to friends in Church about it, work at it. After all, Philippians 2:12-13 says, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." God does it, but we take part in it.
Make it your goal in life, not just this year, to build your life on a firm foundation - Jesus Christ. He is the only firm foundation and the only way to Heaven. Trust in Him if you aren't already. Talk to me if you're not a Christian and want to explore further - I'd be delighted to help.
This talk of solid foundation reminds me of the wonderful hymn entitled "The Church's One Foundation". The first line is, "The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her lord". Amen. The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ, and so it is for us as believers. Our one foundation is Christ, and in Him we will be able to get through life. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it - if it was easy it wouldn't be worth it. And the best part? We don't deserve any of it! The Gospel is God's sheer grace to us in Christ. You don't need to work to earn your salvation for Jesus has done it all.
Build your life on the Church's one foundation, Jesus Christ, and watch what God does as you faithfully serve Him in the world.
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