A Faith Foundation

Every house looks great when the weather is clear. But it’s the sudden storm that reveals what the house is actually standing on. 

The same is true for our lives. The unexpected storms of life don't create our weaknesses—they simply reveal our foundation. Whether your life feels a little shaky right now or you just want to make sure of your anchor for the future, this message is for all!

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:21

Good Saturday morning, y'all. It's Preacher Man here, and uh welcome to another episode of Preacher Man Podcast, Sermons and Lessons. A nice little Saturday morning. We've had some much needed rain. We uh have had a busy May as well as a busy weekend. Uh this weekend was graduation for Maha ISD. We had the Baccalaureate last Sunday on the 24th, and the 24th of May was also when this sermon that was recorded was preached. And it was our senior Sunday. We honored eight seniors with uh scholarship, but we also made sure that they had their senior table out and they could receive whatever gifts we were giving them. It's a it's a good thing when you can do that. If you have uh in your congregations, if you have seniors who are about to graduate and move on to the next exciting thing in their life, then whether it be college or trade or trade school or or even the military, it's important that they get a good send-off. And we are very, very proud of our seniors and we wish them the best. So the lesson that we uh that was preached last Sunday on the 24th was the a parable that Jesus taught about uh listening to listening to the words of Jesus but also acting on them. And of course, um he made the comparison of the difference between a wise and a foolish man. The uh the song that you we teach our kids, I'm still I'm sure is still sung in our congregations. That's how I did the intro by singing uh the children's song and leading our congregation in singing the children's song, The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock. A little interesting observation there. Um some of the younger kids didn't didn't know the hand gestures, but all of the adults sure did. And uh maybe that needs to be something that we should uh bring back into our Bible classes for our little kids. We gotta teach these kids about the wise man and the foolish man. Uh but in all seriousness, no, um uh the uh having a faith foundation is the key. Having a foundation established on faith, uh on the words of Jesus, whether it be uh what they heard when Jesus said it or what is uh transcribed in our Bibles uh is is a very, very important lesson because we have many young people who I I'm not saying their faith is genuine, but what I am saying is is that it it may not be original. And and and they're not they're not being fake, they're not being um they're not being uh led astray. It's just that uh the faith that they have is a faith that came from from someone else's experiences. And I think it's important for uh not only our young people, but anyone who is uh going to be a follower of Jesus to start building a foundation of a faith that is their own. And when a relationship with Jesus and the words of Jesus take an effect onto your heart and onto your mind, that's how these faith uh foundations are built. So let's go ahead and get into it this morning. This is a faith foundation, and the text is coming from Matthew chapter seven, verses twenty-four and twenty-nine, and after that we'll be back with a few closing thoughts. Open your Bibles to Matthew chapter seven, please. Still have them on. We we we we love our seniors, and we know that they will be they will be missed. They've been active in our church for as long as they've been here, but it's always good to also express the love that we have for our youth and our young people. Um I've often wondered how how how much more stuff can we pack into the month of May? Um, graduations, baccalaureates, prom. Uh, you know, we we we got an election coming up. We got a we're gonna we're the we'll have the the voting uh booth set up there in the in the fellowship hall uh next week. Um tomorrow, uh tomorrow we we celebrate memorial, we'll do Memorial Day. How much more stuff can we can we pack into the month of May? I don't know, but I'm sure someone will think of something. Fixing 26. That's our theme for for the year. Um we've been focusing uh this time on the ideas of what it means to fix your faith, um, to to uh strengthen your faith, to um make your faith more stable. Today we're going to uh really uh look into this this uh biblical context of how your faith is a as a foundation. All my little kids, all my Bible class kids, pay attention, you gotta help me here, okay? We're gonna uh some of you some of you may not have sung this song in a long time, but this is how we're gonna introduce the lesson this morning. The wise man built his house upon the rock, the wise man built his house upon the rock, the wise man built his house upon the rock, and the rains came tumbling down, the rains came down and the floods came up, the rains came down, and the floods came up, the rain came down, and the floods came up, and the wise men tastes firm. The swing built in its house upon the sand, the food swinging built in its house upon the sand, the food swing built in its house upon the sand, and the rabbit came down. The rabbit picking down and the flood's table, the rabbit setting down and the floods hanging up, the ribbon's picking down and the flood's hanging up, and the food swing's house wins. So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ, build your house of the Lord Jesus Christ, build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ, and the blessings come down. Blesses come down as the prayers go up. The blessings come down as the prayers go up. Blessings come down as the prayers go up. So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ. Hey, some of you adults did a better job than the little kids. Good job, y'all. We teach that song to our children. And I've often wondered if maybe some of those children's songs need to be sung in the auditorium to remind us about the simplicity of the gospel and how every uh the gospel has uh an impact on every part of your life. And yeah, you can do the hand gestures, that's great. What does it mean to have a faith foundation? As we look at this lesson this morning, um, I want to I want you to think about this question. Every house, right? Every house looks great when it's nice and pretty outside. You see the shutters, you see the nice roof, you see the well-manicured yard. But what does a sudden storm reveal about the house? Is that what the house is actually standing on? You can have a real pretty house, but and and and and it can be well built, but if the foundation is not secure, what's gonna happen to that house? Now, we're not talking about physical houses here. We're talking about your spiritual house. We're talking about a foundation of faith. And uh last year when I did this senior sermon, when I did the senior Sunday, I basically said to the church, I said, y'all don't have to listen to this, adults. This is all for the the youth kids over here, right? Right? But I'm gonna or I'm not gonna say that this Sunday because we've been talking about fixing our faith, and in order to have a faith that is well attended to, you gotta have a good foundation. A secure life, excuse me, a secure life is not built simply by just listening to the truth, but also by actively living it out in the truth of Jesus. And so there is one part of the lesson, but then there's also a challenge for all of you to go out those doors today, go out the doors of your life, and act on that faith. A firm foundation versus a poor foundation is talked about throughout the Bible in the book of Psalms, one twenty-seven, verse one. Unless the Lord builds a house, they who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord guards a city, the watchmen stay awake in vain. Not only do we see how the Lord is active in the daily lives of everyday people, the Lord is active in our military, in our schools, no matter how much we tried to shut them out. The Lord is active in our daily lives everywhere. And if we, the faster we can figure that out, the better off we will be. And in the New Testament, Paul says this in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. The foundations that we're talking about today have already been poured, they've already been set, they have been dug down deep to solid rock. And his name is Jesus. And he started this whole thing when he chose to come and live the life of a man and die and be that perfect sacrifice for us. There is only one foundation, seniors. There's only one foundation, church, that can where that is strong enough to withstand the storms of life, and that is Christ Himself. Your faith is a constant growing and needs to be tended to daily. Your faith is something that is going to, your faith in Christ is something that's going to help you get through those times when the rains come down and the floods come up. Your foundation of faith in Jesus Christ is what's going to be able to get you through those hard times. You think you have had challenges now. And some of you may be going through a season in your life where it's been really challenging for you. I say this with love and I say this with care. What have you put your faith in? How is your foundation? You've got to start somewhere. I would suggest you start from the ground up. Notice how Jesus makes the comparison of the two of the two structures. Matthew, oh, yeah, there we go. Matthew, Matthew uh 27, uh 725 is right alongside Matthew 727. It says, the rains fell, the floods came, the winds blew and slammed against the house, and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. That's the house the wise man built. The foolish man says it says the rains fell, the floods came, the winds blew and slammed against the house, and it fell, and its collapse was great. There's a difference between a wind damaged structure that might have gotten the tiles of the roof blown off, or it might have, you know, done a little damage to the siding. It might even have shifted on its foundation, but the foolish man's house collapsed. That means there is nothing left for it to be standing on, sitting on. Everything is just a pile of rubble. Your foundation is dependent on what you have built on. If your faith is not built on the rock, then you need to dig a little deeper. All of us here know how the how the so how the soil is in good old limestone county. Many of us here have probably are living in houses that have have had foundation issues. Simply because of the fact that when it was when the when the foundation was laid, how was it laid and where was it laid and what was it laid upon? If only and there's there's a way we can avoid this. If you do that, yeah, you're gonna do good. You're gonna have success. If you don't do that, you're not gonna have success. You know, if only if only there was a good blueprint. If only God in his infinite wisdom and Jesus and those who followed him were to leave behind something for us to use, like a roadmap, like a blueprint. If only there was something that we could turn to daily in order to figure out just how to build our house. Sometimes I wonder if the the different ways in which we have God's word accessible to us has desensitized us to its importance. Sometimes I wonder if if if if maybe it was if maybe if if maybe if it were a little more difficult to get our hands on a good Bible, would that increase its value? Now, I personally love the idea of the fact that you can download your Bible onto your phone, you can put it on a tablet, you can go down to the Walmart and pick you one up. You have multiple translations, you have multiple ways of getting to it, you have it, it's everywhere. But it won't do you any good unless you crack it open and read it. The Bible has been described in many, many ways, and I don't think they're doing it to be disrespectful. I think they're doing it to get everyone to see just how important it is. The Bible has been referred to as a roadmap, a way to get you from this life into heaven. The Bible is the is is has been described as an outstanding book of history. Even today, geologists and and and and people who study archaeology refer to the Bible daily to see if history, if we have documentational, historical documentation of just where things were at a certain time point in our lives in the history of our of the world. I'm sure that all of you who have looked at a blueprint, followed a set of plans, uh, contractors, builders, anyone who has been any kind of can done any kind of a uh construction can definitely see just how the Bible can be a big blueprint on how we should live. The Bible, I would say, is the best blueprint for building on a faith based on Jesus. Once again, going to the Old Testament, Psalms 190105 says, your word is a lamp to my feet, a light to my path. Just being able to use the Bible to guide you in your daily struggles, in the daily, the daily walks of life. You're having a good day? You can you there's there's there's something in the Bible about that. You're having a challenging day, there's something in the Bible about that. On what you can do and what you should do when those times are coming. You're you've got you've got kids still at home, there's something in the Bible about that. You guys, your empty nester? Hey, guess what? There's something in the Bible about that. Are you dealing with loss of a loved one? There's something in the Bible about that. Are you celebrating the birth of a of a of a new life? There's something in the Bible about that. And not to pick on Kyle because Kyle did a great job. But Kyle, a lot of the why questions, there's something in the Bible about that. I'm not saying I'm not saying and I'm not trying to say Kyle's not a Bible earlier because I know he is. A blueprint. A way for you to construct a solid faith built on Jesus Christ's house that will stand firm in those storms of life. 2 Timothy 3, verse 16. All scripture is inspired by God. Beneficial for teaching, for rebuking, for correction, for training in righteousness. So that the man or woman of God may be what, church? Fully capable, equipped for what? Every good work. That's why I will say it until I go to my grave. You need to be reading your Bible. You need to be opening scripture daily. Because that's where the blueprints are. That's where the instructions are. That's where the encouragement is. That's where the rebuke is. That's where the the things that you might not have considered, you'll find in the Bible. I promise you. Because it's such an important thing, I think we can see just how important it is because when Jesus, it says in Matthew 7, when Jesus finished these words, not just what he just said about two foundations, but all the way back into the start of Matthew chapter 5 with the Sermon on the Mount. When Jesus finished all these things, they were amazed at his teaching because he was teaching them as one who had authority, not as their scribes. He was doing it a little different. He was saying things in a certain way. He was having their attention. Obviously, Jesus was something, someone who had a special knowledge into what was being taught and what was being said. Jesus designed these blueprints. And for many of us, we are we we don't have the right focus. Lord, I need you to talk to me. I need you to open up the heavens and show me what you want to do. Use it. Lord, just give me a word. You got a whole bunch of them in the Bible. Use those first before the Lord gives you any more. Read your Bible. If anything, just to see if what I'm saying to you this morning is accurate and correct. I'm going to make mistakes. I'm going to fall short. I don't have all the answers. I don't need to have all the answers. I have a book that can show me and teach me. Holy Spirit can lead me through these difficult times. But the Holy Spirit's not going to say anything that is contrary to what's already been written down in this book. I think it's important for us to understand and appreciate just how important it is and how how it is so I can't reiterate it enough. The importance of daily Bible study and meditation. It's not going to be better than anything else. Okay. Why do I have in my next slide? Why is my next slide a title of a book that the men's class on the Wednesdays last quarter had already been had already gone through? The reason why is because when this title was, book title was introduced to us, it took us all back because it is a great title for a book, especially a book on the study of the book of James. You're either walking the walk or you're running your mouth. A study of the book of James. The reason why I have this up here is because this runs right parallel with what is being taught in Matthew 7. Because just hearing the word and not acting on the word is it's foolishness. In James chapter 1, verse 22, James says this prove yourselves to be doers of the word and not just hearers who deceive themselves. You're either walking the walk or you're running your mouth. Actions do speak louder than words. And Jesus said, put it in, I can't put it, he put it any bare. This parallel, this is a parallel thing with Matthew when it comes to Matthew 7. James, uh James goes as far as to use, is to give this concept. He says that those who are are not doers of the word and forget. Not quite a lot. Looking at yourself in a mirror and then immediately forgetting what you look like. That's just silly. You have the ability and you have the freedom and you have an instruction book at your fingertips. Luke, and Jesus said this in other time in other uh experiences in Luke chapter six. Jesus says, Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say? Are we just, are we the kind of Christians? Are you the kind of Christian who just gives lip service? Your spiritual house is very much dependent on what this means. Because you're either walking the walk or you're running your mouth. In the military, there's a I would say, and I'm not trying to act like I know everything there's no about the military, because I'm I don't, but I'm pretty sure there was a common phrase that kept circling back to everyone who has served. And that is this remember your training. If you remembered your training, you were going to, you, you, there was a there was a really good chance you were going to be able to make it through whatever problem was right there in front of you. Or you could just be forgetful, I guess. I don't I don't know. But my point, though, is that Jesus asked that same question. Notice again the parallel. Matthew 7.24 and Matthew 7.26. Therefore, who hears these words of mine and acts on them remembers the training, is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. He remembered his training. He knew how to find a good foundation, and his house stayed, his house stood. Matthew 26, Matthew 7, 26, everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them is a foolish man who build who builds his house on the sand. I had I for the life of me, I cannot understand or do not contemplate. I know enough to know that building your house on sandy soil. No, no, no, no, no contractor would encourage that at all. Jesus defines the foolish builder as someone who hears the words and doesn't do them. I think what we can appreciate about this is the fact that true, true, real, honest faith, a faith that know that knows that a faith that knows that it's it's it's gonna grow over time. It doesn't just come out instant and 100%. The kind of faith that Jesus is talking about here is a faith that is never passive. It is never passive. In many ways, you can see this implication, this application. Information, get this, information without application results in destruction. Information without application results in destruction. What can you leave this morning with as we try to wrap up the month of May with one more thing to do? I think we can see how this is these three points, these points are something you can go home with today. Don't just hear the word, allow it to allow, allow yourself to build with the word in your life. Use God's word as the blueprint. I will also say this: faith rooted in action will survive those storms that are heading our way. Faith that is built and rooted in action will get you through the next series of things that are going to be coming down the line. A true foundation of faith does require action. Applying spiritual truth in your daily life rather than just agreeing with it, putting it into action, and not just giving it lip service, will be the strength that you that will be what will what will allow your strength, to allow your faith to gain strength. And it will help you when you are when you need to respond when things are going to get difficult. We don't know. There's no way to predict what kind of storms are going to be coming down the line for you. But if your foundation is strong, and if your foundation is built on Jesus Christ, like the children's song says, then your foundation of faith will be not only something that you can get into and know that you have security, but others are going to see it. Others are going to experience it and know that when you have, when others see that kind of foundation, it's going to be something that we that you can that others will want to emulate. They may even want to seek shelter in it. But the next time the storm comes around, they're going to want to see. I need to have a foundational faith so that my house won't get blown in. Blown down. And they may want to come talk to you about it. It's then you can show them your blueprint. These are the blueprints that I use to be successful in life. We love you, seniors. We know that you're going to do great things. If your foundation is strong. If your faith, not mom and daddy's faith, not preacher man's faith, your faith is built on Jesus Christ. And what we can use to build on, obviously we need to have a good foundation. Jesus says it starts with not only listening to him but acting on his words. The Hebrew writer uh put in chapter eleven, I believe, that without faith it's impossible to please God. And I don't necessarily think it's a either or. I think it's a challenge uh to uh grow yourself, to push yourself into a relationship with Jehovah to have that kind of confidence. Think about it this way when a tree is planted like if you took a seed, uh the seed of a tree, oak tree, pecan, mesquite the tree literally from the seed from the sprout has to grow in two different directions at the same time. So while we are looking at this little tree growing and developing and establishing a uh a trunk and branches and leaves simultaneously at the same time, its root system is working its way into the ground. That tap root is going down to find uh a good water source, and the distance of the root system is almost equal to the distance and the growth of the branches on the outside. Now, if that root system is having difficulty establishing a good firm base, just like the foolish man's house being built on sand, there's a good chance that that tree could get blown over. But when the roots get down deep and they are able to anchor themselves strongly, then the winds and the rain and the storms of life can come through and that tree will be able to stand and stand strong. But it starts with growth, and it starts with growth on both ends of the spectrum. On the outside, the tree is growing and flourishing, it's doing its job, it's taking in the sunlight, it's taking in the moisture from the outside, it's taking in that carbon monoxide and turning it into oxygen, and at the same time, the root is winding its way through the soil, going down deep, establishing itself in a pattern that is similar to what the outside of above ground uh tree is doing, and that tap root is going down, down, down, uh looking for that good water source. Our faith is kind of like that too. We have got to be able to understand that the Christian life is in many ways like that tree. We grow at the we grow from the bottom down and from the top up. And that is what it means to have a good firm and faith foundation. Thank you for listening this morning. I appreciate the um the uh downloads. I appreciate the the the faithful uh weekly people who come in and listen. Of course, um if you have ever wondered, you know, how this all takes place or if you need information about my podcast, you can always contact me at Preacherman1178.gmail.com, Preacherman1178 gmail.com. I am on Spotify, I am on Amazon Podcast, I am on Facebook, and um I try to keep these things updated as as fast as quickly as I can. Um in the next couple of weeks, though, I'm just letting you know, in the next couple of weeks, we're probably gonna have there's gonna be some delays because um there will be uh a trip that I'll be taking uh in the next couple of weeks, as well as our session of camp will be going on, and I can almost promise you there's gonna be a well, I may I may do I may wind up doing two podcasts the following week so I can catch everybody back up. Next Sunday, Lord willing, we will be in James chapter two with a sermon on faith in action. We're gonna take examples from the Old Testament, from Abraham and Rahab, and just really get a good idea of what James is trying to communicate when it comes to the how our faith should have works. And when your faith and good works are combined, it leads to something that is a glorification to God, which is what we're here to do in the first place. In the meantime, this is the Preacher Man signing off. Hope you have a blessed day. And always remember who you are and whose you are.