A Firm Foundation

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If you have been watching, listening or reading the news then there’s no doubt that you are aware of the situation our economy is in. Automakers, banks, mortgage companies, and everyone else it seems is crying for money. Many small businesses are closing down for good. And there are many people who are unemployed. Most people are blaming the Corona Virus, Some claim that it is President Trumps fault, others claim that it’s the governors fault, and others say that it’s the fault of the industries.
Now I’m not going to say that those things and others did not contribute to our economic woes; However, I don’t think that they are the initial cause. They are contributors to our economic crisis, but they are not the initial cause. The initial cause is that our entire financial system is built on a faulty premises.It’s based on an illusion...
Here in the U.S. we spend more than we earn, we consume more than we produce, we borrow more than we save, and we fool ourselves into believing, that we can do these things forever.
And we base this notion on the idea that the Federal Reserve Note (the American dollar); is the glue that holds all of this together. The problem with this is that the Federal Reserve Note is a fiat currency. A fiat currency is one that is basically created out of thin air by the Federal Reserve.
A $900 Billion Dollar stimulus bill was passed in Congress this past week, but just before it was voted on, Senator Rand Paul, gave a 12 minute speech, that if you have not seen, is worth watching… And in that speech he talks about this “fiat currency”, this idea that we can just pull money out of thin air...
He said “If free money were the answer, if money really grew on trees, why not give more free money? Why not give it out all the time? Why stop at $600 a person? Why not $1,000? Why not $2,000?,” Why not $20,000 a year for everybody, why not $30,000? If we can print out money with impunity, why not do it?”
The Senator goes on to point out that there was no more money left to give and noted that the federal government brought in $3.3 trillion last year… Did you get that number? 3.3 trillion is what the federal government brought in last year… that sounds great!!! but here’s the problem... they spent $6.6 trillion… they spent 2x the amount that they brought in… and they have been doing this for many years.
When George W. Bush was President, our National debt was $5 trillion… today our national debt is $27 trillion and only getting worse… They keep creating new money… Money that isn’t based on anything. It’s money created out of thin air and not backed by anything.
Senator Paul said “The coffers are bare. We have no rainy day fund, we have no savings account. Congress has spent all the money long ago,” … … This is the faulty foundation that our economy is built on, no wonder it’s in shambles...
Now I’m not here to preach about the economy, I want to talk about something much more important… I want to talk about eternity. I simply used our failing economy as an illustration… And in our passage this Morning Jesus is going to show us, on this last Sunday of 2020, that there are some, who if they examined their lives, might find that they have built on just as flimsy a foundation as the one our economy is built upon.
He gave this lesson to His listeners and to us as well, to help us to distinguish the difference between true and false Christians. He gave this lesson so that we might look within our own hearts with honesty and assess our own spiritual condition… that we might take a closer look at the foundation of our lives.
Turn in your Bible’s to Matthew 7. Here in Matthew 7 Jesus is getting ready to wrap up His “Sermon on the Mount”. We are getting to the application portion of His sermon, He is getting ready to draw everything together and bring it in for a landing. Let’s pick it up in v.13… (Read 13-27)
There are several lessons in these few verses and I don’t want you to think that I am rushing through this passage. Our main focus is going to be on the latter part of this passage, but I want you to see what Jesus is saying here...

Teachings of Jesus:

A. Two Paths to Follow vv.13-14

These are, of course, the way to heaven and the way to hell (Read 13-14)… The broad path is the easy path; it is the popular path. this path leads to destruction… But the path that leads to life is narrow, lonely, and costly. We can walk on the broad path and keep our “baggage” of sin and worldliness. But if we enter the narrow path, we must give up those things.
Did your profession of faith in Christ cost you anything? If not, then it may not have been a true profession. Many people who “trust” Jesus Christ never leave the broad road with its appetites and associations. They have an easy Christianity that makes no demands on them. Yet Jesus tells us that the narrow way is hard. We cannot walk on two roads, in two different directions, at the same time. We must choose to follow the broad path or the narrow path...

B. Two Types of Tree’s vv. 15-20

(Read 15-19)… These show that true faith in Christ changes the life and produces fruit for God’s glory. Everything in nature reproduces after its kind, and this is also true in the spiritual realm. Good fruit comes from a good tree, but bad fruit comes from a bad tree. The tree that produces rotten fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. v.20 goes on to say “Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”
Are you bearing good or bad fruit? Did your decision for Christ change your lifestyle?...

C. Two Types of People vv. 21-23

This one is the most convicting of all: (Read 21-23)… There are two types of people, those who do the will of God and those who do not. Those who do the Will of God are accepted into Heaven, however, those who do not do His Will are told “Depart from Me, I never knew you”
So there are two different paths, two different trees and two different people… the difference between all of them is there foundation.

D. Two Foundations vv. 24-27

This is where I would like to spend the rest of our time this morning… (Read 24-27)… Here Jesus is talking about two men. Now both men wanted the same thing; both wanted to build a house. No doubt both of them wanted a place they could call home, spend time with their families, and live in security. These two men wanted the same thing.
Now Jesus didn’t distinguish between the two houses, or where they were built, or what materials were used to build them. The only distinguishing feature He mentions are the foundations. So we could assume that from the outside, the two houses looked exactly the same. The same doors, the same windows, the same roof; maybe even the same blueprint was used to build the house… But one builder was wise and the other builder was foolish.
Let’s look at the Foolish builder first...

1. A Foolish Foundation (Sand)

I want you to notice the similarities between the verses 24 and 26: “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine” verse 24 and “Everyone who hears these sayings of Mine” verse 26.
This tells me that Jesus isn’t talking to the lost world here. He’s not talking to those who never heard the Gospel. He is talking to church folks. He is talking to those who have heard the Word. But this is where it gets personal, the difference between these two:
Those who hear the words of Jesus “and does them” (verse 24) and likewise those who hear the words of Jesus “and does not do them” (verse 26).
The foolish man takes the… Quick and Easy path

(1) a.Quick and Easy

Unfortunately, There is no quick and easy road to spiritual maturity. We want an easy to read, and easy to follow, step by step guide to Christian maturity and success. It’s not easy to love someone that hates you. It’s not easy to say no to certain things, when everyone else around you is saying yes. It’s not easy to walk the narrow path when so many of our friends and loved ones are walking on the broad one.
So many people, like the foolish man in this parable, instead of growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ by faithful attendance at church, and by a consistent pattern of Bible reading and prayer, and by being doers of God’s Word rather than just hearers only... Many people are looking for the quick and easy fix.
The foolish builder didn’t stop to consider the possibilities and weigh the...

(1) b. Terrible Consequences

The terrible consequences of building without a reliable foundation. He was short sighted. He was only concerned with the here and now. He Didn't want to take the time to make sure that where he was building was going to hold up over time… this mentality and terrible decision cost him dearly… (Read v.27)....
The lesson for us is simple… The rains, the floods, and the winds are coming. It is not if but when. It’s like living in the panhandle of Florida, it is not if a hurricane will come, but when will the hurricane come. And The so-called Christians, who clearly hear the Word and do not live out the what it says, but merely play the game, uses the church vocabulary, and does all the church stuff, but down deep, lives their life far from the word… these “foolish” people have much to be concerned about.
Hearing the Word or merely reading the Word are not a substitute for obedience, and neither are religious works. Preaching, casting out demons, and performing miracles can be divinely inspired, but they give no assurance of salvation. It is likely that even Judas participated in some or all of these activities, and yet he was not a true believer. We are to hear God’s words and do them.
One thing that you have heard over and over again this year, is that “We must live out what we say we believe”… remember what James 1:22 says… “22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only,...” We must not stop with only hearing (or studying) His words. Our hearing must result in doing.... This is how we build on a solid Foundation

2. A Solid Foundation (Christ)

(Read vv. 24-25)… The wise man, is the complete opposite of the foolish man. He wasn’t interested in instant gratification. He wanted to build for the future. He wanted to build something that would last, something that he could pass on to his children, his grandchildren, and maybe even his great grandchildren. He considered the consequences and acted accordingly.
Doing the word of God is building our house on the rock. But not doing the word leaves our salvation in doubt. If you or I are not living out the word every day, especially in those areas that the world cannot see, those areas where only you and God sees, then you may have good reason to question your salvation.
John tells us in 1 John 2:4-6
1 John 2:4–6 NKJV
4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
Obedience to God’s Word is proof of our love for Him. And it is vital for us to do if we want our relationship with Him to be built on a Solid Foundation...
A solid foundation is…

(2) a. Able to Withstand any Storm

The storm in this passage is judgement. Judgment, both in the temporal sense and the eternal sense. Those that not only hear the word of God, but live out the word, are on the Rock. They are fastened down and will not be moved. It matters very little who you are. God knows us through and through. Whether you’re the preacher, a deacon, a Sunday school Teacher, one who is always faithful to be at church whenever the doors open. If you’re not living out the word every day, trials and judgment are coming and the storm will tell whether you built on the rock or on the sand.
Jesus is reminding us that the most important thing in a person’s life is the foundation. The foundation is something that is overlooked a lot of times because it isn’t visible. But if there is no foundation, then no matter what you build, no matter how beautiful it is, or how elaborate it’s design, one good storm can destroy the whole thing, it may not even take a storm, just the process of time can reveal whether or not you’ve built on a solid foundation, or a foolish foundation.
When it comes to our faith and our relationship with Christ; the true Christian cannot afford to take short cuts. We can’t expect to enter that narrow path unless we go through the gate. Turn with me quickly to John 10:1-10 SLIDE(Read)...
When we look at our text there in Matthew it should cause us some concern, not for yourself if you are a Christian, but for the world. Jesus says that there are MANY who enter into the wide gate and broad path. He says that MANY will say to Him on that day, “Lord, Lord” and that He will tell them He never knew them.
In other words there are MANY who have built their lives on the wrong foundation… a foolish foundation...
1Corinthians 3:10-11
1 Corinthians 3:10–11 NASB95
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
If nothing else, the corona virus of 2020 has given us time to think and reflect about what really matters… During 2020 (SLIDE) what foundation were you building on? Parents, during 2020 what was the foundation you were providing for your children? Grandparents, during 2020 what was the foundation you were providing for your grandchildren? Were we building on Christ in 2020 or something else? Was He our starting point this year, or was the foundation of our lives and all that we did built on foolishness??
you may be sitting here this morning saying, “Pastor, I don’t know if i was building on a solid foundation or not… I mean, I think I was living my life for the Lord, but I don’t honestly know.” If you’re saying that to yourself, then you’re probably no different than most people. Sometimes we go about our daily routines without ever even considering the reasons and motivations behind them. But one way we can tell is… if we are doers of the Word and not hearers only. Doers are building on the solid foundation.
On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand… ALL other ground is sinking sand...
You can trust the Word, but only if you are living the Word. If you living out the word every day, then you are on the rock and will not be moved when the storms of life come. Are you living out the word or are you putting on a show? Jesus knows… the question is... Do you?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I pray that if there are any here today that do not know your Son Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, that You would draw them unto Yourself, by Your grace O’ Lord. I pray that if there are any here today, who have been saved by your grace and experienced Your mercy, but are not doers of the word, and are not building on the foundation of Christ Jesus that you would show them where they are missing it, and help us all Lord to be doers of your word, so that we might glorify you and be good witnesses in the year to come.
In Jesus Name – Amen.
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