Whatchya Building On?

I've been in some sort of ministry leadership position now for almost 20 years - from teaching Jr. High Sunday school when I was 18 to pastoring a church now that I absolutely love.  I've had the incredible and holy privilege of walking with literally thousands of people - helping them to learn what it means to walk with Jesus, and learning myself what it means from a lot of them.  

I've been with people in the highest moments of their lives and the lowest lows in their lives and everywhere in between.  I've seen God do Ephesians 3:20 stuff in people's lives and I've seen people just stuck and mired in sin.  

If I could narrow life down to one overriding principle it is this: we will always be blessed when we build our lives on Jesus and we will always fail when we build our lives on anything else.  If you've heard me preach, or even if you've read any of the stuff I wrote last week, you know that blessing doesn't always mean easy or free from suffering.  Blessing isn't always material.  Blessing comes from knowing and seeing God at work in every circumstance in which we find ourselves and knowing that our lives are in His hands.

Conversely, when I talk about failure in life, it doesn't always look like misery or poverty.  I know lots of people with lots of money and great jobs and cool toys that are absolutely miserable.  They live with lots of regrets and pain and shame.  They have this insatiable hunger and thirst in their lives - no matter how many "things" or "titles" they have because they haven't yet realized that the thing they were created for is to live for God's glory.

Jesus gets to the very heart of this truth in Matthew 7:24-28
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Ultimately, we've all got to answer the question: What is my life built upon?

Walking in the truth and grace of Jesus is wise.  Ignoring the grace and truth of Jesus is foolishness.  And even Jesus makes it clear that storms are coming.  Flooding rain and hurricane winds that will test the strength of whatever we build.

Some of you might be reading and thinking, "I'm good.  Jesus is my Savior."  But is he your Lord?  Is everything in your life built on The Rock, or are you putting down an addition on the sand?  Don't be surprised when it falls.

Some of you might be reading and saying, "I'm tired of always rebuilding after a storm.  I'm tired of this regret and pain and shame.  I'm tired of not knowing if what I'm building will last."  If that's you, it's never too late to start building on The Rock.  

Try to picture Jesus saying these things to a great crowd of people as he looks out on them.  I would imagine that he's focusing intently on individuals, locking eyes with as many as he can.  Looking at the hollowness and emptiness in the eyes of those who have built upon the sand.  Longing to take away their pain and forgive their sin and restore their relationship with God.  I can almost see tears welling up in his eyes as he sees those that will reject the invitation to life and blessing.  I don't see Jesus saying this in anger, but in compassion.  His love is great and His desire is to bless and redeem. 

There is nothing worth having in this life apart from Jesus.  Whatchya building on?