Building a House on the Rock

Luke 6:46-49

Jesus was almost finished with His message, and He gave a final teaching using the example of building a house. When building a house, the most important thing is the foundation. It is not visible, but if it is weak, the house can collapse. In normal times, the weakness may not be noticeable, but when a flood comes, if the foundation is washed away, the house will fall.

There was a tragic event in Surfside, Florida, where a 12-story condominium, Champlain Towers South, collapsed. Out of 139 units, 55 units were destroyed, 31 people went missing, and 90 people lost their lives.

The foundation was built with steel, but as sea levels rose, saltwater weakened the ground. The supporting steel structures were also corroded by the salty ocean breeze. In 2018, cracks and signs of collapse had already appeared, but the authorities assured residents that it was still safe and planned to fix it later. However, the ground sank faster than expected, and water entered, leading to a sudden disaster.

If the repairs had started earlier, people would have needed to move out temporarily, and this would have cost money. Since it was difficult to manage these issues, the construction was delayed. People now say it was not just a natural disaster but a human-made disaster. This tragedy could have been prevented, but because of money concerns, it was neglected. The wrong attitude toward money led to terrible consequences.

A Good Tree Bears Good Fruit

As we learned last time, a good tree bears good fruit, and a bad tree bears bad fruit. A tree has roots, a trunk, and branches. The branches that bear fruit are connected to the trunk. If a branch is connected to a good tree, it will produce good fruit. However, if it is connected to bad influences, like the Pharisees and teachers of the law, it will receive bad nutrients and bear bad fruit without realizing it.

But if we are connected to Jesus, the true vine, we will receive good nutrients and bear good fruit. In the Gospel of John, Jesus said, “I am the vine, and you are the branches.”
He also compared the hired shepherd and the true shepherd. A hired shepherd runs away when wolves come, but the true shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.

Sheep do not have good eyesight and can only see about two meters ahead. That is why they move in groups. Without a shepherd, they wander and fall into danger. Though sheep cannot see their shepherd, they recognize his voice and follow him. That is why God told Israel to listen:
“Hear, O Israel! Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength.”

Hearing and Doing the Word

What voice should we listen to? God’s voice.
And what does God say? “Love the Lord your God.”
We must also understand that there is only one true God, and we should not follow anything else.

Jesus said that hearing the Word is not enough. When He calls us, we must respond. We should not just listen—we must obey and take action.

The Foolish Builder and the Wise Builder

Today’s passage speaks about those who hear God’s Word but do not obey.
People say, “Lord, Lord!”, yet they do not do what He says. Jesus teaches that this is useless. This is disobedience—hearing but not obeying.

How can we know if we are obeying or not?
Jesus explained this through good and bad trees:

A good tree stores up good fruit in its heart and shares good things.
A bad tree stores up bad fruit and brings out evil.

What is stored in our hearts will come out through our words.
So, to know if we are obeying God’s Word, we should look at what fills our hearts and what comes out of our mouths.

Testing Our Foundation

When do we find out if our foundation is strong?
Not during normal times, but when big problems come.

The heart is invisible.
Even we cannot fully understand ourselves.
But when trials come, what comes out of us will reveal what is inside.

If we find problems in our lives, where should we start fixing them?
There is an order to things, just like building a house:

Lay the foundation.
Build the pillars.
Construct the walls and roof.

Why? Because we live under the law of gravity. The difference between a house on the rock and a house on the sand is how the foundation is built.

Laying a strong foundation takes time. If we skip this step, we will have to rebuild everything later.

Tearing down a house is hard.
Cleaning up the debris takes time.
It costs 2 to 3 times more than doing it right the first time.

That is why the wise builder builds on the rock—he does the hard work of laying a strong foundation.

The Foundation of Our Faith

What is the foundation of our faith?
It is hearing God’s Word and obeying it.

Jesus compared obedience to building a house on the rock.

Listening is important.
Feeling moved by a sermon is good.
But obedience is what truly matters.

Faith Will Be Tested

Faith does not end with hearing—there will be a test.
The test determines whether our foundation will stand or collapse.

Jesus’ words are clear:

“Love your enemies.”
“Do not judge, but measure with fairness.”

These are great teachings, but if we do not act on them, we will never understand their power.
If we do not practice obedience, we will never discover:

Where we are weak
Where we need to improve
How much we truly need Jesus

When we obey and practice, we grow stronger. Then, when a real crisis comes, we will be able to stand firm.

If we never take action, we will not know our weaknesses.

We will think we are ready for any trial,
But in reality, we are unprepared because we have never practiced.

The Wise and Foolish Virgins

Jesus gave the parable of the wise and foolish virgins.
To attend the wedding banquet, they needed lamps and oil.

The foolish ones did not bring enough oil, thinking it would be fine.
But they did not know how much they needed.
Instead of being the ones asking for oil, we should be the ones who have extra to share.

It is like driving a car for a long journey.

If we don’t fill the gas tank, the car might break down unexpectedly.
If we only rev the engine without actually driving, we won’t know what parts might fail.

Faith Requires Practice

Marathon runners do not assume they can finish just because they run fast in training.

They must practice regularly because unexpected problems like cramps, exhaustion, or injuries can occur.

Likewise, faith is not just theory—it must be practiced.

God allows challenges so we can rely on Him more.
He helps us let go of unnecessary burdens and find true freedom.

Conclusion: True Peace in Jesus

Jesus’ teachings may seem simple, but they are not easy to follow.
That is why real faith requires action.

Through obedience,

We learn humility.
We rely on Jesus more.
We find true peace and freedom.

I pray that all of us will find true peace and freedom in Jesus Christ.
I share this message in Jesus’ name. Amen. 🙏

Building a House on the Rock