My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
Refrain: On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace;
In ev’ry high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. [Refrain]
His oath, his covenant, his blood support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay. [Refrain]
When he shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in him be found,
Dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne. [Refrain]
Do you ever feel like you are on shaky ground? Perhaps today, with our current world situation, you feel foundations crumbling. Let’s be reminded of our Solid Rock, Jesus Christ! Take a few minutes and read the hymn lyric above. The writer of this hymn was Edward Mote. He grew up in a godless existence and became the apprentice of a cabinetmaker. The cabinetmaker took Mote to a worship service and Mote became a Christian (that is a whole other discussion of us taking friends to church!). Later, Mote became a talented craftsman, devoted church member, and…even a Baptist pastor! It seems he knew a lot about foundations!! It’s also clear the cabinetmaker knew the Carpenter well.
“Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say? I will show you what someone is like who comes to Me, hears My words, and acts on them: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river crashed against it, and immediately it collapsed. And the destruction of that house was great!” (Luke 6:46-49)
Take a moment and evaluate the foundation of your life. Do you have one? Is it man-made? Or is it the one true foundation?
A life built strong (46-48). Jesus is clear in His words to us. We have a choice to make. How will we build our lives?
**Obedience (46). If He is our Lord (master, controller), we must be fully obedient to Him. Jesus is our example—He obeyed His Father in all things. Our problem with obedience is often not knowing our future. Jesus states: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).
**Observation (47). Jesus observes what we are “observing”! Where do we find Jesus’ sayings? In the Word of God. We find our foundation, Jesus Christ, in our Bible. As God observes your life, are you trapped by the fear of the day or fear of the unknown? Or are you acting upon Jesus’ words?
**Obvious (48). The man dug deep. He laid the foundation on rock. It is obvious he put in the time and effort to build. What about us? Is it obvious that we are building our lives on Jesus? God wants all of us—our desires, plans, and efforts; even our sin and weaknesses. The storms of life will come often with great intensity. Are we building a strong and sure life?
A life built wrong (49). The contrast is striking. There are two choices—a strong foundation or NO foundation. Both men heard the gospel. One thought he had a better plan. It is just like us to think, “We got this, God.” But there are consequences and we must resist the temptation to build on sand! The storms came and the house was in ruins. Storms come to the righteous and the unrighteous, so please don’t think it won’t happen to you. Let me ask you what kind of life are you building?
Reread the hymn lyric. Ponder “stormy gales and whelming floods.” Remember, “souls give way.” Treasure that “He will come with trumpet sound.” And, most of all, know “the anchor…Jesus and His blood and righteousness.” And know that He is the Solid Rock!
Lamar Morin serves as the team leader of the Leadership Development Team of the Baptist Convention of New Mexico. Special thanks goes to pastor Jack Andrews for the outline.