ON WHICH FOUNDATION ARE YOU BUILDING?
Matt. 7:24-27.

INTRO:

1. The duration of a building is determined by its foundation.

2. In our text Jesus shows the possibility of a person's building on one of two foundations, the Rock or the Sand.

A. Jesus built His house upon the Rock. Matt. 16:13-18.

3. Each person may make his own choice as to which foundation he will use. Jos. 24: 14,15.

4. No one can build upon both of the foundations at the same time. Matt. 6:24.

5. Few are building upon the Rock, most are building upon the Sand. Matt. 7:13,14.

6. There are some things that are common to both builders:

A. Both builders are human beings.

B. Both have the same instructions or blueprints by which to build.

C. Both use their allotted time upon this earth in which to build.

D. Both work zealously at their task.

E. Both spend money and strength in their building.

F. Both complete their building while they live.

G. Both buildings, when completed at death, may look alike somewhat to the human mind.

H. Both buildings will be put to the same test in the judgment. Jno. 12:48; 2 Cor. 5: 10.

7. There are some things in which builders differ as they build:

A. One builder hears Jesus and obeys Him -- Therefore he is building upon the Rock.

B. The other builder hears Jesus and does not obey Him -- Therefore he is building upon the Sand.

C. The builder that builds upon the Rock will stand in the judgment and will live forever in the City of God. Matt. 25:34; Rev. 22:14.

D. The builder that builds upon the Sand shall not be able to stand in the judgment and will therefore suffer eternally in hell. Matt. 25:41; Rev. 14:11.

8. Therefore, if we wish to escape hell and enjoy heaven, we must build upon the Rock Foundation, by obeying Jesus while we live.

9. In the realm of religion there are at least four foundations upon which people are building:

A. Human Reasoning or Wisdom.

B. Human Experiences.

C. Human Feelings.

D. Faith. Once for all delivered to the saints. Jude 3.

I. HUMAN REASONING OR WISDOM.

A. Wisdom is good if God is considered and followed. Solomon: 1 Kgs. 3:16-28.

B. Man's reasoning is dangerous when God is ruled out of it. Jas. 3:13-15.

C. "The world through its wisdom knew not God." 1 Cor. 1:18-25; 3:18-23.

II. HUMAN EXPERIENCES.

A. Humanity has experienced many things to their destruction.

B. Man cannot direct his own steps. Jer. 10:23.

C. Human experiences are unsafe guides.

D. So-called experiences many times are misrepresentations.

III. HUMAN FEELINGS.

A. Feeling has its place and we must not abuse it.

B. It is not a safe foundation on which to build for eternity.

C. It is possible for our feelings to deceive us.

D. Examples:

1. Isaac. Gen. 27:1-45. Thought Jacob to be Esau.

2. Jacob. Gen. 37:29-36. Thought Joseph to be dead.

3. Saul of Tarsus. Acts 7:57,58; 23:1; 1 Tim. 1:12-17; Acts 26:9-11.

4. Respect our conscience, but teach it the truth.

E. Those who build upon such foundations as Human Wisdom, Human Experiences, and Human Feelings, say that most anything will do in the realm of religion.

F. It makes no difference which church, how you worship, when you worship, nor what you may do in the process of worship.

G. All who build upon such foundations are building upon the Sand.

IV. FAITH, THE SURE FOUNDATION.

A. This faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Rom. 10:17.

B. It is proved by doing what He says. Be doers of the word and not hearers only. Jas. 1:21-25.

C. All men who have pleased God have built upon this foundation. 1 Cor. 3:11.

D. Examples:

1. Noah built the ark.

a. Not by human reasoning. Humans laughed and mocked him.

b. Not by human feeling. The people thought he was crazy building a boat out on dry ground.

c. Not by human experience. He had never done this before.

d. But by faith. Gen. 6:1-22; Heb. 11:7.

2. Abraham left his home in Ur of the Chaldees.

a. Not by human reasoning.

b. Not by human experience.

c. Not by human feeling.

d. But by faith. Gen. 12:1-20; Heb. 11:8-11.

3. The apostles preached Christ.

a. Not by human reasoning.

b. Not by human experience.

c. Not by human feeling.

d. But they knew that they must obey God rather than men. Acts 4:19; 5:29.

4. Some that heard them obeyed.

a. Not by human reasoning.

b. Not by human experience.

c. Not by human feeling.

d. But because they believed what the apostles were teaching. Acts 8:12.

E. Where are you building? Upon the Rock or upon the Sand?

F. Let's hear Jesus and do His will that we might be building upon the Rock and be able therefore to stand in judgment.

CONCLUSION:

Why not begin to look at and follow the true blueprint of God today so that you will be building upon the Rock?

By Jim Sasser

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