One of my Crossroads Prison Ministry students just finished his last lesson in The Sermon On The Mount Bible study and a familiar passage of Scripture became fuller in meaning to me. I’ll start with the familiar Scripture passage first.

Build on the Rock

^{Matthew 7:24} “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: ²⁵ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

²⁶ “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: ²⁷ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

Jesus didn’t really start new teachings; He actually built on what was said in the Law and the Prophets, clarifying it.

A Cornerstone in Zion

¹⁶ Therefore thus says the Lord God:

“Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation,
A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation;
Whoever believes will not act hastily.
¹⁷ Also I will make justice the measuring line,
And righteousness the plummet;
the hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,
and the waters will overflow the hiding place.
¹⁸ Your covenant with death will be annulled,
and your agreement with Sheol will not stand;
when the overflowing scourge passes through,
then you will be trampled down by it. [verses 14-15 further clarify this passage]

 

By the Holy Spirit, the Apostles brought further clarity using the Scriptures from the Law and Prophets to help explain what we have in Christ Jesus when we set our Spiritual foundation on Him. Here’s another angle on wise and foolish builders.

The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People

^{1 Peter 2:4-74} Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, ⁵ you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶ Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

“Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

⁷ Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient [unbelieving], “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,”

^{1 Corinthians 3:11} For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

So let’s be like the wise builder who sets his faith on the unshakable rock of Christ. It’s the only way we can stand firm as this world gets darker and rockier and the storms become more frequent and tempestuous.

I pray you will all grow deeper in your relationship with God the Father, Son, and Spirit this week. Shalom!