THE PARABLES | The Two Foundations (Luke 6:46-49)
THE PARABLES | The Two Foundations (Luke 6:46-49)
He is like a man building a house who dug and made deep and placed the foundation upon the rock; and when the flood came the river burst upon the house and it was not able to shake it because it was well built.
Luke 6:48, Power New Testament
Luke 6:48, Power New Testament
Context: Jesus used this parable in concluding the Sermon on the Mount. The key difference between two externally similar looking houses was their foundations. During the rainy season in Palestine, storms suddenly arrived: rain (above), floods (beneath), and winds (side). The house built on the rock would stand firm whereas the house built on the sand would be destroyed.
Meaning: Pharisees and scribes may have looked externally righteous as the heirs of the kingdom, but they built their religious establishment on other men’s authoritative words (Matt 7:29). In contrast, there were those “who dug deep and laid their foundation on the rock.” Is this alluding to daily digging into the Bible and prayer? No, because the Pharisees also did these things thoroughly. This rock foundation is the person of Christ. Initially you obey Christ by believing in him as your Lord and Saviour (John 5:39; 6:29,40). The fruitage of this total dependency on Jesus is daily obedience (1 Cor 3:11–15). You will be enabled by His grace to stand during any rains of trials or judgment.
Application: Do not found your life on the sandy base of your own good works or find false security within some religious denomination. Christ is the only rock you will ever need and His perfect work has been finished on your behalf. “Do what I say,” is not a threat. It’s an invitation to abundant living. It is the divine call to the life you were made for – to take risks and do great things because his creative Spirit empowers you.
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The will of God is not first and foremost a plan, but a person – Jesus Christ.
