A faith that stands

Once again, I write these words after a difficult week for our state due to severe weather.  While certainly not on the scale we saw three years ago, Alabama has once again seen multiple deaths, many tornadoes, and destruction in numerous areas.  My friend Dr. Ted Traylor serves in Pensacola, Florida which was hit with an incredible two feet of rain in a 24 hour period – resulting in massive flooding, including their church facilities.  As I was praying this morning and thinking about the week, I couldn’t help but remember the famous story that Jesus told on the Sermon on the Mount…

““Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”” (Matthew 7:24–27, ESV)

Probably every preacher (including yours truly) has preached from this text on the importance of building your life on Christ the rock of salvation and the perils of failing to do that.  The man who built his house on the sand and thus a person who builds his life on anything other than Christ, sees destruction.  Nothing wrong with that sermon; it is Biblical and needed.  However, I am afraid that we have failed to mention the other man – the man who built his life on Christ the solid rock of salvation.  Did you notice what happened to his house?  It stood.  It even withstood a terrible storm.  There are three key lessons that we can draw from this passage, each of which is profoundly relevant to us this week and every week…

(1)   We are not promised an easy life.  Did you notice that the same storm hit both houses?   As far as what happened TO these men, it was the same. The difference came in what happened THROUGH these men and their faith.  Scripture is clear that we will experience a range of hurts in life.  Storms will come – both literal storms and life storms.

(2)   Biblical faith doesn’t just save – it stands.  A true, Biblical saving faith stands the tests of life.  Probably all of us know of committed Christians who have endured horrendous circumstances in life, but yet came through them with a strong and ever stronger faith.  Real faith can be tested. Real faith can hurt, question, doubt, and waver.  Ultimately real faith in Christ will stand.  When I preach, I do not offer people a faith that promises a carefree life, but rather I offer a faith that is so powerful and so real and so sure that it stands the worst life can bring.

(3)  Faith stands because of who it stands on!  Did you notice why this man’s house stood?  It wasn’t because he was so smart or so committed.  The Bible says it stood because it was built on the rock.  Perhaps you are facing a situation that is so desperate you don’t believe you have enough faith to endure it.  Take heart, friend.  Your faith stands, not because of you but because of who it stands on.  Christ, the rock of salvation, will empower you to stand.