Dear Christian friends:

Although you are not a house builder, you know a little bit about building houses. You know that a house must have a good foundation. If the house does not have a good foundation, it will begin to settle in the weaker places. Soon you will see cracks in the walls and ceilings and the floor will not be level. That house will not last long. A house must have a good foundation.

So also must our faith, our spiritual house, have a good foundation. If our faith and spiritual life has not a good foundation, it will fail us in time of storm and trouble. But if our faith is established and built on the true foundation, it will succeed in all the storms of life.

Almost everyone says that they have faith in God or even faith in Jesus, but many do not have the true foundation of faith. In our text Jesus warns us about this. Jesus says that these people seemed to have faith. They prayed to Him and called Him "Lord," but Jesus says they will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. On the Judgment Day Jesus will say to them these terrible words, "I never knew you. Away from Me, you evil doers." (verses 22-23) These preachers seemed to be good and true preachers and the members of their churches seemed to be good people of God. They seemed to be good Christians, but on the Judgment Day Jesus will not let them come to heaven. They had faith, but they did not have the true foundation of faith. They were like a beautiful house built on a sand foundation. (verse 26)

Well, what is the true foundation of faith? Jesus says, "Anyone who hears these words of Mine and does what I say will be the same as a wise man who builds his house on a rock." (verse 24) And again Jesus says, "Only the person who does the things My Father wants will enter into heaven." (verse 21)

What words does Jesus mean? Does He mean the Ten Commandments? No! Jesus refers to His words about Himself, that He is the Son of God who came down from heaven to keep the Ten Commandments for all people, and to die for all people's sins. Jesus Christ and His saving work is the true foundation of faith.

Those who confess that they are helpless sinners and trust in Jesus for their Savior, God judges them right and holy. They will enter into heaven with Jesus on the Judgment Day. This also the Epistle Lesson for this Sunday teaches us. (Romans 3:21-28)

Therefore, JESUS IS THE TRUE FOUNDATION OF FAITH! Those who build their faith on Jesus have the true foundation of faith and they will not be disappointed. This also that beautiful hymn shows:

"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. On Christ the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand." (My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less, TLH 370 verse 1)

If Jesus is the foundation of our faith, we will also gladly try to obey the Ten Commandments. We will gladly, and with thanks to God for the Savior Jesus, try to do His Word in our daily life and serve Him as his dear children and stewards. And when we fail, we do not despair or make excuses for our failure, but humbly and honestly confess our sins to God and trust in Jesus' forgiveness and His Spirit to improve. We will gladly join in the personal renewal each day.

Also, if Jesus is the foundation of your faith, you will be able to live successfully through all temptations and troubles of life, even death.

When bad times come, and they always come, either now or later, you will not despair, but you will continue to trust God's love and mercy in Jesus. You will know that the bad things are not happening to you because of your sin or because God is angry. You will remember that your sins have been forgiven and that God's anger has been put aside because of what Jesus has done. You will continue to hope in God for salvation and during the trouble; you will praise God like Job. (Job 1:21) You will sing with all true believers in time of trouble:

"When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on Hisunchanging grace; In every high and stormy gale My anchor holds within the veil. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand, All other ground is sinking sand."

His oath, His covenant, and blood Support me in the whelming flood; When every earthly prop gives way, He then is all my Hope and Stay. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand." (My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less, TLH 370 verses 2-3)

And when it is your time to die and stand before the Judgment Seat of Jesus, you will not despair or fear. You will have one very good and strong plea, Jesus' blood and Jesus' righteousness, as the last verse of the hymn shows: "When He shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in Him be found, Clothed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand." (My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less, TLH-370 verse 4)