Building on a Solid Foundation

 Advent Meditations

December 3, 2020

Building on a Solid Foundation

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.”

Matthew 7:24

Read Matthew 7:21, 24-27

Today’s passage is near the end of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus has invited all people to come to him and receive eternal life. Jesus has painted a beautiful picture of the Kingdom of God. He has described a way of living that I want to be my way of life. However, Jesus is telling his followers there is no cheap grace. There is a cost to discipleship. Jesus wants to be clear so that people know that while they have been invited to come as they are and live under the reign of God, when they come in, they will want to change the way they are living.

I believe Eugene Peterson captured Jesus intent perfectly:

“Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention”

(Matthew 7: 13-14 The Message).

In this digital age, where we can be overwhelmed with information and misinformation, finding our way to the life in Christ can seem quite daunting. However daunting the task may be, it is not impossible to find the truth because Jesus has promised,

“For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened (Matthew 7:8).

My Takeaway: Twenty-six times in the Gospel of Matthew Jesus says, “I tell you the truth.” In John 14:6, Jesus says “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus is the Truth we seek amidst the issues of our times.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

 

Copyright © 2020 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.