Timothy Brown
June 1, 2008
Third Sunday after Pentecost
Matthew 7:21–29
21Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?' 23Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.'
24Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. 26And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell — and great was its fall!"
28Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, 29for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
Foundations
The robber stepped into the bank and said, “Alright, this is a stick up!”
He told the teller in front of him, “Alright, give me all your money!”
The teller did so, and when he was done he asked her, “Did you see my face?”
The teller nodded sheepishly, and so the robber locked her in the bank vault that couldn’t be easily opened.
Then the robber turned to the lady behind him and said, “Did you see my face?” The woman said, “Uh-huh. But my husband did!”
Now, you have to wonder about that relationship. What is that based on?
Today’s gospel message is about relationships. As much as it sounds like it’s about architecture, it’s actually about relationships. Our relationship to God.
And how to describe our relationship to God, our interaction with the Divine? One of the most Godly relationships that I’ve ever witnessed, and I use that term Godly not to describe the moral or ethical character, but rather the simple interaction. One of the most Godly relationships that I’ve ever witnessed was between Tim and Josh.
As I looked over my list of campers, I scanned their profiles for anything that I might have to keep in mind for the week. And there they were: Tim and Josh. Both from the same town, but this was Tim’s first time at camp. Josh had been here before. In fact, Josh had been coming to camp ever since he was in fourth grade. Now an eighth grader, this would probably be his last year.
And Josh was a sweet kid who lived with epilepsy. His medical condition caused him quite a bit of anxiety, and so it’s even a wonder that Josh ever made it through camp at all because his anxiety issues made it difficult for him to be ok with not knowing what was happening next.
A car drove up, and out stepped Josh: tall and gangly, rail thin. Behind him was the new camper, Tim, Josh’s exact opposite: shorter, rounder. They gave their parents a hug, and came tromping over to the cabin. They made their beds and got settled as we waited for more campers.
And then I heard it. It started as a small tear down the cheek and soon became a full fledged heaving, sobbing mess. It was Tim’s first time away from home; that can be scary. The moment Tim started crying, Josh went over and sat down right next to him and put his arm around him.
“It’ll be ok, Tim. We’re going to have tons of fun swimming, rock climbing, hiking, kayaking. Camp is great! You’re going to love it here.”
And I stood back in amazement. Tim was young, energetic, athletic. He was a perfect fit for our camp. Josh was thin, on constant medication. He wasn’t even able to do some of the things he mentioned to Tim. He couldn’t go for extended hikes. He couldn’t rock-climb. And here he was, totally selfless, totally absorbed with nothing but comforting and supporting Tim.
Later on in the week our camping group did go on an extended hike. Half way through our journey, Josh doubled over. I saw the signs right away: he was going to seize. We moved the campers away from him to the side, and Tim and I knelt over him. And Tim did the most amazing thing: he cradled Josh’s head in his lap and sat with him, stroking his head. “It’s ok,” he said. “It’s ok.”
As Josh moved between seizes, we were finally able to transport him out of the woods. The whole time, Tim sat with him, stroked his head, and reassured him that everything was going to be alright. He had no other concern, totally selfless, totally absorbed with nothing but comforting and supporting Josh.
To make it through camp, Tim and Josh were each other’s sure foundation; unmoving, unfaltering, unchanging.
In today’s gospel Jesus says to his disciples, says to us: “Be wise. Build your entire life on a solid foundation. When the winds blow, when storm surges, you need solid ground. I am that ground, I am that foundation.”
You see, God wants us to build our lives on a foundation that will last in a world where things don’t last.
Sometimes we build our lives on financial success. Pastor Stephen Crotts, author and campus pastor in
He writes:
I once visited a man who had just suffered a drastic financial setback. Crushed from the economic loss the man cried, "Everything is gone! Gone! It's all lost!" Without hesitation, I said, "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that your wife is dead." The man looked up at me in alarm. "My wife?" I continued, "And I'm doubly sad to hear that you have lost your children!" "My children?" the man whispered. "And, oh, how it pains me to learn you've lost your character, your church, your friends, and your God, Christ!" The man protested, saying he'd lost none of those things I'd mentioned. "But I thought you said you'd lost everything!"
After all, money can buy a bed, but not sleep; books, but not wisdom; a harlot, but not love; food, but not appetite; sin's pleasures, but not salvation's peace. It can buy a house, but not a home; medicine, but not health; notoriety, but not character.
You see that person, although he had not really lost everything, had built his foundation on his fortune.
Sometimes we build our lives solely on the foundation of others. And, let me be clear, we need others in our lives as our rocks, as our solid grounds. But even others falter and fail. I remember a friend of mine hat built his faith on his pastor. His pastor shepherded a congregation of thousands, and my friend was faithful as long as that pastor was faithful. And then it came out that the pastor had embezzled millions. My friend’s world, his faith, came tumbling down in one fell swoop.
Sometimes we build our lives solely on ourselves. And this, my friends, is most often the case. We are beautiful and good. We are wonderfully made, each one of us, in the image of God with unique gifts and abilities. But even we fail ourselves sometimes. As Paul says, “All sin and fall short of the glory of God.” As good and as beautiful as we are, sin continues to creep in our lives, and we even betray ourselves, doing what we wish we did not, doing what we desire not to.
Even we are shifting sand.
But God is not. God in Jesus has shown us that, through every trial and tribulation, through every joy and elation, God is nearby. Near enough as bread and wine, water and word. Near enough as the shoulder or lap of a friend. Near enough as Tim was to Josh.
To make it through life, Jesus is our sure foundation.
God is not going to throw you in a bank vault; God is not going to throw you away. God wants you to call, to build your house upon the love of the cross, the love shown to you through Jesus Christ. Use nails of joy, 2x4’s of peace, and a roof of assurance to build your life on the God who continues to meet you, no matter what storms are brewing. The God who comforts you when you weep, who walks with you in joys, and who rests your head on a lap of grace when we seize at last.
Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hid myself in thee.
May the Rock of Ages be your sure foundation today and every day.
Amen.
