We live in an increasingly shallow world built on very little substance. We want to do as little as possible and get the maximum results. Matthew 7:24-27  What Is Your House Built On? Each house looks secure in good weather. But Palestine is known for torrential rains that can turn dry wadis into raging torrents. Only storms reveal the quality of the work of the two builders. What your house is built on only comes into play when the storm comes; your foundation is not as crucial in the good times. 1. Rock  The first man found stability and blessing in this life and in eternity. Notice that wisdom (the rock) means to put the words of Jesus into practice. A wise person represents those who put Jesus’ words into practice; they, too, are building to withstand anything. Those who pretend to have faith, have a merely intellectual commitment or enjoy Jesus in small doses are foolish builders. When the storms of life come, their structures fool no one, above all, not God. How do we build our house on the rock: apply the Word of God to our lives, belong to a church, give to a church, serve a church, attend a small group, find Godly friends, find Godly mentors… The list goes on. A house built on the rock does not happen by accident. It takes intentional discipline in a way that is built on discipleship. 2. Sand The second experienced calamity in this life and in eternity (the rain, floods, and winds can represent both hardships in this life and God’s final judgment). To fail to hear his words is to build on sand and to invite collapse in the testing. So Jesus urges hearers to choose the right foundation. To hear and heed Jesus is to build on a rock. The sermon ends with what has been implicit throughout it—the demand for radical submission to the exclusive lordship of Jesus, who fulfills the Law and the Prophets and warns the disobedient that the alternative to total obedience, true righteousness, and life in the kingdom is rebellion, self-centeredness, and eternal damnation. Both “keep on hearing” the words of Jesus. The present tense may imply that both hearers had been exposed to his teachings. In any case, both hearers were now accountable to obey what they had heard. However, the first person “keeps on doing” what Jesus taught, while the second “keeps on not doing” what Jesus taught. How to build your house on the sand: make church an option for you and your family, make your spiritual walk an afterthought, seek counsel that you want to hear, seek counsel that pushes you from the Lord, don’t attend a small group, don’t serve your church, dont give to your church, the list goes on. A house built on sand is something that is quickly done. We expect significant results with very little work, and if there is an issue in our lives, we blame everyone else for not pouring our foundation into it. What are our transformational moments? Which foundation do you have? Are you willing to do the necessary work to reach the next level? Does Jesus have enough margin in your life?