Rev Edmund Chan
17 Feb 2017
Miri Meritz Hotel
2017 Miri IDMC Devotion during Opening Session
Foundation of your life
Matthew 7:24-27
24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
To Jesus, The most important thing is our foundation, In fact, there is nothing more important than the foundation.
This is a parable of Contrasts - to appreciate Contrasts, first note the similarities :-
Similarities :-
- Similar men - both are equally good, clever and resourceful
- Similar desire to have a house - it was not one wanted a temporary shelter or half-hearted
- Similar focus to have a house - both were very sure and very focus
- Similar design of the house - from the outside, the houses looked the same
- Similar skills - both are capable
- Similar Knowledge - they both know how to build a house
- Similar resources to build the house - it was not one has less finances
Up till this point, we realise that the "foolish" man is actually not "foolish". He has the resources to do things and has the same desire and same focus as the first man.
Contrasts :-
- One decided to invest in the foundation in terms of time and money. He built carefully from the bottom up.
- One decided to spend litte money and little time in building the foundation. He wanted to build the house really fast and took little care about the foundation.
Faster to build on sand and cheaper to build on sand and from ground level up, it looks the same.
Watch your foundation.
As we know it, there were two totally different Results :-
Major Implications - 3 Critical Paradign Shifts :-
1) From Beautifying the Facade to Building the Foundation
"a wise man and a foolish man" V 24, 26
Rev Edmund Chan told the story of the Great Tree of Singapore planted by the Senior Founding Premier The Late Lee Kuan Yew that was featured by the newspaper front page, asking the people to be like "The Tree planted by Lee Kuan Yew". A young tree expert took notice of the photo and realised that it was actually dying. He went to the site and investigated and found out that was true, they put cement to surround the tree as "support" but it has caused the root unable to spread out and it was dying from the inside. Outwardly, it was a gorgeous green living tree.
We all could look like that tree :- from ground level up, we look good and great, we are doing many good things, But from ground level down, it is dying from mal-nutrition. Take care of our root and foundation!
2) From Knowing the Word to Doing the Word
Those who hears these words of Mine and put them into practice. V 24
Knowing, loving, serving and becoming more and more like Jesus. Become a disciple of Jesus and share with others. This it the key thing to do.
3) From Seeking a Storm-free life to having a Storm-proof life
"it did not fall beacuse it has its foundation on the rock" V 25
Learn ther truth and apply the truth - transformed and pass on the substances. Speak with substance or vacuuum ?
We cannot do God's Word without first reading God's Word. But after reading it we must be committed to doing it.
Conclusion : What is the Foundation of your life ? Upon what are you building ?
Bible is the foundation of our life. Word of God is the foundation. To witness the faithfulness of God and pass it on.
Steps in Mentoring :-
- Discover the truth
- Do / walk the truth - Apply the truth
- Reap the benefits
- Pass it on - reproduce our kind
Sad facts :-
60% of Christians do not evangelise
70% of Christians do not have devotions.
The Lord is saying : I care for your foundation in life and want you to be firm and sure so that I can use you in the kingdom of God. Kingdom mentality for this earthly living. Work on the Foundation.
My reflection :-
We have heard it before in Sunday Schools, this is the parable of the Two Builders - one wise and one foolish. We sang the actions song and still sing it today. I always thought how foolish was the builder who built on the sand. He has no wisdom and he probably lacks finance or doing it half-heartedly. But it is about two similar men having similar desire to build similar house with similar resources and one failed because he did not pay attention, he did not spend time and finance on building the foundation. We can build on the sand or rock, the foundation is the most important.
Interestingly, on the 19 February 2017, Pastor Renny shared on the same passage during our Sunday Sermon on Rock or Sand.
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