First from Jesus in the Gospel of Luke:
Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.Then from Eugene Boring and Fred Craddock:
Our culture encourages us to be concerned about an impressive superstructure; Jesus encourages us to think about the foundation.
3 comments:
I have a few thoughts...all random of course.
First off the foundation is what you stand on. You can do nothing, build nothing, have nothing unless there is a foundation under you. Foundation is a safety thing. Your house must be vuild on a safe foundation to survive. Your faith must grow a strong foundation to survive. A bridge, road, building, tree, bean plant...they all have to have a firm foundation to survive and be safe. It does not mean that you won't lose your life, but you have survival in Jesus.
Our culture cares more about the grandiose than the solidified safety of something. We would rather cut corners and have a beautiful outward appearance than a strong, safe, secure foundation. You can have the most amazing impressive structure in the world, but if it does not have the the core, the strength, the safety, it will not survive.
When Jesus is our foundation we are safe, secure, and will survive any storm.
Catherine,
I had so little to add to this that I didn't respond right away. And again, when I read it, I just would reply with an Amen.
Is there any hope that our culture can get on a firmer foundation?
I want to say there is always hope. God can do anything. That being said, it would have to be a radical transformation in the human heart to get our culture on a firm foundation. It requires sacrifice, selflessness, and a overpowering concern for our neighbor. It requires us to trust in each other, and not care about the outward appearance, but the inward soul. Kind of like what happened when 9/11 went down. Many of the planes were asked to land in Gander, Canada (Newfoundland). Canada took care of the U.S. citizens like we were one of them. They fed, clothed, listen to, gave shelter to, and took care of them. Not because Canada was obligated to, but because they knew the U.S. just had its foundation taken out of under them.
Unfortunately it would probably happen in our culture before it happened in our churches.
Post a Comment