We are heading into the last week of our series “The Narrow Path” based on the Sermon on the Mount (SOM). My final message in the series is from the conclusion of the SOM, Matthew 7:24-27 where Jesus gives the account of the wise and foolish builders. The wiseman built his house on the rock and it weathered the storm. The foolish man built his house on the sand and it fell flat when the storms came. As a side note, I’m very aware that many of us have homes built on the sand so I will choose my words carefully about who is foolish and who is not.

These concluding verses of the SOM are part of the preceding verses, going back to verse thirteen, where Jesus shares a series of two contrasting things: two paths, two fruits, two claims and two foundations. After all the teaching he did in the SOM Jesus is now calling for us to make a decision for the future based on His teaching. The result of that decision is depicted in the outcome of the two builders: the wiseman and the foolish man. The point Jesus is driving home is that the foundation matters. The foundation of a building is one of the biggest considerations for its viability, safety, and longevity. The foundation of the spiritual life is even more important. That foundation is revealed in the SOM and when we follow the narrow path Jesus outlined, we will have the solid foundation needed to weather the storms of life. Join me this Sunday for my concluding message in this series as we inspect the foundations of our spiritual life.