Rebuilding Faith on the Rock of Christ
Summary
Many of us have built our lives on foundations that seemed solid but ultimately failed us—whether it was prosperity teaching, legalism, simplistic answers to suffering, or even confusing faith with politics or shame-based ethics. These foundations often over-promise and under-deliver, leaving us disillusioned when life’s storms inevitably come. The truth is, storms are not an exception to the faithful life; they are a part of it. The storms don’t mean we’ve done something wrong—they simply reveal what we’ve built our lives upon.
Jesus, in Matthew 7:24-27, paints a vivid picture of two builders: both hear His words, but only one acts on them. The difference isn’t exposure to truth, but the response to it. The wise builder digs deep, building on the rock by not just knowing Jesus’ words but living them out in daily obedience. The foolish builder, on the other hand, hears but does not act, choosing the easy, scenic, and malleable sand—a foundation that cannot withstand the pressures of life.
Many of us have inherited or chosen foundations that seemed biblical or sturdy, but when pain, doubt, or disappointment hit, they crumbled. Whether it’s the prosperity gospel that blames us for our suffering, legalism that burns us out, or shame-based purity culture that wounds us, these are not the foundations Jesus calls us to build upon. Even well-meaning but oversimplified ideas like “God has a perfect plan” can leave us feeling abandoned when life doesn’t go as expected.
So what do we do if we realize our foundation is faulty? We rebuild—by returning to the words of Jesus, digging deep into the Gospels, and studying Scripture in the context of community and with the help of those who have devoted their lives to understanding God’s Word. For those who love and follow Jesus, we are called to come alongside those who are deconstructing or hurting—not with quick fixes, but with listening, presence, and a life that reflects the character of Christ. We name and renounce false gospels with compassion, and above all, we pray—not as a last resort, but as our first act of love. Jesus does not shame us for collapsed houses; He invites us to rebuild on Him—on grace, truth, and love that endures every storm.
Key Takeaways
- The foundation of your life is revealed, not by how things go when all is well, but by what remains standing when the storms come. Storms are not a sign of failure or God’s absence; they are inevitable and serve to expose whether we have built on the rock of Christ or on shifting sands. The storm is not the problem—it’s the revealer. [10:55]
- Hearing the words of Jesus is not enough; transformation comes through obedience. Both the wise and foolish builders heard Jesus, but only the wise acted on His words. True faith is not measured by knowledge or agreement, but by a life increasingly submitted to Christ in the everyday, often unseen, choices. [07:59]
- Many common “Christian” foundations—prosperity teaching, legalism, shame-based ethics, nationalism, and simplistic answers to suffering—are actually sand. They may look sturdy and even sound biblical, but they cannot bear the weight of real life. When these fail, they often leave people with wounds, shame, or disillusionment, not because Jesus failed, but because the foundation was never Him to begin with. [21:18]
- Rebuilding a life of faith requires returning to the words and way of Jesus, not just as information but as the foundation for living. This means digging deep into Scripture, seeking understanding in community, and learning from those who have faithfully studied and lived out the Gospel. It’s a call to move beyond surface-level faith and to do the hard work of building on what truly lasts. [32:10]
- For those walking with others who are doubting, deconstructing, or hurting, the call is to listen before correcting, to embody the character of Jesus, and to offer presence over pressure. Rebuilding trust takes time, humility, and compassion. We must also be willing to gently name and renounce false gospels, always pointing back to the Jesus who welcomes, heals, and invites us to build on Him. [36:24]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[02:42] - Faith in Real Life: Naming Doubt and Hurt
[04:30] - Personal Story: When Faith Unravels
[07:59] - The Parable of the Two Builders
[10:55] - The Storm Reveals the Foundation
[15:22] - The Danger of Hearing Without Doing
[20:26] - The Warning: It Matters What You Build On
[21:18] - Failing Foundations: Prosperity, Legalism, and More
[24:41] - Simplistic Answers to Suffering
[27:52] - Nationalism and Shame-Based Ethics
[29:31] - The Bible as Rulebook and Oversimplified Plans
[32:10] - The Call to Rebuild: Returning to Jesus
[35:06] - Walking With Those Who Doubt
[36:24] - Listening and Embodying Christ
[38:39] - Presence Over Pressure
[39:44] - Naming and Renouncing False Gospels
[41:21] - Jesus Invites Us to Rebuild on Him
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
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### Bible Reading
Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)
“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. 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. 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. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
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### Observation Questions
1. According to Jesus’ parable in Matthew 7:24-27, what is the main difference between the wise and foolish builders?
2. What are some of the “foundations” mentioned in the sermon that people often build their lives on, and how do they appear to be solid at first? [21:18]
3. In the sermon, what does the “storm” represent, and what does it reveal about a person’s life? [10:55]
4. What does Jesus say happens to the house built on the rock versus the house built on sand when the storm comes?
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### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Jesus emphasize not just hearing His words, but putting them into practice? What does this say about the nature of true faith? [07:59]
2. The sermon lists several “Christian” foundations that are actually sand (prosperity gospel, legalism, shame-based ethics, etc.). Why do these fail to hold up when life gets hard? [21:18]
3. How does the presence of storms in life challenge or confirm someone’s faith foundation, according to both Jesus’ teaching and the sermon? [10:55]
4. The sermon talks about rebuilding faith by returning to Jesus’ words and studying Scripture in community. Why is community important in this process? [32:10]
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### Application Questions
1. Think about a time when a “storm” hit your life. What did it reveal about the foundation you were building on? Did anything surprise you about what held or what collapsed? [10:55]
2. Are there any beliefs or “Christian” ideas you were taught that, looking back, turned out to be more like sand than rock? How did you come to realize this? [21:18]
3. The sermon says that hearing Jesus’ words isn’t enough—obedience is what matters. What is one area of your life where you know what Jesus says, but you struggle to put it into practice? What’s holding you back? [07:59]
4. If you realize your foundation is faulty, what practical steps can you take this week to “rebuild” on Jesus? Is there a specific Gospel passage or teaching you want to dig into? [32:10]
5. Who in your life is currently doubting, deconstructing, or hurting in their faith? How can you offer them presence, listening, and compassion instead of quick fixes or pressure? [36:24]
6. The sermon encourages us to gently name and renounce false gospels. Is there a conversation you need to have with someone (or even with yourself) about a belief that isn’t truly rooted in Jesus? How can you do this with humility and love? [39:44]
7. Prayer is described as our “first act of love,” not a last resort. What is one specific thing you can pray for this week—either for yourself, someone rebuilding their faith, or for wisdom to help others? [41:21]
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Closing Thought:
Jesus doesn’t shame us for collapsed houses. He invites us to rebuild on Him—on grace, truth, and love that endures every storm. What’s one thing you want to do differently this week to build your life on the rock?
Devotional
Day 1: Building on the Rock: Obedience to Jesus’ Words
A life that endures the storms is not built merely on hearing Jesus’ words, but on acting upon them—submitting every part of life to His teaching. Jesus’ parable of the wise and foolish builders reminds us that both groups hear His words, but only those who put them into practice have a foundation that holds when trouble comes. The storms of life are not a sign of failure or lack of faith; they are inevitable, and they reveal what our lives are truly built upon. When obedience to Jesus shapes your daily choices, you may still feel the wind and rain, but your house will stand—not because of your own strength, but because of the solid foundation beneath you. [12:40]
Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV)
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you know Jesus has spoken, but you have yet to act on His words? What would it look like to take a concrete step of obedience today?
Day 2: The Storms Reveal, Not Destroy
The storms of life—pain, grief, doubt, disappointment—are not punishments or exceptions to the faithful life; they are part of being alive. Jesus never promised a storm-free existence, but He did promise that a life rooted in Him will endure. The storm is not the problem; it simply reveals the strength and substance of your foundation. When your life is built on Christ, you may still experience loss and hardship, but you will not be undone. The security comes not from your own ability to withstand, but from the unshakable foundation of Jesus Himself. [14:50]
Isaiah 43:2 (ESV)
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
Reflection: Think of a recent or current storm in your life. How has it revealed the foundation you are building on, and how might you invite Jesus to strengthen that foundation today?
Day 3: Rejecting Failing Foundations
Many of us have built parts of our lives on foundations that over-promised and under-delivered—prosperity gospel, legalism, simplistic answers to suffering, nationalism disguised as Christianity, or shame-based ethics. These foundations may look sturdy and even sound biblical, but when life’s reality hits, they cannot hold. Jesus calls us to recognize and renounce these false foundations, not with shame, but with compassion and honesty. The invitation is to rebuild on the truth of who Jesus is, on grace, and on the authority of His words, rather than on trends, performance, or cultural ideologies. [21:18]
Colossians 2:6-8 (ESV)
“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”
Reflection: Are there any beliefs or habits in your life that you now recognize as “failing foundations”? What is one step you can take to begin rebuilding on the truth of Jesus?
Day 4: Rebuilding Through Scripture and Community
Rebuilding a lasting faith means returning to the words of Jesus, digging deep into the Gospels, and studying Scripture not in isolation, but within biblical community. It involves seeking wisdom from those who have devoted their lives to understanding God’s Word, and being honest about the complexities and questions that arise. Instead of relying on influencers or simplistic interpretations, immerse yourself in the Scriptures with others who pursue truth, humility, and discipleship. This process is not about quick fixes, but about forming a faith that can withstand the storms and doubts of real life. [32:10]
Acts 17:11 (ESV)
“Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
Reflection: How can you intentionally engage with Scripture this week—either personally or with others—in a way that goes deeper than surface reading or easy answers?
Day 5: Becoming a Counter-Witness: Grace, Presence, and Prayer
To help others rebuild faith, we must reflect the character of Jesus—offering grace, patience, humility, and truth in our relationships. This means listening before correcting, honoring people’s stories, and staying present even when they struggle or walk away. Our steady friendship and Christlike presence can be a counter-witness to the failing foundations they have experienced. Above all, we are called to pray—not as a last resort, but as an act of first love—asking God to heal, reveal, and rebuild what has been lost. Jesus invites us, without shame, to build our lives on Him, on grace, on truth, and on love that holds steady when everything else collapses. [38:39]
John 13:34-35 (ESV)
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Reflection: Who in your life needs to experience the grace, patience, and presence of Jesus through you this week? How can you intentionally show them Christ’s love, even if they are far from faith?
Quotes
Now, if we're being honest, some of us have built our lives on foundation that have over -promised but have under -delivered. Prosperity gospel, legalism or performance -based religion, simplistic answers to suffering, nationalism disguised as Christianity. Oh, you're going there. God has a perfect plan over simplification. If you're someone who has already been deeply affected by failing foundations because maybe you were handed a belief system that promised godliness but lacked actual biblical authority, this is your challenge. Rebuild. You've got to go back to the words of Jesus. This means picking up your Bible. This means reading the Gospels, but reading them with the intention to dig. Open up the Bible in the context of biblical community. Study the Scriptures, maybe with the wisdom of Bible scholars and theologians who dedicated their whole lives to the understanding of God's Word. Some who even died to preserve the integrity of the teachings of Jesus and the invaluable worth of the local church and the pursuit of actual discipleship. Jesus doesn't shame you. He doesn't shame others for houses that collapse. He invites us to be part of the process of building our faith on something that lasts. on Him, on grace, not performance, on truth, not trends, on love that holds you steady when everything else collapses. So the question is, is what's your foundation? And is it holding? Because the storm isn't the problem. The storm just reveals what we've built on. [00:00:00]
Not just the idealized version, not the clean -cut Sunday school answers, but the actual lived -out reality in the regular rhythms of everyday life. In the relationships we care about, with the people we love, who may have walked away from the church or deconstructed their faith. You know who I'm talking about. And if we're honest, sometimes it's not just about other people, right? Sometimes it's about the quiet questions that we carry ourselves, the doubts that show up maybe uninvited, the ache that makes us wonder if doing the whole Christian thing is still worth it, or maybe the temptation to just let go and drift. [00:03:03]
I realized I'd built my faith on something that looks solid but couldn't actually bear the weight I was carrying and I know some of you and I know that my story isn't the only one that is like this some of you have experienced the same thing or or maybe someone you love has not because they didn't believe in Jesus hard enough not because they weren't sincere about their faith but because the version of Christianity that they were handed what they what they were taught to build their life on was more like quicksand than it was like rock. [00:05:08]
Is there a version of faith that can hold me up when life gets hard is there a version of faith that can actually hold us up when like life gets really really hard is there second question is this is there a foundation that doesn't collapse when the storms come now before you jump ahead to the end of the story just sit with those questions for a while because you might be a follower of Jesus and you might know that the answer to this is yes but listen the people you love and you care about maybe you don't love and care about them they're just the people in your spheres of influence they've wrestled with these questions and have seriously come to the conclusion that the answer is no. [00:05:54]
The difference between these two kinds of people is not their exposure to truth though it's their response one acts you the other doesn't and this is the contrast that jesus is making what jesus was literally saying was that hearing his sermon on the mount agreeing with it even admitting it isn't enough the wise person hears the words of jesus and then does what he acts on them that's why he says therefore everyone who hears his word of mine and acts on them what will be like a wise man that built his house upon the rock. [00:10:33]
The foundation is obedience to jesus trusting in jesus and it's a practice it's the practice of daily submitting your life to Jesus why is it important to have a strong foundation because listen the storms of life are coming the storms are coming the storms are coming that's not a maybe it's a promise it's a promise Jesus said it like this in verse 28 verse 25 the rain fell the rivers rose and the winds blew and pounded that house yet it didn't collapse because its foundation was on the rock. [00:12:39]
Pain will come, grief will visit, doubt whisper and injustice will shake the ground and disappointment will knock at your door and Jesus is telling us this trouble is not an exception to the faithful life trouble is not an exception to the faithful life it's part of it in other words the storm doesn't mean you did something wrong it just means you're alive like the storms in your life don't mean you did anything wrong it just means you're still breathing you're still alive and here's the promise Jesus makes when your foundation is solid when your life is rooted in him you When obedience shapes your everyday choices, you'll still feel the wind. You will still feel the wind. You'll still experience the flood, but your house will hold, not because of your strength or your ability to be faithful or your ability to be morally upright, but because the foundation beneath you. [00:14:06]
From the outside, both houses may have looked the same, but when the storm hit, only one survived. And that's the picture Jesus gives. Now, it's not just a nice story. It's a warning. It's a warning that it's full of love, but it's a warning nonetheless. And what is that warning? It's this. It matters what you build your life on. Like, it really does matter. It really matters what you build your life on. [00:20:47]
The prosperity gospel promises wealth, health, and success. But when the diagnosis comes, when layoffs hit, when the relationship breaks, you're left wondering, was my faith defective? Like, I've been told my whole life it's about faith. And so when these bad things in my life happen, there must be something wrong with what? My faith. And if one of these failing foundations is part of the reality of your own story, I want you to know that you don't need to continue to live in the shame of believing in a failing foundation that might have been handed to you. [00:23:17]
One is legalism or performance -based religion. This is, if you grew up in the South, you know this all too well. This is the practice of living your life in such a way that allows you to believe the lie that God's love is earned, not given. It's where grace may be preached, but law is lived. In this environment, people eventually burn out, not because they can't measure up, but because they were never meant to at all. [00:24:03]
Simplistic answers to suffering is a kind of failing foundation. It's a kind of belief that answers every hardship with the phrase, well, brother, everything happens for a reason. And I've used that phrase in a different context, but it's the kind of shrugging off of the reality of the pain and the reality of the suffering. Like, well, you know, just lift your head up. Just keep your head up because, you know, everything happens for a reason. Or God won't give you more than But you don't see the pain. You don't see the despair. You don't see the absolute turmoil that literally feels like, at any moment, I'm going to give up. I'm going to give up. And what about the people who do, who do, who do give up? When tragedy strikes, kinds of answers feel hollow don't they and you hear enough of those people start walking away from the people who say those kind of things people call themselves followers of God who somehow figured it all out it seems so simple to them if they're right and I must be wrong and so people walk away but not from God it's it's the version of God that they were handed. [00:24:57]
When faith gets hijacked by power or politics it happens every time every time look at your history books I'm telling you this is this is nothing new when faith gets hijacked by power or politics people walk away from faith it just happens because people are unable to separate the Jesus of the Scripture from the political agendas that are being wrongfully attached to the name of Jesus this is a failing foundation if you built your faith on that then you will find that your faith ebbs and flows to the popularity of your ideologies in current culture and or not why would you do that to yourself scripture tells me that God is the same yesterday today and forever you Why would you live a faith that feels like this? Why? Why would you build it? Well, it's going to feel like that, truth be told. But why would you build it on something that does this, that ebbs and flows on culture and the movements of political power? Why would you do that? Why don't you build it on the one, as he sang, who will never fail? E -e -el, e -e -el, he will never fail. [00:26:51]
And now people, people carry wounds. Believe it or not, they carry wounds that were inflicted in the name of holiness that makes the thought of embracing faith in Jesus and life within a community of faith too traumatic to bear. [00:29:45]
Another foundation that can seem like a solid one but is also sinking sand is is is this god has a perfect plan oversimplification now this isn't a knock on the phrase that god has a perfect plan there are too many verses that speak of the reality that god does have a plan for the world and that it is pleasing and it is perfect it is true god has a plan unfortunately the oversimplified god is a perfect plan theology often teaches that god doesn't just have a perfect plan for your life but that he has a specific plan for your life and you better you better not mess it up god has a specific plan for your life and it's perfect and so you better not do anything to mess it up and so when things in life don't go the way you thought you would and you're left to assume that you somehow missed god's perfect plan you leave faith and though they wouldn't say it living your life by this ethic will often leave you feeling that because you let god down god has left you behind. [00:32:10]
If you're someone who has already been deeply affected by failing foundations whether it was because you like the idea of saying jesus is lord of your life when in reality you were the lord of your life or it was because maybe you were handed a belief system that promised godliness but lacked actual biblical authority this is your challenge This is your challenge. Rebuild. Rebuild. Now, what do I mean by that? You've got to go back to the words of Jesus. This means picking up your Bible. This means reading the Gospels, but reading them with the intention to dig deep. [00:33:55]
Instead of allowing social media influencers and deconstructionists whose history, okay, this is going to sound judgmental, but I'm just going to say it, whose history of ministry and biblical literacy looks more like a resume of self -promotion, instead of a lifelong submission to the deep work of service to God, his church, and a humble approach to the study of scriptures. Instead of living your life according to them and their interpretation with the scriptures, open up the Bible in the context of biblical community. Study the scriptures, maybe with the wisdom of Bible scholars and theologians who dedicated their whole lives to the understanding of God's word. Some who even died to preserve the integrity of the teachings of Jesus and the invaluable worth of the local church and the pursuit of actual discipleship. [00:34:35]
We need to listen before we correct, right? This means honoring a person's story before offering solutions. If you know someone who has deconstructed, like really know them, not like that person that you're like, ow. they must really deconstruct. I'm like, if you really know them, you know that people rarely deconstruct because of a single event. Rarely. It's usually a pileup of pain, confusion, disappointment, or betrayal. And we need to give them space to name all of those things without rushing in to fix all of what appears to be their wrong assumptions or opinions of Jesus the church and the Bible. We got to give people that space. [00:36:11]
We need to reflect the character of Jesus, not the information about Jesus. Many people walked away from the church because what they saw didn't resemble what they read about who Jesus was. Now I'm not saying all of you didn't look like Jesus or that all Christians don't look like Jesus. The truth is that many people who have deconstructed their faith did so though because someone who claimed to follow Jesus dishonored Jesus in the choices that they made. [00:37:01]
If God blesses you with the honor of having rhythms that find you in proximity with someone who makes you uncomfortable because of all the animosity or questions or church hurt they experience, wake up to the reality that God is placing you there. Like if you've been honored with that opportunity to be by these people that don't look like you, that don't talk like you, that don't vote like you, that don't believe like you, God has placed you there to be a counter witness to the failing foundations that they have experienced. [00:37:29]
Rebuild trust by embodying grace, patience, humility, and the truth of Jesus in your relationships with them and others. Let them see Jesus in the way you talk. Listen, let them see Jesus in the way that you talk and treat co -workers that missed the mark. Let them see Jesus in the way you talk about the shortcomings of your brother, you know, that one, or your sister, or your mother, or your crazy. mother -in -law. Let them see how you talk about them. Let them see Jesus in the way you interact with people, as I said, who don't look like you, talk like you, vote like you, believe like you. That's the counter witness. That's the way we can begin to help people rebuild their faith in Christ. [00:38:02]
Offer presence over pressure. Stay close, even if they don't come back or become friendly to faith immediately. Your steady friendship may be the thing that helps them see God differently over time. Over time. Listen, some of you, if coming to Christ required a time period, an expiration, you would have missed the mark. But God's love is everlasting to everlasting to everlasting. So let ours be too. Let ours be too. [00:38:59]
Jesus doesn't shame you. He doesn't shame others for houses that collapse. In fact, if you read the tone of the way Jesus gives this parable, he's actually inviting people. He's saying, please don't be like that. He invites us to be part of the process of building our faith on something that lasts. On him. On grace. Not performance. On truth. Not trends. On love that holds you steady when everything else collapses. And so the question is, is what's your foundation? And is it holding? Because the storm isn't the problem. The storm just reveals what we've built on. So let's be the kind of people who build our house on the rock. [00:41:23]
