I.        INTRODUCTION

A.      The Lord ended His great sermon on the mount with a potent analogy to emphasize the importance of obeying the words He had just preached.

                                                             1.      All of us are familiar with these words in Matthew 7:24-27 – "²⁴Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.  ²⁵And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.  ²⁶Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  ²⁷The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and burst against that house; and it fell and great was its fall.”

                                                             2.      This concluded the greatest sermon ever recorded in history, and the people who heard it "were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes” (Matt. 7:28-29).

B.      Presently, let us consider Luke’s account of this teaching, which reveals an aspect not mentioned in Matthew’s account.

                                                             1.      This account comes from Luke 6:47-49 – "⁴⁷Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: ⁴⁸he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.  ⁴⁹But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

                                                             2.      This account gives more attention to what is involved in building a house on the rock, namely, that the builder must dig deep in order to lay a foundation on the rock.  "Digging deep” will be the focus of our lesson.

II.      DIG DEEP – ACT ON CHRIST’S WORDS

A.      The rock on which wise men must build their lives is the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

                                                             1.      In Matthew 16:16-18, Peter made the great confession of Jesus – "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” – and Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

a.       The rock upon which the church and every member are built is the truth confessed by Peter.  It is the solid foundation upon which believers stand.

b.       This rock reveals that Jesus is both Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One of God) and the Son of God (Deity equal to the Father, see John 5:17-18).

                                                             2.      The figures of rocks, stones, foundations, and cornerstones are common in passages of Scripture describing Jesus.

a.       Peter quoted Isaiah 8:14, 28:16, and Psalm 118:22, which are all prophecies concerning Jesus and describing Him in such terms (see 1Pet. 2:4-8).  Peter said that Jesus is the stone rejected by the builders (unbelievers), which has become the cornerstone (the most important part of the foundation and structure).

b.       These figures were also used by Paul in Ephesians 2:19-22, where he described Christians as "having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”

B.      Rather than considering this rock to be laid bare and easy to build upon, let us understand that we must dig deep to gain a solid foundation on the Lord.

                                                             1.      Again considering Matthew 16:16-18, we must understand that flesh and blood has not revealed this rock to men.  The truth about Jesus has come from the Father in heaven.

a.       While Jesus was on earth, men did not learn who He was by His appearance.  As Isaiah 53:2 says, "He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.”

b.       They learned as we must learn that Jesus is the Christ through the witnesses that testified of Him, including the Father, John the baptist, the works of Christ, and the Scriptures (John 5:31-47).

                                                             2.      To dig deep, we must act on the Lord’s words and experience the truth of them.

a.       According to the figures of Luke 6:47-49, everyone who hears Christ’s words has "built a house.”  However, the ones who have acted on Christ’s words have "dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock.”

b.       To be founded on the rock, we must have more than a superficial faith in Christ.

i.         This requires a genuine application of Romans 12:2 – "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

ii.        We prove the will of God and the words of Christ by living them.  By our own experience, we will dig deep and know that these words are genuine and true.

C.      Digging deep to the solid foundation of Christ will give us endurance to weather the storms of life.

                                                             1.      Regarding the "house” built by one who acted on Christ’s words, Jesus said "when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.”

                                                             2.      The flood and the torrent are the trials of life.  These trials test our faith, but if we have dug deep to the rock for our foundation, then we will endure and be made perfect and complete (Jas. 1:2-4).

III.   THE DECEPTION OF SHALLOW FAITH

A.      Those who receive the word of Christ in a superficial way will fail in a time of distress.

                                                             1.      Such a person corresponds to the rocky places in the parable of the sower (Matt. 13:5, 20-21).  He hears the word and receives it with joy, but "he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.”

                                                             2.      It is during times of trouble that the absence of a foundation becomes evident.

a.       When times are good, it is easy to claim a love of Jesus.

b.       However, when times are difficult, it is only those who have acted on Christ’s word who will stand on the solid foundation, for they have proved the will of God and know His promises are true.

B.      Having a "little faith” can be dangerously deceptive, for it will cause us to think we are stronger than we truly are.

                                                             1.      Four times in Matthew when Jesus rebuked those with "little faith” (Matt. 6:30; 8:26: 14:31; 16:8).  Three of these rebukes were given directly to the apostles, who no doubt thought they were strong.

                                                             2.      James gives us a brief but potent summary of the meaning of Luke 6:47-49 when he says, "But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves” (Jas. 1:22).

a.       This once again proves that the benefit of Christ’s words is in the doing of them only.

b.       Applying the figures of Luke 6:47-49, those who hear only and build "a house on the ground without any foundation” are deluded into thinking that their house is sound when it is not.

                                                             3.      Another relevant message is found in 1Corinthians 10:12 – "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”

a.       To "heed” God’s word is more than to hear – it is to listen and act on the word.

b.       Those houses built on the ground without any foundation will fall, and great will be the ruin of those houses unless they heed the word of Christ now.

IV.    CONCLUSION

A.      Regardless of how long a person has been in Christ, if he has shallow faith, then it is time to dig deeper.

                                                             1.      In Hebrews 5:11-14, the Hebrew Christians were rebuked for their immaturity, but in Hebrews 6:1-3, they were told in essence that it was time for them to dig deeper.

                                                             2.      Likewise, there is no immaturity or lack of faith among Christians now that cannot be cured by digging deeper, finding the solid foundation, and acting on Christ’s words in all things.

B.      Find the solid rock of Christ and act on His words, and the torrents and floods of the world and Satan will not shake your house.