on the rock

Good morning friends,
The theme this week is making Jesus our foundation for life. In our passage today Jesus has finished teaching a crowd of people and challenges them not to be entertained but transformed. The important thing about following Jesus isn't just listening to what he has to say; it's doing what he says. The analogy Jesus uses is simple but effective; how can you take a step to put Jesus' words into action today?

God bless,
Sam

Matthew 7:24-29

²⁴“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. ²⁵The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. ²⁶And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!” ²⁸Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, ²⁹for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

living stones

Good morning brothers and sisters,
Today's reading calls us to free ourselves from hatred and to long, instead, for spiritual milk. That call to peace and love is important, as is the call to grow. God calls us to change, to develop, to be better, more mature disciples next year than we are now. That process isn't up to us, but we do allow it. Notice that Christ is described as a living stone. On that foundation we are built up like living stones. Our call is to let God shape and change us so we can become more than we are now.

God bless,
Sam

1 Peter 2:1-8

Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. 2Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— 3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.


4Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and 5like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For it stands in scripture: “See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner,” 8and “A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.