How to Build Your Life on the Rock, part 1 (a Sermon on the Mount series)
How to Build Your Life on the Rock
Introduction: The Foundation of an Unsinkable Life
We all seek to build a good life—a life of stability, purpose, and enduring happiness. But what happens when the inevitable storms hit? Where can we find a foundation that won’t crumble under the weight of trials, pressure, and uncertainty?
Jesus, in the climax of His monumental teaching known as the Sermon on the Mount, answers this question with a powerful parable.
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts on 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 slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. And everyone 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. And the rain fell and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and its collapse was great.” (Matthew 7:24–27, NASB 2020)
The “house” in this parable represents the life we build. The rock is the foundation—which Jesus explicitly identifies as His words given in this very sermon. To build wisely is to hear and act on His teachings; to build foolishly is to disregard them in favor of our own fleeting judgment. This sermon—these words—are the blueprint for a solid, stable, and overcoming Christian life.
We begin our journey into this foundational teaching by exploring its opening passage, the radical call to True Blessedness.
Part 1: The Blueprint for True Blessedness (Matthew 5:1-12)
Jesus delivered this teaching from a mountain (Matthew 5:1-2), a deliberate echo of Moses receiving the Law on Mount Sinai. But unlike the old law of external rules, Jesus offers a new covenant of internal character and transformation. He doesn’t begin with a list of demands, but with a pronouncement of blessing.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…” (Matthew 5:3, NASB 2020)
The Greek word Jesus uses here is makarismos, which means happy, fortunate, or privileged. This is distinct from eulogeo, which implies a bestowal of divine favor (like the blessing on Mary in Luke 1:42). The makarismos Jesus speaks of is a happiness that is a result of a person’s action or character, a genuine state of inner well-being.
The Two-Fold Nature of Blessedness
What is this “blessedness” Jesus promises? It is two-fold, encompassing both God’s perspective and man’s experience:
- God’s Approval: Blessedness is first and foremost a positive judgment of God on the individual. It is the smile of God over your life; it is Him saying, “Well done.” As Max Lucado writes, it “indicates the smile of God.” God is pleased with the character and trajectory of your life.
- Man’s Deep Contentment: Blessedness is a positive feeling of inner happiness that results from knowing that God, the ultimate authority, approves of you. For the true believer, God’s approval surpasses the approval of friends, family, or the world. If you have God’s favor, you have an unshakable source of joy.
If you want a life built on the Rock, your primary aim must be to gain the approval of God.
The Character of the Approved: What God Blesses
Jesus goes on to outline the specific attitudes, actions, and sacrifices that earn this divine approval. It is not our material wealth or worldly success that God blesses, but the condition of our hearts and the resulting behaviors.
1. God Blesses the Right Attitudes (Matt 5:3-6)
- Poverty of Spirit (v. 3): This is the foundational attitude. It means recognizing your spiritual bankruptcy without Christ, confessing your sinfulness, and acknowledging your daily desperate need for God’s guidance. Like King David in Psalm 51, it is an awareness and admission of wrongdoing that precedes all other growth.
- Mourning (v. 4): This is not general sadness, but mourning over the effects of sin—in one’s own life and in the world. It’s a godly sorrow that cries out against sin and its devastating consequences.
- Gentleness/Meekness (v. 5): The meek person is not weak, but one who chooses not to trust in their own strength, but puts their whole reliance on God. They rest in the Lord and wait patiently, as encouraged in Psalm 37.
- Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness (v. 6): This is an insatiable desire for God’s righteousness, treating it as necessary for life as food and water. It’s a deep longing to be taught and clothed in the justice and holiness of God.
2. God Blesses the Right Actions (Matt 5:7-9)
- Merciful (v. 7): To be merciful is to have compassion on people in need and to act on that need. Those who minister mercy will, in turn, receive mercy in their own time of need.
- Pure in Heart (v. 8): This means living with a blameless conscience before both God and man (Acts 24:16). It is an undivided devotion to God, free from guilt, especially towards others. This is the character that will one day see God.
- Peacemaker (v. 9): A peacemaker does everything in their power to broker peace, reflecting the ultimate Peacemaker, Jesus Christ, who reconciled all things through the blood of His cross (Colossians 1:19-20). They are called “sons of God.”
3. God Blesses the Right Sacrifice (Matt 5:10-12)
- Persecuted for Righteousness (v. 10-12): God blesses those who put their lives on the line for the sake of Christ and righteousness. True believers find joy in their persecutions, rejoicing that they were “considered worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41). The suffering is proof that the Spirit of glory, and of God, rests upon you (1 Peter 4:14).
A Vital Truth: True blessedness is not measured in material things; it is measured in godly character, godly behaviors, and sacrificial service to God. True blessedness means God approves of your life.
The Reward of the Approved: How Man is Blessed
When God approves a life, He gives eternal rewards, and happiness becomes our responsive joy to His promises. The “blessedness” is seen in the promises attached to each Beatitude:
- Theirs is the kingdom of heaven (v. 3, 10): Acknowledging spiritual need makes one a citizen and heir of God’s eternal realm. (Note: This promise bookends the Beatitudes, emphasizing that all true blessedness is found in the Kingdom of God.)
- They shall be comforted (v. 4): Those who mourn over sin will find comfort in the Holy Spirit and the promise of a sinless world to come.
- They will inherit the earth (v. 5): Those who humbly trust in God’s ways will be given authority and reign in the coming Kingdom.
- They will be satisfied (v. 6): Those who hunger for God’s righteousness will be taught it, clothed in it, and fully satisfied by it.
- They will receive mercy (v. 7): Those who give mercy will have it shown to them in their own time of need.
- They will see God (v. 8): The pure in heart will one day stand in the Lord’s presence (Job 19:25-27).
- They will be called sons of God (v. 9): Peacemakers will be recognized as God’s servants and rulers.
- Great is your reward in heaven (v. 12): A reward that is eternal and enduring, far surpassing any earthly gain.
Conclusion: Live an Unsinkable Life
Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is not a collection of good advice; it is the solid rock upon which an unsinkable life must be built.
If you desire a life of victory—a life that is indestructible and overflowing with genuine happiness—you must:
- Build Your Character: Allow the Word of God to cultivate the attitudes of humility, meekness, and spiritual hunger.
- Transform Your Behavior: Live out the actions of mercy, purity, and peace-making toward others.
- Embrace the Sacrifice: Be willing to live and suffer for the sake of God’s righteousness and the name of Christ.
When you do this, you will never be unhappy, empty, or meaningless again. Your life will stand firm when the rain falls, the floods rise, and the winds blow. True Blessedness is not a feeling we chase; it is a gift we receive when we are approved of God.
