The importance of the foundation for any structure cannot be over emphasized. Without a firm foundation the entire structure is in jeopardy. Jesus used this truth to make spiritual truths obvious to those around him. He was good at using parables. The physical reality of things can help us understand the spiritual reality of things. In this case Jesus explained the importance of the foundation as He focused on the importance of hearing what He had to say. Jesus’ words are God’s Words. He said, “Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great” (Luke 6:47-49).
I expect that Jesus was well aware of the Old Testament teachings and how God dealt with His Family, His Children, the Israelites. He spoke to them through Moses at Sinai. He instructed them in the importance of obeying His words when they inhabited the land under Joshua. He disciplined them time and time again when they replaced the foundation of their lives with the sandy lands of the pagan nations around them through the 400 years of the period of the Judges. He built a dynasty and a house for David and called him to lead His people in the Words and Ways of God. He instructed Solomon in the building of His residence where he would dwell with His people (His Family) on earth. Upon nearing this construction, God spoke directly to Solomon and said, “Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel” (1 Kings 6:12-13). I can’t help but believe Jesus was referring to this promise as he spoke of the importance of the foundation in the Gospel of Luke.
Paul made it clear to us that the foundation for any healthy life was the foundation that has been laid for us. Paul had worked hard at laying the foundation in Colossae. Through the powerful working of the Holy Spirit, God used Paul to lay the same foundation for you and me. There was only one foundation that would be strong enough and solid enough to hold the superstructure of anyone’s life. Paul wrote, “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (Colossians 3:10-11).