“Sandcastles”

            The beach (or the shore) is a wonderful place to go and enjoy the ocean: Cool weather, cool breezes, cool water … warm sun, warm sand between your toes, warm bodies enjoying the rays of bright sun  light, and the delightful opportunity to scribble something temporary in the billions of trillions of grains of sand all around you.

            Writing in the sand is like using an etch-a-sketch. You can write or draw anything your heart desires … but the only problem is that your love letter, or masterpiece, won’t be preserved forever. The wind and waves will eventually wipe or wash it away … and that’s okay … because you only came to play in the present tense.

            I’ve been to beaches (and even to a mall in Florida) where elaborate “sandcastles” were created by very talented people (actually gifted artists) who know that their masterpiece will only be enjoyed for a short time.

            Beautiful works of art are in the eye of the beholder. But, unfortunately, many people are only interested in the here and now. They’re not interested in what will be around for others to enjoy for many years … let alone something eternal.

            Sandcastles can rival the best art, yet only a small number of people ever get to enjoy them. “The best builders are painstaking in every detail—the towers are straight, the windows are even … sometimes the outline of individual bricks can be seen on each wall.  The end result is often stunning, rivaling the elegance of homes in the wealthiest neighborhoods of the world.” (Charles Stanley)  

Even though these incredible works of art are created in unbelievable detail, they still don’t have much hope for the future. The creator of this art knows (full well) going into the project, that his or her work has a short shelf life.

            Within hours the wind, tide, or disrespectful humans can wreck in seconds what took many hours to create by the craftsman. Simply stated, there is absolutely no future for any artwork or any house built out of sand!

            I’m not a rocket scientist but I know that anything built to last must have a firm foundation … that’s if you desire it to last? And last is what God wants. He designed your spirit to last forever, so He wants you to act like it during your short journey here on earth before you make it to your final (living … not resting) place in eternity.

Listen to these words of Jesus in Matthew’s gospel chapter seven, from Eugene Peterson’s The Message, “These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards. When Jesus concluded his address, the crowd burst into applause. They had never heard teaching like this. It was apparent that he was living everything he was saying—quite a contrast to their religion teachers! This was the best teaching they had ever heard.”

Spiritually speaking, weak foundations produce weak faith. Don’t allow your life to be centered only in attending an occasional RFC chapel service, or only giving to your local charities, or simply doing “good” things. A “good sandcastle” can only do so much before it collapses back into the rest of the sand. Only faith built on Jesus Christ can withstand the winds, waves, and whatever else would come whirling your way.

To build on the solid foundation of God and on His Word is to build “on the rock,” which means to be a hearing and responding disciple. Not a phony or superficial one. Demonstrating godly obedience becomes the solid foundation to weather any storm … whether physical, emotional, or spiritual.

Most people do not deliberately seek to build on a false or inferior foundation (imagine having your new boat made of Styrofoam instead of carbon fiber), they just don’t think about life’s real purpose. Many people are headed for destruction, not out of stubbornness, but out of thoughtlessness.

As believers, we are responsible to help others stop and think about where their lives are headed. We are responsible to point them in the right direction. If you have read my writings for the past several years, and have attended an RFC chapel service, you my friend are accountable to God for your actions!

Those who enter God’s kingdom (by faith) are saved from eternal destruction. They are wise builders … they’ve applied the truth of God to their lives. These kingdom disciples are comparable to a man who builds his life on the “Rock” of a solid foundation, through the application of the entire Word of God. By trusting God’s Word, you are trusting in His character. To hear Jesus, and then do what He says is building your faith on firm footing.

            Most racers respect the integrity of any part they buy to either work correctly, or keep the driver safe in case of a mishap. It is foolish for any racer to build a boat with parts that are not adequately built to withstand the punishment that racing puts them through.

Remember this, “You may work on your boat in your pit … but God will not allow His faithful followers to end up in the pit of hell.”

            It is not simply enough to think that you have the best parts money can buy; you must be convinced that they are the best. It is essential, after having understood the will of God: The disciple of Christ must obey Him. 

Not to obey is to live a life characterized by self-deception. Some people are satisfied with just hearing the Word … but there is a danger that those kinds of people will become satisfied with hearing alone … and never put the permanence of Christ’s words to the test.

            Obedience brings solid stability to the believer’s life, as well as giving clear evidence of their love for God. Being obedient is the best way to feel free. Just do it! Just try it! Those who cross the threshold of God’s kingdom are saved from demolition. They are wise. That is, they have applied the truth of God to their lives. Such biblical disciples are equivalent to a man who built his life on a “rock” … a solid foundation.

            “These words of Mine (Jesus)” are the solid foundation, and by application of the Word of God, the disciple can build his or her life on that foundation. To trust Christ is to trust the character of God.

            The foolish person who takes the “broad road to destruction” and “builds a house on the sand” has rejected God. He will not face extinction, but ultimately will face destruction … eternal separation from God. What his life had built failed to merit fellowship with God and he was judged with the words “depart from me” … words none of us ever want to hear from the LORD of the universe.

            Jesus always spoke boldly and brilliantly with startling stories, dramatic discourses, and refreshing methods of meaningful ministry. Our Lord always spoke with unique authority (the Father’s). The people of that day were literally “awed with the awesomeness” of the eternal teachings of the God Man. Jesus’ teachings and words were meant to be heard, and then passed down to each succeeding generations.

            His gospel (the Good News) was an “attested gospel,” spoken in the presence of the disciples. His gospel was an “apologetic gospel,” written so that everyone else in the future might also believe in Him. His gospel was an “interpretative gospel,” that He is the Christ. His gospel was a “definitive gospel,” that He is the Son of God. And His gospel was an “effective gospel,” that all who believed would have eternal life.

            Because the truth of the gospel message depends on the solid truth of the resurrection of Christ, the teachings in the books of the New Testament hinge on this very truth. Jesus’ resurrection was the proof that He was building (and teaching) on a solid foundation as the Creator of the universe.

            Sand wasn’t just created to have fun with when you go to the beach or desert … it was to also illustrate a spiritual truth … sand won’t stand up to much exploitation, but when you turn a life of sandstone into a life of believing in Jesus Christ as Lord, and cement it with the truth of God’s Word, your eternal castle is waiting … because it’s built on the “Rock of Ages!”

Jim Jack