Building on the Rock
To build on the Rock, we must have a daily conversation with the Lord, obey His commandments, and live righteously.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the necessity of a personal relationship with Jesus, arguing that mere attendance at church is insufficient for true faith. He warns that neglecting prayer and daily communion with God leads to a life built on sand, which will collapse in difficult times. Wilkerson highlights that God's commandments should not be viewed as burdensome but as a means to grow closer to Him, teaching us holiness through grace. He illustrates this with the example of Enoch, who pleased God through his obedience, and encourages believers to see God as a loving figure inviting them to receive strength and life. Ultimately, true faith is demonstrated through a joyful fulfillment of God's commands.
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If you say you're a Christian -- that you love Jesus and walk in obedience to Him -- yet you neglect Him day after day by not praying, then you really don't know Him. Your house is not on the rock, it's on sand and it's going to collapse completely in hard times.
You cannot get to know Jesus only by going to church. You must have a day-by-day, hour-by-hour conversation with the Lord. You must get to know Him, grow to love Him, and desire to know what pleases Him.
We consider the Lord's commandments to be something burdensome, restricting to our personal freedom. And rather than embracing His words to us, we look for ways to escape them.
We distort God's grace by making it out to be some kind of tunnel out of the prison of His law. But grace is actually a teacher of holiness: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Titus 2:11-12).
The man on the rock embraces and joyfully fulfills the Lord's commands. He doesn't see God as someone with a belt in His hand, always ready to chastise him. No, he sees the Lord as One with arms outstretched to him, saying, "Come to Me and receive life, receive strength. I'll carry you through!" God's Word shows us what it takes to build upon the Rock.
Enoch obeyed God with the sole objective of pleasing Him. "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God" (Hebrews 11:5). Enoch was translated because he pleased the Lord.
The apostle John says: "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight" (1 John 3:22). "For thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created" (Revelation 4:11).
Sermon Outline
- I. Building on the Rock
- A. The importance of a daily conversation with the Lord
- B. Embracing God's commandments as a path to holiness
- C. The role of grace in teaching us to live righteously
- II. The Distorted View of God's Grace
- A. Grace as a means of escape from God's law
- B. The true nature of God's grace as a teacher of holiness
- III. The Man on the Rock
- A. Embracing God's commands with joy and obedience
- B. Seeing God as a source of strength and life
- IV. The Example of Enoch
- A. Enoch's obedience as a means of pleasing God
- B. The reward of pleasing God
Key Quotes
“Your house is not on the rock, it's on sand and it's going to collapse completely in hard times.” — David Wilkerson
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” — David Wilkerson
“For thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We must have a daily conversation with the Lord to get to know Him and build on the Rock.
- Embracing God's commandments as a path to holiness is essential for building on the Rock.
- Living righteously and pleasing God is the key to building on the Rock.