Children’s Sermon

Matthew 7:21-29

A Firm Foundation

By Lois Parker Edstrom

Object suggested: A flag in a flag stand, if one is available in your church.

At schools and government buildings we often see a tall flagpole with a flag attached. It is a beautiful sight to see a flag rippling proudly in the breeze. Have you ever thought about what keeps that flagpole upright? If workers just dig a hole in the ground and put the flagpole in the hole, there could be problems. A heavy wind might knock the flag pole over, or at least cause it to tilt. Another problem might be that moisture in the ground would cause a wooden flagpole to rot and break off. That is why flagpoles are set in a concrete base.

Let’s look at the flags in our sanctuary. What causes the pole to remain upright? Yes, there is a heavy base that keeps the flagpole from tipping over. Could it stand on its own? No, it needs a good foundation.

In the Bible we find that Jesus talks about foundations. He says, “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock” (7:24-25). The house had a strong foundation.

The words of Jesus help us understand that we can build a good foundation for our own lives. When we study the Bible and try to live by those principles, we are building a sturdy foundation that will keep us strong when difficult things occur.

Scripture quotations from the World English Bible

Copyright 2007, Richard Niell Donovan