A house on the rock and a house on sand.
It is a classic motive. One house on solid ground. Not shaken by wind and water. And a house that is somewhere below. Gone. Torn apart.
Rock vs sand. All earthly matters are sand. Faith is as solid as rock. Or is it really?
A thing I find quite interesting in this classic motive – and a thing that has been a topic for many of my latest sermons – is that faith usually – to us at least – us not all that solid.
Faith is not easy to grasp. Faith is not easy to understand. Faith is followed, yes, but is not fully comprehended. Only God knows its true depths.
How then can it be the rock?
To us humans, what we normally understand is solid is something that we can prove:
If a policeman can find good evidence, he has a ‘solid’ case.
If a scientist can show consistency in something and another scientist can re-do his experiment, they have ‘discovered’ a truth.
And the more evidence, the more experiments, the better. It all makes it more solid. Makes it less like the sand. Make it something that will most likely be considered true for most people and for quite a while.
Faith is the opposite of this. Faith never has a solid case as it cannot be proved through evidence. Nor can a serial of experiments make it more believable.
Faith is what it is. It stands out. Stands out because it is more like the sand – not easy to grasp, nor easy to withhold. Faith sometimes makes sense while one might struggle with it at other times.
How then – and I repeat my question – can it be the rock?
The most obvious answer is that while all earthly things – despite all the evidence and experiments – only is temporal. It exists now, yes, but in the future – following the second coming of Christ – little does it matter.
At this point though, faith is all that matters. Faith endures. And hence, maybe not now as we live our lives are faith like a rock, but it will turn out to be in the long scheme of things.
This of course is a good answer, but I believe I have a better one as well. Not that I do not like the first, but as it is an answer relating to the future, another answer relating more to current times could be beneficial to us as well.
The answer I have that relates more to current times can be explained through a retelling of a great – not well-known – but great children’s Story.
(And before I retell the story, I want to apologies that I once again retell a Children’s Story as a part of my sermon.
Back when I was newly educated, I remember using philosophers and the like more in my sermons, but since I became a father – and not in a clergical way – it somehow has changed! Wonder why.)
Anyway, the story that I think make it evident how faith truly is the rock and does so relating to current times, is called “The Day the House of Little Mr. Madsen Blew Away.”
The story is written by the current and very popular author and painter, Jakob Martin Strid.
In the story there is a village built on the edge of a cliff. As it is built on the cliff – and not on the sand below the cliff – I believe one could say that it is built on rock.
But one day a terrible storm passes through the village making people seek shelter in their homes. The storm blows most strongly on the House of Little Mr. Madsen as it is located right at the edge.
With the strongest blow the House of Little Mr. Madsen is torn loose. Out over the gorge. Landing at the other side of the village. At the top of the Knee Knacker Mountain.
When the storm settles people come out of their houses and are terrified to see how the House of Little Mr. Madsen is all gone.
“Here I am” shouts Mr. Madsen from the other side of the gorge as he gets the attention of the people.
“First, he needs food” the old general decides. Therefore, he loads his canon with a harpoon with a rope tight to it. With the rope they can hoist food to Little Mr. Madsen.
And so, the village starts hoisting. First a ham. Then potatoes and gravy. Later, bread, butter, and eggs. But as the entire village feels sorry for Little Mr. Madsen, they start hoisting other things for him as well.
A lady makes potholders for him; a smith makes horseshoes. The general hoists his sword over; the florist sends flowers. The musician loads his instrument, the shoemaker shoes.
And so, it goes. All in the village goes to the rope that day with things for Little Mr. Madsen. Once they go, if not twice.
But when nights fall upon the city all are still sad despite all the things they had hoisted over. It was so sad sitting there on that side of the gorge with Little Mr. Madsen sitting on the other.
Because of that they decided to send a rescue team consisting of the best mountain climbers in the village. They are to retrieve Little Mr. Madsen.
But just before the mountain climbers reach the House of Little Mr. Madsen, Little Mr. Madsen sneezes. And because of all the extra load in his house due to all the things he received, his house fall down the mountain, across the gorge, and lands straight at the spot it used to sit.
All are happy in the village. The mountain climbers are rewarded with a medal. Little Mr. Madsen too. A huge party is hosted. All are happy.
Now you might be wondering what this story really had to do with the motive from today’s Gospel Reading. Of course, there is the fact that the House of Little Mr. Madsen – despite being built on rock – is not holding its ground.
But what does it say about faith. What does it say about how faith – despite not being solid – still is so?
Well, to me the story is a prime example of what matters the most: Love.
Because while The House of Little Mr. Madsen did not hold its ground, the love dwelling within the village did so. Did so as villagers assisted Little Mr. Madsen in any way they could – despite all of them not really making sense.
Yet it made sense as they were signs of love.
Love. Love is like faith. It cannot fully be comprehended, yet it is the strongest foundation of all. And that is the more current and slightly better answer to the question asked in my sermon today:
How come faith is the strongest foundation of all? Well, it is so because it – just as love – is far more important and far more superior than any other foundation.
Through love Little Mr. Madsen is looked after. Through faith we are all looked after. Through faith we will all be safe. Safe from rain and wind, tempers and false prophets.
May we therefore build upon that. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.