25 October 2026 - Martin McCrory - Stability in an Unstable World

Matthew 7 puts a grave question before anyone who calls Jesus Lord: does that confession come with obedience to his word? Christ’s name can be put on almost anything. Even prophecy, deliverance, and mighty works do not, by themselves, prove that a life belongs to him. Grace saves without works, but it saves believers for works. God’s generous love draws a response of wholehearted surrender, not freedom from responsibility before a holy God.

Jesus describes the obedient hearer as a wise builder whose house stands on rock. The rain falls, the floods come, and the winds beat against both houses. Faith does not make a broken world fair or remove its painful trials. The promise is that a life built upon Christ’s words can stand when everything around it shakes. Luke makes the connection plain: calling Jesus Lord means hearing what he says and doing it.

Paul identifies the only foundation as Jesus Christ. Different people do not need different foundations, and neither religious ancestry nor popular approval can supply another one. Christ alone is the crucified and risen Savior. Politics, education, wealth, technology, and personality systems cannot carry the weight that belongs to him. Claims of spiritual revelation must also be tested against the gospel, not accepted because they appear impressive.

Foundations require hidden work. Secret prayer, faithful generosity, and careful obedience build beneath the surface, where public appearances cannot tell the whole story. The same stone becomes either a sure cornerstone or a stumbling stone according to the response to Christ’s word.

Hardened habits and inherited traditions may need the jackhammer of God’s word. A faulty foundation needs more than a better-looking house. Obedience reaches into marriage, parenting, work, and the use of spiritual gifts. God makes something beautiful of the life grounded in Christ, and his faithfulness gives believers confidence that his work will endure.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Grace Produces Obedience, Not Spiritual Performance. Salvation is received by grace through faith, not earned by works, yet grace does not remove responsibility before God. Christ’s name and even miraculous activity cannot substitute for doing the Father’s will. The response to being greatly loved is an openhearted surrender that seeks what God wants rather than a performance that looks impressive. [59:45]
• 2. The Storm Reveals the Foundation. Jesus promises a house that stands, not a life without rain, floods, or wind. Painful circumstances may remain unfair and hard to understand, but they do not have to determine the stability of faith. Hearing and doing Christ’s words gives a believer solid ground when circumstances offer none. [1:03:55]
• 3. Hidden Work Sustains an Enduring Life. A finished house hides the foundations that carry its weight. In the same way, public Christian activity cannot replace the hidden work of seeking the Father in secret. Deep prayer and faithful stewardship matter because an enduring life requires more than a convincing appearance above ground. [1:20:47]
• 4. Christ Alone Can Carry Eternal Hope. Paul allows no other foundation than Jesus Christ, regardless of a person’s background or the popularity of an alternative. Religious claims and spiritual experiences must be measured against the gospel rather than treated as proof in themselves. Politics, wealth, education, and technology may have a place in life, but none can become the ground of eternal confidence. [1:29:19]
• 5. Hardened Habits May Need Breaking Up. Familiarity can harden a person into patterns that no longer submit to God’s word. The picture of a wrongly poured foundation calls for more than a surface repair: the jackhammer must come out, and the work must begin again. Scripture exposes misplaced hopes so that obedience to Christ, rather than habit or tradition, becomes the basis of life. [1:34:04]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [56:56] - Prayer for an Unshakable Life
• [58:28] - Calling Jesus Lord and Doing His Will
• [1:01:09] - Christ’s Name Is Not an Endorsement
• [1:03:36] - The House That Stands Through Storms
• [1:08:53] - Digging Deep Through Hearing and Doing
• [1:12:27] - Two Questions About the Foundation
• [1:14:30] - Jesus Christ, the Only Foundation
• [1:16:47] - Foundations Require Careful, Hidden Work
• [1:23:04] - Cornerstone or Stumbling Stone
• [1:24:47] - No Rival Savior or Contrary Gospel
• [1:29:48] - Shifting Sands and Identity in Christ
• [1:31:54] - Obedience and the Jackhammer of God’s Word
• [1:35:55] - A Sure Foundation and a Beautiful Life
• [1:37:28] - Prayer for Obedience in Everyday Life

1. In Matthew 7:24–27, what do the two builders have in common, and what differences become clear when the storm comes? [01:03:41]
2. What detail does Luke 6:46–49 add about the work of preparing the foundation? How does Jesus connect that picture with a person’s response to his words? [01:09:19]
3. In 1 Corinthians 3:11, what foundation does Paul identify? What alternatives—religious or otherwise—cannot take its place? [01:15:19]
4. What examples of hidden spiritual work help explain the picture of digging deep in Luke 6? Why might those things go unnoticed by others? [01:21:17]

1. How does obedience as a response to God’s generous love differ from obedience as an attempt to earn his acceptance? Why does that distinction matter when reading Jesus’ warning about hearing without doing? [59:34]
2. Both houses face a storm. What does this show about what Jesus promises—and what he does not promise—to those who follow him? How might this shape the way Christians respond to someone facing painful circumstances? [01:04:08]
3. How do Paul’s words about Christ as the only foundation help explain Jesus’ call to hear and obey? Why is Christian obedience more than simply trying to become a better person? [01:15:54]
4. Why might a familiar habit or inherited tradition need to be broken up rather than simply improved? How can a believer tell when familiarity has become resistance to Christ’s words? [01:34:31]

1. Where in your life is there a gap between knowing what Jesus asks and actually doing it? What might one honest step of obedience look like this week? [01:31:54]
2. When you think about obeying God, do you tend to feel gratitude, fear of failure, a need to impress, or something else? How might remembering his love help you respond with greater willingness? [01:00:35]
3. If you are comfortable sharing, what has a difficult season revealed about what you rely on? What helped you hold on to Christ, and what support would be helpful now? [01:11:43]
4. How does your private life with God compare with what others see of your faith? Is there a small, realistic change you could make in secret prayer or quiet generosity—not to impress anyone, but to deepen your trust in him? [01:21:17]
5. Politics, education, money, and technology can have a place in life without becoming its foundation. Which of these most easily carries too much weight in your sense of security? What would trusting Christ look like in one decision involving it? [01:30:04]
6. Is there a habit or family tradition that you sense needs to be tested against Scripture? In your relationships, parenting, work, or use of spiritual gifts, what might need more than a surface change—and how could this group support you as you respond? [01:34:31]