ON THE ROCK

Did you notice that in this parable, Jesus points out that both the wise and foolish builders heard His words? Both took action to build their houses, but the way they went about it—and the results—were drastically different. What separates them is not merely hearing Jesus’ words, but the one who hears them and actually puts them into practice. Building our lives on the rock means choosing, day by day, hour by hour, to do the hard things—living with integrity, seeking first the Kingdom of Heaven, and being marked as a distinct disciple.
Storms will come, that’s a certainty. Jesus doesn’t say that following Him will shield us from the storms of life, but how we come out of them will be different than the world. But what happens if we choose to build on sand, where it’s convenient or easy? Sure, for a while it might seem fine, but when the storm hits the house will crumble. When our lives are built on the rock of Jesus, we can stand firm, even when the rain falls and the winds blow. 
The good news is, we don’t have to do this alone. As The Bible Project points out, "the house of God" is the most common phrase used to describe God’s temple on the rocky hill of Jerusalem where God met with His people. Jesus is talking to us both about the ‘house’ or temple of our own lives where the Holy Spirit dwells, as well as the community where God's presence is made known to the world here and now—through the body of Christ, His Church. It’s these communities, built on the foundation of Christ, that will last.