Disciples Making Disciples

Living a Life That Won’t Collapse When the Storms Come

Ephesians 2:19–20 (LSB)
“So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone.”

A Not So Sure Foundation

At the time of writing this post, my wife and I were living in a partially underground house—built several decades ago with the vision of being a “forever home.” The concept was unique, and the purpose was good: a solid, lasting place to be handed down to future generations. Yet, this house had some obvious flaws. The floors were uneven. The walls were cracking. The ceiling leaked when it rained. And eventually, the truth became obvious: the foundation was failing and in disrepair.

The house had been built in a gravel pit. Unstable soil. Shifting ground. Years of erosion and pressure had compromised the structure to the point that the entire home was slowly sinking. What was designed to last for generations was now inching toward condemnation—not because its concept was flawed, but because its foundation was never secure.

This is more than a housing problem.
It is a spiritual picture.

Many people love the idea of following Jesus. They want meaning, identity, forgiveness, purpose. They want to feel unique and special in God’s eyes. But instead of building their lives on the solid foundation of Christ Himself, they unknowingly build on something as unstable as that gravel pit—on their effort, their goodness, their emotions, their spirituality, or their performance. And over time, the cracks begin to show.

There is a quiet truth at the center of the Christian life that every disciple must eventually face:

“Your life can only be as strong as the foundation beneath it. Not your gifts. Not your personality. Not your ministry experience. Not even your sincerity. Your foundation determines the stability of everything else.”

Scripture brings this reality into sharp clarity:

“…having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone…”
— Ephesians 2:20 (LSB)

This is where true discipleship begins—not with what we build for God, but with what God has built beneath us by His grace.

A Life Built to Last

Every believer wants a faith that endures—a life that doesn’t crumble when seasons get painful, confusing, or costly. But Scripture is clear that endurance doesn’t come from inner strength or religious resolve. It comes from being anchored to a Person, the Cornerstone who holds everything together.

The disciples of the early church didn’t become pillars because they were impressive men. They became pillars because their lives were built on Christ.

If we want to be disciples who make disciples…
If we want to stand firm in a culture shifting under our feet…
If we want to live with joy, purpose, and steady confidence…

…then we must return again and again to our foundation.

That foundation is not an idea. It’s not a rulebook. It’s not a spiritual feeling.
It is Christ.

Below are four things we must consider in knowing what it truly means to be disciples built on the sure foundation that is Christ Jesus our Lord.

1. Disciples Are Built—Not Self-Made

Ephesians 2:19–22

Paul offers us a breathtaking picture: believers are no longer spiritual orphans wandering through life without belonging or purpose. We have been welcomed into the household of God—given a new family, a new identity, and a new place to stand.

And the footing beneath us is not our spiritual performance. It is “the foundation of the apostles and prophets”—the testimony of Scripture—and at the center of that testimony stands Christ Jesus, the Cornerstone.

Why a cornerstone? Because a cornerstone determines the alignment of every other stone in the building. Remove it, and the structure collapses. Set it in place, and everything else is shaped and strengthened by it.

This is discipleship: a life aligned to Christ, held up by Christ, shaped by Christ, and dependent entirely on Christ.

2. Grace Lays the Foundation Beneath You

Ephesians 2:1–10

Before Paul says anything about obedience, mission, or maturity, he reminds us where we were before Christ rescued us. He writes that we were “dead in trespasses and sins.” Not struggling. Not seeking. Dead. Spiritually lifeless and unable to lift ourselves from the rubble of our fallenness.

But God—overflowing with mercy and rich in love—breathed life into us. He made us alive in Christ. He raised us with Christ. He saved us by grace. And He placed our feet on this unshakeable foundation.

Paul insists that salvation is “not of yourselves.” A disciple is not a self-made project. A disciple is a miracle of grace. You are God’s workmanship—His creation, His design, His craftsmanship. And because God laid the foundation beneath you, nothing can uproot you from it.

“A disciple is not a self-made project. A disciple is a miracle of grace.”

3. Christ the Cornerstone: The One Who Holds You Together

1 Peter 2:4–6

Peter adds another dimension to this foundation imagery. Jesus is not simply a stone; He is a living stone. The foundation under your life is not cold, distant, or static—it is personal, active, sustaining, and shaping.

And believers? Peter calls us “living stones,” being built together into a spiritual house. God is not building isolated disciples. He is constructing a people—a temple, a community, a dwelling place for His Spirit.

This is why Christ must be the cornerstone. Every life in the structure takes its cues from Him. When Christ is not the cornerstone, something else quietly takes His place—success, comfort, approval, image, tradition, family expectations. But those foundations cannot bear the weight of your soul. Stand on them long enough, and they eventually crack beneath you. But Christ never does.

“Every life has a cornerstone. Wise disciples make sure theirs is Christ.”

4. A Life on the Rock

Matthew 7:24–27

Jesus concludes His Sermon on the Mount with a simple yet sobering picture. Two men build two houses. Two foundations are chosen—one on solid rock, the other on shifting sand. Then the storms come, with wind and rain beating against both structures. The house built on the rock stands firm. The house built on sand collapses.

The difference is not the intensity of the storm, the sincerity of the builders, or the outward appearance of the houses. The difference is foundation.

The wise disciple hears the words of Jesus and does them—builds life on Christ, not merely around Him. Storms reveal foundations. Affliction exposes what we’ve truly trusted. Difficult seasons show whether Christ is just an accessory in our life or the ground beneath our feet.

Living From the Foundation

You are not merely forgiven. You are not merely redeemed. You are not just saved from something.

You are anchored to Someone.

Your joy, obedience, endurance, and mission all grow out of this foundation—not toward it.

A disciple’s life begins not with striving, but with resting on the Cornerstone. It begins with learning to trust the grace that saved you more than the sin that accuses you. It begins with remembering that Christ holds you together, even on the days when you feel like everything is coming apart.

This is the bedrock of discipleship:

Christ beneath you. Christ beside you. Christ forming you. Christ holding you.

Only then can you rise and build a life that lasts.

“A disciple’s strength is not in what he builds for Christ but in what Christ has built beneath him.”

A Few Personal Questions for the Heart

• Is Jesus truly the cornerstone of my life right now—or have I quietly placed something else beneath my feet?
  
• Am I living from grace, or am I still trying to earn God’s approval?
  
• Where do I need to realign my priorities, habits, and desires back to Christ?
  
• What would it look like for me to actively build on Him this week—not just admire Him?
  

Memory Verse

“…having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone…”
— Ephesians 2:20 (LSB)

Prayer for This Week

Lord Jesus,
Thank You for being the Cornerstone of my life—the solid foundation beneath my feet. Forgive me for the times I’ve tried to build on my own effort or understanding. Teach me to rest in Your grace, to hear Your words and obey, and to build my life on You, not merely around You.
Give me courage to stand firm when storms come, and remind me that nothing can shake a life anchored in Christ. Let my life point others to Your faithfulness.
Amen.

Up Next in This Series

Week 3: The Disciple’s Worship — Learning to Treasure Christ Above All

A life rooted in Christ always grows into a life that delights in Him. Next week, we’ll explore how worship forms the very heart of discipleship.