We Need Solid Stuff

September 1st, 2025

We Need Solid Stuff


Our daughters love VeggieTales right now. Bob and Larry are a permanent fixture within our household. Their favorite show is the “Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock” show. Unfortunately, that’s not the title of the episode, so Dad always has a tough time finding it on the TV. 


Truthfully, this episode has some of the best script writing ever. It’s a mixture of biblical truth and classic nursery rhyme stories. 


As his friends build houses made out of hay and stacked bricks, Bob “The Builder” sings the key song and it goes like this..

We need solid stuff
Mark my words it’s gonna get rough

When the storm clouds huff and puff

You’re gonna need solid stuff

We don’t need to be rocket scientists to see the connection to Jesus’s words:

24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
–Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV)

In the book of Titus, Paul is encouraging Titus toward the same end. In Titus 1:4-9, Titus is instructed with specifics on what type of person to look for when raising up elders in the church. His task is to “put in order” the ministry happening on the Island of Crete. As I encouraged our Secondary students in chapel this week–you may or may not grow up to be a pastor, but one thing is for sure, you are a leader and Paul is describing the type of person who leads in God’s Kingdom. 

He finishes the section with an important sentence.

9He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
–Titus 1:9 (ESV)

Notice the similarity to Bob “The Builder” and Jesus of Nazareth? 


God’s Kingdom Leaders are people who must hold firmly to the trustworthy word of God. Here are three reasons why we see that to be true.


  1. God’s Kingdom Leaders are people who set a high standard for following Jesus.


Following Jesus is no cake walk. Yes, His burden is easy and His yoke is light (Matthew 11:30) but that’s because we’re constantly being empowered by the Holy Spirit, not because God promises us an easy life. Following Jesus means putting death to sin, enduring suffering faithfully, and leaning into Christ-likeness in everything. That’s really hard work–but He’s given us a Helper (John 16:7) to make it possible for us.


God’s Word cuts us to the division of our soul and spirit like a two-edged sword. (Hebrews 4:12) God desires integrity in the inner places (Psalm 51:6). How will we set a high standard in this world if we do not delight ourselves in God’s Word? (Psalm 1:1-3) We won’t. We will compromise every single time we choose to hold more firmly to our own thoughts and opinions rather than what God says is true in His Word. 


  1. God’s Kingdom Leaders are people who know the truth, encourage others in the truth, and push back on the untruth in society.


There’s something so glorious, yet so simple, about being able to confidently say, “No, that’s not true.” It gives us the ability to break free from the cultural expectation to accept everything as true, no matter what. It also means we have the ability to cultivate a life based on truth and not half-truths or flat-out lies.


How would the world around you change if you became an agent of truth? There’s no greater encouragement a person can receive than something like, “Hey, I was reading in the Bible today and read, ‘Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth’ and thought of you. You’re a really meek person and God sees that.”


1 Thessalonians 5:11 says we ought to, “encourage one another and build one another up.” The best way to do that is to encourage with God’s truth.


When we hold to God’s Word, we’re able to live in a sort of quiet resistance to the status quo of our day. We can do that joyfully knowing we’re building our life on the rock. (Matthew 7:24-27)


  1. God’s Kingdom Leaders are people who are never moved.


Listen, I don’t mean you won’t have bad days. What I mean is that you’ll be able to resonate with this quote from the great preacher, Charles Spurgeon:

“I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.”
–Charles Spurgeon

I’m saying you’ll be able to testify to the truth of James 1:2-4.

2Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
–James 1:2-4

God’s Kingdom Leaders are not people who are strong in themselves; they are people who know where to go when they are not strong and when they need stability and something trustworthy. 

 

We’re people attached to the Rock of Ages.


The trustworthy place is God and His Word. If you are in Christ, you have God alive inside you. He will help you in any and every circumstance and as you submit to Him and His Word, He will raise you up to be a Kingdom Leader regardless of your job title or position in this world. 


God is looking for humble, spirit-filled people, who hold tightly to His Word to lead His church. Will you allow yourself to be one of those people?


You may need to follow this pattern:

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
–Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)

Lay aside the burdens, ask the Holy Spirit for help, and run after Jesus with all you’ve got!

 

Have a great week,


Brandon Moore

 


Here are the questions for Middle School & High School Chapel. Tomorrow Bryant Foreshee (Cross Church Springdale Youth Pastor) and Zach Morris (Cross Church Springdale Pre-Teen Pastor) will teach in Chapel. We’ll cover Titus 1:10-16.


  1. FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL – What did Coffee, Forrest Frank, and Football have to do with the sermon today? 

  2. FOR HIGH SCHOOL – What did Jackson Harold have to do with the sermon?

  3. What are some common lies that the world tells us to believe? What are maybe some common lies or half-truths that are easy to believe around Shiloh?

  4. Going back up to verse 9. How do we avoid believing those lies or becoming like the people described in verse 16? How do we claim to know Him and actually know Him by our works?

  5. What was your biggest takeaway from Titus Chapter 1?

  6.