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Various religious groups do their utmost to gather people and become better known. These days they feel strongly that they are drowning among the masses and are overlooked. They invent new methods and new ways of gathering people, and, from an outside perspective, advertising is the best way.

Jesus recommends a method by which we will not vanish among the masses. He Himself went this way, and He could not hide even if He tried ever so earnestly.

“‘You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.’” Matt. 5:14. “‘Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock . . . .” Matt. 7:24.

The Sermon on the Mount is between these two scriptures. This is how we will become known. Whoever does Jesus’ words builds on the rock, and the city, or the house that is on the rock cannot be hidden. This is the only way of gathering the upright. Not all those who see the city want to go there, but that is no reason why they should be ignorant of it.

We are responsible for our fellow man, but to advertise for the purpose of gathering them to a life of defeat which they have experienced before is of little value. New methods and new schemes are of no avail if we do not build on the rock.

This is where the church needs to understand her calling, and each individual needs to see his responsibility. Now we must hear Jesus’ words—and do according to them— more than ever before. Then we will build our house on the rock, and the entire church will be a city that is set on a hill that cannot be hidden. This city shall be a place of refuge for all those who are upright. We know that the storms and the floods will become more powerful toward the end; but we also know that this house, this city, will remain standing.