The “SURE THINGS” Series #2
"A SURE FOUNDATION!"
TEXTS: Isa. 28:16; 30:8-15; Matt. 7:24-27; 1 Kings
16:24-34; 1 Cor. 3:10-17
INTRO: Years ago my wife Bevie Jo and I were
visiting a place that had just erected a beautiful new building around 50
stories high. This shining new building
stood out among the buildings of the area, being so much taller than anything
nearby! In talking to a man who worked
there I asked when it would be occupied ... his answer was startling; "probably never!" He continued, “though most of the floors are finished and ready for use (about 2/3rds
of the building was finished ... (somewhere around 35 floors) there is a real possibility that the
foundation built under one side of this skyscraper wasn't done right so that
the whole building could collapse!”
I was shocked ... they were going to have to do elaborate and expensive
excavating to somehow reinforce the improper foundation before the building
could ever be used ... and there were no guarantees that this would even
work! It might have to be junked!
The building looked great ... brand new, finished off with carpeting and
ready to go for almost 2/3 of the floors ... but the look was deceptive, the
improper foundation under it meant the entire project was a waste of time and money,
just because it looked great on the outside didn't mean it could stand any
stress!
PROP. SENT: Buildings are like people, we
are only as good as the foundation that our lives are built on! There is only one foundation that is sure to
last ... and can take the storms of life and still stand firm ... that
foundation is Jesus Christ as the living Word!
All other foundations for life are faulty and will prove to be unstable
during storms ... why build your life on any other foundation when the best and
most eternal and durable foundation already exists!
I. CORNERSTONE Isa. 28:16
A. Tested! Isa. 28:16a
1. The only foundation that still exists from
the beginning of time is God Himself!
a. Archeologists are forever finding old
ruins of ancient societies and all that is often left are the rubble of some
foundation stones ... even these are often charred or scattered around.
b. There are no buildings on earth that can
last forever ... they all have a short lifespan simply because there are no
permanent foundations possible with earthly materials!
2. Yet many people try and build their entire
lives around the things of this world ... counting on "STUFF" to be
their foundation for the building of their lives!
a. Ultimately all things will rust and
corrode, and decay!
b. The things of this earth ... even the
wisdom of man will prove in the end to be an unreliable foundation for
civilization or personal security!
ILLUS: During his
sermon at the Washington National Cathedral on the National Day of Prayer and
Remembrances for the victims of the terrorist bombings on the World Trade
Center in New York and on the Pentagon
in Washington D.C. Dr. Billy Graham drew a parallel between the destruction in
New York and society. "When
damaged, those buildings eventually plummeted to the ground, imploding in a
moment's time. Yet underneath the debris
is a foundation that was not destroyed," Graham said. Only a strong foundation will survive the
attacks from the enemy. 1 Cor. 3:11
NIV "For no one can lay any
foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." -- Source Unknown
3. The only foundation that has stood the test
of time is that of God Himself!
a. Therefore why build on untested and
unreliable material things?
b. Build with the best and build ON the best:
God is the tested Stone!
4. Cornerstones were used in construction as
the absolute guide for the entire building!
a. All measurements were taken from it!
b. If it was slightly out of square then the
entire building would be out of square!
c. Therefore, in times of old if a
cornerstone was known to have been used successfully it was often reused over
and over again for future remodeling or rebuilding because it was a tested stone!
5. Jesus Christ is the most tested stone in
eternity ... and has PROVEN SURE!
B. Tenacity! Isa. 28:16b
1. Those cornerstones known to be tested and
sure were considered rare and precious!
They were highly prized merchandise for the builders!
2. The entire worth of the building rested on
this one cornerstone!
3. It forced the shape and alignment of the
entire project ... a cornerstone that proved later to be slightly off often
caused great tragedies in time and money ... costly adjustments would have
to be made later to the building when the walls had to be moved because of the
tiny error found in the cornerstone; only when the walls had been built for
some distance ... then just the tiniest error in a cornerstone was amplified
over long distances!
4. How like the foundations men have made for
themselves today ... only later do they often discover the errors of living for
SELF, BIG MONEY, GREAT POWER, etc.
5. Some people build their entire life on
false foundations, then at the end they sense the emptiness of those
foundations ... much of their life is thus wasted!
6. Jesus Christ as the cornerstone contains NO
FAULTS! He will not crack under pressure
... and there are no storms big enough that He can't survive!
ILLUS: An engineer
who was responsible for building great factories said that all such
construction is now planned with the machines that are to be housed in the
factory in mind. The walls and floors of the buildings are constructed so that
a machine can be built into the very foundation and structure of the building,
rather than set in as an afterthought.
This is the way the
Lord builds believers into Christ. We are built upon the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, and in
Him all the building is fitly framed together, so that it "groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord" (Eph
2:20-21). That is surpassing even the modern engineers. They can frame
their building and foundation and machines together "fitly," but they
cannot make the building "grow." The true believers are fused in
Christ and grow in Him together with Him and together with one another. --
Source Unknown
a. If your life is built on God's Word
entrusted to Christ you are on a foundation that is more durable than the
planet itself!
b. This foundation is tougher than any weapon
man has ever built or can build!
c. The power and tenacity of this cornerstone
known as JESUS CHRIST is everlasting and all powerful!
d. You cannot collapse if you life is built on
this strong CORNERSTONE!
C. Trustworthy Isa. 28:16c
1. The entire project was based on the
trustworthiness of this cornerstone!
Therefore, it was carefully examined and checked to be sure it was
worthy of building on!
2. God invites you to try Him ... see if He
isn't all that He says He is! Check
Him out … and check His Word out! You
will find that for millenniums ... as long as we can go back in time God has
always been faithful to those who trusted Him ... He has never failed His
servants yet ... not once! What other
philosophy or civilization can make this claim with evidence?
3. He is the Trustworthy Cornerstone ... a sure
foundation, why not build on the best?
II. CONSTRUCTION
Matt. 7:24-27; 1 Kings 16:24-34; Isa. 30:8-15
A. Truth! Matt.
7:24-25
1. Now
Jesus explains more in detail how one builds on Him as the foundation!
a. Notice carefully Jesus’ Word: “everyone who
hears these WORDS of mine AND puts them into PRACTICE is”
… a wise builder!
b. Many Christians know the Bible ... the Word
of God, but you are not really ON the right foundation until you apply
these WORDS!
c. Unless a house if actually set ON
the foundation it does little good to be near it!
ILLUS: The Austrian
emperor Joseph II wrote his own epitaph: "Here lies a Prince whose
intentions were honest but who had the misfortune to see all his projects
miscarry." It was a sadly
appropriate epitaph, but it teaches a good lesson. Even kings do not always accomplish all they
wish, and it should come as no surprise when we have the same experience. -- Robert C. Shannon, 1000 Windows, (Cincinnati, Ohio:
Standard Publishing Company, 1997).
2. Here is where so many Christians collapse
when the storms of life come ... they are biblically knowledgeable ... they
know how to “amen” all the right stuff ... but in PRACTICE they have yet to
actually apply themselves!
3. One can know fully the architectural plans,
understand the details of the building project, know how it all goes together
... but it stays on paper until it is actually CONSTRUCTED! In Truth it isn't what you know that
determines your foundational strength; it is what you know and what you DO WITH
THAT KNOWLEDGE! START BUILDING IF YOU
ALREADY UNDERSTAND THE BLUEPRINTS!
B. Tragedy! Matt. 7:26-27; 1 Kings 16:29-34; Isa.
30:8-15
1. Jesus makes clear the message of who the “unwise builder”
is ... it is the one WHO DOESN'T DO His Word ... this includes all those who
are unbelievers, and THOSE WHO KNOW THE WORD BUT DON'T PRACTICE
IT!
2. There it is in BLACK AND WHITE! Some "Believers" collapse in the
storms of life because they are not ACTUALLY sitting on the rock ... they know
all about it, they understand the blueprint, (the Bible) they even believe in it ... But knowing the ROCK and
being ON it during storms are 2 different things!
3. The Christian who survived the storms
of life are the ones who are PRACTICING the Word of God ... not just
learning the Word. *NOTICE the
previous paragraph to this one: “Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom
of heaven, only those who DO the will of my Father!”
4. 1 Kings 16:29-34 Here is a sad story of a guy named “HIEL”
(names means, "BROTHER
OF GOD" ... who rebuilds the foundations of Jericho even though
as a believer in God, the Word of God had clearly stated he was NOT TO REBUILD
THE FOUNDATIONS OF JERICHO! (See Joshua 6:26)
a. He was willing to pay the price ... even
though the price was clearly foretold in God's Word in Joshua
6:26!
b. It cost him the lives of his firstborn son and his
youngest son!
c. He sacrificed his own children's lives for ambition
knowing he was doing so!
5. What about us today? Many of our churches are filled with people
who know the Word of God ... yet they are sacrificing their own children and
families for MORE money, power, prestige, or other driving passions that they
submit to in spite of knowing that it is going to have a tremendous cost to
their loved ones ... AND their own relationship to God!
a. This “BROTHER OF GOD,” (Hiel) came from “Bethel”
which literally translates, “THE HOUSE OF GOD!”
b. How could he not know the Word of God ...
He must have! But he chose to
ignore practicing it, thus he built on an improper foundation and he lost the
next generation!
ILLUS: An elderly
lady was once asked by a young man who had grown weary in the fight, whether he
ought to give up the struggle. "I
am beaten every time," he said dolefully.
"I feel I must give up."
"Did you ever notice," she replied, smiling into the troubled
face before her, "that when the Lord told the discouraged fishermen to
cast their nets again, it was right in the same old spot where they had been
fishing all night and had caught nothing?" - Source Unknown
6. Another good example of tragedy is found in ISA. 30:8-15: again these are God's people, they
know God's Word, but listen to their attitude toward that Word: [READ THIS
PASSAGE]
a. Now READ 2 TIM.
4:3-5: This is exactly what is going to happen in the last days before
Christ’s coming, the words are slightly different, but the 2 texts say the same
thing!
b. The greatest danger to the church today is NOT our lack
of knowledge, IT IS THE LACK OF PRACTICING IT!
c. The foundation works like this: WHAT YOU STAND
ON ... YOU STAND FOR!
(1. If you
stand on your hard work to get ahead ... your life will stand for getting more
of the material world!
(2. If you
stand on your pride ... you will stand for yourself and a life that is centered
on just SELF!
(3. If you
stand on God and His Word ... your will live out that Word in practice and
stand for righteousness!
7. Before REVIVAL HAPPENS TO PEOPLE, REPENTANCE HAPPENS TO
PEOPLE! This then drives us
to prayer!
a. We DON'T NEED more Biblical Expositors ... we NEED
more Biblical Examples!
b. Our knowledge and preaching of the Word of
God to others can have little effect if our lifestyle and disposition doesn’t
demonstrate what we know.
c. Even prayer alone won’t do it … the
Pharisees prayed a great deal ... and knew a great deal of the Word of God ...
they didn't practice it so God hated their long prayers and their teaching
others to do what they themselves didn't practice!
8. Let's be honest ... I don't think the church in America needs NEW
TRUTHS exposed from the Word of God, or just more deeper Bible studies ... WE NEED A
REVIVAL OF PRACTICE AS WELL AS A REVIVAL OF PRAYER!
9. We already know more than many are willing
to LIVE UP TO! It is like computer
overload; so much information that the computer isn't capable of being useful,
too much stored information and no room to compute!
a. It is therefore a useless tool though it
contains gigabytes of information!
b. USEFULNESS is AS important as INFORMATION
STORAGE!
10. This then is the modern tragedy of the church
and believers today ... why do we only see these errors in those pages of
Scripture and can't see the obvious truth about ourselves?
III. CONTINUATION! 1 Cor. 3:10-17
A. Temple! 1 Cor.
3:10-11, 16-17
1. Paul states that he carefully laid a
foundation for the church ... Jesus Christ!
a. He understands that the work MUST
continue past him, others will continue to build!
b. But he is also careful to instruct others
about the seriousness of building right!
c. He warns of the dangers of building on any
other foundation other than that of Christ and His Word!
d. He states clearly that all our work will be
tried by fire ... and if in our construction efforts we used wood, hay, and
straw; they won't stand long, though the foundation itself will survive! Don't allow yourself to become distracted!
ILLUS: In one scene
of the popular movie Robin Hood, The Prince of Thieves, Kevin Costner as Robin
comes to a young man taking aim at an archery target. Robin asks, "Can you
shoot amid distractions?" Just
before the boy releases the string, Robin pokes his ear with the feathers of an
arrow. The boy's shot flies high by several feet. After the laughter of those watching dies
down, Maid Marian, standing behind the boy, asks Robin, "Can
you?" Robin Hood raises his bow and
takes aim. Just as he releases the arrow, Maid Marian leans beside him and
flirtatiously blows into his face. The arrow misses the target, glances off the
tree behind it, and scarcely misses a bystander. Distractions come in all types, and whether
they are painful or pleasant, the result is the same: we miss God's mark. -- Penney F. Nichols in Fresh Illustrations for Preaching
& Teaching (Baker), from the editors of Leadership.
2. What is Paul's point? Wood, hay, and straw are things that cost
little, they are fragile materials and take little EFFORT to build something
out of them ... the quality of the construction will determine how well the
temple will survive!
a. Since he clearly identifies in verses 16-17 that he is calling the church a temple
he is warning about building cheaply and with weak things that are easily
consumed by even minor storms!
b. Paul is not talking about knowledge of the
Word here ... HE IS TALKING ABOUT APPLICATION of the Word ... if we
build with the stuff of this world we are building cheap and with weak
materials!
c. The temple of God must not be made out of
weak and cheap things like simply programs, activities, and temporal things.
d. WE MUST USE COSTLY MATERIALS: Love,
sacrificial giving, and not just exciting and stimulating teachings in God's
Word! Our understanding AND action
will help our children continue the building after we are done!
3. It is a matter of basic engineering! The cheap stuff won't survive ... that's the
stuff of this world, we need to use COSTLY materials ... spiritual
qualities in our lives if we want the church to be strong and durable for the
next generation, and to give them something to build on!
B. Tested! 1 Cor. 3:12-15
1. Here's the part we don't like … OUR
CONSTRUCTION will be tested!
ILLUS: The pine is nearly always placed in disordered and desolate
places, and it brings all possible elements of order and precision. Lowland
trees may lean to this side and that with only a meadow breeze to bend them or
a bank of cowslips to make their trunks lean sideways. But let storm and avalanche do their worst,
and let the pine find only a ledge of vertical precipice to cling to, the tree
will nevertheless grow straight. Thrust
a rod from its last shoot down the stem, it shall point to the center of the
earth as long as the tree lives. The
most upright Christians are usually reared amid the sternest trials. The divine life within them so triumphs over
every difficulty as to render the men, above all others, true and exact. What a noble spectacle is a man whom nothing
can warp, a firm decided servant of God, defying hurricanes of temptation! -- Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Quotable
Spurgeon, (Wheaton: Harold Shaw Publishers, Inc, 1990)
2. Some Christians have this crazy idea that they are
tested UNFAIRLY ... BALONEY! Paul is
clear that ALL of us will
have our work tested by fire ... it is just that some people are like the 3
little pigs, they want to complain when their house gets blown down although
they didn't want to put the effort into building their house like their brother
who built his house out of durable and costly stone!
3. If you build out of straw or hay ... you can expect collapse during storms!
4. What always amazes me when I hear on the
news about stories where houses have blown apart or are washed away because they were built in areas where
they should not have been built -- these people when interviewed afterwards say
they are GOING TO REBUILD AGAIN ON THE SAME GROUND! How foolish some people are, yet some
Christians do the same thing, they rebuild time and time again on the same bad
foundation and then can't figure out why all their efforts collapse when even a
minor storms hits! If what you built on
is unstable ... for HEAVEN'S SAKE don't build again on the same bad foundation
or use cheap materials!
5. Make a move toward the ROCK ... the sure
foundation, and build with costly things like: unselfishness, being a real
example of righteous living; teach your children how to walk with God ... forget the cheap gospel that
preaches just what you can get from God in terms of material things and how to
materially prosper, or how little you have to do to get into heaven, or even
just LEARNING A LOT ABOUT SCRIPTURE but not practicing what you already know!
a. This is the hay and straw stuff of
construction!
b. We don't need a weak church ... in these
last days we need a revival of Spirit ... YES, THE HOLY SPIRIT, BUT ALSO
A WILLING SPIRIT in us!
6. Too much concern over ourselves ... we need
more concern over our Lord! WHAT WE
STAND ON IS WHAT WE WILL STAND FOR!
7. Where is your foundation? WHAT is it made out of? What are you building on and what are you
using to build it with?
8. Continue BUILDING with costly stuff ...
building on Jesus Christ's Word, the cornerstone of your life ... give the
best, build the best, have the best foundation ... THEN no storm will overcome
you ... you will stand the tests of TIME AND ETERNITY!
CONCLUSION: There
is only ONE SURE FOUNDATION to build your life on ... Jesus Christ, the
living Word! Build on any other
foundation and you'll be on shaky ground for sure! A house is only as good as the foundation it
is on. What you stand ON ... you will stand
FOR! Keep standing and building on the
only sure foundation, the ROCK ... JESUS CHRIST!