1 Corinthians 3:10–11 “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” So far, we’ve received the burden to build, like Nehemiah, with hearts stirred by what’s broken. Then last week, we explored the blueprints of the Kingdom. God’s plan for a Spirit-filled Church. And now, Week 3, we pour the foundation. But with any foundation we must find, test, and prepare the soils. Because without the right foundation, nothing else matters. You can’t build God’s house on human ground. The foundation of the church (including all believers) is Jesus Christ. We learned last week He is the cornerstone. Which is the fixed true start on which everything is built. Nothing and no one else will do. A building with no foundation, or poorly constructed, will not last. The finest materials used to construct a home quickly rot and fall apart if they are resting on bare ground. A building is only as solid as it’s Foundation. The Foundation of the House must be: • Christ-centered • Holy Spirit-dependent • Eternally anchored THE FOUNDATION DEFINES THE BUILDING 1 Corinthians 3:11 “No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” The foundation is not how things look. It’s what things stand on when everything shakes. The foundation of our life is Jesus; He is our base, our reason for being. Everything we are and do must fit into the pattern provided by Him. Are you building your life on the only real and lasting foundation? Or are you building on a faulty foundation such as wealth, security, success, worldly relationships, or fame? Is your life built on performance, personality & public opinion? Or is your life built on Christ? Every structure, whether a home, a ministry, or a life, has a foundation. And there are only two options for the substructure: • The Rock • The Sand Jesus said in Matthew 7:24–27: “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. The 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. But 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. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” So, which is better? I said before that you must prepare the soils first. Here are some engineering characteristics of both: Sand: • Unstable, shifts easily • Prone to erosion by water and wind • Weak support; structures can settle or sink • Risk of collapse or damage over time • Initially cheaper but riskier long-term Rock: • Very stable and solid • Resistant to erosion • Strong support, handles heavy loads • High durability and reliability • More expensive initially but safer Looking back to the scripture in Matthew, we see 2 individuals, 2 lives, and 2 foundations that have several things in common. They both hear the teachings of Jesus. They both experience the same set of circumstances in life. They both have the same tools. Both have the same hammers, nails, and even blueprints. The difference between the 2 isn’t caused by ignorance, but by ignoring instruction. Externally, the two houses may look similar. The lasting, structural differences will be revealed in time. Both houses may look strong in the sun, but what happens when the rain falls? Hard things like rains and floods will come. But only one was built on the Rock. The storm revealed the difference, not in the tools used, but the foundation. You don’t know what you’re built on until the shaking comes. The storm didn’t create the crisis. It revealed the foundation. The two houses; those who follow God’s word and those who don’t. Those that have a relationship with Him, and those that don’t. But those who build on Jesus Christ will survive the storms of life intact. Life’s challenges come to all of us and some of the trials we have are very difficult. Wouldn’t you like to know what can help you get through your hard times with strength? To build on the rock means to be a hearing, responding disciple, not a phony superficial one. Connect with Him daily through prayer, scripture study, pondering in quiet moments, letting gratitude and praise flow up. Give him your hopes, sorrows, dreams, and burdens. Remember the words of Jesus Christ as He taught this parable about building on the rock vs the sand. You build on the rock when you hear and receive His gift and instruction. You might worry that you fall too far short too many times to build on the rock but remember that Jesus taught the principles of faith and continued grace through relationship. When faith and grace are put together, they are the keys to building on the rock. Sometimes we have to hit rock bottom to build on the rock. The good news is, if you feel you are on a shaky foundation, Jesus can help you. He is the strong and firm foundation that can support you as you lean on Him. I love the reminder in Isaiah 40:29-31. “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” So, keep walking along your life’s road. God can and will be with you. Continue to be wise and build on His rock. THE FOUNDATION IS FORMED IN HIDDEN PLACES Let’s revisit Longfellow’s 5th stanza from The Builders. “In the elder days of Art Builders wrought with greatest care. Each minute and unseen part; For God sees everywhere.” In ancient times, artisans carved with care, the unseen parts of the cathedral, because they believed God would see it, even if man never would. Builders of the Kingdom take just as much care with their private lives as their public ones. Your foundation is built: • In prayer when no one’s watching • In your character when no one’s applauding • In your decisions when no one’s there to correct you Your public strength will never rise above your private surrender. To build your house on the rock means spending time in private with the master builder. A life whose substance means building your house on the rocks of integrity, honesty, and love. THE FOUNDATION IS A PERSON, NOT A SYSTEM Let’s be clear. The Church is not built on good ideas. It is not built on vision statements or strategies. As we learned last week, it is built on Jesus. He is not just the savior of your soul. He’s the center of your life. Not just the beginning of your faith, but the bedrock. Not just a foundation for salvation, but for every ministry, every step, every wall you raise. If we build on anything else, we build in vain. Sadly, in many circles we have replaced the Cornerstone with charisma. But only Christ can carry the weight of the house. CHECK YOUR FOUNDATION: What have you built your life and ministry on? Here are some faulty foundations we often substitute: Emotion-Feelings change Success-It fades Culture-It shifts Religion-It hardens Popularity-It fluctuates As the old song puts it- Everything else is sinking sand. Only Jesus is unshakable. In this social media age, it’s easy to forget and easy to rest in other things. But these things are as fleeting as the wind. We must be content and joyful in all seasons regardless of circumstances. Stability is only achievable when we are anchored in the bedrock of Jesus. WE BUILD WITH CARE; OTHERS BUILD ON WHAT WE LAY 1 Corinthians 3:10 “Each one should build with care.” You may be the first “builder” someone sees. It maybe your life and faith that people are watching when you don’t realize. Are you laying down a foundation that someone else can build on? Fathers, mothers, mentors, leaders; your faith life is a floor for someone else’s ceiling. BUILD A FOUNDATION IN THE NEXT GENERATION Don’t just build for your children, build in them. Train them to: • Love Jesus first • Build on His Word • Rely on the Holy Spirit A faulty foundation doesn’t just collapse on you, it crushes what comes after you. Let’s not raise fragile ministries or shallow disciples. Let’s dig deep. In closing: It’s Time to Check the Footings. Are you building on Jesus… or around Him? Maybe your heart has shifted, and you’re building more for visibility than for integrity. Maybe the surface looks right, but the structure is shaky. Maybe you need to go back and repair the foundation. So today I challenge you: Repent of areas where you’ve built on sand. Renew your commitment to building everything on Christ. Receive the Spirit’s help in laying down the word, prayer, holiness, and obedience as the foundation of your life. “Father, You, are the Architect. Jesus, You, are our Foundation. Holy Spirit, help us dig deep. Let us not build with haste or pride, but with reverence and care. Let our lives be rooted in Christ alone. So that when the storm comes, our house will stand. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”