Saturday, April 08, 2006
April 2, 2006--What is Our Foundation Sermon Notes
Note--sermon taken from loose notes of pastor. Actual delivery of sermon live may have varied. This is not a direct transcript. No video available. Sorry!
Text: Matthew 7:25; 2 Corinthians 13:3; Romans 10:10
We've been kind of talking about faith the last few sermons, and I want to continue that, because as the Scripture goes "without faith it is impossible to please God." Today, we want to get at the roots of faith, the foundation. Lately we have been going through the nuts and bolts of Christianity, vs. just living a good/decent life. I want to discuss where faith plays into that. The first thing we need to do is to ask:
WHAT IS OUR FOUNDATION
We need to earnestly apply this question to our personal selves and in practicality. We need to practice and apply God's teaching about building on the sure foundation--of rock vs. sand. How concerned are we to really ask ourselves: what is the foundation of my hope? On what do we build our expectation of entering the kingdom? Is it based on our orthodoxy, how we live? Is it based on our "right opinions?" While having the right methods to life and the right views on moral issues are important, if this is what our foundation for entering the kingdom is, then we are building on that sand that will blow away. Our orthodoxy, our mental stuff, if you will, can be rocked based on relationships, things we read and hear, etc. It is not rock solid. It can change and be blown away. So it is not the right foundation. It is good to have these things, but they should be a part of the house, not the foundation.
What about belonging to the perfect church or social group? Is our group refined and pure, is it good doctrinally and such? This too is building on sand. Conditions in churches and social groups are fluid, and can change on a whim.
Our orthodoxy and our church ar reasons for praising, but they are not true holiness, true hope of the expectation of the entrance to the kingdom. It is not building on the rock. How do we build our expectation of entrance to the kingdom?
WE BUILD BY FAITH
Come up higher than our orthodoxy, our theology, our social groups! Don't be content with good works. Call after the Holy Spirit. Do you feel and see God's power in the everyday? You should. Miracles happen every day, just our focus is such we don't acknowledge them. Everyday water comes out of your walls and allows you to wash in your basin. Everyday the lights come on. These are miracles, modern day. Yet, we just poopoo that thought. However, we have faith they will happen, even if we don't understand the works. Why can't we have faith in God, when we don't fully understand how that works? If we see God's power in the everyday, if we see it, and especially if we don't, then we need to go and learn: By grace are we saved.
We need to learn to hang on the Cross--We need to realize that all we have done is fruitless and useless but for the grace of God. Imagine hanging on that Cross as Christ-- His ministry and accomplishments meant little to others and probably himself at that point--He was on the cross. Likewise, when we hang to the cross, we are casting our troubles on Him. When we hang on the cross, we are acknowledging that we can't bear it. Christ takes it on him. When we hang on the cross we are laid bare, much as Christ was--it is just us and Him. That is when we need to apply to Christ as the thief who hanged with him or the harlot with seven devils did--save or I perish! We need to pray--Lord, increase my faith, or give me faith. for only that saving faith can stand firm.
HOUSE ON THE ROCK STANDS FIRM
Building on the rock means having faith in Christ enough to build your whole life on it. To put it all out there. There will still be issues when we build on this rock. It remains for God to prove the grace He has given by testing us. Even the wise are tried. The rain will descend, the flood will rise. There will be times when our troubles are so huge we feel drowned. Just as Job did. Remember Job, the blessed one? Satan got all Job's blessings taken from him, nearly even his life, but Job held firm. He had faith in the promise that God is, above all else, faithfully loving.
The ground may tremble. The storms of life may bring floods of rain and wind which rock and sway the house. However, God will say, at some point, here and no further. He will not give us more than we can bear. The winds will beat on us but will not prevail, if we have faith. If our foundation is in Christ, that He is the author and perfector, then our hosue may get wind damage, but it will not fall. The wise ones build on Christ by faith and through Christ are safe, even though the stuff of life happens, they are safe building on the rock because it is in the shadow of the Almighty, and that shadow is our port in the storms.
Text: Matthew 7:25; 2 Corinthians 13:3; Romans 10:10
We've been kind of talking about faith the last few sermons, and I want to continue that, because as the Scripture goes "without faith it is impossible to please God." Today, we want to get at the roots of faith, the foundation. Lately we have been going through the nuts and bolts of Christianity, vs. just living a good/decent life. I want to discuss where faith plays into that. The first thing we need to do is to ask:
WHAT IS OUR FOUNDATION
We need to earnestly apply this question to our personal selves and in practicality. We need to practice and apply God's teaching about building on the sure foundation--of rock vs. sand. How concerned are we to really ask ourselves: what is the foundation of my hope? On what do we build our expectation of entering the kingdom? Is it based on our orthodoxy, how we live? Is it based on our "right opinions?" While having the right methods to life and the right views on moral issues are important, if this is what our foundation for entering the kingdom is, then we are building on that sand that will blow away. Our orthodoxy, our mental stuff, if you will, can be rocked based on relationships, things we read and hear, etc. It is not rock solid. It can change and be blown away. So it is not the right foundation. It is good to have these things, but they should be a part of the house, not the foundation.
What about belonging to the perfect church or social group? Is our group refined and pure, is it good doctrinally and such? This too is building on sand. Conditions in churches and social groups are fluid, and can change on a whim.
Our orthodoxy and our church ar reasons for praising, but they are not true holiness, true hope of the expectation of the entrance to the kingdom. It is not building on the rock. How do we build our expectation of entrance to the kingdom?
WE BUILD BY FAITH
Come up higher than our orthodoxy, our theology, our social groups! Don't be content with good works. Call after the Holy Spirit. Do you feel and see God's power in the everyday? You should. Miracles happen every day, just our focus is such we don't acknowledge them. Everyday water comes out of your walls and allows you to wash in your basin. Everyday the lights come on. These are miracles, modern day. Yet, we just poopoo that thought. However, we have faith they will happen, even if we don't understand the works. Why can't we have faith in God, when we don't fully understand how that works? If we see God's power in the everyday, if we see it, and especially if we don't, then we need to go and learn: By grace are we saved.
We need to learn to hang on the Cross--We need to realize that all we have done is fruitless and useless but for the grace of God. Imagine hanging on that Cross as Christ-- His ministry and accomplishments meant little to others and probably himself at that point--He was on the cross. Likewise, when we hang to the cross, we are casting our troubles on Him. When we hang on the cross, we are acknowledging that we can't bear it. Christ takes it on him. When we hang on the cross we are laid bare, much as Christ was--it is just us and Him. That is when we need to apply to Christ as the thief who hanged with him or the harlot with seven devils did--save or I perish! We need to pray--Lord, increase my faith, or give me faith. for only that saving faith can stand firm.
HOUSE ON THE ROCK STANDS FIRM
Building on the rock means having faith in Christ enough to build your whole life on it. To put it all out there. There will still be issues when we build on this rock. It remains for God to prove the grace He has given by testing us. Even the wise are tried. The rain will descend, the flood will rise. There will be times when our troubles are so huge we feel drowned. Just as Job did. Remember Job, the blessed one? Satan got all Job's blessings taken from him, nearly even his life, but Job held firm. He had faith in the promise that God is, above all else, faithfully loving.
The ground may tremble. The storms of life may bring floods of rain and wind which rock and sway the house. However, God will say, at some point, here and no further. He will not give us more than we can bear. The winds will beat on us but will not prevail, if we have faith. If our foundation is in Christ, that He is the author and perfector, then our hosue may get wind damage, but it will not fall. The wise ones build on Christ by faith and through Christ are safe, even though the stuff of life happens, they are safe building on the rock because it is in the shadow of the Almighty, and that shadow is our port in the storms.
# posted by Mark : 1:12 PM
