The Roof Caved In!

Foundations are key. Right? We talk about this literally and spiritually - that the foundation you build on is going to determine whether or not something stands the test of time. Jesus was obviously speaking in spiritual terms when he talked about the person who unwisely "built their house on the sand", but he was talking in common sense terms from practical everyday life. Like, surely no one is dumb enough to consider building a house on 1000-year old, stone-ground, annihilated seashells! Right?

[I'm tempted at this point to exploit the evidently unwise person on the Isle of Palms who actually had the ground "built up" so he could build his home IN the marsh. But I won't.]

While foundations are important, maybe one problem many Christians (people who claim to be "following Christ") have is that they think the foundation is everything. Let me explain with a question: What good is a foundation if you don't ever build anything on it? Or if you lay the most solid foundation of all time and then throw up an unstable shack on it? "Wow Frank! That's a great looking slab of concrete you've got there. What are you going to do with it?" [Long pause for thought.] "Well...I, uh...think I'm just going to look at it. Or maybe save it in case I ever want to build anything." Great plan Frank. While I know the conversation sounds absurd, what's the difference? How does this not directly reflect the absurdity of finding "new life in Christ" - coming to trust in Jesus to make "all things new" in my life - and then just sort of flippantly setting aside all that this new life has to offer me? 1 Peter 2 reminds us what Isaiah prophesied, that Christ would become the "chief cornerstone" - He has become the foundation. We literally build our lives on Him!

So - back to the question. What the heck are you building on the foundation?

Yesterday, at a church in our town, THE ROOF CAVED IN! Guys were playing ball in their gym, heard some noise, and then ran for their lives. Praise God, they weren't hurt! The stinking roof could have fallen on their heads! I talked to a guy who belongs to the church last night and he told me, "I've been a member of this church long before that building was built. I had NO IDEA that they used wooden trusses! It's no wonder that they were probably rotted, worn, and ready to give way at any time." He had NO IDEA! Yet, I would bet those 6 guys who escaped with their lives would say that the foundation is important...but so is what you build on it! Last week, there were 400-500 kids running through that gym all week. (Ponder that one for a moment)

"Come to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God's temple. He was rejected by the people, but He is precious to God who chose Him. And now God is building you, as living stones, into His spiritual temple." 1 Peter 2:4-5

The foundation is essential. But so is the building!