Foundations

so i asked chat GPT what are the top googles searches in the United states this year. these are the top 3. Charlie Kirk was number 1 followed by “KPop Demon Hunters” (Netflix hit), Labubu (viral toy/collectible). And I thought sounds about right. i then i asked about what people are asking about religion. and these were the top questions.

• “Is There a God?”
• “Why does God allow suffering?”
• “Is the Bible reliable?”
• “Is Jesus really God?”
• “Can I know God personally?

there is a growing interest in Christianity and these are the questions people are asking. these also happen to be the very topics we address in our Tuesday night Bible Study. Now if you wan to know more interested in lababu or k-pop demon hunters i can’t help you there.

the reason i was thinking about this was because of conversations i have had with family over the holidays. what I experienced was not so much questions but them telling me about various “facts” that they learned mostly from videos they have watched.  Family, There is so much good teaching that is out there but there is also a lot of misleading and bad teaching out there as well.  and we really need to guard our hearts for our own faith and also so we can really make an impact in our family and friends lives.

God has given us a Foundation through Jesus Christ and faith in what he has done for us by dying on the cross for our sins and reconciling us to himself. But we have to be careful with the kind of teaching that we take in and build upon that foundation. Paul addresses this in his letter to the Corinthian church.

1 Corinthians 3:10-16 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind

of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. 16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?

1. Our Foundation is our faith in Jesus Christ and what he has done for us.
2. 1. Remember when Jesus thought about the man who built his house on the sand and the rains came and the house fell down. but the one who built upon a rock foundation was able to stand in the storm? well, Jesus is the rock and a life built on him and trusting in him will stand through the storm of this life.
   2. Its all about the foundation. a lot of people today have foundations built of life experiences, feelings  and that can be very shaky. but God gives us a more solid foundation.
3. We build upon this foundation by applying what we learn through God’s Word
4. 1. are we building upon what God has provide for us?
5. If we build using worldly materials (illustrated by wood, hay and straw) it will not last
   1. beware of teaching that does not lead to helping others and bring glory to God.
   2. very popular teaching today is just a Christianized version of self help. its a ted talk jazzed up with Jesus language but lacks the power to transform your thinking.
   3. Wood, hay and stubble looks like
      1. about personal success
      2. surrounding yourself with “successful people”
      3. slaying personal giants.
      4. validating my feelings
      5. affirming what i want to believe not necessarily what’s true
      6. lacks personal challenge
      7. lacks focus on repentance
6. If we build using eternal materials (illustrated by gold, silver and jewels)  we will receive a reward.
   1. Gold, silver and jewels looks like
      1. loving your neighbor
      2. sharing the gospel
      3. helping those in need
      4. trusting God through tough times
      5. responsible stewardship of your resources
      6. building God’s kingdom rather than your own.
      7. bearing the fruit of a repentant heart.
7. the church is collectively the temple of God built upon the foundation of Christ.
   1. most of the time we are told that are personal body is a temple and but paul is speaking of all of us together as the temple. that there is something special when we all come together.
   2. Together we can build upon the foundation of Christ and help a hurting world and be a light in the darkness.