No Other Foundation But Jesus

NO OTHER FOUNDATION BUT JESUS

1 Cor. 3:11

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. Zig Ziglar writes: My brother, the late Judge Ziglar, loved to tell the story of the fellow who went next door to borrow his neighbor’s lawnmower. The neighbor explained that he could not let him use the mower because all the flights had been canceled from New York to Los Angeles.

2. The borrower asked him what canceled flights from New York to Los Angeles had to do with borrowing his lawnmower. "It doesn’t have anything to do with it, but if I don’t want to let you use my lawnmower, one excuse is as good as another."

B. TEXT

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 3:11.

C. FOUNDATIONS & CHRIST

1. Building is very important, but the most vital thing is the foundation. However cleverly a man may build, if the foundation is unsound, he is a faulty builder. There are many types of architecture that can be designed above ground, but foundations must all be laid with solid specifications.

2. ILLUS.

a. The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy was going to fall by 2007. The 179-foot tower was moving about 1/20 of an inch a year, and was 17 feet out of plumb. The problem? A bad foundation.

b. Significantly, the word “pisa” means “marshy land,” which gives some clue as to why the tower began to lean even before it was completed. Also–its foundation is only 10 feet deep!

c. Engineers dug sand & dirt from under the north/ stable side, and now the tower has started to lean back a little. Praise God, that’s NOT LIKE GOD’S FOUNDATION!

3. God says, “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic [shaken]” Isa. 28:16.

4. God’s Foundation goes so deep that it reaches into eternity itself, since it was foreordained before the foundation of the world. Make no mistake: there aren’t 2 foundations, 2 redemptions, or 2 atonements. Only One could sustain the weight of all the sins in the world. He alone can deliver us from the wrath of God and lift us to eternal joys.

5. THESIS: There is... 1). No church but that built on Christ; 2). No Gospel but that is built on Christ; and 3). No hope of salvation except that built on Christ.

6. TITLE: “No Other Foundation But Jesus.”

I. THERE’S NO CHURCH BUT THAT ON CHRIST

A. CHURCHES OFF THE FOUNDATION

1. There are many churches in the world, so called, but only one church is built upon Jesus alone. It doesn’t matter how great their numbers, how ancient, how wealthy, or how educated they are – if they’re not built on Christ, they’re a sham!

2. Jesus is so fundamental to the Church, that anything not built on Him will fall. There’s no election outside of Christ. We’re “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ,” but nothing without Him. We are “predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son,” not otherwise. We can’t be part of the Body of Christ if we’re not in connection with Christ, the Head.

3. Any group calling themselves a church who depend for eternal life on anything besides the merit of Jesus’ atoning blood, are not the church. He’s our salvation, “in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

B. HOW TO IDENTIFY THE TRUE CHURCH

1. If we depend upon the arm of flesh, or on human knowledge, on education, or on our own efforts, we’re leaving the Rock, for sand. The Church isn’t a democracy, it’s a Kingdom! Parliaments and kings have no authority whatever in the church, but Christ alone rules there.

2. Preachers should carefully follow Christ’s guidelines. There shouldn’t be a sermon not centered on Christ, for Jesus is the Alpha and Omega—first and last—beginning and end.

3. Ministers shouldn’t be exalted, for “Who is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom you believed?” We’re not Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, non-denominationals, Assemblies of God, Presbyterians, etc. – WE ARE CHRISTIANS! We have one Lord, one faith, & one baptism.

II. NO GOSPEL BUT WHAT’S BUILT ON JESUS CHRIST

A. FALSE GOSPELS

1. There are many pretended gospels in the world. Paul spoke once of “another gospel,” but then corrected himself and said, “which is not another,” because strictly speaking, there’s only one Gospel - there can’t be two. There’s not 2 Savior’s or 2 redemptions, nor 2 atonements; only one.

2. Someone may say, “I have a revelation from heaven” but if they’re not lifting up Christ, don’t listen to them. And if a body of people – like a council, or church – say something that disagrees with what Jesus said, dust off your shoes. Jesus said His sheep hear His voice and follow Him.