Preparing to Build, Part 2
Choosing the Builder
Last week, we started a brand new series entitled, Preparing to Build, Seeing the Vision, Living the Dream. This series is focused on our vision, our passion for the future. We talked about where we are heading as a church, what we are trusting God to accomplish, and the results we are planning to see through our passion.
Last week, I shared with you a quote from John Maxwell’s book, Talent is Never Enough, that said: “A passionate person with limited talent will outperform a passive person who possesses far greater talent every time. Why? Because passionate people act with boundless enthusiasm, and they just keep on going! Talent plus passion energizes.”
Passion. That is what is going to help us build the church that God wants us to build. That is what is going to help us build His house.
This entire series is about building. Building God’s house. Building you faith. Building your life on the will of God. I shared a verse with you from Isaiah. Is. 66:1 Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?
God is talking to us. Where is the house you will build me? We are committed to building his house. Last week I asked the question, HOW? We said we are committed to the vision, we said we believe this is what God wants us to do, we said we know this is where we need to go, but HOW?
That is the purpose behind this sermon series. HOW! How do we go from here to where God wants us to be? How do we accomplish the vision for our church? God has called us to fulfill big tasks. He has called us to accomplish great things. We know that it’s just not going to happen, we must make it happen. We began last week by saying that we must prepare.
Prepare the soil. Prepare ourselves. Prepare to see God move. Preparation with Passion.
We took a look at the pile of soil here on stage. We talked about how valuable that soil is. How that we can take that foundation and turn it into a thing of beauty. On that soil, we can build our house.
Today, we continue. We continue our preparation to build. You see, we are all fired up about seeing God do amazing things in the next five years, we so desire it to happen but we’re not quite sure how to get there. Taking the vision, and seeing it happen.
Today, we talk about CHOOSING THE BUILDER. You see, when you are beginning the process of building a house, one of the first things you must do, is decide who is going to build it. And there are so many choices out there. There are so many choices we can make, but there is only one right choice.
Our theme verse for this series is found in 1 Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
How can you be both steadfast, anchored down, rendered immobile and at the same time abounding? The answer is that while we are anchored firmly in the middle of God’s will for our lives, we simply work. We work hard. We pray hard. Abraham Lincoln once said, “Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God who made us.”
We focus on what God wants us to do. We press on to greater heights, greater visions, and greater service.
We work to the point of exhaustion. Like a runner at the end of the race. We work to finish well! While all along, staying in the midst of God’s will.
Building. Building is what it’s all about. We’ve shared the vision of where God is taking us, and so we build.
2Chr. 14:7 Therefore he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us, because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered.
Building and prospering. In ever aspect of the building process, you watch as new things develop from your hard labor. Daily, you see results. We want to build and prosper.
But before building, we must always make sure we choose the right builder.
Matthew 7:24-27: “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
From this passage of scripture, I want to share four important principles that are critical before attempting to build the house, our spiritual house.
Principle #1 – The world will always tell you that you need to look to another builder, not the Master Builder. Notice in this passage that there are two types of foundations mentioned. There was a…
24 “…man who built his house on the rock:”
And there was a…
26 “…man who built his house on the sand:”
Both of these foundations have value. Both are attractive. Both can draw us in. But only one can sustain us. Only one can protect our efforts. Only one has permanence.
Principle #2 – You should always give the job of building your spiritual house to the builder who most closely reflects your own heart. Notice in this passage that the problem is NOT in the lack of knowledge of God’s Will, but the problem is the person’s heart that decided not to obey God despite God’s instruction. Look what it says in verses 24 about the wise man:
24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them; I will liken him to a wise man…”
Compared to the foolish man in verse 26:
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be likened to a foolish man…”
The difference between the wise man and the foolish man was NOT that one of them didn’t hear the clear teachings of Jesus Christ. The problem was the heart attitude that was determined to either obeying or disobeying the voice of God.
Principle #3 – Every house will be put to the test to see if it works in “real life”! You better pick the right builder! Notice in this passage that the identical circumstances struck both the wise man and the foolish man. In fact, the circumstances are described in identical quotes:
For the wise man who built his house upon the rock:
25 “…the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house;”
For the foolish man who built his house upon the sand:
27 “…the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house;”
The same circumstances struck both the wise man and the foolish man. Both structures were challenged by what started to be a little rain – that grew into a flood – that evolved into fierce winds and unstable conditions.
Isn’t that just like how life is? Sometimes we are able to see crisis come - just as Dr. Ergun Caner preached about last Sunday night. Or sometimes, crisis springs up on us. They start first as rain – that grow into a flood – then become a torrential downpour!
And I will tell you from experience, that when problems hit, your spiritual house had better be grounded on a foundation that was built by the unshakable, immovable, unequivocal Word of God!
Prov. 10:23 To do evil is like sport to a fool, But a man of understanding has wisdom.
24 The fear of the wicked will come upon him, And the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.
That foundation is what keeps you anchored in God’s will and in God’s protection. We must build our lives, and our spiritual house, on the foundation of God.
And after the troubles come, you quickly learn principle number 4:
Principle #4 – The right builder will always build in the right place.
24 “…a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall…”
So, what exactly is the “rock?” What exactly is the “sand?”
By now, you’ve recognized that it is obviously a figure of speech that represents a bigger truth. So, what exactly is the Lord telling us to build on and not to build on? What exactly is he referring to when he says “the rock” and “the sand?”
Well, you could probably make an educated guess and come pretty close to what it means because the passage conveys a pretty simple story. But let me show you from scripture exactly what the “rock” is and what the “sand” is.
When Jesus refers to the “rock” and “sand,” he is referring to various philosophies of life and living – various belief systems or ‘world views’ if you will. Meaning, the “rock” and the “sand” refer to the hope or various promises that people rest their eternal state on. It is more than a part of their life – it is the foundation of their lives.
Therefore, every decision – whether they consciously think about it our not – is filtered through their view of how to live life.
In essence, their belief system becomes their builder! Their belief system becomes the builder of their lives and dictates everything they do, think, and decide. The same is true in the church.
Every church, including TRBC has to decide who is going to build their church. In Preparing to Build, we have to Choose a Builder. And if we build with the wrong builder, our house can be destroyed.
Today, as you can see, that pile of soil has transformed a bit. You see, now, there’s quite a few people who have staked their claims on it. To say what they want to do on that land.
They all have ideas, they all have plans, they all make claims of what they can accomplish there. There are many choices that we can make, many choices that we have in finding a builder.
SIGN #1 –
The ‘Good Work’ Guys:
“We do good work!”
As you look across the religious landscape today, you will find many churches that have anchored their house to good works. It’s called the “Social Gospel.” In other words, all that is important is helping our fellow man, helping the underprivileged, reaching out to those who are in need.
And boy does it feel good to help others. And all the while, they neglect the Gospel. They believe that their abilities are all that is necessary for their house to be built.
There is nothing wrong with helping the underprivileged and creating goodwill in our community.” In fact, we are going to do just that in our community and communities around the world.
But this “Builder” is not the builder for our spiritual house. We know that in building our house, we can’t look at our own abilities, we must remember that the builder is “Not I…but Christ.”
Ephesians 2:8-9:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Titus 3:5
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit
SIGN #2 –
Memorial Builders
“A Building Tradition since 1922”
Here we find the builder who has no interest in reaching out, no interest in reaching new people, no interest in using new methods to reach a new generation. This builder believes that this is the way it’s always been done, and we’re not changing it now. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
A man once walked by a farmer’s house and noticed that there was a pig there with a wooden leg. The man, curious at this point, asked the farmer, “Why do you have a pig with a wooden leg?” The farmer replied, “well, not long ago, my house caught on fire and that pig actually came running through the house and woke us all up and saved us and the house.” The man replied, “well that’s great, but why does he have a wooden leg?” “Well,” the farmer said, “just a few weeks later, that pig saw my son jump in the pool and he started to drown. That pig jumped in and saved my boy.” Again, the man was not sure as how this related to the wooden leg. “But why, sir, does that pig have a wooden leg?” The farmer answered, “Well boy, you can’t eat a talented pig like that all at one time.”
You see, there are some things that have been used by God to great success over the years, but eventually, you have to accept that maybe you need to stop doing those things and do new things that God can use.
Mark 7:9 And [Jesus] said to them, "You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!”
SIGN #3 –
Custom Builders
“Whatever you want…We’ll build it!”
This “Have it your way” Builder is a dangerous builder that confirms that however you want your church to be, you can “have it your way.” Whatever feels good, that’s what we’ll do. Whatever you’re comfortable with, so be it. In other words, preaching doctrine, preaching against sin, it’s out the door. Why? Because it makes people uncomfortable.
This builder says that if you want a sermon without involving Bible or biblical truths, that’s fine. If you want to entertain instead of preaching the Word, well, that’s fine too.
Paul warned us about this type of “Builder” in II Timothy 4:3 (Amplified):
3For the time is coming when people will not tolerate sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching for something pleasing and gratifying, they will gather to themselves one teacher after another, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold.
Folks, at TRBC, we are going to maintain our resolute commitment to the Word of God and the God of the Word. We will never sway in our beliefs just because they are unpopular. We will preach the Word!
SIGN #4 –
Showmanship Architects
“You’ll be the biggest, brightest, and the best on the block!”
There is a big temptation among churches to ‘wow’ the people with all the dramatic effects, cutting edge equipment, while singing up-to-date music and trendy church décor. This “Show off” Builder is an attractive builder for the church that is weak in their confidence in the Head of the church, Jesus Christ.
“Well,” you may say, “Easy for you to say because you are a pastor of a very large church.” True, TRBC is large. At TRBC, we do things with excellence…on purpose! We do things with excellence because if it’s Christian, it ought to be better. We want to show the world that our devotion to God is important and we want to do everything we do for Him with excellence.
And while we do believe excellence is important. These lights, these cameras, these screens are not what it’s all about. They are nothing more than a tool that God has given us that we use to reach the world.
I promise you that church is not about the lights & cameras …it is only about Jesus Christ! “Not I…But Christ”
Church, I will make you a promise –
If every television camera breaks,
If every musician loses his or her voice,
If every drum cracks,
If every guitar string breaks,
If every light bulb shatters,
If every speaker blows up,
And if these screens go black!...
WE will still have church because it is based on the Word of God! So then, where do we find the RIGHT BUILDER FOR OUR CHURCH AND OUR LIVES!
SIGN #5 –
The Firm Foundation
“Building on the Solid Rock”
After all the futile attempts of various philosophies, good works, and good intentions, “Jesus Christ, the Builder of His Church” is the only builder who can anchor us in truth. And no one can stand against Him. Jesus says in Matthew 16:15-16, 18 “He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ 16 Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Verse 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.”
Among the many builders competing for your approval to build your spiritual home, to build your lives upon, there is only one builder whose house will always stand.
When Jesus said the words “upon this rock I will build my church,” He used the word that referred to “bedrock.” Literally Jesus said in verse 18:…upon this [bed]rock I will build My church…”
In other words, “upon this vast expanse…upon this firm foundation…upon this immovable anchor,” I will build my church.
And what exactly is this hard, fortified “bedrock” that is to anchor our lives, our church, our families now and in the years to come?
Peter’s confession says it all in verse 16 “YOU are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” YOU, JESUS, are the Builder of the Church. YOU provide the only hope for mankind.
Years ago, a developer purchased the land across the street where Walmart now stands. They had intentions of building a shopping center there. However, in the midst of their construction, they hit bedrock. And they spent huge amounts of money trying to get rid of that rock. But eventually, they ran out of money trying to break that rock. They couldn’t do it. Now, developers always check to make sure that there is no rock before they start construction.
Well, in the same way, that is how the world views the Solid Rock of Jesus Christ. They desire to avoid this Rock at all cost. Rather than anchoring their entire lives to this Rock who can provide them spiritual stability and strength and hope – they would rather avoid it at all cost.
Why? Because the Rock demands so much of their life, their energy, their will, their hopes, their dreams – that to them it is not worth digging down and anchoring themselves to the Solid Rock who is Jesus Christ.
And they do so at their peril. Because when the inevitable storms come and the rains fall and the winds blow, their spiritual house is no more grounded than a house anchored on shifting sand.
Some might say that it is arrogant of us to suggest that there is only one way to build – one builder – on which you can build your lives!
But I respectfully and unapologetically declare that “Neither is their salvation in any other for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved!”
THAT is the Solid Rock that we have built this church upon. THAT is the Solid Rock that we are building this church upon. And THAT is the Solid Rock that we will forever build this church upon!
And that same SOLID ROCK is the foundation on which you should build your life! There are many distractions out there today. Distractions that keep you from seeking His will. From following his path. From obeying His word.
Many builders who will tell you, DON’T FOLLOW CHRIST! It’s much more fun and easy to do it another way. But we must stand firm, proclaiming Jesus Christ as our builder…OF OUR CHURCH, OF OUR FAMILIES, OF OUR LIVES!
We must be passionate about focusing on Him. The author and finisher of our faith. Knowing that only through Him can we find our hope, our joy and our peace. Not I, But Christ!
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
