Some years ago I was visiting a fellowship in country Victoria. The congregation had begun to build a new church and they were eager to show me the foundation. I was quite taken by their enthusiasm and excitement for what was simply a huge, solid slab of concrete! I thought, ‘Hey, where’s the building?’ I became aware that laying a foundation can be costly and messy, not to mention tedious and hard work. But what would we do without foundations? Perhaps many who are reading this article would know about the apostle Peter, and in particular, when the Lord said to him, ‘…on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of hell will not conquer it.’ Peter interpreted what Jesus meant – namely that Christ is the ‘chief cornerstone’ and that Peter as a ‘living stone’ was joined to that foundation, as is every member of Christ.
It’s important to note that Christ’s concept of His church is not a building of bricks and mortar, but of people. What people? Whosoever comes to and believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and is built upon Him as the chief cornerstone. I love these clear and personalized statements of the word of God – ‘You are God’s building’ (1Co 3:9), and ‘… you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house…’ (1Pe 2:5).
I have another story one that illustrates how crucial, foundations are, it has to do with the steps taken by Councils to ensure strict adherence to r e g u l a t i o n s . Have you ever had a run-in with your Council over building a house or adding a room? I can almost sense the exasperation! I recall the time when we wanted to add a large room to our family home in Melbourne. The Council required a foundation of ten concrete pillars of two meters in depth. They sent an inspector on three separate occasions to watch over the work. First, to inspect the holes when they were dug, then to see that the iron mesh had been placed correctly in the holes and finally, to make sure that the right amount of concrete had been poured. ‘I kid you not’. The whole process took a long time, and anyone who’s been subjected to the excessive demands of Councils will empathise. Until however, you learn that my house was originally built on a disused garbage tip. Maybe we do need Councils after all.
Let’s go back to what Jesus said about His church prevailing against the powers of hell. His church will indeed prevail, but take note that it is being built in a world full of decay, refuse and corruption. That’s why absolute care must be taken to lay the right foundation no matter how long it takes or the obstacles that are
met – for ‘what will the righteous do if the foundations are destroyed’. Obviously they will not prevail against the gates of hell.
You may also have read about the foolish man who was in such a hurry to build a house that he built it on sand without a proper foundation. Not surprisingly, when the storm came his house collapsed. The same storm with the same ferocity also battered the worthy home of a wise man.
His house was worthy simply because he took the time to dig deep until he found a rock. What was his link to the rock? He heard the ‘sayings’ of Christ and practiced them. The foolish man also heard the words of Christ but found some of them ‘hard sayings’ and so he chose to ignore them – and lost his link to the rock. It is sad but true that if we reject one word of Christ it’s not hard to reject another and another until we have no word other than our own projections and imaginations.
That rock is special and it is also significant. It is set in place by God and not man; it is a tried stone, tested by every agency – demonic, human and divine. It is a precious cornerstone; the stone above all others yet one of many stones. It is a sure foundation in any realm heavenly or earthly. He that really believes all of these facts will not make haste in building his/her life on any other foundation than that which is set – carefully and with precision. Don’t forget this foundation is laid where everything that can be shaken will be shaken.
