Laying Strong Foundations

Pastor E. Keith Hassell

Zechariah 4:9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands shall also finish it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you.”

I. As the Master Builder, God always begins by laying a right foundation

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

B. 2 Timothy 2:19 “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’”

C. Hebrews 6:1-2 “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.”

II. Foundations determine the strength of a building

A. The strength of a structure is found in what lies below the surface

B. The strength of a building is tested by storms and shakings

1. 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: 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. 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: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

2. Hebrews 12:25-29 “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.’ Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.”

III. Foundations must be laid well

A. The cornerstone must be perfectly square or else the foundation will not be laid square. Therefore they were costly and precious.

B. Isaiah 28:16 “Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily.”

C. Ephesians 2:20 “having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone,”

IV. Foundations determine how high the building can rise

A. Skyscrapers must have foundations that are dug deep into bedrock

V. Foundations determine how far the building can expand

A. The more ground that foundation covers, the larger the building will be

B. God wants us to take ground by building foundations in our lives, homes, and church

VI. Foundations indicate the vision of the builder

A. The foundation being laid reveals the vision of the leader even before the building is erected.

B. Lay foundations adequate for the vision God has given you

VII. Foundations reveal the price the builder is willing to pay

A. Luke 14:28-30 “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’”

B. Build according to the price you are willing to pay to finish the building

C. Jesus paid the ultimate price with His own blood. He will finish what He has begun.

VIII. Foundations reveals the heritage the builder intends to leave for the next generation

A. The work of great builders still stand hundreds of years after they are gone because they paid the price to lay strong foundations

B. Proverbs 10:25 “When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, but the righteous has an everlasting foundation.”