Spiritual Foundations
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Saved FOR Good Works
Saved FOR Good Works
We are starting a new series this week that the Lord has placed on my heart that we are calling Spiritual Foundations.
We are goin gto get back to the basics in order to build a solid spiritual foundation in your life. When you are building a structure, rather it is a studio apartment or its a 80 floor skyscraper, the most basic part of that entire structure is the foundation, but listen the most important
-There is joy and gladness when you meet a divine appointment
i will say this if the Lord has brought you a divine appointment, don’t call me. If the Lord wanted me to meet that appointment He would have sent that person to me. But if He sends the appointment your way, you are equipped to handle it
Bring up Chase to give a testimony
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
6 For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land.
12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Series
Spiritual Foundation- Building a Life that Counts
Saved FOR Works
We are starting a new series this week that the Lord has placed on my heart that we are calling Spiritual Foundations.
We are going to get back to the basics to build a solid spiritual foundation in your life. When you are building a structure, rather it is a studio apartment or its a 80 floor skyscraper, the most basic section of that entire structure is the foundation, but listen the most important section is the Foundation… it is the most basic and it is the most important
1. In fact if you try to cut cost with the foundation to splurge in other areas of the construction, you will lose out
2. You can built the best frame, you can put upgraded appliances, high end finishes throughout the entire structure, but if the foundation is not solid the structure will not stand
Illustration
When I had my appliance business, I did a lot of work of Rental agencies. And so often I would go into a house that had a foundation that was sinking. And for those owners that were cheap, you could go to the doorways and windows and see cracks in the sheetrock, and you could see multiple layers of tape and bedding. What were they doing? They were masking a deeper issue with a temporary patch. Those are the easy to see parts
One of these houses I kept having to go back on a dishwasher that I installed. They kept claiming that ever so often the dishwasher would just fill up with nasty sewage.
So went out inspected, no problem from the dishwasher, the third time back out, I raised the drain hose, and concluded that there was no way that the dishwasher could be at fault for the sewage coming back into it. So it was the plumbers fault. There’s obviously a drain line that is clogged, and its backing up into the dishwasher. The plumber came out cleared the drain lines. I get a fourth call on this dishwasher, this point they are mad at me, because there is something wrong with the dishwasher. I know theres not so I go back, and the tenant happens to tell me, yeah we got foundation problems… I said OHH, he said yes come look at the bathtub. I go back look at the bathtub, and the foundation has sunk so bad along the back of the house where all the plumbing is that the end of the bathtub is about two inches lower than the end with the drain. Thousands of dollars later in foundation work, guess what I never got a call on the stupid dishwasher.
Some of you this morning for years, you have been putting patches on your failures, your noticeable ones….
· You been blaming your work load, you been blaming your upbringing, your family, you been blaming your genetics or your physical pain….
· And each time you keep putting a layer of plaster thinking that that’s good enough…. Your problem is not bad doorways, your problem is a bad foundation.
Others your problems go much deeper. They are not as noticeable like a cracked wall, but they are devastating in the secret areas like a masterbath where only a few go. And that is those close to you.
1. You keep blaming your temper, your outburst, your depression, your lack of passion on others… like the dishwasher man. You have become good at diverting everything. You never accept responsibility for anything. Probably cant remember the last time you have said I am sorry, and Its always somebody else’s fault,
2. but listen the sewage didn’t quite backing up into the home, until the owner of the house took responsibility for the deeper issue, and that is they had a bad foundation.
3. And this bad foundation manifested itself in many different areas that seemed to be unrelated, but you see behind the nice cabinets, and vanities, past the sheetrock into the belly of the walls, deep down in the crevasses where the human eye could not venture there was multiple fracture lines going down past the surface layer of the concrete, past the topsoil down deep under the earth to a cheap foundation that is in sinking sand.
Maybe just maybe that abundant life, that life of joy, peace and power keep alluding you because the foundation is cracked.
Can we do some foundation work this morning? Look at your neighbor, and ask “did you bring your shovel? Because we are about to go digging”
THE TEXT that will be the foundation for this series is
Matthew 7:24–27
ESV24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Now understand this morning, there is a choice to be made, but once the choice is made the consequences will follow. You are free to choice how you will respond, but you are not free to choice the consequences.
1. But not only are the consequences out of your control, but the storms of life that will blow in. You will be tested, and how you have built your life will be revealed.
2. Because it will be God himself that makes sure that those things become exposed
Hold your place and turn to 1 Cor 3:11-15
1 Corinthians 3:11–15 ESV
11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
The only solid foundation you can build on that will remain is on Jesus himself.
· Most Christians have laid some other foundation and put a Jesus sticker on it. Listen that is like buying a pair of Armani sunglasses in China town
· It isn’t going to work
· There’s coming a time when God will shake everything that can be shaken. We felt just a little baby tremor of that shaking in 2020
· In Hagaii 2:6-7 God declares that he will shake the heavens and the Earth, the land and the seas, and shake all the nations of the world.
· When God shakes and things break loose, people and families start falling apart
And when the powers of the heavens began to quake and everything that can be shaken is shook, the only thing that will be left is what is rooted in Jesus
· Listen when your marriage gets shaken, make sure its built on Christ,
· When the financial markets of the world come crushing down, make sure your treasure is laid up in heaven and you invested in the Kingdom
· When your world is shaken through unexpected loss of life, or loss of ability, or shaken by unexplainable trauma… make sure you are building on Christ
The Question is how do you build? What does that look like? This is the question that we will be answering over the next few weeks
Now many times Christians get saved and they are like ok what else do I do? Now what? Everybody say “Now what?”
Heres the now what!
You are Saved for good works…. Read with me
1 Cor 3:12
12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
The Now what after you get saved is you begin to build. You are SAVED FOR GOOD WORKS…
1. Now notice I did not say you are saved by your good works… You are saved for good works.
2. Now the foundation has already been laid, and that is Christ himself…
3. On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is _______ sinking sand
4. You can’t earn your salvation, you cant wheel and deal for your salvation.
5. Its not Christ plus anything! When the Son of God clothed himself in humanity, when the King of Glory humbled himself, when the Lion became the lamb and died on a old rugged cross, what exactly can you do.. Your part is responding by faith and receiving Jesus as Lord
The reason so many Chrisitans are sinking around us is they have a cheap Chinese foundation and slapped a jesus is sticker.
1. But listen we have so preached Salvation through faith and we haven’t gone on to the next step of construction.
2. What we have are a lot of Christians with bare foundations… Listen jesus didn’t say he was a basketball court, Hes not an outdoor pad for you to sun bath on… No there is more, and the more is your good works.
3. Now many have a premium foundation but their building skills is trash, and their building materials is something that 3 rd world countries make mud huts…
4. Listen He is saying that there is coming a day when your work will be inspected and it will be tested… look at verse 12-13
1 Corinthians 3:12–13 ESV
12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
There is coming a day when what you did for the Kingdom will be exposed with light and tested with Holy Fire.
1. If you have sought first the Kingdom and His righteousness and the work you have done is soaked in prayer and set ablaze by the holy Spirit… It will survive and you will receive a reward.
2. Now I want you to know that just coming to Sunday service every once in a blue moon is not building. Coming to Sunday service every weekend and not doing anything with is is not building
3. Saying God bless you to the person handing you food at Taco Bell is not building….
Everybody say this with me.. I am saved for good works… not saved by good works but for Good works… There is a reason the bible calls you the hands and feet of jesus.
1. He has commissioned you, to finish his work of redemption on this earth
And look to further prove its not an issue of salvation look at verses 14-15
1 Corinthians 3:14–15 ESV
14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
See not a salvation issue, it is possible that you get saved and never do anything else that has any kingdom worth…. On that day everything will be burned down to the foundation, you will suffer loss, but you will be saved, but only as through fire.
1. Now let me ask you a question…. Is that the kind of Church you want to be?
2. Because not only will they not have anything to show for it in the presence of the King, but worse they never experienced the power of God working through them’
3. On that day God will show you and I people that died and went to an eternal hell simply because we were not willing to get out of our comfort zone
You want to know the answer to the question, What Now? I am saved what now?
1. The what now is good works…. I’m not going to lie, there is excitement waiting on you, there is a passion, exciting life waiting on you, it just probably looks different then what you were led to Believe
HAVE CHASE COME UP
What happened yesterday
When he first got saved he did this type of thing more…. Tire changing
Acts 1:8 ESV
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Listen most of us need to check our hearts when it comes to leading people to Christ..
1. We need to go from being fearful cowards and look for the opportunities, you know why…. Because its important to God, to see people come to know Jesus
2. That is what He gives power for
3. Tell story of Chases dog
4. It is an awesome thing to lead people to jesus
5. It is an awesome thing when you have the power to expose the enemies lies and help someone hear Holy Spirit Truth
6. It is an awesome thing to be used to deliver people from demonic opprseeions and to set the captives free
7. It is awesome seeing families turn to the Lord and know that you had something to do with it
Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Do you see that salvation by grace through faith! Nothing of yourselves but rather the greatest gift from the Father…. And now because we are his children we are a masterpiece, His workmanship created in Christ jesus for Good Works … God has prepared them, that we should simply walk in it…
That is that God has divine appoinents set up for us… he is in his infinite wisdom and power will set up meetings between an old lost sinner and a soul winner… the meeting is already set up, the Holy Spirit has already been working on that persons heart, convicting them of sin, reminding them about the mortality of life, for weeks maybe even years the holy Spirit has been revealing the thought of their hearts, revealing their true motives, robbing them of comfort and peace, so that they may realize that spiritually they are bankrupt, reminding them of the shameful times, reminding them f deeds done in the dark, reminding them of all the times they have acted wickedly, and deep deep down inside where the deepest unbelief festers in their heart, He the holy Spirit overrules those thoughts and confirms the existence of God. And When you make that divine appointment you will be tempted to thing that it was luck, that it was coincidence, that it all of a sudden happened, but Oh no others have gone before you prepping the ground, the holt S
Close with the opportunities at the church
1. New Childrens wing coming
2. New Youth Facility
3. Need Workers- Can you hold a baby while mom getsa little breather and be able to pray over that precious little child
4. We need people to
Witness is one of the most powerful experiences you can have, not because it is exhilarating in itself, but because its near and dear to the fathers heart. He is passionate about lost people coming to know Him. He is passionate about getting the simple gospel of His son as fast and as furious as it will go…
-There is joy and gladness when you meet a divine appointment
i will say this if the Lord has brought you a divine appointment, don’t call me. If the Lord wanted me to meet that appointment He would have sent that person to me. But if He sends the appointment your way, you are equipped to handle it
Bring up Chase to give a testimony