WE HAVE THIS MINISTRY…

Bible Text: 1 Corinthians 3:6-11

Subject: Foundations

Title: We Have This Ministry…An Effective Ministry Is One That Lays And Builds A Firm Foundation

INTRODUCTION

Biblical Orientation:

In Genesis 3:4 Satan uttered five words that began the attack on the foundation of God’s Word and on the foundation of man’s relationship with God. He simply uttered, God hath not said. Make sure you get the total depth of this. Satan questioned God’s right to mandate. He attacked God’s Word as it stands

So, why is the preacher harping on so much of this stuff lately? Has he gone overboard or is he trying to cause something? No, not at all; however, many would say, what Adam and Eve did in the garden was no big deal. It was not sin

Is the church and its foundations under attack? Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Is the attack outright? No, has Satan never used the bold frontal attack, no. He will only use that at the end of time when he no longer has any options

Let me quote our president elect to illustrate that the foundations of the church are currently under a great attack. "I'm rooted in the Christian tradition," Obama said. "I believe there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people." (One News Now)

There is probably no need to worry; thinking like that would not shake the foundations of the church. We are stronger than that, right? That would be my question, are we stronger than that?

Sermon Orientation:

To be stronger than that, we need firm foundations; Paul speaks of firm foundations in our passage and reveals how important they are and what they are to me made of

EXPOSITION/MAIN TEXT

I. A FIRM FOUNDATION IS THE WORK OF MANY V 6-9

A. The Work Of Planting And Watering

ü John 4:37-38 …One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours

1. Paul describes that he and Apollos worked together to see souls saved

a. Apollos was saved after meeting Aquila and Priscilla in Acts 18

b. He became a great preacher and went to Corinth

c. The Corinthians had taken sides saying one was better than the other

2. This agricultural illustration speaks of the fact that there are many steps to bring a crop to harvest

a. In Kansas, the men who worked on the farms each had specific duties

b. It was through the efforts of all that the farm prospered

3. The same principle applies to a church

a. Some will tell a person about Jesus, but no fruit

b. Another will tell the same person about Jesus, but no fruit

c. Then one will go and harvest

d. It took the diligent efforts of all to bring in the harvest

B. A Unified Effort

1. Paul says the planter and the waterer are one

2. They are working together

a. One is not more important than the other

b. If no planting is done, there is no need to water

c. If no watering is done, there is no need to plant

C. The Ability To See Results

1. God gives the increase

a. Nothing is born, grows, or lives without God

b. When a person’ life is changed by the gospel, God did it

c. We were just given the opportunity to be involved

d. Christ died and rose again, we cannot take credit for any of God’s good works

2. You will be blessed by the amount of effort you put into the harvest v 8

a. There is a participation in the harvest

b. Those that have worked to see a person get saved, they rejoice

i. The part they play does not matter: introductions, prayers, sowing seed, fertilizing, watering, or harvesting

ii. God says the blessing is based upon what you put into it

iii. Whatever you do for God, do it with all your heart; lives depend upon it

3. Each of us is a unique work of God

a. Individually He has changed us

b. One by one He is changing others

c. Table Mountain Baptist Church should be a place where God is working in people’s lives

II. A FIRM FOUNDATION MUST BE LAID AND BUILT UPON V 10

A. Building Firm Foundations Is An Act Of Grace

1. Psalm 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it

2. The job of the church is to labor and build, God has supplied the Cornerstone

3. God’s grace gives us lives in which we work

4. That is why we give God praise when a person is touched, God’s grace has done it

B. Building Firm Foundations Is A Joint Effort

1. For a person to grow in Christ, it takes many people

a. One may teach a new convert about church attendance, another about Bible reading

b. It is so important that each of us get involved in the life of every person here

2. To catch a fish you need the right bait- gospel

a. To land a fish you draw it in slowly

b. To keep what you have caught, you put a net under it to secure it

c. Each of us is building in the lives of others, we are the net that keeps what we catch

d. When we fail to build a firm foundation in a person’s life, we lose them to the world and Satan

C. Building Firm Foundations Is A Careful Effort

1. If you are like me, you have heard about churches teaching everything from yoga to line dancing

a. In a way, they are trying to keep what they have caught

b. However, if you draw in people with the world, how will you keep them?

c. With more world

2. Therefore, it is important that the draw and the keep of a church is biblical

a. The godly church draws people in with the gospel

b. They build a foundation of Christ

c. Upon that foundation they carefully lay the bricks that strengthen and complete the foundation

i. There is the brick of baptism

ii. The brick of Bible reading

iii. The brick of church attendance

iv. The brick of tithing

v. The brick of soulwinning

d. Each brick having a specific purpose: planting them in God and watering the new life that has begun

PREACHING PORTION

In order to be effective, we must lay and build firm foundations. The failure to build properly results in flimsy foundations. To be effective, we must lay that one foundation, Jesus Christ. Is it important, yes, it is of the utmost importance. Think of what happens when people have flimsy foundations

Flimsy Foundations Cause Lives To Fail

1. Unfortunately millions of people are going to go to hell because of churches that given people flimsy foundations

a. Those that have taught a social gospel

b. They have failed to believe in the authority of the Bible

c. They have failed to believe in the infallibility of the Bible

2. So many go to churches that never tell them that Jesus saves

a. They are building false foundations

b. They are leading people to utter, absolute, eternal failure

3. Table Mountain Baptist Church must stay strong on the salvation issue, by grace through faith

Flimsy Foundations Cause Saints To Faint

1. When Jesus Christ is not the foundation of the church, those preachers fail to preach Christ

a. They fail to preach holiness

b. They fail to preach obedience

c. They fail to preach missions

d. They fail to preach soul winning

2. The flock faints and begins to wander and look for nourishment

3. When Christ is preached, lives are strengthened

ü Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint

4. We do not want the saints to faint

a. Therefore, we will feed the sheep at Table Mountain Baptist Church

b. We will give good hearty meals of God’s Word

Firm Foundations Fashion The Flock

1. Personally, I believe that we are very close to the end

a. In that time, it will be harder and harder to reach people

b. We seem to see that in our area

c. However, it could be that Colorado has become a very liberal place

2. The effective church stands out by having a firm foundation

a. Those that are searching will find us

b. If we are effective, we will find them

3. We have a ministry of building firm foundations in people’s lives

a. We must make sure we keep what we catch

i. Visitation to those that come here for the first time becomes much more important

ii. The time we have in their homes must not be wasted on chit chat but upon building

b. We must build with speed

i. How many can be reached before Christ comes again?

ii. Instead, we might ask, are we catching all we should before Christ does come

4. The church is built upon the rock of Jesus Christ

a. Its foundation is unchanging

b. Its beliefs do not vary

c. Its doctrine is settled

d. We want our church to be found upon the right foundation

CONCLUSION

Therefore, how is your foundation?