Join us in this enlightening episode on the International Gospel Hour as we discuss the significance of building a solid foundation based on Jesus Christ. Inspired by the parable of the wise and foolish builders, this lesson dives into biblical texts from Matthew, Luke, and Corinthians emphasizing the importance of faith in constructing a life capable of withstanding the trials and tribulations of the modern world. Discover how the foundation of Jesus Christ is pivotal in ensuring that our lives stand firm amidst life’s storms.
00:00:00 Introduction to the Wise Man and Foolish Man
You know, friends, our little children will sing about the wise man and foolish man in building a house on a rock. And they are learning about building their houses on the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, you know, little ones can learn, well, so can us older ones. And for that matter, everyone. That’s coming up today on the International Gospel Hour. Stay with us.
SPEAKER 02 :
Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. Welcome to our broadcast today. For over 90 years, Churches of Christ have proclaimed God’s Word through our broadcasts. Just ahead is another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour. Let’s begin.
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From this land
SPEAKER 01 :
Before we begin our study, allow me to mention our friends at AddedToTheChurch.com. That’s AddedToTheChurch.com, all one word, AddedToTheChurch.com. This excellent effort is put forth by DJ and Sarah Curry of Parkersburg, West Virginia. I want to mention their three special sons as well. You can see some exceptional articles by all of them and others. And you can also subscribe free to two digital publications, The Mountain Messenger and The New Testament Expositor. So we want you to check out their website at addedtothechurch.com and sign up for their free publications. Again, that’s addedtothechurch.com and let DJ and Sarah know that you found out about them from the International Gospel Hour. Now let’s enter our discussion. We talked about our little children that would sing about the wise man and the foolish man. So we’re going to talk about a foundation. Now consider for a moment where you are living. Aren’t you thankful for a solid foundation where you reside? As mentioned in our opening, the little song of the wise man who built his house upon the rock, well, we learn of that from Matthew chapter 7, verses 24 through 27, as well as Luke 6, 46 through 49. Now, I love Luke’s account that speaks of the wise man who digged deep and laid the foundation on a rock. That solid bedrock, as it is called, is so important. Now, time does not permit elaboration, but I’ve watched foundation repair workers, along with those in the construction business, get down to the bedrock underneath the sole, wherein it is solid and strong, and they’re able to lay that foundation down. and that the houses will stand firm. Now, there’s no doubt that our lives are better when we build them on Jesus Christ. So, let’s consider our lesson text, and then we’re going to begin our study in a few moments. 1 Corinthians 3, verses 10-14, the Apostle Paul says, According to the grace of God which was given to me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one’s work will become clear. For the day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test each one’s work of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.” Well, friends, we’re going to consider this text today as we look at the church’s one foundation. And earlier, I mentioned our friends at AddedToTheChurch.com. Well, let’s go to our J-Web with another great online tool that you can use in your studies.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thank you, Jeff. GospelGazette.com is another free online tool from International Gospel Hour. Our friends at GospelGazette.com have an awesome website, and among the options available is their current monthly issue, 25 years of archive material, free PDF copies to the Voice of Truth International publication, and a digital library with an enormous amount of material. Please check them out at GospelGazette.com. That’s GospelGazette.com.
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Friends, let’s begin with verse 11 of 1 Corinthians 3. 1 Corinthians 3, I should say. And let’s discuss the Christ. Remember, verse 11 reminds us, For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. We’re reminded of the prophecies of old. Isaiah 28, 16 and 17 says, Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation, and he that believes shall not make haste. Well, we go to Psalm 118, verses 22 and 23. The stone which the builders refused is become the headstone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. we understand that this was fulfilled in the New Testament by the Christ. When we consider Matthew 21, 42, which we’ll return to in a moment, Jesus said unto them, Did you never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner, this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Well, friends, what we’re going to see is not only the prophecy fulfilled, but the promise that was made by Jesus as He walked on this earth. In Matthew 16, 13 through 19, Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi and asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? So they said, Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. And then Jesus said unto them, But who do you say that I am? And Peter answered, Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood is not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades or hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, or will be bound in heaven, whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Well, friends, when we talk about Jesus teaching in that region of Caesarea Philippi, today we would know that as a modern-day Tiberias. And when you look at the area of stone formations and all during that time, they understood this. Your speaker, several years ago, with his beloved bride and a number of other Christians, visited modern-day Tiberias in the region of Caesarea Philippi. I recall reading this text amongst everyone that was with us at that time, or I was reading that text with my wife, and we were looking at what they were trying to recapture based upon history, the stone formations that remained, and you could see enough stone formations and massive buildings and all that they understood fully what it meant to build upon a rock. Now, let’s also deal here with a little extra study. As we consider, many times people think that it is Peter on whom the church is built. Nothing could be further from the truth, friends. The word Peter here is the Greek word petros, which means a small stone. Now, when you look at John 1 in verse 42, as he was called Cephas by interpretation, a stone. But when he says upon this rock, this is the word petra, which means a solid stone or a bedrock. Now, friends, that is the same word used in Matthew 7, 24 and 25 of the wise man building his house upon the rock, and also Matthew 27 and verse 60 concerning the tomb of Christ. We understand there is a distinct difference. He is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and he is our foundation which the church is built upon. So when Jesus said he would promise to build his church, it was that he, as the Son of the living God, was the foundation, the only foundation, on which the church should be built. Friends, we must make this plea. Is the church where you are a member, is it built upon Jesus Christ? Now initially we might think so. But I have known a number of men that have begun their own denominations which indeed we do not find in the scripture. Now let’s go back and consider the comment after the parable of the wicked husbandman. When Jesus affirmed that he was the foundation in Matthew 21, 42 that we mentioned moments ago. When Jesus said unto them, Did you never read in the Scriptures? He’s referring back to Isaiah and to the psalmist. The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner, and this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Once again, friends, a prophecy and a promise and the fulfillment therein. In Acts 4, verses 11 and 12, there’s Peter and John speaking before those government authorities that had arrested them. And he tells them concerning the Christ that this is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which has become the head of the corner. neither is there salvation in any other. For there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Friend, one cannot go wrong building upon Christ, for he is the church’s one foundation. We must make certain that we are building properly upon Christ. We’ll talk about that a little more in a moment, but first, let’s take a brief break, and here is our J-Web of how you can add the International Gospel Hour to your iPhone or Android.
SPEAKER 02 :
Please download the International Gospel Hour app on your iPhone or Android. A free download awaits you at the App Store or Google Play. Just search International Gospel Hour and download our app free and have access to all our work. It is all there through the IGH app.
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Friends, before we continue our discussion, again, we hope that you will find the International Gospel Hour app to a great advantage. You can access everything there, as Jay mentioned. You can also access the Hispanic podcast that we have as we work together with SpanishBibleSchool.org. Marlon Ratana, you can tune in and also listen and share with your friends, share with your friends as well, our Hispanic podcast, Christianos Fieles, and it is available also through our app, on our website, and at any podcast platform of your choice. Also, please check out Marlon’s YouTube channel, World Video Bible School, Spanish Bible School, or WVBS Spanish Bible School there at YouTube. Friends, let’s continue now as we see that Christ is the one of whom the foundation is laid. But now let’s go back to our lesson text of 1 Corinthians 3, 10-14, and let’s look at the contributions. Now again, like the little song we noted, Are we building our house on the Lord Jesus Christ? Are we building ourselves on the Lord Jesus Christ? I take us to verse 10 of 1 Corinthians 3. According to the grace of God which was given to me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. Friends, the master builder here, this being Paul in the context, is not the architect. Paul is using the grace of God as his plans, plans granted by the architect. And as Paul reads the plans, if you will, he is looking through the eyes of grace. He is looking to what is granted to him, and in turn he wishes to carefully build the same for others to see. Now friends, from the very outset, this should be our goal. Once again, Paul in Ephesians 2 verses 19 through 22 said to the church there, Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit. So he tells the church here at Ephesus, you are building upon that foundation. And you are building upon the apostles, the prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. In other words, we need to be looking at the plans on how we build. And the plans are within the word of God. There we find our plans. Now, Paul comes back in verses 12 through 13 to give warnings of how they are to be building things. He says, for example, now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw. Now, let’s compare the two. When you look at gold, silver, or precious stones, these will endure fire. Matter of fact, fire can purify. Test will endure. Faith will withstand storms. You know, take for example gold and how Peter later in his writings speaks of how gold being tried in the fire and how one’s faith is tried in the fire. Friend, maybe God is trying you and you need to endure and allow God to perfect you. While there may be a fire, a challenge, or a storm in your life, How can God use that and how can we use that to bring forth God more in our lives? I’ve had a number of people tell me of a different storm they face. It could be a very serious illness or maybe a death, maybe the loss of a job, of how many other doors were opened to help them through it that would strengthen them in being better. Friends, I can’t figure all of that out, but I can say this. When we note that all things work together for good to them that love the Lord, who are called according to His purpose, Romans 8, 28. that those who are called, those who are Christians, those who are obedient to the gospel, called after the gospel, 2 Thessalonians 2.14, and they are obedient to the gospel message, that we look upon God to guide, to help us, and there are many doors that can open for the Christian. And so again, what are we building within our lives? When he mentions wood, hay, and straw, we understand how quickly they can go up with fire. It doesn’t take long for fire to consume straw, hay, and even wood for that matter. You see, when one cannot withstand the storms of life, then what they’re building begins to crumble. So the question, what are we building with our lives? What are we contributing on the foundation of Christ? And how are we building our lives? So friend, we may be at a point in our lives that we need to make some changes for the better. You know, again, we go back to our lesson text of verse 13, when Paul says, Again, I take us back to, I mentioned moments ago, Peter’s words, specifically in 1 Peter 1 and verse 7, when he speaks of the trial of our faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Our trial of our faith. Are we enduring those challenges of life? Matthew 10, 22. Again, friends, what are we contributing based on the foundation? Are we remaining on the foundation which is Christ, the church’s one foundation? Friends, have we traded off foundations? Have we allowed ourselves to build on foundations or build upon sand, if you will, that will not stand? Again, Matthew 7, 24-27. We want each and every listener of the International Gospel Hour to make certain they are building on the foundation of Christ. And I’m sure we’ve probably shared some things today that has prompted you to think. Friends, we will not affirm in light of Scripture that denominations are built upon Christ. They are going to fall. They are man-made structures and there needs to be greater care of what is built. But when we look within the Bible and we cannot find those churches listed, then the wrong thing is being built, and it just simply will not stand. But friends, may we be of help to you in your study. We have a number of people that request our Bible study course by mail. We have a number of Bible courses that we offer. We try to offer one per broadcast, whether online or by mail. But today, this one will come to you by mail, and our J-Web will give you the details of how you can receive our free Bible study course by mail.
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Our long-time free Bible study course by mail is always available. Have you tried it yet? Just call us toll-free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, address, and just say, Home Study. That’s it. You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the Contact tab, and leave us the same information, name, address, and type Home Study in the message box. Study the Bible at your own pace. Again, it’s free from your friends here at International Gospel Hour.
SPEAKER 01 :
Friends, when we talk about the church’s one foundation, and we talk about the Christ who is that one foundation and how we should build thereon, I cannot help but to think, to call this lesson the church’s one foundation, to think of that beautiful old long-time hymn. The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord. She is His new creation by water and the Word. From heaven He came and sought her to be His holy bride. With His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died. When I take that first stanza, friends, I can’t help but to think of Ephesians 5, 23-27, of how Christ is the head of the church, and how with His own blood that He bought her when I go to Acts 20, verse 28. When I go to stanza 2, and I see elect from every nation, yet one over all the earth, her charter of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one birth, one holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food, and to one hope she presses with every grace endued. When I looked at the elect from every nation, I’m reminded of how the Apostle Paul refers to the church as the elect of God, as does the Apostle Peter. Those from every nation to where the gospel would go into all the world, we learned this from Jesus’ great commission passages of Matthew 28 and Mark 16 and Luke 24 and John chapter 21. And yet, one over all the earth. Brothers and sisters in Christ, the elect, those who have chosen God because He has chosen them through the gospel and their obedience. And yet how we can preach one Lord, one faith, one birth, and how one grows. We come to stanza three that says, Mid toil and tribulation and tumult over war, She waits the consummation of peace forevermore, Till with the vision glorious her longing eyes are blessed, And the great church victorious shall be the church at rest. There will come a day with all the things that those who are in Christ endure, the challenges, the problems, the sufferings that we face, that one day there will be the promise of rest with God in eternity. Friends, we want you to build on the foundation of Jesus Christ. We will conclude with verse 14 of 1 Corinthians 3, our lesson text. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures… He will receive a reward. Yes, friends, the conclusion is, how are we building on the church’s one foundation? How is our endurance? How are we building? We’ll reference once again to Matthew 7, 24-27, when Jesus said, He that hears the sayings of mine, and will do them, I will liken him unto a wise man that builds his house upon the rock. And he goes on to say that the rains came, the storms, the floods, and it stood firm because it was built upon a rock. Then he mentions those who hears the words of Jesus and does not do them is like the foolish man that will build his house upon the sand. And those same storms will come, the same rain, same flooding, and it will fall because it had no foundation, and great is its fall. Imagine an individual in that house built upon the sand, and the storms of life come, and it takes them down. Friend, you’re still living, you’re still walking. It very well could be that you are struggling with… Problems and Challenges of Life Will you but turn to the Lord Jesus Christ? Would you like to know more about His church? We’ve offered to you a number of tools that you can use, but may I suggest we can help you find a church of Christ in your area. If you’ll reach out to us at 855-444-6988 or send us an email at info at internationalgospelhour.com Let us know where you live. Let us know how we can help you. We will do everything possible to help you find a Church of Christ in your area. We also help individuals with their studies to where Churches of Christ, the members therein, will pay you a visit. Now, we’re very, very careful how we do this, friends. We just don’t turn over names and addresses and tell people to go visit folks. We respect people’s wishes, but we will gladly work with you, and we will help you with your permission of how that can be of help to you. We want to help you build on the foundation of Jesus Christ. And we want to help you in the study of His Word. So again, if we can help you with the Church of Christ in your area, or you’d like to speak to someone initially, just by phone maybe, we’ll be able to help you with that. Again, you can call us at 855-444-6988. And you can also check out our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Click on the contact tab and leave us a message. And just let us know, I’d like to speak to someone of the Church of Christ in our area. Leave us your name, your number and all. We’ll talk with you. We’ll work out those details, friends. And we will do our very best to help you The Word of God. Wouldn’t it be a joy to just be a member of the church we read of in the Bible? No denominational bodies, no any other earthly hierarchy or anything of that nature, but to be a member of the church that we read of in the scripture that Jesus promised to build in Matthew 16 and verse 18, of which he is the head, Ephesians 1, 22 and 23, saying, of which he purchased with his own blood, Acts 20 and verse 28, and of which you can be a part and walk therein, just like they did on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, verse 47. You can be added to that church. Let us know how we can help you. And we’re grateful you joined us today for this, our weekly broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. Thank you for joining me today. And I’m Jeff Archie. And friends, as always, keep listening.
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God be with you till we meet again.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thank you for listening to our broadcast today and we hope you continue onward with your search and study of God’s Word. Please join us next time and visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com God be with you till we meet again.
