Are You Building With Straw?

“No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
– 1 Corinthians 3:11

When they started building the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa in 1135, it was never intended to lean. But five years into construction, the building began to tilt. The architect and engineer tried to correct the lean by making the remaining stories shorter on the uphill side, but it just kept getting worse.

 

Over the next 600 years, engineers realized that the tower wasn’t just leaning. It was actually FALLING, at a rate of 1 to 2 millimeters per year. Finally, from 1990 to 2001, a team of experts worked together to save the tower. If something hadn’t been done, the tower most likely would have toppled over by now.

 

Do you know WHY the leaning tower leans? It has a weak foundation. The foundation is only 10 feet deep – far too shallow for such a tall building. To make matters worse, the tower was built on spongy marsh soil.

 

In 1 Corinthians 3, the Apostle Paul speaks of laying a foundation and constructing a building. But he’s not talking about building a chapel, a prayer room or a cathedral. He’s talking about building the Church – the body of believers who follow Jesus Christ. Together as a church, you and I – and Christians all over the world – are a building under construction. We are God’s building.

 

And Paul makes it very clear verses 10 and 11 that he laid a rock-solid foundation for the Church. Its foundation was and is Jesus Christ, and that foundation can NOT be changed. Even if someone WANTED to change the Church’s foundation, he/she couldn’t. The foundation of Christ crucified is firmly set in place.

 

However, there is still a way to sabotage Christ’s great building project. All you have to do is construct a shoddy building on top of the quality foundation. Therefore, Paul writes in verse 10, “Each one should be careful how he builds.” In verse 12, Paul gives three examples of quality building materials: gold, silver and costly stones; and three examples of substandard building materials: wood, hay and straw. Bottom line: There are wood churches filled with hay Christians, and there are gold churches filled with precious stones.

 

As we work together to serve God, we need to ask ourselves: Are we building something of quality that will last, or are we building something shoddy that will topple? Contrary to popular belief, a solid gold church isn’t necessarily one that is big and looks successful to the world. Many big, successful-looking churches are wood, hay and straw in God’s eyes. They are built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ crucified, but because they don’t preach, teach and uncompromisingly live out the enduring word of the Lord, they are wood, hay and straw.

 

In God’s eyes, quality building is building that centers on the Word of God, especially the gospel. In Matthew 24:35, Jesus says: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”

 

Therefore, as you serve Christ, give Him your very best. And as you serve Him with your church family, give Him your very best. Build on the solid rock foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ and proclaim the enduring Word of God that is more precious than gold, silver and costly stones.

 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:45 a.m. at 17746 George Blvd in Victorville. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.