God's building

Matthew chapter 7, we'll read at verse 24. Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, notice there's obedience, I will liken him unto a wise man that built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.

And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. Now let's go over to 1st Corinthians chapter 3, please.

And we'll read about another building, and we'll read about a wise man here as well. So 1st Corinthians chapter 3, Paul writing to the assembly at Corinth at the end of verse 9. Ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me as a wise master builder, I have led the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.

But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire.

And the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss.

But he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. Now the Lord will bless to us the reading of his word. We have in verse 9 of 1st Corinthians chapter 3, two metaphors of the assembly.

We have God's husbandry, that is God's till field, and that would speak to us of the activity that would take place in that field. When we come to the second metaphor in that same verse, ye are God's building, it's speaking to us of the stability of the local assembly. It was in September, on September the 19th this year, down in Mexico City, there was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake that took place.

There were 155 people that were killed, most of them because buildings couldn't stand in that environment. Many buildings were seriously damaged and dozens of buildings toppled down. You may have seen the video clips on the internet of some of those buildings with the concrete falling off them and so on and others that had totally come down.

A hostile environment and some buildings stood and others could not withstand the power and the impact of that earthquake. Now there are two important parts to a building, mainly, that I want to speak to you about this morning. There is the foundation and then there's the superstructure that's built upon that foundation and both of them must be able to withstand a hostile environment.

The local assembly is, in this verse, called a building and what will cause an assembly to stand in a hostile environment in this world will be a firm foundation and a structure that is strong and then I want to notice as well that that structure is a shelter as it stands. It is actually a shelter for those that are inside. So first of all, think of the need for a firm foundation.

What is a foundation? Well, I remember in college we had some instruction on building and so on and it is simply a base upon which a building stands. The purpose of that foundation is to distribute the load of the the building evenly over the earth and we find that when Paul went to Corinth there in Acts chapter 18, that's exactly what he did. He took the gospel of Jesus Christ and he spread out the gospel to both the Jews and the Gentiles.

As he says here, for other foundation can no man lay, then that is laid which is Jesus Christ. He says in verse 10, I have laid the foundation. So the basis of assembly testimony for God is always the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We live in a day where there's this notion of church planting and if you want to check the web on it look up Acts 29 and you'll find that there is organizations that have conferences and all this kind of thing to train people how to plant a church. And it doesn't really matter about doctrinal distinctions, the whole goal is church planting, multiplication of whatever it is that's going to be planted. When we come to the Bible we find that the basis of all assembly testimony and planting is God's work in the gospel.

The gospel is spread out and souls receive it and souls are saved. So that foundation was laid in Corinth in truth, but the Jews stumbled over it initially, at least some of them, they stumbled over it. Paul says in Romans 9, it was a stumbling stone and a rock of offense to them that a man who was crucified is actually their Messiah.

But you remember there in Corinth that Paul was encouraged by God and the Lord spoke to him by night and he said, be not afraid but speak and hold not thy peace for I am with thee and no man shall set upon thee to hurt thee for I have much people in this city. That interesting. God knew there were souls there that will be saved.

God says I have. I take it he had them on his mind, in his heart, from all eternity. Paul didn't know who they were, it was Paul's business to go in and preach to everyone, to the whosoever will.

God knew who they were and in the process of time they believed the gospel and they were saved. Not only of the Jews but also of the Gentiles and what a motley crew they were indeed. When you come to the first Corinthians we find a description of them in chapter 6, sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, swindlers.

And the gospel of God reached them and they were saved by the grace of God. For he goes on to say in the next verse, and such were some of you, but now you're washed, you're sanctified, you're justified. You've been to the laver, you've been brought into the sanctuary, and you've been given a standing before God justified in his presence.

That's what God's grace can do to a man. And God saved these dear folks in Corinth. And an assembly of God, a new thing was formed there in that city of Corinth.

And what a marvelous thing that was. Because come Sunday morning, formerly squeaky clean Jews that wouldn't have walked on the same sidewalk as some of these vile Gentiles, but now those former vile Gentiles have been saved. And come Sunday morning, here's these former squeaky clean Jews sitting down with these former vile Gentiles, and they're actually drinking from the same cup, imagine.

And they're breaking bread and taking food from that same, taking their portion from that same loaf. It was a miracle of the grace of God. And Paul had laid the foundation, and the assembly was built, established.

And by God's grace, these dear souls were reached. Now, if God in his grace has enabled you to embrace the gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ that brings the glad message of the forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ, and he has placed his Holy Spirit within you to empower you to live a life of obedience, when we come to our New Testament, we find that it is God's design and it's God's desire that you be a part of God's assembly. That's God's mind and God's will for your life.

Now, what's the purpose of the foundation? Well, it is to uphold that structure, isn't it? And a foundation is, generally speaking, it is generally out of sight. It is usually hidden in the ground. So, it's that go-between between the visible building above and that which is underneath.

So, when a building stands, we know, even though we can't see it, we know that there is, in fact, a good foundation under it. It's a testimony to the fact, when a building stands, it's a testimony to the firmness of that foundation. Now, what do we hear in the opening announcements? This is the 118th conference here in La Crosse.

The assembly in La Crosse has been around for at least 118 years. Not a remarkable thing. Well, that's a testimony to the grace of God.

You see, that testimony has stood in this locality that the basis of testimony is Jesus Christ and his gospel. And that's the purpose of an assembly. It's a testimony in a locality.

It's not a religious club. It is not merely some place for social gathering, and it is certainly not a place for religious entertainment. It is a place that stands as a testimony to the solid base upon which it stands, Jesus Christ.

And it's good to come to La Crosse that has stood for so long as an assembly, as a testimony to Christ in a world that is unstable, in a world that is variable and uncertain and shifting around. How good it is that there's something that stands the test of time and will stand the test of eternity as well, because it's built on Christ, who himself remains the same yesterday and today and forever. He was dependable for a former generation to rest their all upon and build their life upon, and he's still dependable today.

That would encourage us to go on in our lives of testimony individually and as assemblies of his people. So the need for a firm foundation. When we come to the thought of the structure, or the superstructure if you like, there's a need for that to be strong as well.

Now Paul says in verse 10, according to the grace of God which is given unto me as a wise master builder. The word in the Greek is architecton, which immediately you can recognize as linked with architect, the superintendent for the erection of the building. And says Paul, I was a wise architect, master builder.

What was it that made Paul wise in relation to building for God? Was he just some sort of dynamic personality? Raising up around him a kind of a personality cult? No, that wasn't his business. In fact, he says that I was among you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. It wasn't a personality cult that Paul built in Corinth.

But rather we find that Paul was wise because he was dependent upon the Lord in everything, and that's the key to all ministry and work for God still. It is dependence upon him. I would find that he worked alongside of others.

There was Silas, and there was Timothy. They came from Macedonia to join him in the work. And he says in verse 6, he says, I have planted, and Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

And so Paul stayed there in Corinth for another 18 months, and God worked. Souls were saved. Those souls were then taught the truth of assembly gathering, and that assembly came together, and it was built up in their most holy faith.

So it was built by teaching. There's a warning here to teachers. He says, take heed how ye build.

Because, you see, it is possible whenever there is a group of believers together, it is possible that that group could go in many directions. So take heed, brethren, how you build. It is important what is taught in God's assembly.

So you notice that he goes on to speak of these six different building materials, and they are obviously divided into two classes. You have in one, you have the gold, the silver, and the precious stones. Those are valuable materials.

They're costly. They're not manufactured. They're expensive.

They're durable. They are non-combustible. They're actually materials that are created by God himself.

The gold, the silver, and the precious stone. On the other hand, you have three materials mentioned called wood, hay, and stubble. And by contrast, these are common.

These are cheap, relatively cheap materials. They are ordinary. They are perishable.

They are combustible. And they're the growth of nature. The wood, the hay, and the stubble.

So what would we understand then from these six materials? I take it that the gold will relate to truth that is taught about the deity of Christ. And we've been hearing something of that already today. The result of that teaching would be to produce Christ-likeness in his people, holiness.

When we think of the silver, that would relate, dipping back to the Old Testament, to the redemption money in Israel, it speaks to us of redemption. So truths relating to redemption. All the great themes of the gospel.

Justification, redemption, forgiveness, propitiation, substitution, and so on. The great themes of the gospel that will produce testimony for God. Then you have the precious stones.

In keeping with the typology of the tabernacle, the precious stones would relate to that which was upon the shoulders of the high priest, and upon the breastplate that he carried when he went into the sanctuary to represent the people of God in sanctuary experience. So I take it now the precious stones will relate to truth that is taught, that will form character in those dear believers, truth that sanctifies the Saints. And that's all wholesome and good, and that will build testimony for God.

On the other hand, we've got the wood, hay, and stubble. All bulky materials. Lots of show here.

Little worse, but lots of show. Teaching, perhaps, that would be bushels of words and spoonfuls of thought. Lots of activity in that company without scriptural support.

So we'll put on worship concerts, and we'll have worship leaders, and they will probably be up on the stage banging on a guitar, maybe with a fedora on, you know, distressed pants, and what else have you. You've got even the tattoos now, and the man buns, and what have you. All that sort of thing.

Worship leaders leading the people of God into sanctuary experience? Come on. Lots of show. Without scriptural support.

You get the picture. How much of that there is around in the world. To balance that, it is possible to put out rules where God doesn't make any.

I take it as legalism. That doesn't build for God either. Being scriptural is not going beyond the Word of God.

Being obedient is not going beyond the Word of God, and living in the fear of man, it is being obedient to the Word of God. That's not legalism. Never will be.

That's obedience. And then you have around us today, you've got that trendy church lingo that goes with all of that sort of stuff. You know, you have grow your faith community.

Learn how to grow your faith community. So you got to be missional, and learn how to train Christ followers. So let's have an ongoing conversation about your journey.

Trendy, huh? That's trendy. Is it scriptural? Are those scriptural concepts? So what is taught and what is practiced in the assembly, or what is not taught and what is not practiced, will affect the saints, for good or ill. And the focus and the point is to build for God.

So Paul says, take heed how ye build. For every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, verse 13. That is, the day will manifest, it will make visible what has been done for Christ or not.

For the fire will try every man's work of what sort it is. So that day, the day of review, is set up in the atmosphere of fire, a symbol of the searching judgment of the Lord Jesus, as he examines what has been done supposedly in his name, and he looks to see if it will stand the test of his discernment and his holiness. How did we handle the holy scriptures? How did we respond when those scriptures were taught? Did we even listen when the scriptures were being taught? Or were we reading books on our tablets or whatever? Now we're not against tablets.

I'm using one right now for notes. But take heed how you build. Take heed how you build.

The day will declare it, what was done for Christ or not. If any man's work shall abide that he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward, verse 14. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.

Not the loss of salvation, but the loss that would be suffered would be the loss of what should have been and could have been for him if we had have been faithful. So take heed, says Paul, how you build. Now I want to come to this thought of the structure being a shelter.

We read from Matthew chapter 7 about two men who built a house. So it's a building and it was intended to be a place of shelter. And the Lord says that one of them built upon a rock and the other built upon the sand.

And the one that built upon the rock is the man who hears these sayings of mine, right, he's attentive to the word, he hears these sayings of mine, and doeth them. Second step, and doeth them. He hears and he's obedient to it.

Now we're glad, aren't we, that we ever heard his voice. And it won our hearts and we were rescued from the penalty of our sin. And God is to be thanked that once we were the servants of sin, but says Paul, you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine that was delivered unto you.

By the grace of God, we have been saved. Now salvation is foundational to every testimony for God. It comprises those, first of all, who have been saved.

Then, as we've been reminded this morning, the Word of God would also teach that saved people should be baptized. That's the teaching of the Scripture that should be obeyed. Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

And as you read on in the Word of God, we'll find out that we should be separated. We've been saved for a purpose, separated from the world, and separated unto his name. So that we should be separate from the world morally, socially, religiously.

But we're separated unto him. And that should be expressed in testimony as we gather unto the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in his interests in a locality. All right, so there's a purpose here as God has saved us.

Then we find that testimony for God will be tested. The Lord Jesus was tested. I love it in at the end of Matthew chapter 3 how that God declared, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.

And then in chapter 4, he's tested. It's put on display what he really is, as our brother brought out there this morning. So you have the rain that comes down, you have the floods that come up, and you have the wind that's blowing upon this structure.

The question is, is it going to stand? There are always troubles that come raining down, aren't there? And there are always floods of troubles creeping up as well. And there's the lateral pressure of the wind, whether it's positive or whether it's negative, being brought upon that structure to test it. The world will pressurize from the outside.

Or the world can come within the company and suck the very life out of it. So that testimony, that structure, is going to be tested. 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse 19, we read this, nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, that the Lord knoweth them that are his, and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

So are you professing faith in Christ? Here's the word of God. It's a call to separation. Depart from iniquity.

Come out from among them, and be ye separate. And for the believer in this dispensation, they are gathered unto the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now that assembly that is standing for God as a building, quickly, is a shelter for those that are in the building.

So when you think of a world that is evil, the assembly members are those who are saved by the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might deliver us from this present evil world. In a world of trials and troubles and self-centeredness, assembly members are to bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians chapter 6. So you see the shelter that is afforded in the assembly.

In a world of rebellion and irreverence, assembly members are expected to display respect to the things of God. That principle is taught throughout the whole Bible. Respect to the things of God.

In a world of hate, assembly members are taught of God to love one another. And so there are these aspects of shelter that are afforded in God's assembly. Now there are boundaries on behavior.

Boundaries on behavior in God's assembly. But let's remind our hearts that they're not just fences that are there for the sake of being fences. Fences such as you and I might jump over.

Why? Because I can. But God has boundaries upon us in his word and they're safety rails. They're for our safety.

They're for our betterment. They're for our blessing. And the assembly is a place of shelter and security for Christian life.

It upholds God's principles as we gather in simplicity in obedience to the word of God and his cause cannot fail. And an assembly built upon him and on his word will stand even in a hostile environment such as this world presents. Now I'm done.

May God encourage our hearts to go in for the things of God as we've been hearing. To obey the word of God, learn it, and practice it in our lives. That we might be more like Christ and might be more of a testimony individually and corporately to his name until we hear the shout.