Feb 07, 2011 Building on Christ
Originally posted on November 5, 2004
“According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder, I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
I Corinthians 3:10-11
With every opportunity we are given in life, there must be corresponding commitments made to ensure that we do not squander the opportunity. When given the opportunity of education, we must commit to study. When given the opportunity for employment, we must commit to work. When given the opportunity of marriage, we must commit to love and faithfulness. Every opportunity calls for commitments.
God has given Grace Community Church the opportunity to buy land and build buildings
to help us fulfill our mission of building healthy people for ministry in the world. What commitments must we make to ensure that we do not squander the opportunity put
before us?
1. We must commit to build on the foundation of Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 3:10-11).
The message, power, worship, and witness of Jesus Christ are central to who we are and what we do. He is our reason for existence. The purpose of all we buy, build, develop, and maintain is Jesus Christ.
2. We must commit to build wisely on the foundation of Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 3:10, 12). We are called to build people. The wise builder of people does so with the gospel of Christ’s grace, the call of Christ to discipleship, and the commission of Christ to go into the world as salt and light.
3. We must commit ourselves to be future looking builders (I Corinthians 3:14-15). If we build on Christ, and build people in Christ, our work will be rewarded. The way we do ministry now will impact our experience of heaven.
4. We must commit ourselves to build the next generation (I Corinthians 3:10). We are laying the foundations of a new church and building people in discipleship. Someday soon, the little ones we are caring for will be the builders in the church. We must lead them to Christ and teach them to be leaders for Christ.
5. We must commit ourselves to remember that we are God’s building (I Corinthians 10:16-17). God is for us, with us, and in us by His Spirit. We are His temple. As such,
we live in single-hearted devotion to Him, giving Him praise in all we do.
A Time To Pray
Now that the building is underway, we call ourselves to prayer. Pray for David Atchison
as he continues to lead us in this project. Pray for our interactions with the architect, engineer, and general contractor. Pray for our relationship with city officials and the neighborhood. Pray for God’s provision and our faithfulness to the mission.
Building with you,
Pastor Scott