Jesus is the foundation

On June 27, 2009, the 13-story Lotus Riverside apartment complex in Shanghai, China, collapsed fully intact. A combination of digging for a garage, a large pile of dirt and heavy rains snapped the foundation pylons, causing the building to fall, leaving most windows and doors intact. The images show a building as if tired of standing, simply lying down. (Cao Li, China Daily, "Fatal Collapse Rings Alarm Bells for Developers," July 8, 2009, chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2009-07/08/content_8394761.htm)

The tragedy of the Lotus Riverside apartment complex is a sad reminder of how critical a solid foundation is both for buildings and for life. While it seems there were extenuating circumstances that compromised the integrity of the apartment building's foundations, we recognize that without a secure foundation, no building can stand. Likewise, a great life is built on a secure foundation.

In the 1 Corinthian letter, Paul borrows the foundation and building motif to relate a life of faith in Christ, writing, "Because of God's grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have -- Jesus Christ." (New Living Translation) Two truths from these verses are worth remembering.

First, the Christian life and a church must be built on one thing alone: Jesus. Part of the challenge in Corinth was a division over personalities. Some followed this person, another that, and another a third. The church people were building themselves on personalities and platforms, not the person of Christ. Any time a church or Christian substitutes a personality, a position or platform for Jesus, a different foundation is laid.

Second, the foundation must be built upon. However, personalities, platforms and positions must be carefully laid upon the foundation. There are issues that Jesus calls his people to care about. There are priorities that Jesus wants his people to carry out. There are platforms by which Jesus' message is delivered. Yet neither of these are to replace Jesus himself.

Thus lies the caution to "be very careful." Each person must take the responsibility to critique what is being attempted to be laid upon the foundation of Christ. If the message is "Jesus and ..." the message is Jesus is not enough. The foundation of Jesus is always more than enough.