1 Corinthians 3:10-11
"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."
When Paul arrived in Corinth, he found it to be like a modern day Las Vegas or "sin city." He was determined that the only thing that could penetrate the spiritual darkness of the city was the gospel message in its purest form--Jesus Christ and Him crucified. That singular message became the focus of his preaching. Each generation must learn to contextualize its evangelistic methods to its time and culture. The message, however, is timeless and must not change. The world can outbuild, out-advertise, outspend, and at times out-think us. What we have as Christians that is unique is our message of Good News. That message of Jesus death and resurrection is the foundation of the church. Jesus is the foundation of the church and of an individual's life as well. Foundation work is hidden work. No one looks at the architecture of a beautiful building and becomes enamored with the foundation. If we are not careful, we will invest our whole life in the outward and visible. We can become consumed with maintaining our reputation, but neglect our character, which is hidden and foundational. A guest speaker at my church said "Some folks have more in the showcase than in the warehouse". The private, foundational aspect of life is not visible and cannot easily be measured, but it is where real worship takes place and is the wellspring of both joy & contentment.
