Christ: The Only Foundation
A Sermon on 1 Corinthians 3:11
Scripture
11For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Sermon Description
Why is the heart divided by following the words, thinking, and philosophy of others? In this sermon on 1 Corinthians 3:11 titled “Christ: The Only Foundation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches that all must have a foundation for everything they do, say, and think. Issues in this life are the result of a lack of a solid foundation. Desire has replaced principle, truth, and morality. Many call themselves Christians while denying the very being of God. Everything is in a state of flux and uncertainty. Are Christians supposed to “hope for the best and expect the worst”? The Bible’s message is emphatically concerned about this. Unaided, no one can build the necessary solid foundation. No one knows how to live or how to die. What is a person? Who is God? What is life? Learn the definitions for each of these and how to handle the stresses and strains of this world. Death is not the end; everyone will have to give an account before God. Look to the one who is truly man and truly God. No one at their greatest is enough. The ultimate sin is godlessness. The chief end of man is to know God and glorify Him forever.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is addressing the church in Corinth. He is concerned about divisions and quarreling in the church.
- Paul says the Corinthian believers are acting like "babes in Christ" and are not spiritually mature. They are still "carnal" or worldly in their thinking and behavior.
- The Corinthian Christians are dividing themselves up and boasting about following certain leaders like Paul, Apollos or Cephas. But Paul says they are all just "ministers" or servants of God.
- Paul says he planted the seed of the gospel in Corinth, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither the one who plants or waters is anything, only God gives the increase.
- Paul says there can be no other foundation for the Christian life than Jesus Christ. He is the only sure foundation, all else will fail.
- Paul says that if anyone builds on the foundation of Christ with gold, silver and precious stones (works of lasting value) they will receive a reward. If they build with wood, hay and stubble (superficial works) their work will be burned up, though they themselves will be saved.
- Paul reminds the Corinthians that they are God's temple, indwelt by the Holy Spirit. If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy them.
- Paul tells the Corinthians not to deceive themselves by thinking they are wise by worldly standards. The wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.
- Paul says that all things belong to the Corinthians as believers - whether Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life, death, the present or the future. They belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the "great trouble in the world tonight"?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the great trouble in the world is "the fact that men and women have got no foundation for their lives." He explains that this lack of foundation is the root cause of all other problems in society, including industrial issues, moral breakdown, and division. He states, "There is one cause, common cause for them all, and that is that men and women have got no foundation for their lives."
What does Paul mean by "other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Paul means Jesus Christ is the only adequate foundation for human life. No human effort, philosophy, education, or system can provide a solid foundation. Only Jesus Christ can serve as the unshakable foundation upon which we can build our lives. The apostle is emphasizing that this foundation has already been established by God Himself, and no other foundation is possible or necessary for humanity.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe modern society's approach to solving problems?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes modern society as using an "instant politics" approach where leaders "wait for problems to arise" and then "plaster over and paint every crack as it appears." He compares this to a story about a house with cracking walls due to a poor foundation. Instead of addressing root causes, society's leaders disagree about whether problems are "purely economic," "purely political," "purely social," or "purely educational," while merely treating symptoms rather than addressing the fundamental lack of foundation in people's lives.
What evidence does Dr. Lloyd-Jones provide that civilization has failed?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points to several pieces of evidence that civilization has failed despite advances in education, technology, and social programs: 1. Two world wars in the 20th century, "the most terrifying wars that civilization has ever known" 2. Widespread violence, theft, immorality, and drug addiction 3. People's dependence on pills and medications to cope with life 4. The inability to answer fundamental questions about human existence 5. The continued fear and uncertainty around death 6. The breakdown of moral standards and the rise of "permissiveness"
According to the sermon, what are the fundamental questions that humans need answered?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies several fundamental questions that need answers for a proper foundation: 1. "What is man?" - Understanding human identity and nature 2. "God" - Understanding who God is and our relationship to Him 3. "What's the meaning of life?" - Understanding our purpose 4. How to deal with "stresses and strains" of life - Disappointments, loss, suffering 5. How to face death 6. How to prepare for judgment - "the day" when we will give account to God
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use the concept of "reinforced concrete" as a metaphor?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses "reinforced concrete" as a metaphor to explain why Jesus Christ alone is sufficient as our foundation. He explains that just as ordinary concrete is not strong enough for massive buildings (requiring metal reinforcement), human nature alone is not strong enough to withstand the challenges of life and the temptations of Satan. In the incarnation, Jesus combined humanity with deity - "humanity is reinforced" - making Him uniquely qualified to be our foundation. This divine-human combination provides the strength needed "to bear the great weight of the building of life."
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones argue that a "new gospel" for modern times is unnecessary?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that a new gospel is unnecessary because: 1. The foundation has already been laid by God Himself 2. Human problems remain fundamentally the same across centuries 3. No human can lay a better foundation than what God has provided 4. Christ's gospel addresses eternal human needs that don't change with time 5. The same message was preached by Richard Baxter "over 300 years ago" and remains "the everlasting gospel" 6. Jesus Christ is "adequate for 1977" and all times because He alone meets our deepest needs
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones prove that Jesus Christ is the only adequate foundation?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones proves Christ is the only adequate foundation by explaining: 1. Even perfect humanity (Adam) failed when tempted by Satan 2. If God had created another perfect man, he would have failed too 3. Only in Jesus do we find humanity "reinforced" by deity 4. Only Jesus answers our questions about who God is and who we are 5. Only Jesus provides forgiveness of sins 6. Only Jesus conquered death and can help us face it 7. Only Jesus provides comfort in suffering and protection from temptation 8. Only Jesus can present us spotless before God in judgment
What hymn does Dr. Lloyd-Jones quote at the end of his sermon, and why is it significant?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones quotes "On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand" (also known as "My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less") at the end of his sermon. This hymn is significant because it perfectly encapsulates his entire message about Christ being the only reliable foundation for life. The hymn's refrain "On Christ, the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand" directly parallels his sermon's main point that any foundation other than Jesus Christ is inadequate. He uses the hymn to call his listeners to examine whether they are truly standing on this foundation.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as "the ultimate sin"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies "the ultimate sin" as "godlessness" - not living life in correspondence with God. He states: "The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. And if you're not living to the glory of God, you're the greatest sinner possible." He emphasizes that while people often think of "drunkenness and vice and immorality" as the worst sins, the fundamental sin is failing to live for God's glory and not knowing Him.
Itinerant Preaching
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.