Cinder Block WORD PICTURE: Cinder Block
Scriptural References:
John 14:6
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
I Corinthians 3:10b-11
But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1. Have someone(s) read the scriptures from various translations:
2. Using a cinder block (if this is too big to handle, use a brick or even some children’s toy blocks to make the point), discuss the sturdiness required for a firm foundation -- and the idea of Jesus as the foundation of the Christian faith. How sturdy, how firm is that foundation? For Christians, Jesus is the only foundation of our faith. He is not “any of the above” on a multiple choice test! Many people think that chosing Jesus is just one of many available good choices, and they are convinced that they are right. Of course everyone believes they are right! Otherwise they wouldn’t believe what they believe! But what it comes down to is this: what are your sources for what you believe, and how reliable are they?
Proper research skills are taught in high school and college. Finding facts, rather than repeating opinions, is the point of a research paper. Of course, everyone has a right to their opinion. But opinions are not necessarily correct. Research depends on sound, confirmed facts. In college, our thesis held up (or not) depending on our answers to these types of questions:
Do you have sources?
How reliable are they?
3. My sharing, offered to spark sharing by others.
What I Shared
I was a real Doubting Thomas -- how God ever convinced me His Word is true I am not exactly sure. I know He started by getting me at least to read it. Then He provided someone I could call with questions about my readings. That same person was MOST generous with her time and would also pray for me -- with me -- which was a first in my lifetime.
Perhaps what helped me most was a course on the Holy Spirit that presented a lot of historical data and demonstrated that it is far more substantive than data we readily accept about other claims. An impressive assortment of data were augmented in a book entitled The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, which also helped me a lot.
But the clincher was the Bible itself, proving itself by fulfilled prophecies and by its singular voice and message -- as though one song through many authors.
So today’s questions: How firm is the foundation of your faith? Have you decided to build your life on Christ? What does that mean to you?
All Scripture references from the New International Version of the Bible (NIV).
Copyright by Whitney McKendree Moore, March 2008