{"id":1821,"date":"2025-05-28T15:12:10","date_gmt":"2025-05-28T15:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/?page_id=1821"},"modified":"2025-12-15T21:06:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T21:06:11","slug":"christ-our-supreme-foundation","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/christ-our-supreme-foundation\/","title":{"rendered":"CHRIST, OUR SUPREME FOUNDATION"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Christ, Our Supreme Foundation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Colossians 1:1\u201314<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Imagine building a house on sand. It\u2019s not just foolish\u2014it\u2019s dangerous. The structure may stand for a while, but one hard storm exposes the problem: the foundation cannot hold. You\u2019ve probably heard the phrase, \u201cThe house looked fine\u2014until the storm came.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In August 1992, hurricane Andrew slammed into South Florida with 165 mph winds. Entire neighborhoods were leveled. But in the middle of one devastated community stood a single house, untouched, like a lone lighthouse amid a sea of ruin. When reporters asked the homeowner why his home stood firm, he simply replied: \u201cI built it according to the Florida building code. I was told if I followed the code, it would withstand a storm. I did. And it did.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He didn\u2019t just build for sunny days<\/em>\u2014he built for storms<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In life, many build on foundations that cannot bear the weight of suffering, sin, or eternity. For some, it\u2019s success. For others, relationships or reputation. But when the winds of trouble blow\u2014or when the soul grows restless\u2014those foundations crack. And in the collapse, people often wonder, \u201cWhere did I go wrong?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friend, storms will come. Not just cultural pressure\u2014but personal hardship, spiritual confusion, and emotional fatigue. The question is not if<\/em> but when<\/em>\u2014and when it comes, will your life be standing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knowing this, the apostle Paul writes to the church at Colossae. Though Paul had never met them personally, he writes as a spiritual father concerned about the integrity of their foundation. Colossae was a young church in a multicultural city, influenced by Greek philosophy, Jewish legalism, and local mysticism. Truth was not only being tested\u2014it was being twisted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yet Paul doesn’t begin by rebuking their culture\u2014he begins by reinforcing their foundation. In Colossians 1:1\u201314, he calls them back to the only secure ground for life and godliness: Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This morning, as we begin our journey through this powerful letter, I want us to hear Paul\u2019s words not just as history\u2014but as a spiritual blueprint for our lives. We\u2019ll discover what it means to build on Christ, grow in Christ, and endure for Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Colossians 1:1\u201314, Paul writes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1<\/sup> <\/strong>Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 <\/sup>To God\u2019s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. 3 <\/sup>We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 <\/sup>because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God\u2019s people\u20145 <\/sup>the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 <\/sup>that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world\u2014just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God\u2019s grace. 7 <\/sup>You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant,[c<\/a>]<\/sup> who is a faithful minister of Christ on our[d<\/a>]<\/sup> behalf,8 <\/sup>and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. 9 <\/sup>For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[e<\/a>]<\/sup> 10 <\/sup>so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,11 <\/sup>being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 <\/sup>and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[f<\/a>]<\/sup> to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 <\/sup>For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 <\/sup>in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Build your life on the foundation of Christ by growing in truth, bearing fruit, and remaining faithful in hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Embrace the Gospel That Transforms (vv. 3\u20138)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u201cWe always thank God\u2026 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints\u2014the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven\u2026\u201d<\/em> (vv. 3\u20135)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Paul begins with celebration. He doesn’t rebuke or correct\u2014he rejoices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why? Because the Colossians had received a gospel that changed them<\/em>. Their faith in Christ<\/strong>, love for others<\/strong>, and hope in heaven<\/strong> weren\u2019t the results of self-improvement\u2014but of divine transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s be clear: the gospel is not good advice<\/em>; it\u2019s good news<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It doesn\u2019t ask us to try harder\u2014it declares that Christ has done for us what we could never do for ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul reminds them that the gospel is bearing fruit and growing<\/em> all over the world\u2014just as it had in their hearts. That\u2019s still true today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He notes three markers of genuine Christian faith:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Faith in Christ<\/strong> \u2013 not just belief, but trust in His finished work.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Love for others<\/strong> \u2013 because grace always spills out.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Hope in heaven<\/strong> \u2013 not wishful thinking, but confident assurance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    These virtues\u2014faith, love, and hope\u2014don\u2019t originate from personal resolve. Paul says they spring from<\/em> the gospel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Colossians didn\u2019t improve themselves\u2014they were transformed by the truth. And so are we.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Edward Kimball was a quiet man. He was no celebrity preacher\u2014just a Sunday School teacher in Boston. One day in 1855, he felt burdened to visit a 17-year-old boy working in a shoe store. Nervous but obedient, he walked in, approached the stockroom, and shared the gospel. That young man? Dwight L. Moody. Moody would go on to become one of the most powerful evangelists of the 19th century. His ministry touched millions, and the ripple effect led to Billy Sunday, then Billy Graham. But it all started with one faithful man sharing the gospel with one young man in a back room of a shoe store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That\u2019s the power of a seed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Application:<\/strong> Don\u2019t underestimate the power of the gospel in your life or in others. Keep sowing. Keep believing. The same message that saved you will transform those around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But gospel transformation isn\u2019t the end\u2014it\u2019s the beginning. Paul now turns to growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Pursue a Life That Pleases God (vv. 9\u201310)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n

    \u201cWe continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will\u2026 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way\u2026\u201d <\/em>(v. 9)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Christian life isn\u2019t about trying harder\u2014it\u2019s about being filled with God\u2019s will so we can walk in His ways.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    It\u2019s possible to be busy for God<\/em> and still displeasing to God<\/em>. That\u2019s why Paul prays for discernment\u2014not just activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Paul prays for knowledge<\/em>\u2014but not just head knowledge. He prays they\u2019d be filled with spiritual wisdom and understanding.<\/em> Why? So they can live a life that pleases God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The phrase \u201cknowledge of His will\u201d<\/em> doesn\u2019t refer to career choices or circumstantial direction. Paul is asking God to fill them with a deep, spiritual understanding of what pleases Him\u2014an internal compass, not just external behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Paul gives four evidences of a pleasing life:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Bearing fruit in every good work<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Growing in the knowledge of God<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Being strengthened with all power<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Giving joyful thanks to the Father<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Have you ever tried to build a piece of IKEA furniture without the instructions? Maybe you thought, \u201cI\u2019ve got this. How hard can it be?\u201d<\/em> You get halfway through\u2026 only to realize the shelf is upside-down and the screws are in the wrong holes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      That\u2019s life without God\u2019s Word. You may be busy, even productive\u2014but misaligned. Without spiritual understanding, we risk building lives that look right\u2014but can\u2019t hold up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Application:<\/strong> Ask God to fill your mind with His Word. Don\u2019t just seek information\u2014seek transformation. God wants us to know Him so deeply that His will becomes our instinct, not just our emergency plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      But to live for Christ, we must also endure with strength. Let\u2019s look at the next verses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      3. Rely on the Strength That God Provides (vv. 11\u201312)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \n

      \u201cBeing strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience\u2026\u201d <\/em>(v. 11)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

      The Christian life isn\u2019t a sprint\u2014it\u2019s a marathon. And marathons require more than passion\u2014they require endurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Paul doesn\u2019t pray that they\u2019ll be spared from hardship\u2014but that they\u2019ll be strengthened<\/em> in it. The word \u201cstrengthened\u201d here is in the passive voice\u2014it\u2019s not something you manufacture. It\u2019s something you receive<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      God doesn\u2019t give us a trickle of strength. He supplies \u201caccording to His glorious might\u201d<\/strong>\u2014not from a limited supply, but from the infinite storehouse of His power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      And what does that strength produce?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Endurance<\/strong> \u2013 the ability to withstand hard seasons.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Patience<\/strong> \u2013 the grace to deal with people and problems without snapping.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Corrie Ten Boom<\/strong>, who survived the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp, said this: \u201cWhen I was a little girl, I was afraid that I would never be strong enough to suffer for Christ. My father wisely said, \u2018Corrie, when we go on a train, when do I give you your ticket? Just before we get on the train. So will your Heavenly Father give you strength in the moment you need it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Corrie lived through unspeakable darkness. But she testified again and again: \u201cThere is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Application:<\/strong> You don\u2019t have to manufacture strength. You have access to it. God’s Spirit is within you, and His power enables you to keep going even when everything in you wants to stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Finally, Paul brings us back to the foundation\u2014our inheritance in Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        4. Rest in the Rescue That Christ Secured (vv. 13\u201314)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
        \n

        \u201cFor He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves\u2026\u201d<\/em> (vv. 13\u201314)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

        Paul ends where every Christian life begins\u2014with the cross. <\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        We weren\u2019t just floundering\u2014we were trapped in darkness. And God didn\u2019t just give us a map. He\u00a0came for us<\/em>. He\u00a0rescued<\/em>\u00a0us. He\u00a0delivered<\/em>\u00a0us. He\u00a0redeemed<\/em>\u00a0us.<\/p>This is not a metaphor\u2014it\u2019s a transfer of citizenship. We\u2019ve been moved from one kingdom to another. From guilt to grace. From shame to sonship.<\/span>This is our story: rescued, redeemed, and relocated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        We were trapped in darkness, but God didn’t leave us there. He rescued<\/em> us\u2014not by our good deeds but by the blood of Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • He delivered<\/strong> us from Satan\u2019s domain.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • He transferred<\/strong> us into Christ\u2019s Kingdom.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • He forgave<\/strong> our sins through the cross.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Imagine a prisoner, shackled in a dungeon, awaiting execution. Suddenly, the cell door opens. The warden steps in and says, \u201cSomeone else has taken your place. You\u2019re free to go.\u201d<\/em>
          You stumble out, stunned, blinking in the sunlight. You can hardly believe it. And then you see Him\u2014the One who took your place\u2014bearing your punishment so you could go free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          That\u2019s not just a story\u2014that\u2019s your story. That\u2019s the gospel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Application:<\/strong> Don\u2019t live like a prisoner when you\u2019ve been set free. Stop trying to earn what\u2019s already yours. Your identity is in Christ\u2014rescued, redeemed, and loved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Conclusion:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          Let me ask you: What is your foundation?<\/em> Is your life built on Christ? Is it growing through His Word? Is it being strengthened by His Spirit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Where do you find yourself today? Are you standing confidently on the unshakable foundation of Jesus Christ? Or have you\u2014maybe without realizing it\u2014begun to build on something less?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          It doesn\u2019t always happen suddenly. Sometimes it\u2019s subtle. We start relying on our routines instead of our Redeemer. We replace our pursuit of God\u2019s will with the pursuit of comfort. We substitute religious activity for spiritual vitality. We say Christ is first\u2014but we live like He\u2019s optional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          But friend, hear me: the foundation you choose determines the future you experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Paul knew this. That\u2019s why he opens this letter not with theological speculation or lofty commands\u2014but with a heartfelt prayer. It\u2019s as if he\u2019s saying, \u201cBefore I tell you what to guard against, let me show you what to grow into.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          He doesn\u2019t begin with defense\u2014he begins with depth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          And what does he pray for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          He prays that we would be filled\u2014not with fear, not with confusion, not with man\u2019s philosophies\u2014but with the knowledge of God\u2019s will. He prays that we would bear fruit\u2014not out of duty, but out of gospel transformation. He prays that we would be strengthened\u2014not with natural energy, but with supernatural endurance. And he reminds us that we already stand rescued, redeemed, and relocated\u2014plucked out of darkness and planted in the kingdom of His beloved Son.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          So if you\u2019re weary today\u2026
          If your foundation feels like it\u2019s cracking\u2026
          If you\u2019ve been running on empty, or building with the wrong materials\u2026
          This is your invitation to come back to the cornerstone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Don\u2019t just visit Christ on Sundays\u2014build your life on Him every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Let His gospel shape how you see yourself.
          Let His Word guide how you walk.
          Let His Spirit empower how you endure.
          And let His grace remind you\u2014you\u2019ve already been rescued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          This isn\u2019t a call to religion. It\u2019s a call to rest in redemption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          It\u2019s time to stop building sandcastles and start building on the Rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Final Challenge:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          So I urge you today\u2014build your life on Christ.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Not on titles, not on talent, not on tradition.
          Not on what culture says is right.
          Not on what your emotions say you need.
          Build on the only foundation that will never crack under pressure, never erode in storms, and never collapse beneath the weight of real life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Jesus Christ\u2014our supreme foundation.<\/strong> Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Closing Prayer:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n

          Heavenly Father, we thank You that You are our foundation. Forgive us for the times we’ve built on sand. Ground us in truth. Grow us in love. Strengthen us with power. And keep us anchored in the gospel. In Your mighty name we pray\u2014Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Christ, Our Supreme Foundation Colossians 1:1\u201314 Introduction: Imagine building a house on sand. It\u2019s not just foolish\u2014it\u2019s dangerous. The structure may stand for a while, …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1821","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1821","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1821"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1821\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2699,"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1821\/revisions\/2699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1821"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}