Isaiah 28. That song leads nicely into this
passage. How can we stand on the promises? How can we have sure footing
on the promises? because we have a sure foundation. We have a sure foundation. When
the folks came to build this building, this section, one of the first things they
did was they put a footer in and a foundation, concrete all
the way around it. And if that was out of square,
if that wasn't firm, if that wasn't solid, we probably wouldn't be in this
building. We'd probably have to go to the
100-year-old building over there. But because this is set up on
a sure foundation, and that's what I want to talk to you about,
when you use one verse, And obviously this verse is speaking about
the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that from other passages
of Scripture, Peter, and different places. We won't turn there.
But in Isaiah 28 and verse 16, this phrase grabbed my attention,
and that's what I want to speak to you about this morning. Verse 16, Therefore, thus saith
the Lord God, written by inspiration, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation,
a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. He, she, man, woman, boy or girl
that believes and that is, believes upon this person, the Lord Christ,
shall not make haste, or in another rendition, shall not be ashamed. If you are standing and resting
upon the solid rock, you have nothing to be ashamed of. So, our text before us, we have
a list of things that are attributes
that are spoken about Christ. But I want to look at this last
quality of excellence one writer wrote. The term sure foundation. This is the Lord Jesus Christ,
the sure foundation. This is what grabbed my attention
and my thought. as I was looking for things to
ask in direction of the Lord and kept and kept and finally
the Lord finally revealed this one verse and this one phrase. Let us together muse upon this
singular attribute of our God and our Savior this morning,
this singular attribute. And I think this expression,
a sure foundation a sure foundation. I think this singular expression
regarding this stone, this tried stone, this precious cornerstone,
it fully and completely regards our salvation, His elect, and
justification and sanctification and wisdom which is found all
in our beloved as if to remove all sense of doubt in us or to
remove any reasonable questions in our mind and hearts. How can
I, how can I endure to the end? What about this trial? What about
the trial? And we look ahead and we make troubles for ourselves
by trying to figure out what God's doing instead of resting,
not making haste on this sure foundation, this sure foundation. And what it tells me is what
he is and what he's accomplished, a sure foundation for his people. This great and only builder,
God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ of his universal church
declares this one phrase, this singular idiom, that this foundation
is real and solid and he set it up on purpose. Nothing God
does is by accident, by happenstance, or by chance. And we know it's
all to the praise of the glory of His grace. I've got four things. Because of this foundation is
sure, it's steadfast and immovable, said in another place, there's
four things I think we as believers can see, can rest, can be certain
about. And the first one is we may confidently
rest our sin weary and worn out souls upon Him. We can rest because This isn't
a false foundation. This isn't a partial foundation.
This is a sure foundation. I looked up that word sure and
it means sure. I thought I'd try to get, I like to look up
words and get a little, it means sure. Foundation means foundation,
that rock solid base. So that it couldn't go there.
But I will go to a couple songs that we sing. We firstly, because
we have a sure foundation in Christ, we may rest. Rest. I heard the voice, this
is by Horatius Bonar, who knew a few things about trials, tribulations. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
come unto me and rest. Lay down thy weary one, lay down
thy head upon my breast. I came to Jesus as I was, weary,
worn, and sad. I found in him a resting place. and he has made me glad. I heard
the voice of Jesus say, behold, I freely give. The living water,
thirsty one, stoop down and drink and live. I came to Jesus and
I drank of that life-giving stream. My thirst was quenched, my soul
revived, and now I live in him. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
I am this dark world's light. Look unto me. Thy morn shall
rise and all thy day be bright. I look to Jesus and I found in
him my star, my sun. And in that light of life I'll
walk till traveling days are done. A child, a boy, a girl
can look and find rest for their sin-sick, iniquity-laden souls. We also sing, my faith has found
a resting place. Not in device or creed, I trust
the ever living one, his wounds for me shall plead. Enough for
me that Jesus saves, this ends my fear and doubt. A sinful soul,
I come to him. He'll never cast me out. My heart
is leaning on the word, the written word of God, salvation by my
savior's name, salvation through his blood. My great physician
heals the sick, the lost he came to save. For me, his precious
blood he shed. For me, his life he gave. I need no other argument. I need
no other plea. It is enough that Jesus died.
and that He died for me. Rest. In this world, in this
country, I don't know about other countries, but it's always up
to here with stuff running and doing and this and that. People
say, stop and smell the roses. I wish we would. I wish we would
stop and see a sure foundation has been laid that no man can
lay. He's the master builder. And
we must have rest. We must have rest. Well, secondly,
because this foundation is sure, steadfast, and unmovable, we
can be certain that this foundation of hope, of grace, of peace,
it's like it says, it's sure. It's sure. And it's sure regarding
the words in this book. Now I'm amazed that Henry preached
a message a long time ago. He said, you can talk to people
and ask them if they believe this is the unerring, inspired
word of God. And a lot of people don't anymore. He preached this message 30 years
ago. It's just a book. If it's just
a book, it's not sure. It's not sure. But this book
says, A precious cornerstone, a tried stone, a sure foundation. So it is, we can have sure, a
sureness because this is a sure foundation in regarding the words
of this book. In regarding to his call to sinful
men, women, children, it's gotta be true. It's gotta be true. In regarding his sincerity to
his lambs, to his flock. He says, I'm the great shepherd.
I lay down my life for the flock, for the sheep. Is that true or
not? Is that sure or not? Yes, it is. Yes, it is. In regarding to his welcoming
to all who call upon his name in truth and in Holy Spirit produced
humility, you can call upon him. He's not variableness. That's
one of his attributes is his immutability or he does not change. So it's sure. You can call on
him. You can call on him today if
you know him not. You can call on him if you know
him and need help, comfort. You can call on him. He's there
for his people. It's a sure foundation. In regards
to his free pardon and free forgiveness, true and right to help in time
of our need. Also, it's sure that he who was
offended by us now is effectually, eternally reconciled by the blood
paid work on the cross of Calvary. It says, he says, it's finished.
It's not was, it is finished. It's sure, a sure foundation. Thirdly, because this foundation
is sure, steadfast and unmovable, we may be convinced that this
rock-solid foundation, as we place our hope and trust solely
upon him, that we shall never be ashamed nor confounded, world
without end. Isaiah 47, I'm sorry, 45, 17. Will not be confounded, will
not be ashamed, world without end. This cannot be said of anything
in this world, because nothing in this world is sure. And I
guess that's what drew my attention to this. There's so much falsehood
and so much deception and so many different things that we
don't know and we're not wise enough to figure out. But oh,
if we're hid safe in the shepherd's fold, if we're hid under and
upon this sure foundation, come what may, we can rest and we
can be sure and we can be convinced that we shall not be compounded,
we shall not be ashamed. Having zero confidence in ourselves,
in our deeds, in our works, in our religion, only what Christ
has done shall last and what he's done is sure. Fourthly,
also, we have this fearless resolve, this finished, complete work
by Christ is represented in his covenant of grace. This is what
Bruce was talking about this morning in Bible class, This
all relates back to this covenant of grace. And why is this covenant
of grace sure? Now we come back to this verse. He laid our God, the God, the
only God, the only true God. Behold, he laid in Zion for a
foundation stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure
foundation. I don't know how many times the
Lord has to tell us, but we have to be continually reminded. That's
one reason why we gather together. But this covenant of grace, of
which, says Hebrews 9, he is the surety and mediator. It's
like God did stuff. It's like he considered our condition,
he considered our fallen Adam, our complete fall, and our complete
depravity, and that we couldn't do anything for ourselves. He
did everything. He did everything. He was the
surety, he was the mediator, he was the propitiation, he was
the atonement, he was the sacrifice, and he accepted his own sacrifice. And thusly, because this foundation
is sure, every promise, Standing on the promises of God. How can
we stand on them? Because it's a sure foundation. Every promise is true. Every
supply is sure. Do we have a supply? Do we have
a need? He can supply all of our needs
in Christ Jesus. The full power or efficacy of
His atoning blood is approved and pledged. I said it's a pledged
and approved. Our prayers, if they are done
in His name, He says they're heard. How can somebody say that? You know, people, we say, you're
writing checks, you can't, well, no, that doesn't apply to our
God. He can go out on a limb, as it were, on His word because
It's a sure foundation. He did all the work. He accomplished
our salvation. He satisfied every jot and tittle
that was written against us. Ourselves and the law, all these
things He has done. And our final desire to forever
be with our Lord, it's secured. Why? Because it's a sure foundation.
Look with me at Psalms 89. I didn't even know this verse
existed. Psalms 89. This is when I think I may have
found a situation in life that the book doesn't describe, that
stuff like this happens. And I just smile, smile at the
graciousness of our Lord, smile at my unbelief. It's like, why
would I doubt it? Because I'm talking about a sure
foundation, not my foundation, not your foundation. When we're
gone, our houses are probably going to be, you know, Nobody
will know, nobody will care, but this, this rock solid foundation. Look at the Psalms 89 verse 35,
36, and 37. Once have I sworn by my holiness
that I will not lie unto David. David is the elect. I will not
lie. Why? Sure, these words I'm speaking
are sure. His seed shall endure forever
and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established forever
as the moon and as faithful witness in heaven. We're gonna be with
him. We will be with him. His seed
shall endure forever and his throne as the sun before me.
It shall be established forever. We will finally receive what
he has promised. And I know everything's going well. Yeah,
but when stuff turns sour, oh, how we need reassuring words
like this. And I close with these thoughts.
I've written down some thoughts. What should a full, heartfelt,
heart-seized, grabs our heart, changes it. What should we show
forth as believers? We say we believe the grace of
God. We believe that He's a sure foundation, a precious stone.
What should we show forth as we see and believe and comprehend
this sure foundation that's in our beloved? Well, I've got four
things, and there's more, but there's four things. One, it
should increase our adoration of Him. When somebody does something
for you that is beyond compare, I know this word is used, aren't
we in awe? When somebody does something
for us from the heart, and the motive seems to be pure, and
all these different, it's just, it amazes, I just, I get all
weepy-eyed because it's like, who am I, Lord? Like that woman,
such a dead dog sinner, that He would take notice. And He
has taken notice of us, and has established this truth, this
covenant of grace this humanly unbelievable marvel of the grace
of God, especially when we hated Him, we despised Him, we would
not have Him reign and rule over us, and then He changed our will
and made us compliant and made us willing in the day of His
power through the blood and righteousness of Christ. And you're just You
just, we're like, what was it, the Queen of Sheba? I haven't
seen half of it. We really, and that's why it's
so important to meditate, to look daily in the word. and commune
and gather together and hear about Christ and His sufficiency. We haven't heard the half of
it. I thought these things were told.
So I came to this little church. I heard they preach something
kind of goofy over there, kind of crazy. I'm going to check
it out. And then you stayed. Why? Because we want to hear more.
We want to hear more of the sure foundation. So I believe if we
understand this rightly, it'll increase our adoration of him.
Secondly, it will increase our endearment towards him. It will increase our endearment.
We want to be near him. We want to hear of him. We want
to speak of him. We want to tell others about
him. Thirdly, I believe it'll cause us to worship and glorify
our king upon his throne. And we gather together to worship
him, but we can worship him in private, public. There's something
precious about public worship, but he's a sure foundation. Wherever we are, he's there,
under us, supporting us. He says he has us in our hands.
I don't know if that's a reference to a sure foundation. Can't get
any more sure than the omnipotent God's hands. Fourthly, I think
we'll see the world for what it is. Turn with me to Luke chapter
2. I was going to preach this but
I couldn't wrap my head around it, couldn't outline it, but
maybe this will help us. It'll increase our adoration
for Him, understanding that He is our sure foundation. It'll
increase our endearment towards Him. It'll cause us to worship
and glorify our King. But it'll also cause us to see
the world for what it is. Luke chapter two, starting in
verse one. Now, in the fifth year of the reign of Tiberius,
Caesar, Pontius Pilate being, oops, that's chapter three. Okay, let me go back. Start again. Luke chapter two, starting verse
one. And it came to pass in those
days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all
the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made
when Cyrenius was governor in Syria. And all went to be taxed,
everyone to his own city. And Joseph also went up from
Galilee out of the city of Nazareth. into Judea, into the city of
David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and
lineage of David, to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife,
being great with child." Now she's almost full term. And it was so, I'm sorry, and
so it was, that while they were there, that the days were accomplished
that she should be delivered. So you get the situation. Verse
7, And she brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in
swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger." Why? Why was the child born in a manger? Well, we'll get in too deep. Because there was no room for
them, for Christ, in the inn. I believe we'll see the world
for what it is. A soul that is filled with self,
a soul that is preoccupied with the things of this world, trying
to get more, do more, see more, be more, has no room for God. Let us not
be like this in. They went It was preoccupied
with other guests. Money. Jobs. Positions. Titles. It all comes down to
self. It's preoccupied. So the child
had to be born. We want Christ to be born in
us. Our hope of glory. But if we're preoccupied with
self and these kind of things, and this world, there won't be
no room. There will be no room. Lastly, what will the understanding
of the sure foundation, rock-solid grace of God in Christ Jesus,
what will it do? Lastly, I think above all things,
we will say, your will be done. Your will be done. I know what
I would like. I know what I would like for
my children. I know what I would like for my friends, neighbors,
and family. But to acquiesce to the will
of God in all things, it's tough. It's really tough. But there's no other place on
earth, there's no other place in heaven, there's no other quality
of a person other than the Lord Jesus Christ that can be absolutely,
surely said, positively said, He is our sure foundation. He is indeed. Your will be done,
not ours. May He give us a quiet, contrite,
submissive will to our kind and always correct High Redeemer. He's always correct. We may not
understand it now, like I said last week in Mark, I believe
it was, when Christ said, you don't understand it now, but
you will, and we will. May we, back to our passage in
Isaiah 28, he that believeth, he that believeth on him, on
this foundation, shall not be ashamed. May he cause us to believe
on him and him alone. and therefore, not be ashamed.
Rejoice with us. Help us to see that he is a foundation
stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, and a sure foundation
for those who trust in him. Bruce, would you close us, please? This is why we come.