The Right Foundation for A Relationship With God: Jesus Christ
1 Corinthians 3:11, NRSV & MSG
NRSV: 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.
MSG: 11 Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ.
All four gospels are different from each other. Even Matthew, Mark, and Luke — the Synoptic Gospels — are slightly, yet significantly different. Ask anyone who has read the first chapter superficially, the Gospel of John has a unique style, structure, and slant than the other three. At the same time, they all share a common goal. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John seek to provide their respective audiences with crucial chunks of truth about Jesus. However, none of them present an exhaustive telling of the truth about Jesus, only an essential one.
Each of the gospel writers is a believer writing to other believers about the foundation of their shared faith. This foundation is none other than Jesus of Nazareth, who leads, liberates, loves, and lives in each of us. Daily Jesus seeks and works to pull us together internally, interpersonally, internationally, and intra/intergenerationally. Also, Jesus is still interceding for us, pushing us forward, and accompanying us into a future that we are co-writing with him.
Knowing our foundation better will enable us to keep our footing when the world becomes increasingly erratic, chaotic, and unpredictable. Equally important, knowing Jesus will give us the confidence, courage, and competence we will need to withstand and repel the sudden, savage attacks of the evil one working through events, individuals, institutions, policies, and practices.
No matter how well we might think we know Jesus, we ought to invest more time in getting to know him even better. As we do so, we will come to better understand ourselves, each other, the world, and God. So, let’s make Paul’s ancient life-long ambition ours:
10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. — Philippians 3:10-11, NRSV
