The Leaning Tower

 

The construction of the famous Tower of Pisa began in 1173. The Tower measures 55.86 meters of height with an estimated weight of 14,700 tons and an inclination of about 4 ° extending 3.9 m of the vertical. The tower stood upright for over 5 years, but when the third floor was completed in 1178 it began to lean. The problem is the foundation of the tower, which is only 3-meter deep, was built on a dense clay mixture.

This mix impacted the soil and the clay was not strong enough to hold the tower upright. As a result the weight of the tower began to diffuse downward until it had found the weakest point. Construction works stopped. After 100 years, an engineer started to add more floors to the tower. He tried to compensate for the original lean by making one side of the upper floors taller than the other. This only caused the tower to lean over even more.

Questions which are frequently asked after a revival is “are the converts genuine? will they remain true?” That depends upon the foundations of their faith. If their faith is build on shifting sand, no matter how  tall or beautiful the above-the-ground structure appears, it will not stand for long. But if it is built on the tested rock of ages the faith will withstand all weathers. That faith will never crumble.

 In Acts 2:42-47 we have the example of the first revival after Peter’s great sermon. In the first part of this chapter we are taught how to win men to Christ; in this section we are taught how to hold them true to Him. In Acts 2:42 we have an outline of their conduct.  We are told that “ they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers”.  

The members of the first church were genuine believers. Those who professed Christ at that time would not do so without a deep conviction because it was an unpopular thing to do. They were joining a hated sect whose leader had recently been tried and executed. They were offered no promise of popularity, wealth or ease. They were called to a life of separation and service.

They continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine. The word doctrine simply means a set of beliefs or instructions. Bible doctrine consists of all the Bible has to say on a particular subject. Doctrine gives us an orderly understanding of the biblical truth. If we follow biblical instructions or believe what the Bible says about a subject, our faith will rests on a rocky foundation.

The value of God’s word to a believer’s life is immeasurable. In Deuteronomy 6, Moses told the nation of Israel, an equivalent to the present day church,  “you must always obey the LORD's commands and decrees...for your own good” (Deut. 10:13). Observe his commands ”so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live. Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey... do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you” (vv. 1-3, 18).

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments...are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates (vv.5-9).

 In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?” Tell him...the Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.” (vv.20-25).

After the death of Moses ,God told Joshua “be careful to obey all the law...do not turn from it to the right or to the left... Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:7-8). The person whose delight is in the law of the Lord and who meditates on his law day and night is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither ” (Ps.1:2-3).

Jesus said “on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it”(Matt 16:18). The rock represents endurance, stability, permanence and grounding.  God “does not change or shift like a shadow (James1:17). His word is timeless; his message never changes no matter how culture changes. The Bible's principles are always true and applicable for living life as God intended it to be lived.

The Sadducees believed in God but they did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Jesus told them “you are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God” (Matt 22:29).  In Matthews 15:1-9 we are told that some Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus “why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?

You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you “these people … worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.”  Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

The word of God is the bedrock of the Christian faith. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God (2 John 1:9). Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). Paul instructed Timothy "study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim, 2:15); All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2Tim. 3:16).

Paul told Titus “You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine... It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the...appearing of the glory of...Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:1,11-14).

The church of the living God is the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Tim. 3: 14-15). Jesus prayed for his disciples “sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). Paul told the believers at Colosse “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom...And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col. 3:16-17).

Peter told new believer “like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to Him, the living Stone ...you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God” (1 Peter 2:1-5). Any service not given God’s way is wasted effort (Matt. 7:21-23; I Cor. 13:1-3).

The writer of Hebrews was disappointed. He said “though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (Heb.5:12-14).

Paul continually asked God to fill the Colossians “with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 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, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience and giving joyful thanks to the Father (Col. 1:9-12).

 In Matthew 7:24-27 Jesus taught his disciples the importance of building their faith on the solid rock of His Word rather than on the shifting sand of feelings or worldly wisdom. He said “everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock... the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

God's precepts are a reliable guide in the maze of life. A word-filled life ensures that we live straight lives, “ blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life” (Phil.2:14-16).

The Bible is Our Roadmap for Life. There is a way that people think is right, but it only leads to death(Prov. 14:12). God says “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go” (Isa.48:17). ). David prayed “ teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! (Ps 143:19).

The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes…The decrees of the Lord are firm and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold…By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward (Ps. 19:7-10