The Three Pillars of Life (Psalm 11)
Sermon Summary
Pastor David Yan
12 November 2023
A building with a solid foundation does not easily fall. A life with strong pillars does not easily break down.
There are three pillars to life. They are God, family and work. These pillars are revealed in the book of Genesis.
God in the beginning created all things. He does not introduce himself. He simply reveals himself as God.
Family consists of one man and one woman, and their children.
Work was ordained by God. Adam must work and have dominion over creation. He must use his mind and give names to the animals.
These three foundational truths were set in place by our Creator. Adam and Eve found happiness and fulfilment in obeying God's commandments.
But something happened. There was an intruder in the Garden of Eden—the serpent, called the Devil and Satan.
Adam and Eve succumbed to the Devil's wiles and the three pillars of life were damaged.
God’s relationship with humans was broken. There was now a separation. The Lord asked Adam, "Where are you?" (Genesis 3:9)
Family was affected. Genesis 3:16 says the woman's desire would be for her husband, and he would rule over her. There is a strained relationship between husband and wife.
Work was affected. The man would toil by the sweat of his brow. Once, work was a pleasure. Now it is a pain.
But God is a God of mercy. He restores the damaged pillars of life.
He sent his beloved Son Jesus into the world to save the world.
Jesus restores a broken relationship. While we were still sinners, he died for us. While we were enemies he reconciled us to God through his death.
Jesus restores the family. The first miracle he did was at a family function. The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 5 of how family members were to relate to each other. Husbands are to love their
wives and wives are to be in submission to their husbands, not slavishly but willingly, like Eve before the fall.
Jesus restores the necessity of work. He himself worked as a carpenter. He came to do the work of the Father—to save his people from their sins. The Bible condemns idleness (2 Thess.3:6-12).
By his life and teaching, Jesus brought recovery. The pillars of life are restored.
Let us teach people these three pillars of life—God, family and work. We need to be reconciled to our Creator. We need to uphold the family unit. We need to work. Without work the mind can be inactive. With work it is occupied and less likely to suffer mental issues.
What was damaged in the Garden of Eden is restored by Jesus the Saviour. We are one with our Creator; one with each other; and one with the earth upon which we work. Praise God for such a redemptive work. Through Jesus we now have pillars for life. Build your life on these pillars.
Oh, give thanks to the Lord for his pillars are strong; like a rock. The wise build their lives upon this rock.