In October of 2018, a consultant found alarming evidence of \”major structural damage\” to the concrete slab below the pool deck and \”abundant\” cracking and crumbling of the columns, beams, and walls of the parking garage under the 13-story building at Champlain Towers South condominium complex near Miami. In the parking garage, which largely sits at the bottom level of the building––part of it under the pool deck––the consultant also said that there were signs of distress and fatigue in the concrete columns, beams, and walls.

But the cost to repair was estimated at $9 million and because of that, the condo board was slowly moving forward on securing a $15M loan from the bank in April of 2021. Repair plans were constantly being delayed due to the cost, and even the coronavirus pandemic. Residents, the condo board, and the management association didn’t heed the findings in the report quickly enough. And on June 24, 2021, at approximately 1:22 AM EST, the building collapsed. 97 people were killed—instantly—crushed—within the 11 tons—22 million pounds of concrete and steel rubble.

State and federal investigators began an investigation into the precise cause of one of the worst and most fatal building failures in American history—one which continues through this day and has already cost $20M—and is nearing completion by the 4th anniversary of this tragedy in June of this year—and they made some startling discoveries…

It was not that $9M of repairs were needed to the parking garage concrete base which was built underneath the pool deck…But construction flaws in the design of the building’s structure itself—including in the parking garage and pool deck––which evidently were not built to the code that they should have been when the building was constructed over 40 years ago! Not only that, but they discovered significant problems in the concrete columns that supported the building itself—which drastically reduced the strength of the pool deck-to-slab column connections, which themselves were already compromised.

The building itself was designed and constructed with a foundational structure that inevitably over the course of time, through wear and tear and exposure to the elements, was destined to collapse. The foundational structure upon which a building is constructed is the determining factor in whether or not that building will stand the test of time. The foundational structure upon which a building is constructed is the only protection and prevention from total catastrophic failure and collapse.

And in the same, but yet far greater way, the foundational structure upon which your faith is built is absolutely, centrally, critically, and consequentially important in determining whether you will still be standing on that day of judgement before God and receive the gift of eternal life and the salvation of your eternal soul…

And there is only one foundation—the firm foundation as we sang in the song this morning—the one stone—the cornerstone whom the builder’s rejected—Christ alone—his life, his righteousness, his vicarious death, his glorious resurrection, him—his perfect person and his saving work—appropriated by faith—and if you construct your life and your faith and place your hope in anyone or anything else—the building that is your life will one day come crashing down, whether here or far worse, in eternity. And that’s part of what we see this morning in our text as we come to the end of Jesus’s conversation with the crowds and his disciples in the bread of life discourse…

Some believed in the truth about Jesus. They knew him and believed in him. They trusted in his words—his word. And they continue to believe in him. They constructed their faith/hope in him. Others didn’t at all. Their faith and hope was built upon something else—themselves—self-righteousness––through their good works and law-keeping.

And still, some others believed—at least at first, at least for a while. But their faith was not built upon a firm foundation—the firm foundation—the only Cornerstone, Christ—at least not a true knowledge and understanding of his person/work—because the moment they hear some things—some teaching—some doctrine from Jesus himself (about himself!) that they don’t like, they’re gone, they turn away, defect, apostatize—or to use a term that’s popular today, they deconstruct the false faith they had to begin with by analyzing, scrutinizing, and picking apart the elements they don’t like and could not possibly accept as true, their building collapses, and they are gone.