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1 corinthians 3:5-23
1 Corinthians 3:5-23
5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care.11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” 21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours,22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.
We now move onto the second part of this chapter. I call this section Ministry Motivations.
There is perhaps no greater highway, no shorter route to sanctification, than to serve God and to serve him rightly.
As you read verses 5-15—let me remind you that you may not be a minister (noun), but you are to minister (verb). Many churches pay their pastors with the expectation that they will be doing all the ministering. To a degree yes, but only to fulfill the gift within them. It is never to promote laziness, apathy and uncaring in the body of Christ. If the words, “That’s the pastors job, not mine”, ever entered your mind or have come out of your mouth then its time for a heart check.
We are all equal in the body of Christ. When a new person walks into your church, the only way they should be able to recognize the pastor is by the microphone around his ear. No flashy robe, no collar, no exalted or promoted chair, just another follower of Jesus using his gift.
Understanding that we are all to minister the gifts of the Holy Spirit inside and outside the church, let us consider those works. Just as everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will not make it into heaven (Matthew 7:21), so too not all the works of Christians will be rewarded.
“But Lord, didn’t I give to the homeless, didn’t I pray for people in need, didn’t I get up and preach your Word every Sunday to those whom you gave me to lead?” Didn’t I…Didn’t I…
Listen, the length of that list does not matter. What matters is the “Ministry Motivation” behind it. Rest assured you will be questioned and judged by God Himself about it. His reply to your self-righteous list of works might go something like this…
“Yes but you only gave to the poor because you were feeling guilty about something else and tried to balance the sin. You were only on the prayer team so you could be in everyone’s business. You only preached a lot of those messages so people would think how wonderful you are…” On and on etc. etc.
One by one we might watch the “works” for the Lord be burned up at the judgment seat. Many times at a campfire I will burn everything. That’s right Mr. Gore, into the fire I put Styrofoam and plastic and fabric and…(just kidding). But seriously, in the morning, no matter what scrap wood, food, brush, etc. that goes on the fire, there is only a few nails, maybe a bottle or what’s left can of soda. Everything else is ash. Hold that analogy in your minds for now.
Consider this. I know nothing about the stock market but I assume if you diversify your funds and invest in dozens of stocks, when all the chips fall, whether it be a economic collapse or retirement, what will be left is only the solid investments, all the poor choices will be lost. So when…
Revelation 1:14
The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.
Revelation 2:18
“To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire…
Revelation 19:12
His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns…
…Those eyes of blazing fire judge you, you better believe, that like a campfire, all your ill-motivated works will be burned up. Only works done properly according to the Word will remain.
So again, we realize we are not only to minister, but we now realize we are to minister with right hearts. But even after all that, the results are not up to you.
Your job is to plant. Your job is to water. But, you would not plant precious seed into beach sand! Nor would you water it with antifreeze! Of course not. We do our part. We plant seed in fertile ground by accepting our role as ministers. Then we water it with the best of water by doing our ministry with proper attitude and motive. Then, even after all that, it is God who gives the increase, he makes it grow. We read that in verse 7-8.
In the beginigng of this chapter I said it can be broken down into three sections,
V.16-23—Paul closes the first part of his letter by settling the matter of division (chapter 1) and the difference between worldly wisdom and true wisdom (chapter 2) and transitions into practical Christianity (chapter 3). Seen next in my altered rendition of the nursery rhyme…
Over the Jordan and to the goods to our Father’s house we go.
So we go onto maturity. Remember Jesus said, “In my Father’s house…” He was speaking of eternity, of Heaven. This is the fulfillment of sanctification. The end game of Christianity. Eventually, we will be perfected, we will reach our goal, we will be in our Father’s house. But like Israel crossing the Jordan, there is a land of milk and honey that awaits us right here. Promises and blessings, prosperity and joy, ministry and evangelism are all part of the new covenant promised land God offers us right here, right now.
Let me again remind you that this was a church in the midst of a great wickedness. The influence of the world around it was impacting the church instead of the other way around. Paul just reminded them that we are God’s building, God’s field, God’s workers, fellow workers.
He goes on to say, that building, that field that was laid, or plowed as it were, is on a perfect foundation. Jesus Christ. And the first layer of blocks/bricks that goes on top of that foundation are close, not equal to, but close in importance to the entire building.
In other words, Paul says look “Jesus is the foundation (the cross, resurrection and ascension laid that) , I and the apostles laid the groundwork (first century teachings), but the building from then on up is your responsibility.” Re: sanctification of the saints.
This is not to say that the Christian church, through the centuries, has not produced some great stones. Luther, Graham, Calvin, Whitfield, Wesley, Spurgeon, Mennona (ha ha) just to name a few.
This last section is about you and I obtaining and attaining the wonderful life God has for each of us down here. If we seek ye first his kingdom, put Jesus first in our lives, I want you to know that great blessings await. A land flowing with milk and honey. A joy indescribable, a peace unexplainable, a life unimaginable.
Someone says, “Where is this life? I’m not living that Christian life”. Many of you may be asking that as you look around at your bank accounts, marriage, family or bodies. That may be the problem…
Some of the most joyful, peaceful, fulfilled Christians are poor, sick and ostracized by family. what gives? What is the difference? Could it be because they have cared for their temples? Could it be that simple? I have to address verses 16-17 briefly.
These verses are just as it sounds. We need to care for our bodies. In regards to those people who are always ill or have many infirmities and yet praise God and seem joyful, I would say, (and I can’t be sure of this 100%, but) when a sickness or illness strikes someone who is consumed by Jesus, that is, they have decided that they will seek his kingdom first, pour themselves out for the sake of the gospel and for others, then that person is able to handle and respond to sickness with a grace that comes from God alone.
But to the one who abuses their bodies, does no exercise, eats bad etc. When sickness comes to them, they have no strength, no grace to endure properly. Instead they complain, they are miserable, they are in pain, and they are suffering.
There is a direct correlation to the way we treat our bodies to the way we endure hardship, sickness and pain.
I want to close with this regarding verses 16-23. You remember the old nursery rhythm,
PUSSY CAT, PUSSY CAT, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?
I'VE BEEN TO LONDON TO VISIT THE QUEEN.
PUSSY CAT, PUSSY CAT, WHAT DID YOU THERE?
I FRIGHTENED A LITTLE MOUSE UNDER THE CHAIR.
Realize you are the temple of the Holy Spirit. That your ability apart from the Holy Spirit is weakness and your wisdom apart from the Holy Spirit is foolishness. Realize your potential, your ability, and your power in Jesus. Stop chasing little mice when your intentions are to see the queen. [or the King for that matter]
Take the little steps now, the little sacrifices, the little acts of maturity. Take them step at a time and before you know it you will be doing things you never thought you could, or not doing things you never thought you would stop doing.
Be blessed
5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care.11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” 21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours,22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.
We now move onto the second part of this chapter. I call this section Ministry Motivations.
There is perhaps no greater highway, no shorter route to sanctification, than to serve God and to serve him rightly.
As you read verses 5-15—let me remind you that you may not be a minister (noun), but you are to minister (verb). Many churches pay their pastors with the expectation that they will be doing all the ministering. To a degree yes, but only to fulfill the gift within them. It is never to promote laziness, apathy and uncaring in the body of Christ. If the words, “That’s the pastors job, not mine”, ever entered your mind or have come out of your mouth then its time for a heart check.
We are all equal in the body of Christ. When a new person walks into your church, the only way they should be able to recognize the pastor is by the microphone around his ear. No flashy robe, no collar, no exalted or promoted chair, just another follower of Jesus using his gift.
Understanding that we are all to minister the gifts of the Holy Spirit inside and outside the church, let us consider those works. Just as everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will not make it into heaven (Matthew 7:21), so too not all the works of Christians will be rewarded.
“But Lord, didn’t I give to the homeless, didn’t I pray for people in need, didn’t I get up and preach your Word every Sunday to those whom you gave me to lead?” Didn’t I…Didn’t I…
Listen, the length of that list does not matter. What matters is the “Ministry Motivation” behind it. Rest assured you will be questioned and judged by God Himself about it. His reply to your self-righteous list of works might go something like this…
“Yes but you only gave to the poor because you were feeling guilty about something else and tried to balance the sin. You were only on the prayer team so you could be in everyone’s business. You only preached a lot of those messages so people would think how wonderful you are…” On and on etc. etc.
One by one we might watch the “works” for the Lord be burned up at the judgment seat. Many times at a campfire I will burn everything. That’s right Mr. Gore, into the fire I put Styrofoam and plastic and fabric and…(just kidding). But seriously, in the morning, no matter what scrap wood, food, brush, etc. that goes on the fire, there is only a few nails, maybe a bottle or what’s left can of soda. Everything else is ash. Hold that analogy in your minds for now.
Consider this. I know nothing about the stock market but I assume if you diversify your funds and invest in dozens of stocks, when all the chips fall, whether it be a economic collapse or retirement, what will be left is only the solid investments, all the poor choices will be lost. So when…
Revelation 1:14
The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.
Revelation 2:18
“To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire…
Revelation 19:12
His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns…
…Those eyes of blazing fire judge you, you better believe, that like a campfire, all your ill-motivated works will be burned up. Only works done properly according to the Word will remain.
So again, we realize we are not only to minister, but we now realize we are to minister with right hearts. But even after all that, the results are not up to you.
Your job is to plant. Your job is to water. But, you would not plant precious seed into beach sand! Nor would you water it with antifreeze! Of course not. We do our part. We plant seed in fertile ground by accepting our role as ministers. Then we water it with the best of water by doing our ministry with proper attitude and motive. Then, even after all that, it is God who gives the increase, he makes it grow. We read that in verse 7-8.
In the beginigng of this chapter I said it can be broken down into three sections,
- Verses 1-4 being the first section which is moving away from Carnal Christianity.
- Verses 16-23 being the end product, or third section, which is moving into Sanctification.
- Verses 5-15, which we just looked at, is the bridge between them. The proper Release of our gifts and service.
V.16-23—Paul closes the first part of his letter by settling the matter of division (chapter 1) and the difference between worldly wisdom and true wisdom (chapter 2) and transitions into practical Christianity (chapter 3). Seen next in my altered rendition of the nursery rhyme…
Over the Jordan and to the goods to our Father’s house we go.
So we go onto maturity. Remember Jesus said, “In my Father’s house…” He was speaking of eternity, of Heaven. This is the fulfillment of sanctification. The end game of Christianity. Eventually, we will be perfected, we will reach our goal, we will be in our Father’s house. But like Israel crossing the Jordan, there is a land of milk and honey that awaits us right here. Promises and blessings, prosperity and joy, ministry and evangelism are all part of the new covenant promised land God offers us right here, right now.
Let me again remind you that this was a church in the midst of a great wickedness. The influence of the world around it was impacting the church instead of the other way around. Paul just reminded them that we are God’s building, God’s field, God’s workers, fellow workers.
He goes on to say, that building, that field that was laid, or plowed as it were, is on a perfect foundation. Jesus Christ. And the first layer of blocks/bricks that goes on top of that foundation are close, not equal to, but close in importance to the entire building.
In other words, Paul says look “Jesus is the foundation (the cross, resurrection and ascension laid that) , I and the apostles laid the groundwork (first century teachings), but the building from then on up is your responsibility.” Re: sanctification of the saints.
This is not to say that the Christian church, through the centuries, has not produced some great stones. Luther, Graham, Calvin, Whitfield, Wesley, Spurgeon, Mennona (ha ha) just to name a few.
This last section is about you and I obtaining and attaining the wonderful life God has for each of us down here. If we seek ye first his kingdom, put Jesus first in our lives, I want you to know that great blessings await. A land flowing with milk and honey. A joy indescribable, a peace unexplainable, a life unimaginable.
Someone says, “Where is this life? I’m not living that Christian life”. Many of you may be asking that as you look around at your bank accounts, marriage, family or bodies. That may be the problem…
Some of the most joyful, peaceful, fulfilled Christians are poor, sick and ostracized by family. what gives? What is the difference? Could it be because they have cared for their temples? Could it be that simple? I have to address verses 16-17 briefly.
These verses are just as it sounds. We need to care for our bodies. In regards to those people who are always ill or have many infirmities and yet praise God and seem joyful, I would say, (and I can’t be sure of this 100%, but) when a sickness or illness strikes someone who is consumed by Jesus, that is, they have decided that they will seek his kingdom first, pour themselves out for the sake of the gospel and for others, then that person is able to handle and respond to sickness with a grace that comes from God alone.
But to the one who abuses their bodies, does no exercise, eats bad etc. When sickness comes to them, they have no strength, no grace to endure properly. Instead they complain, they are miserable, they are in pain, and they are suffering.
There is a direct correlation to the way we treat our bodies to the way we endure hardship, sickness and pain.
I want to close with this regarding verses 16-23. You remember the old nursery rhythm,
PUSSY CAT, PUSSY CAT, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?
I'VE BEEN TO LONDON TO VISIT THE QUEEN.
PUSSY CAT, PUSSY CAT, WHAT DID YOU THERE?
I FRIGHTENED A LITTLE MOUSE UNDER THE CHAIR.
Realize you are the temple of the Holy Spirit. That your ability apart from the Holy Spirit is weakness and your wisdom apart from the Holy Spirit is foolishness. Realize your potential, your ability, and your power in Jesus. Stop chasing little mice when your intentions are to see the queen. [or the King for that matter]
Take the little steps now, the little sacrifices, the little acts of maturity. Take them step at a time and before you know it you will be doing things you never thought you could, or not doing things you never thought you would stop doing.
Be blessed
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