February 11, 2024
Evening Service

Review:

·      Paul had written to the church to address issues in the church which included divisions.

·      The salvation message is consistent regardless of who preached it.

1Co 1:23-24 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, (24) but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

·      Chapter 2 Paul lays a groundwork of how God reveals truth to us; through the Spirit.

 

1Co 2:13-16 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  (14)  But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  (15)  But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.  (16)  For "WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD THAT HE MAY INSTRUCT HIM?" But we have the mind of Christ.

·      Paul did not want to impress those in Corinth with his wisdom or his engaging words, but only to speak clearly the message of Christ.

·      With this explanation of how a Jesus follower is to be so in tune with the Lord through the Spirit that he can say “we have the mind of Christ,” Paul begins chapter 3 with this reality check or retribution for the Corinthian church (and maybe for us as well):

 

1Co 3:1-3 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.  (2)  I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; (3) for you are still carnal. For where there is envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?

·      The church in Corinth was now still in the infant stage of their faith and could only handle the basic rudimentary truth.  Paul here calls it the milk of the word.  As a baby begins only being fed milk, so it is with new Christians.  However, there comes a time, as with babies, that milk is not enough.  The Christian begins to desire more sustainable teaching as he grows in his faith, as a baby soon starts eating baby food.

·       It is in this desire for more to satisfy him that a Christian (or church) grows into maturity and is able place things like Paul mentions here behind them; envy, strife, and divisions.  These are not things that should be prevalent in a mature Christian’s life (certainly not a church), but since they were in the church here at Corinth, it proves they were not yet at that level of maturity.

·      Paul refers to this lack of growth as being “carnal,” which means more of the world than of the Spirit.  He had just finished setting the baseline for this reflection upon them with his in depth explanation of God speaking to us through the Spirit in chapter two.  He now continues his point:

 

 

 

 

1Co 3:4-8 For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal?  (5)  Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?  (6)  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.  (7)  So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.  (8)  Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

·      Paul speaks of what we sometimes call “preacher religion.”  We place our position in our faith, not with Christ, but based on who we were taught by (or we could add in here denomination as well).  Paul tells them they have it all wrong with that approach.  He and Apollos are on the same team and God used them to achieve the result He wanted.  Paul says “I planted, Apollos watered BUT God gave the increase.

·      This is comforting to me that the “increase” is not up to my performance of saying the right things at the right moment, but the final result is up to God.  My job is to deliver what God has given me with the ability He has provided and then trust Him for the results.  That way I only take responsibility for my part and also can only take credit for being used of God giving Him the glory for the increase.

·      It is not a competition between ministers or denominations to see who can do more, but it is God who uses these men and ministries to call the ones He has chosen.  We should rejoice in the success of each other that God is working!

·      Think of your own journey.  It may have been one person that impacted you to accept Christ, but along the way many have invested in your growth.  Each one used by God as a tool to impact you into growing into who you are today as a Jesus follower.  Certainly we are thankful for all those who have invested in us, but be most grateful to the One who sent them to you!  This should not divide us, but unite us in Christ!  We are complete in Christ!

·      Paul now begins to compare us to building with God as the Carpenter.

 

1Co 3:9-15 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field; you are God's building.  (10)  According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.  (11)  For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  (12)  Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, (13) each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.  (14)  If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.  (15)  If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

·      God is building us into something He desires both individually and collectively as His church.  Paul’s expertise was to build the foundation and then move on for someone else to build the next level.

·      The foundation we are to build our lives and our church upon is Jesus Christ alone. It ws upon Peter’s declaration that Jesus was the “the Christ the Son of the living God’ that Jesus said this in Matthew 16: 

Mat 16:18 upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

 

 

·      The next layers to build fall upon each of us.  Do we choose wood, hay or straw?  Then that will burn up when tried by fire. 

·      Do we choose precious stones, gold or silver?  Then our building will survive the fire and we can build even higher. 

 

·      What we are built upon becomes evident at the time of judgment, but also when the trials of life (fire) come upon us.  If the foundation and walls stand then it proves we are solidly in Christ.  If we fall it shows, we have some rebuilding to do new with better, stronger materials.

·      Notice now what Paul refers to us now:

1Co 3:16-17 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  (17)  If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

·      The temple of God is where He dwells and He dwells within us through the Spirit.

·      Do you think of yourself in that manner, as the temple of God?  It is a very humbling and eye opening perspective to have.  Everything I do involves Him and reflects upon Him.  As His temple others look to my life to see God at work.  As Paul said it this way:

Gal 2:20I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

·      Live as if you are the temple of God and reflect the glory, majesty, and holiness of God with your choices and actions. Build that temple with strong materials that you know will sustain you for a lifetime commitment to serve.  Don’t settle for the ordinary, but strive to be all that God has created you to be for Him.  Let this be true in our personal lives, and may we build with the same blueprint our Fellowship of the Lord’s church.

·      Paul now sums up his thoughts on avoiding “preacher religion.”

 

1Co 3:18-23 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.  (19)  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "HE CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR OWN CRAFTINESS”; (20) and again, "THE LORD KNOWS THE THOUGHTS OF THE WISE, THAT THEY ARE FUTILE."  (21)  Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: (22) whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours.  (23)  And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

·      It is very important that we never become comfortable enough to consider ourselves wise.  It is important to grow in Christ, we must remain hungry for more and not get stuck in a comfort zone of “knowing just enough to get by” or worse feeling like we know so much we don’t need to grow anymore.  We must remain humble and grounded in our faith that there is always more for us.  We only reach that pinnacle where we can set back and claim, “my journey of faith is complete” as Paul did as he faced his soon death as he wrote this to Timothy:

 

2Ti 4:6-8 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.  (7)  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  (8)  Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

·      Until we reach that point, keep on building the temple of God within you.  Keep growing and perfecting yourself into all that God has designed you to be.   Keep yourself available to God to invest in the lives of others building faith within them along their journey.  You will find joy and contentment in that journey until one day, if Jesus tarries, this same proclamation of finishing your race well may apply to you.

 

Heavenly Father, keep our eyes set upon You.  Grant us the desire and ability to build this temple of our body with materials that will withstand the heat of the trials of life and the judgement.