Chico Alliance Church
Pastor David Welch
“Serve as Partners for the Kingdom of God”
I Corinthians 3:10-4:5
NOTE: Since we failed to complete the material from last week’s message I will not reproduce it all here but only include some new thoughts not in last week’s notes. If you want the whole thing you will need last week AND this week.
I. Reproof for fleshly behavior 1-6
A. Reproof concerning divisions 1-4
1. Opening appeal for unity 1:10-17
2. The Biblical foundation for Unity 1:18-4:5
a) Focus on the priority of Christ and the cross 1:18-31
b) Depend on the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit 2:1-3:4
c) Faithfully serve as partners for the Kingdom of God 3:6-4:5
(1) We are all servants of the same God. 3:5
Everybody has a job to do so keep focused on your part.
(2) Only God generates growth
Only God generates growth so make sure He gets the credit.
(3) All the servants function as one in the mission. 3:8a
(4) Each servant will be individually responsible and rewarded
Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. 1 Cor. 3:8-9
Even we are partners in ministry for God; each one will be individually responsible and rewarded according to his own labor as well as gifting and heart motives. Jesus’ expectations always coincide with his gifting. Jesus rewards are for our labor. Those granted greater gifting shouldn’t assume they are more successful than others because their output seems greater. They may not be operating according to the full potential of their gifting. Those less gifted or at a different point in life shouldn’t assume that they are substandard or failing. They may be serving beyond God’s expectations. When we stop comparing ourselves to others and keep our focus on serving Christ to our greatest potential, there will be far less opportunity or inclination to squabble or criticize one another. Paul continued his discussion about him and Apollos by referring to them as fellow labors with each other at God’s direction. We are God’s workers. Their job was to work in the field (the Corinthians) and construct the building (the Corinthians).
“For we are God's fellow workers (laborers); you are God's field, God's building!”
They weren’t Paul or Apollos’ field or building. They were God’s field and building. Paul and Apollos were merely God’s paid laborers in the field. Paul continued to demonstrate the fallacy of developing cliques around individuals. It’s God’s project. It’s God’s workers.
Only if all of today’s ministry workers would get a grip on this truth and stop trying to build THEIR ministry, lead THEIR people, build THEIR building, establish THEIR monument and legacy.
God had some harsh words for shepherds who fed off the flock for their own personal gratification in Ezekiel 34:2-10. People are like a field that bears fruit for God. People are like a building that serves a special function. When we keep our focus on our own faithful service there isn’t time to worry how others are doing. Paul specifies what kind of faithful service is required and rewarded.
(a) Be careful how you build 3:10-17
According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Therefore Paul urged EACH PERSON to be a careful builder. Yes Jesus said HE would build His church but we are His workers and must carry out our assignment with care.
First! The careful builder builds on the right foundation.
But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Every aspect of the kingdom must be founded on Jesus Christ; His person, work, and teaching. Jesus left instructions to His disciples, his Laborers, His builders to disciple people of all nations, baptizing them and teaching His truth. Any ministry must be firmly founded on Jesus Christ and Him crucified. If the foundation is off the building is off. Some ministries today build on foundations other than Christ. They may use His name and sing about Him but he isn’t the foundation of their existence. Even though we partner with one another as laborers in God’s field and building there is individual responsibility and reward for faithful service. Part of faithful service is to build everything around Jesus Christ. Every aspect of what we do on this earth should draw attention to Christ not individuals. God’s chosen vehicle to reflect His glory is the church; believers, Christians.
Our words and actions should reflect the character of Christ and point to Christ.
Second! The careful builder builds with the right materials.
Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident…
Christ is the foundation. The building materials have to do with what we do to proclaim Him. If you employ faulty materials and methods and motives it may not be noticed now but one day our life ministry will be tested whether we utilized imperishable or perishable materials. From the outside a building may look pretty good. If it catches fire, you will quickly identify the quality of the materials used.
? Quality building materials include gold, silver and precious stone.
? Inferior building materials include wood, hay, stubble.
What classified materials as quality or inferior had to do with the focus on eternal things or temporal things? If we build with truth and love we get eternal results. If we build with gimmick, human charisma or persuasion and temporal values we produce no lasting fruit. What do we do to try to entice people to church?
How do we try to persuade people to receive Christ?
Are people encouraged to come to Christ because they have realized they are desperately lost and need a Savior from their sin or to feel better about life, fix their marriage, satisfy their need for fellowship, like the music, enjoy the programs? Yes, Christ is a friend, a comforter, a help in time of need, a brother, a father, a guide, a teacher but He must first be a SAVIOR.
Quality building material includes at the very least faith, hope and love.
Paul told the Ephesians about the body building up itself in love by the speaking of truth in loving relationships. We can attempt to bring people into the kingdom through appealing to the flesh or the intellect or through manipulation or intimidation but only an appeal to the spirit with the truth of Christ and Him crucified results in a temple that adequately reflects the glory of Christ. We are born again through the living Word.
A ministry built on anything but truth and love will dissolve under the scrutiny of time and judgment. The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life will pass away.
Any ministry that focuses its appeal on these things is like building with wood, hay and stubble. Truth, love and humble surrender are the gold, silver precious gems for lasing ministry.
When the early church decided to devote themselves to learning and living the truth, breaking bread (commitment), loving relationships, and humble prayers, God brought the increase and added to their number daily.
Only the parts of the kingdom built with such quality materials (notice nothing is mentioned about quantity) remain and will be abundantly rewarded.
for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.
Use of inferior materials results in loss of reward and fruit.
If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
There may be a high profile ministry that gets a lot of press but has been built on faulty materials or a human personality or through manipulation. Even though it looks great at first, when the fire hits now or later, the true nature of the building materials will be exposed. A defective foundation or faulty materials and workmanship will eventually come to light here or hereafter. It is essential to note that Paul’s warning has to do with loss of reward NOT salvation.
Unfaithful service results in loss of reward NOT loss of salvation. Faithful service results in reward for labor. The Spirit urges us to be careful kingdom construction workers. We are building a special structure intended to glorify God. Over and over we are instructed to build up one another. We are to build up one another by speaking the truth in love.
We are not to build up one another by human philosophy or pop psychology. We are to be people of the TRUTH!
Third! Protect the building (temple).
Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys(defiles) the temple of God, God will destroy(defile) him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. 1 Cor. 3:16-17
These are all plural “yous” (ya all). Here is a truth Paul expected that they already knew but had not really applied it to life. Paul reminds them that the individual members make up a temple for God. The Holy Spirit actually lived in them individually and corporately. We are all the temple of God intended to manifest the presence of God together. The team image continues to dominate the argument. Yet each individual must guard against damaging the building. We must take care not to “defile” this temple.
The general translation “destroy” used here may cause some confusion as to the meaning of this passage. If we understand the broader use of this word I think a clearer understanding emerges in light of the context of careful temple construction.
The word means to shrivel, whither, spoil, ruin, corrupt, defile, destroy.
All Christians together form a temple, a tangible place God chooses to display His presence. Individual Christians can cause damage to the temple. We can give the “temple” a bad name. We can distract from the nature of Christ by our words and behavior. “If that’s Christianity, I don’t want to have anything to do with Christ.” The fact is, what they saw was NOT Christianity, it was a fleshly Christian.
God intends us to consider how each believer as the living stones form a dwelling place of God; a place where God chooses to display His glory. He sternly warns us not to do anything to detract from the intended purpose of the temple to glorify God and be a place where people can see and feel the living God.
God will not put up with tarnishing the image of His holy temple by our thoughts, attitudes, words, actions or habits. The way we live as Christians affects not only this local manifestation of God’s temple but the cause of Christ around the world. If we fail to live godly and work heartily we will not only suffer eternal loss of reward but will experience loss here on this earth. All sin has consequences. It is a spiritual law. Not all consequences appear immediately but they will take affect.
We can defile the temple by our personal sin.
We can defile the temple by our negative thoughts, attitudes, words and actions.
We can defile the temple by neglecting our part in the construction project.
We need a continual humble focus on Christ.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
Understanding the severe consequences of harming the temple of God is a powerful deterrent to disunity. Any time God wanted to make a point in a new age He did it through severe application of the truth.
Ananias and Saphira reflected greed for personal affirmation and notoriety not a passion for God’s glory when they lied about how much of the proceeds of a land sale they were giving to God. Each was given an opportunity to come clean with the deception but chose to perpetuate the lie. God struck them both dead in the church service.
What do you think was the affect among the body?
And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things. Acts 5:11
Even though we labor together as a team, each player will receive his own individual evaluation and reward according to their LABOR. So work hard and well.
• Build on the right foundation.
• Employ the right materials.
• Protect the temple from damage.
(b) Be careful to keep humble minded 3:18-23
A faithful servant is not only careful how he builds but is careful to keep humble minded.
Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, "He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS"; and again, "THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS." So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.
We don’t have to be smarter, or wiser, or think we are better or have all the answers. The reality is that all our wisdom is foolishness before God. Boasting in men is not only futile but foolish. There is no competition in the body because we all share the riches of Christ together. All things belong to everybody and we all belong to Christ and there for no reason to squabble over “stuff.” Only when we become proud and self-serving do struggles arise. Pride started the whole mess in the first place. There is only one master and many servants. The other half of thinking we are better and the necessity of keeping humble minded is to not view others as less or judge their service to God.
(c) Be careful about judging God’s servants 4:1-5
We are all servants of God. We all must concentrate on our own faithfulness and not worry about others. Let God take care of His own servants.
Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God.
Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. Romans 14:4
The context here is MINISTRY for God not SIN. There is a time and place for leadership and mature believers to judging sinful behavior in the church. In fact that is the whole point of this letter and especially strong in the next chapter. Paul urged the Corinthians to stop evaluating the validity of one another’s ministry. Paul’s ministry was better than Apollos. Apollos was more effective than Paul. Peter really was doing it the right way.
Often times churches get sidetracked by qualifying ministries.
The previous pastor did it better.
The church down the street does it better.
They don’t run Sunday School like I would do it.
They are just in it for personal glory.
To correct such behavior at the Church in Corinth Paul makes several important points.
? We are each responsible before God to fulfill our God-given and directed calling.
? The chief responsibility of a servant is faithfulness, trustworthiness to the Master.
? Ultimately it is not others or even we who evaluate faithfulness, but God.
? Stop passing judgment on others and wait for His accurate judgment.
? Christ will bring the hidden things to light.
? Christ will openly declare the motives behind the ministry.
? Each individual will be affirmed by God for their faithfulness.
“Well done, good and faithful servant.”
God will evaluate faithful service according to labor, gifting, materials and motives. He alone is able to accurately determine faithfulness and therefore justly give or withhold reward according to reality. We can only see the outside. God sees the inside.
He will take into account the very motives of our actions and reward us accordingly.
Description of a Faithful servant.
A faithful servant fervently and consistently carries out assigned responsibilities no matter how small or large using his God-given resources to their full capacity without the need for continual external controls of compliments in spite of the temptation of immediate temporal pleasure and fulfillment and in spite of the threat of imminent temporal pain and failure and serves as if it were for Christ Himself.
If we keep our nose in our own business and pay attention to our calling and the mission God has given us we will have much less time to worry about the faults of others.
Lessons for serving as partners in the kingdom
• Everyone serves the same boss so focus on your part not others.
• Only God generates growth so be sure He gets the credit not people
• Everyone plays on the same team so focus on team growth not individual glory.
• Everyone is individually responsible and rewarded by God so…
o Be careful how you build
Building on the right Foundation
Building with the right materials
Always protecting the building
o Be careful to keep humble minded
o Be careful about judging other’s ministry to God.
Jesus will return one day to evaluate all believers. All faithful builders will be rewarded according to their faithfulness.
? Faithful to work hard (their labor)
? Faithful to use their God-given gifts to their potential (gifting)
? Faithful to use eternal building materials. (materials)
? Faithful to serve for the glory of Christ. (motive)
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10:31
We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me. Col. 1:28-29
God will publicly praise those who faithfully serve the kingdom.
God will publicly expose and withhold reward those who fail to serve faithfully.
When they look over what they did on earth after it is tried by fire and find only ashes.
Yes, they will enter the glories of heaven but will shrink away in shame at His coming.
What will you do?
Decision to cultivate faithfulness.
Decision to continue in laziness.
"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' " Rev. 3:14-22
NOTES
"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? "You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. "Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them. "They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered. "My flock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth, and there was no one to search or seek for them." ' "
Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: "As I live," declares the Lord GOD, "surely because My flock has become a prey, My flock has even become food for all the beasts of the field for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search for My flock, but rather the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock; therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand My sheep from them and make them cease from feeding sheep. So the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore, but I will deliver My flock from their mouth, so that they will not be food for them." ' " Ezekiel 34:2-10
