Introduction

Good morning, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ. As we gather here today, we are united by our shared love for our Heavenly Father and our desire to serve Him faithfully. We are here to learn, to grow, and to be inspired by the Word of God. We are here to be about our Father's business.

Let's start our service today with a moment of prayer. Please bow your heads and join me. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for this beautiful day that You have made. We thank You for the opportunity to gather here in Your name, to learn from Your Word, and to grow in our faith. We ask that You open our hearts and minds today, that we may fully understand and appreciate the message You have for us. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.

Today, we are going to focus on a passage from 1 Corinthians, specifically chapter 3, verses 8 through 12. I invite you to open your Bibles and follow along as I read.

"The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God's service; you are God's field, God's building. 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. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 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."

Isn't it amazing how the Apostle Paul uses the imagery of a field and a building to illustrate our roles in God's kingdom? We are both the field that God cultivates and the building that He constructs. We are the laborers in His vineyard, and we are the builders of His kingdom.

Our sermon today is titled "I'm About My Father's Business," and our main theme is that God gives increases. This is not a concept that is foreign to us. We see it in nature all the time. A farmer plants a seed in the ground, waters it, nurtures it, but it is God who gives the increase. It is God who causes the seed to sprout, to grow, and to bear fruit.

In the same way, we labor in God's field, we build on God's foundation, but it is God who gives the increase. It is God who takes our humble efforts, our small acts of service, and multiplies them for His glory.

Think about a tiny acorn. On its own, it is small and insignificant. But when it is planted in the ground, it has the potential to grow into a mighty oak tree. That's the kind of increase that God gives. He takes our small acts of service, our tiny seeds of faith, and He turns them into something grand and beautiful.

So, as we go about our Father's business, let's remember that it is God who gives the increase. Let's remember that our labor is not in vain, for we are co-workers in God's service. Let's remember that we are God's field, God's building, and that He is the master builder, the divine farmer, who gives the increase.

As we continue with our service today, let's keep this image in mind. Let's remember that we are about our Father's business, and that He is the one who gives the increase. Let's remember that our labor is not in vain, for we are co-workers in God's service. And let's remember that we are God's field, God's building, and that He is the master builder, the divine farmer, who gives the increase.

May this truth inspire us, encourage us, and motivate us as we continue to serve our Heavenly Father. May it remind us of the great privilege we have to be co-workers in God's service. And may it fill us with hope and joy as we look forward to the day when our work will be revealed and rewarded by our loving Father.

So, let's be about our Father's business. Let's labor with joy and expectation, knowing that God gives the increase. And let's look forward to the day when our work will be revealed and rewarded by our loving Father.

May God bless us as we continue to serve Him faithfully. May He give us the strength, the wisdom, and the courage to be about our Father's business. And may He give us the joy and the satisfaction of seeing the increase that He brings.

Thank you for joining us today. Let's continue to worship our Heavenly Father with joy and gratitude, knowing that He is the one who gives the increase. Amen.

I'm About My Father's Business

Friends, let's take a moment to consider the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:8-12. He tells us, "The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor." This is a beautiful reminder that we are all workers in God's kingdom, each with our own unique roles and responsibilities. And the best part? God sees our efforts. He acknowledges our work. And He promises to reward us according to our labor.

Now, let's break this down a bit.

Firstly, we are all workers in God's kingdom. Some of us are planters, sowing seeds of faith wherever we go. Others are waterers, nurturing those seeds and helping them to grow. But regardless of our role, we all have one purpose: to serve God and advance His kingdom.

Secondly, our labor is not in vain. It's easy to get discouraged when we don't see immediate results from our efforts. But remember, growth takes time. Just as a farmer doesn't expect his crops to sprout overnight, we shouldn't expect instant results in our spiritual endeavors.

Now, let's look at the original Greek word for "reward" used in this verse. It's "misthos," which means pay for services, wages, or reward. This isn't just a pat on the back or a word of praise. This is a tangible, measurable reward. God is promising to compensate us for our efforts.

As the renowned theologian C.S. Lewis once said, "The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more." God doesn't just acknowledge our efforts; He gives us more opportunities to serve Him.

Finally, let's not forget the most important part of this verse: "God gives the increase." It's not our efforts that bring about growth; it's God's blessing. We can plant and water all we want, but without God's blessing, our efforts are futile.

So, what does this mean for us?

First, it means we need to stay faithful in our service to God. Even when we don't see immediate results, we need to keep planting and watering, trusting that God will bring about the growth in His perfect timing.

Second, it means we need to stay humble. Yes, God rewards our efforts, but it's not our efforts that bring about growth. It's God's blessing. So let's not get too caught up in our own efforts and forget who's really in control.

In conclusion, let's remember that we are all workers in God's kingdom, each with our own unique roles and responsibilities. Our labor is not in vain; God sees our efforts and promises to reward us accordingly. But most importantly, let's remember that it's God who gives the increase. So let's stay faithful in our service, stay humble in our efforts, and trust in God's perfect timing.

Co-workers in God's Service

In the heart of the Apostle Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, we find a stirring call to action. It's a call to remember who we are and whose we are. It's a call to remember that we are co-workers in God's service. We are God's field, God's building. We are about our Father's business.

Let's look at this passage together. Paul writes, "The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God's service; you are God's field, God's building. 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. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light."

This passage is packed with truth and wisdom, but let's focus on three key points.

First, we are reminded that we are co-workers in God's service. We are not alone in our work. We are not left to our own devices. We are not expected to do it all on our own. We are co-workers with God Himself. We are part of His team. We are part of His plan. We are part of His work.

Second, we are reminded that we are God's field, God's building. We are not our own. We belong to Him. We are His creation. We are His property. We are His responsibility. We are His concern. We are His investment. We are His project.

Third, we are reminded that we are about our Father's business. We are not about our own business. We are not about the world's business. We are not about the business of success, or fame, or wealth, or power. We are about the business of God. We are about the business of love, and grace, and mercy, and justice, and truth.

Now, let's turn to another passage in the New Testament that echoes these same themes. In Ephesians 2:10, Paul writes, "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Here again, we see the same ideas. We are God's handiwork. We are created for a purpose. We are created to do good works. We are created to be about our Father's business.

Returning to our original passage, let's consider two more points.

First, we are reminded that God gives the increase. It's not about our efforts. It's not about our skills. It's not about our talents. It's not about our resources. It's about God. He is the one who gives the increase. He is the one who makes things grow. He is the one who brings the harvest.

Second, we are reminded that our work will be tested. It's not about the quantity of our work. It's not about the visibility of our work. It's not about the popularity of our work. It's about the quality of our work. It's about the faithfulness of our work. It's about the integrity of our work. It's about the love in our work. Our work will be tested, and only what is built on the foundation of Jesus Christ will last.

So, let's remember who we are and whose we are. Let's remember that we are co-workers in God's service. Let's remember that we are God's field, God's building. Let's remember that we are about our Father's business. And let's remember that God gives the increase.

Building with Care

We're all in the business of building something in our lives, aren't we? We're constructing our careers, our relationships, our dreams, and our legacies. But as followers of Christ, we're also called to build something far more significant. We're called to build on the foundation of Jesus Christ, to be about our Father's business. And that's a task that requires great care, as Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 3:10-12.

Now, let's talk about the foundation. The foundation is the most critical part of any building. It's what gives the structure its stability and strength. And Paul tells us that the foundation we're building on is none other than Jesus Christ. That's a solid foundation, my friends. It's a foundation that won't shift or crumble, no matter what storms come our way.

But here's the thing: it's not enough just to have a solid foundation. We also need to be careful about what we're building on that foundation. Paul talks about different materials we might use - gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw. And he warns us that the quality of our work will be tested.

Now, this is where it gets interesting. You see, Paul isn't just talking about physical materials here. He's talking about the actions and attitudes we bring to our work in God's kingdom. Are we building with love, with patience, with humility? Or are we building with pride, with impatience, with selfish ambition?

A.W. Tozer, a great Christian thinker, once said, "It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular; it is why he does it." That's a powerful reminder for us, isn't it? It's not just about what we're doing in God's kingdom. It's about why we're doing it. Are we doing it to glorify God, or are we doing it to glorify ourselves?

But here's the beautiful part. Even as we strive to build with care, we're not doing it on our own. God is the one who gives the increase. He's the one who takes our humble efforts and multiplies them for His glory.

In a study published in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, researchers found that people who view their work as a calling from God tend to be more satisfied with their jobs and more committed to their organizations. That's because they see their work as part of a bigger picture, as part of God's kingdom-building work. And when we see our work in that light, it gives our efforts a sense of purpose and significance that goes beyond our own personal success or failure.

So, as we go about our Father's business, let's remember to build with care. Let's choose our materials wisely, always seeking to glorify God in everything we do. And let's trust that God will take our efforts and multiply them for His glory. Because ultimately, it's not about what we can do for God. It's about what God can do through us.

Conclusion

As we draw to a close on this sermon, let's take a moment to reflect on the words of 1 Corinthians 3:8-12. It's a passage that speaks to the heart of our faith, reminding us that we are all workers in God's field, builders on God's foundation. And what is that foundation? It's Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

We've spent time today considering the idea that God gives the increase. It's not about our efforts, our skills, or our talents. It's about God's grace, His mercy, His love. He's the one who brings the growth, who brings the harvest. We are merely His instruments, His workers.

In the coming week, I want to challenge each of us to be more like Jesus. To serve as He served. To love as He loved. To give as He gave. It's not easy, I know. But remember, we're not doing it in our own strength. We're doing it in God's strength. He's the one who gives the increase.

And so, as we go about our daily lives, let's remember to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Let's remember to build on the foundation He has laid. Let's remember to serve as His workers, knowing that it's God who brings the growth.

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