NO MERE MEN—1Corinthians 3:1-23(3:1-9; 9-17; 18-23)
—SECTION 2(3:9-17)Their Building—part 3
Attention:
Blessed Shot?
A nun walks into Mother Superior's office & plops down into a chair.
She lets out a sigh heavy with frustration.
'What troubles you, Sister?' asked the Mother Superior. 'I thought this was the day you spent with your family.'
'It was,' sighed the Sister... 'And I went to play golf with my brother. We try to play golf as often as we can. You know I was quite a talented golfer before I devoted my life to Christ.'
'I seem to recall that,' the Mother Superior agreed.
'So I take it your day of recreation was not relaxing?'
'Far from it,' snorted the Sister. ‘Sadly in fact, I cursed today!'
'Goodness, Sister!' gasped the Mother Superior, astonished. 'You must tell me all about it!'
'Well, we were on the fifth tee...& this hole is a monster, Mother, a 540 yard Par 5, with a nasty dogleg left & a hidden green....& I hit the drive of my life.
I creamed it. The sweetest drive I had ever made.
And it's flying straight & true, right along the line I wanted...& it hits a bird in mid-flight!'
'Oh my!' commiserated the Mother. 'How unfortunate!
But surely that didn't make you curse, Sister!'
'No, that wasn't it,' admitted Sister.
‘While I was still trying to fathom what had happened, this squirrel runs out of the woods, grabs my ball & bounds off down the fairway!'
'Oh, that would have made me blaspheme!' sympathized the Mother.
'But I didn't, Mother!' sobbed the Sister 'And I was so proud of myself!
I quickly took off after the little furball & just as I was coming up on the dogleg hawk swoops down out of nowhere & grabs the squirrel & flies off, with my ball still clutched in his paws!'
'So that's when you cursed,' said the Mother with a knowing smile.
'Nope, that wasn't it either,' cried the Sister, anguished, 'because as the hawk started to fly out of sight, the squirrel which was struggling, the hawk dropped him right there on the green, & the ball popped out of his paws & rolled to about 18 inches from the cup!
Mother Superior sat back in her chair, dumbfounded as to what would have made the nun curse....At that moment, the lightbulb goes on in the Mother Superior’s head.
She folds her arms across her chest, leans toward the Sister, looks her dead in the eye with a knowing stare & says...'You missed the lousy putt, didn't you!’
No Mere Man/Woman could have held back after missing THAT putt!
Need:
All mankind realizes that their world is in need of a savior. Realizing that No Mere Men can accomplish the world’s greatest need…dealing decisively with sin.
Paul reveals the traits of unspiritual men.
Unspiritual men are unable to exist in harmony.
Why are the unspiritual unable to live in harmony?
Because...
As we discovered previously—No mere men can Overcome...
—SECTION 1(:1-9)—
1. IMMATURITY(:1)
2. DIET(:2-3a)Sustenance
3. ENVY(:3bi)
4. STRIFE(:3bii)
5. DIVISIVENESS(:3biii)
6. BEHAVIORS(:3b)
7. MINISTRY(:4-5)
8. SIGNIFICANCE(:6-7)
9. LABOR(:8-9)
—SECTION 2(:9-17)—
10—No mere men can Overcome…
BUILDING(:9-17)Edifice & Manner
A. FOUNDATION(:9-11)
B. EDIFICE(:10b)
C. QUALITY(:12-15)
Why is the Quality of the Edifice you build upon the Foundation(of Christ) so important?
10—No mere men can Overcome…
BUILDING(:9-17)
D.—PURPOSE(:16-17)
:16—“Do you not know that you are the temple of God & that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
An incentive for producing our highest quality product(giving our best to the Lord) is the fact that all Christians are “the temple of God.” Because of that fact, the Holy spirit of God dwells there permanently!(1Cor. 6:19-20).
The local body of Christ(“you/ye”—plural) is “the temple of God.”
The Holy “Spirit” “dwells” within the local church. He finds expression thru the local church.
We are the place where God resides without the presence of sin’s tainting.
1Cor. 6:19-20—“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, & you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body & in your spirit, which are God’s.”
2Cor. 6:14-18—“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons & daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.”
“Know”—oida—Perfect Active Indicative—1) To see; 2) To know. Strong—a primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent optanomai & oraw; properly--To see(literally or figuratively); by implication(in the perf. only)--To know.
“Temple”(See :17)—naov—1) Used of the temple at Jerusalem, but only of the sacred edifice(or sanctuary) itself, consisting of the Holy place & the Holy of Holies(in classical Greek it is used of the sanctuary or cell of the temple, where the image of gold was placed which is distinguished from the whole enclosure); 2) Any heathen temple or shrine; 3) metaph.--The spiritual temple consisting of the saints of all ages joined together by & in Christ. Strong—from a primary naiw(to dwell); A fane, shrine, temple. RWP—“Literally, a sanctuary (naov, not ieron, the sacred enclosure, but the holy place & the most holy place) of God.”
“Spirit”—pneuma—1) The third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father & the Son; 2) The spirit, i.e. The vital principal by which the body is animated—2a) The rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides, 2b) The soul; 3) a spirit, i.e. A simple essence, devoid of all or at least all grosser matter, & possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, & acting—3a) A life giving spirit, 3b) A human soul that has left the body, 3c) A spirit higher than man but lower than God, i.e. An angel; 4) The disposition or influence which fills & governs the soul of any one—4a) The efficient source of any power, affection, emotion, desire, etc.; 5) A movement of air (a gentle blast)—5a) Of the wind, hence the wind itself, 5b) Breath of nostrils or mouth. Pneuma when used in its lower meaning to denote wind means simply an ordinary wind, a regularly blowing current of air of considerable force. Strong—A current of air, i.e. Breath(blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively--A spirit, i.e. human--The rational soul, by implication--Vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or superhuman--An angel, demon, or divine--God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit.
“Dwells”—oikew—1) To dwell in. Strong—To occupy a house, i.e. Reside(figuratively, inhabit, remain, inhere); by implication--To cohabit. Used 9X.
“In”—en—
:17—“If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”
The one who would “defile” the temple—thru jealousy & strife(:3)—will himself be “destroyed” by God. Such destruction will be thru loss life(continuing service to God cut short) &/or loss of ‘reward.’ This does not speak of one’s absolute destruction in eternal hell, because the Spirit of God indwells these who will indeed be saved(:15-16).
“Defilement” demands “destruction” because the temple of God is “holy.” Holiness/peculiarity/separation from sin(“defilement”) must be maintained. The earthly physical temple in Jerusalem pictured such separation/holiness thru its very layout—various courts(court of the Gentiles, court of women, court of Israel(men)), were surrounding but separated from the Holy Place, which was further separated from the Most Holy Place(Holy of Holies). In these two, only the priests & Levites had access.
The wall of separation has been removed in & thru Christ alone(Eph. 2:14). We all have full access, but God must always be approached in holiness as He Himself is holy(Lev. 11:44-45; 1Pet. 1:13-17). The local church body is thus intended to be “holy.” If the “temple” is not “holy”—if we allow selfishness & pettiness to overwhelm our worship & work—then we have lost our power(seated in God) & God will see to it that we lose our place as that “temple”(Rev. 2:5).
1Pet. 1:13-17—“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, & rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;”
Rev. 2:5—“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent & do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly & remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent.”
**What a ruse we have fallen prey to, in believing that anyone’s true purpose can be found apart from God in Christ Jesus!
It is entirely possible that you have only discovered how to ‘stay busy’ in the church, yet call it God’s ‘purpose’!
“Anyone”—tiv—Pronoun—1) A certain, a certain one; 2) Some, some time, a while. Strong—an enclitic indefinite pronoun; Some or any person or object.
“Defiles & Destroy/Destroys & Destroy/Corrupt”2X—fyeirw—1) To corrupt, to destroy—1a) in the opinion of the Jews, the temple was corrupted or "destroyed" when anyone defiled or in the slightest degree damaged anything in it, or if its guardians neglected their duties, 1b) To lead away a Christian church from that state of knowledge & holiness in which it ought to abide, 1c) To be destroyed, to perish, 1d) in an ethical sense--To corrupt, deprave. Strong—probably strengthened from fyiw(to pine or waste); properly, to shrivel or wither, i.e. To spoil(by any process) or generally--To ruin (especially figuratively, by moral influences--To deprave). Used 8X.
“Temple”(See :16)—naov—RWP—“Literally, a sanctuary (naov, not ieron, the sacred enclosure, but the holy place & the most holy place) of God.”
“Holy”—agiov—Agiov has probably as its fundamental meaning separation, i.e., from the world to God's service. If not the original meaning, this at any rate is a meaning early in use. This separation, however, is not chiefly external, it is rather a separation from evil & defilement. The moral signification of the word is therefore the prominent one. This word, rare & of neutral meaning in classical Greek, has been developed in meaning, so that it expresses the full N.T. conception of holiness as no other does. Strong—from agov(an awful thing) [compare agnov[properly--Clean, i.e. figuratively--Innocent, modest, perfect], yalpw[To brood, i.e. figuratively--To foster]]; Sacred(physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated).
“Which”—ostiv—Pronoun—1) Whoever, whatever, who. Strong—Which some, i.e. Any that; also (def.) which same.
“Are”—este—1) second person plural of "to be". Strong—second person plural present indicative of eimi[I exist, I am]; Ye are.
Argumentation:
Amos 7:7-8—“Thus He showed me: Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. And the LORD said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said: “Behold, I am setting a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore.”
The people of God must submit themselves to God’s measure.
**Ezek. 36:26-28—“I will give you a new heart & put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh & give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you & cause you to walk in My statutes, & you will keep My judgments & do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, & I will be your God.”
**Eph. 2:19-22—“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers & foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints & members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles & prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”
2Tim. 4:7—“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
**1Pet. 2:4-5, 9-12—“Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God & precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”..... “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners & pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
1Pet. 4:10-11—“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory & the dominion forever & ever. Amen.
Jude 1:24, 25—“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory & majesty, Dominion & power, Both now & forever. Amen.
**2Cor. 6:16—“And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”
Illustration:
A cluster of shops recently opened(2014) on the waterfront in Carrabelle/On one end is a Pizza Parlor & the other, a Liquor Store/Building’s PURPOSE
Parents must be ‘temples of God’ in order to properly train up their children in the nurture & admonition of the Lord/Building’s PURPOSE
Wesley Thompson’s dam/His intent was 3-fold—To wreak havoc on the fish below the dam, Make me mad, & Build a swimming hole(order #1)!/Building’s PURPOSE
Application:
?You a ‘Mere’ Man/Woman?
?Your life(Building) patterned upon the PURPOSE of Christ Jesus?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Mother Superior to the distraught Sister—‘You missed the lousy putt, didn't you!’
Action:
No mere men can Overcome...
—SECTION 2(3:9-17)—
10. BUILDING(:9-17)
D. PURPOSE(3:16-17)
A. FOUNDATION(:9-11)
B. EDIFICE(:10b)
C. QUALITY(:12-15)
—SECTION 1(3:1-9)—
1. IMMATURITY(:1)
2. DIET(:2-3a)Sustenance
3. ENVY(:3bi)
4. STRIFE(:3bii)
5. DIVISIVENESS(:3biii)
6. BEHAVIORS(:3b)
7. MINISTRY(:4-5)
8. SIGNIFICANCE(:6-7)
9. LABOR(:8-9)
Christians are no mere men!
We are supermen!
Able to instill freedom & justice & the Christian(Truthful) way!
Presented 10/12/2014pm to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SE
Carrabelle, FL 32322
