SINGED
1 Corinthians 3: 10-16 (NLT)
Intro: Back in 1997, there was a movie that came out that was very popular with the youth and young adults at the time. It was called “Austin Power, International Man Of Mystery”. It was a spoof somewhat of the James Bond movies. It was a little racy and for that reason, some of you may not have seen it. I think that they had three movies in the series. They had many unique characters but there were two that I want to use in my illustration this morning. The first one is “Dr. Evil”. He was the arch villain. The top of his head looked like Clay here, our family pastor. They do not favor in any other way. Those of you who saw the movies will remember his signature pose with his little finger up to his moth. (make pose). He would do this while telling the government that unless they paid him one billion dollars, he was going to destroy them. He also had a pet. Does anyone remember what his pet’s name was? Mr. Bigglesworth. This is what “Mr Bigglesworth looked like, ( show slide of cat). The cat has absolutely no hair on him. He looks like he has run through a fire and all of his hair has been burned off.
. As I was studying our scripture for this morning It seemed to me that many of us Christians are in danger of standing before God one day looking just like Mr Bigglesworth. Our scripture tells us of people who are just barely going to make it into Heaven and when they get there they may be singed and look just like the cat.
. Paul is continuing his correction of the Corinthian Christians in regards to following men instead of God. And in context he is warning those that teach that they need to be careful about the foundation of our faith. The foundation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
. The death of Jesus for the atonement of our sin and the resurrection of Jesus assuring us of eternal life.
. While in context, he is talking about teachers, it applies to all of in our Christian walk.
. Lets read our scripture. 1 Corinthians 3:10-16
. 10Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.
11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.
12Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.
13But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.
14If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.
15But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
16Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?
. In these verses, Paul is telling us how to build a spiritual house within each one of us and why it is important.
. The first thing a person must do in order to build a spiritual house is start with the right foundation.
Look at verses 10&11 again:
. 10Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.
11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.
. We have many people in our congregation who have experience in construction. Last Sunday we had a bldg and grounds meeting and many of them were there. We talked about a few things and then the subject of putting some curtains up in front of the stage lighting came up.
. Folks, let me tell you. If you have six men looking at one construction project, you will have six different ideas about how to accomplish the task. All ideas would work and I finally told them that the one that was going to do the task should just decide and do it.
. While these men could not agree on the best approach to this project, I guarantee you that if you asked any of them if you could build a house without the proper foundation, they would say absolutely not.
. Without the proper foundation, the house will not stand. It will collapse.
. That’s what Paul is telling the teachers in Corinth and us. Unless you start with the proper foundation, people cannot build their spiritual house.
. He then lays out that foundation.
. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.
. There can be no other foundation for our faith.
. There must be more than just a belief in God.
. Muslims believe in God.
. The Hindu’s believe in many Gods.
. The Mormons believe that one day they will be a god.
. You cannot have that as your foundation.
. Your foundation must be the death of Jesus Christ on a cross for the forgiveness of sin. Yours and mine.
. Good works won’t do it. Being good won’t do it. You cannot build a spiritual house on anything other than Jesus Christ.
. Jesus Christ is the Foundation of our faith.
. Next, Paul writes that once you have your foundation, you must:
. Choose Your Materials
. Look at verse 12:
. 12Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.
. Paul writes that you choose how to build your spiritual house.
. You choose whether to follow God after you have the foundation or whether to do useless things.
. How many remember the story of the three little pigs?
. Three little pigs decided that it was time to leave the nest and they each built a house for themselves.
. The first little pig was lazy and just wanted to get by so he built his house out of straw.
. The second little pig was not as lazy as the first pig but he really wasn’t very committed to building a strong house. He just wanted to be comfortable in his house. He didn’t’ think long term when he built his house. He built his house out of wood.
. The third little pig was committed to building a strong house that would stand up through the storms that were going to come. He was looking for more than just the immediate comfort. He was committed, no matter how hard the work was or how long it took him. He built his house out of bricks the best stuff available at the time.
. We remember that the big bad wolf came around and he huffed and he puffed and he blew the houses of the first two little pigs down.
They could not stand against the test of adversity.
. The third little pigs house could not be destroyed because he had built it with the best materials that he could find at the time.
. I can’t say for sure but I believe that this story was birthed right here in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians.
. We build our spiritual houses, our lives in Christ with just enough to get by.
. We get that strong foundation and then we don’t really care that much about the rest of our lives for Christ.
. Too much to do. Too many things more important. I have my foundation and that should be enough. My spiritual house will stand.
. Paul is telling us to be careful. Be careful in how you build your life because just like the three little pigs story, one day there will be a reckoning.
.You can build spiritual life out of things that are really worthless or you can build with things of value and you can have a life that is full and rich in Christ Jesus.
. He uses the analogy of Gold and silver and jewels. Things that will stand the test of time or things that will mean nothing in the end.
. We as Christians must build our lives on things that matter.
. Important things, not trivial like watching TV or having sports dominate our lives so much that we forget why God placed us here on Earth.
. To Glorify and Honor Him.
. Not being so tied up into work that nothing else can be accomplished.
. Being so busy that we don’t have time to do what He has told us to do.
. Make Disciples. Love on our brothers and sisters in Christ and love and honor God with our lives.
. Paul warns us that we must build our lives on things that matter.
. Then Paul tells us why this is important.
. Look at verses 13,14,15 again.
. 13But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.
14If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.
15But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
. Paul writes that even for Christians, there is a reckoning coming.
. Yes, if we have been born again as Jesus told Nicodemus; if we have accepted the death of Jesus Christ as the punishment for our sin, we will be in Heaven. Scripture is very plain about this.
. Scripture is very plain here also that there will be a judgment in Heaven for Christians.
. He makes this very clear in his second letter to the Corinthian church in 2 Cor. 5:10
10For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
. We commonly refer to this as the Judgment Seat Of Christ.
. Jesus will look at our lives since we have been saved and not hold our sin against us but will reward us for the things we have done since our salvation.
. Paul is not talking about punishment but rather a loss of reward.
. I cannot tell you what all of these rewards are. One of them is the crowns that will be given to the faithful. I believe that in two weeks we will come out of 1 Corinthians and look at those crowns but I also believe that there are more rewards.
. Paul writes that our lives will be examined and if they stand the test of fire, we will be rewarded.
. He writes that if your spiritual house was built upon things of value, it will not burn up when tested by fire.
. If not, if you build it out of cheap and materials, it will be burned up when tested by fire. All that will be left is that foundation of Jesus Christ.
. He writes that yes, you will be in Heaven but you will look like Mr. Bigglesworth.
. You will look like you had to walk through fire to get there and everything you have will be burned up and you will stand before the Lord singed, with nothing left but your skin and bones.
. Our churches today are full of future Mr. Biggleswoth Christians.
. Christians, who when they stand before the Lord, will be singed, all they were will be burned away, will be laid bare and all they will have is the foundation of Jesus.
. They will be in Heaven but they will be “Singed Christians”
.There was a pastor sitting in the hospital with one of his church members. He had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and only had a few hours to live. As he and the pastor sat there, tears started running down his face and as the pastor tried to console him the man looked at him and said this.
. Pastor, I am not afraid to die. I know that I have been born again and that my future in heaven is secure. Of that I have no doubt. While I am not scared to die, I am ashamed to die. I took my salvation for granted and lived my life for me, and not for God. I will be ashamed to stand before Jesus on his day of judgment.
. As I close, would you be ashamed to stand before Jesus if you were to die this day Christian?
. Will you stand there singed, naked and bare with nothing but the foundation of Jesus Christ in your life. Maybe that’s enough for you, I don’t know.
. Paul tells us though that there is more and we should seek to build our lives on things that are precious, things that matter.
. Maybe you are here this morning and don’t have a spiritual life. That’s because you have never laid the foundation to build upon.
. You can only do that through the foundation of Jesus Christ.
. Invitation
*** To my Christian brothers and sisters, thank you for taking the time to read this sermon. I ask that you take another second and score this for me. I am always open to feedback so that I can continue to grow in the proclamation of God’s word.
May God bless you as you continue to strive to walk worthy of His calling.
Sources: The Holy Bible, NLT
