This sermon (1 Corinthians 3: 1 - 23) was preached at West Ewell Evangelical Church, Surrey, on Sunday 13 September 2015.
Introduction
The context is that the ancient city of Corinth was so much like modern society – with its religious maelstrom and the evidence of the so-called postmodernism (if it is right for you, it’s alright).
Before we start, please discuss: what do you see as your role in the church (local) or the Church (wider)?
We will be looking your responses during the course of this time together.
Paul had started his ministry in Corinth in 50 AD and he wrote to the church there from Ephesus in 56 AD – after six years, he had expected growth in their walk with God.
There are three types of people in this epistle [reference to John Piper in sermon ‘The Danger of Being Merely Human,’ 21 February 1988]:
a. The ‘natural’ person (2: 14) – no spiritual life and cannot see what is compelling about the Gospel.
b. The ‘spiritual’ person (2: 15) – so deeply controlled by the Holy Spirit that can receive and value any level of biblical truth – which is where we would be aiming.
c. The ‘fleshy’ person or ‘babes in Christ’ neither spiritual or natural – will be looking at this morning.
We will be looking at
· Seeking maturity
· Concrete foundation
· Centred on God
1. Seek maturity
In verses 1 – 3, it is evident that the readers of this epistle were showing immaturity, with reference on divisions as referenced in 1: 10 – 17.
Paul states that they should have moved on in the faith – they had settled for remaining where they were, content on having the same experience over and over again.
Hebrews 5: 12 – 14 states: ‘In fact, though by this time, you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.’
In verse 3, the words are literally ‘envy and strife’ – the word ‘envy’ could positive in meaning ‘zeal, ardour;’ but here it is used in the negative sense (cf. 1: 11; Galatians 5: 20). There were divisions, and a bitter mess were evident as both these negative attributes lead to self-assertion and unhealthy rivalries.
Christians can refuse to move on in God because of anger, fear, envy, etc. – God wants to reach out and help move them on in what experiences He has for them.
Paul reminds us of the role of leaders: ‘to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.’ (Ephesians 4: 12 – 13)
We need to be encouraging and pulling for one another.
At end of his last professional game, Andre Agassi (3 September 2006, US Open, Arthur Ashe Stadium, Queens, New York) addressed the crowd: ‘The scoreboard said I lost today. But what the scoreboard doesn’t say is what it is I have found. Over the last 21 years, I have found loyalty. You have pulled for me on the court and in life.
‘I found inspiration. You have willed me to succeed, sometimes even in my lowest moments. And I’ve found generosity. You have given me your shoulders to stand on to reach for my dreams, dreams I could never have reached without you. Over the last 21 years, I have found you, and I will take you and the memory of you with me for the rest of my life.’
It would be amazing if the Church was like that!
We are all disciples until we reach heaven and all have a role – if you are not sure what your role is, speak to a leader as to how you can be helped.
We will look at the subject of our roles in relation to other people in further detail when we get to chapter 12; however, we are reminded in 12: 27 ‘Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is part of it.’
There is no passivity as, in analogy of the body, there is to activity - we are not called to be robots on stand-by! Each part needs to be working in order for the whole to be effective: you could be the missing limb that the church requires in order that it might function properly.
There is a proverb in Benin, West Africa which states ‘When it’s harvest time, the whole family is in the field.’
In verse 4, their outlook was worldly so they could not be Spirit-filled – so they missed out as it is the Holy Spirit who gives that unity that the Church needs.
As we learned last time, Holy Spirit gives us His wisdom for the glory of God and desires that we have CPD (Continuous Professional Development = Continuous Personal Development) that is to walk closely with Him in relationship so He can fulfil the role that He wants for us.
Rev Canon J John wrote: ‘There is surely no more urgent need for today’s Church than how to motivate and equip every Christian to work and witness for God’s kingdom.’
The character Maximus (played by Russell Crowe) in film ‘Gladiator’ has the line: ‘What we do in life echoes in eternity’ – what are you doing to that will echo down through the corridors of time and into eternity for the glory of God?
2. Concrete foundation
In verse 5, we notice that Paul writes of ‘what’ not ‘who’ so the attention is taken away from the person and onto their function.
The word ‘servants’ (verse 5) was originally applied to table waiters then it was used of service generally before New Testament applied the word to the service that Christians should render to God.
Brother Laurence, a clumsy monk in 17th century who worked in the monastery’s kitchen, stated: ‘Let us think that our only business in this life is to please God; that all besides is but folly and vanity.’
Paul and Apollos were one as they knew that had to complete the task given to them by God.
Paul used the picture of building – the picture of unity, not scattered bricks. You cannot have building without foundation (or it will collapse) and God wants the foundation He has laid down to be for the purpose of His people building on top of it.
In verse 13, ‘declare’ or (as have in NIV) ‘revealed’ means ‘to show its true character,’ ‘to reveal for what it is.’ We have to make sure that our certainties that we are building on, that following wholly what God wants us to do – understanding fully that all for God’s glory so we should not skimp or stop.
In verses 14 - 15, all who are Christians will be saved as based on one foundation – Jesus – but we can lose what role (through the gifts, talents and abilities that God has given to us)has been given, cf. Parable of the Ten Minas (Luke 19: 11 ff) where the person who did not use what had been given had it given to another – God does not waste gifts.
The foundation was laid down by God – Ephesians 2: 8 – 10: ‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so no-one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship [or masterpiece], created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.’
The phrase in verse 15 ‘through fire’ is of the image of man dashing through the flames to safety.
In verses 21 – 23, there are no limits to possessions in Christ, which is similar passage in Romans 8: 32 – it is enough that we should build our foundations on God.
Whatever we build, we are dependent on Christ (as reminded in verse 11).
John Ortberg in his book ‘If you want to walk on water you’ve got to get out of the boat’ has following poem:
‘To sinful patterns of behaviour that never got confronted and changed,
Abilities and gifts that never got cultivated and deployed –
Until weeks become months
And months turn into years,
And one day you’re looking back on a life of
Deep intimate gut-wrenching honest conversations you never had;
Great bold prayers you never prayed,
Exhilarating risks you never took,
Sacrificial gifts you never offered
Lives you never touched,
And you’re sitting in a recliner with a shrivelled soul,
And forgotten dreams,
And you realise there was a world of desperate need,
And a greater God calling you to be part of something bigger that yourself –
You see the person you could have become but did not;
You never followed your calling.
You never got out of the boat.’
What are you preparing to do for God? There is not an option - until we are in heaven, God has things for us to do.
3. Centred on God
The focus is on God – Paul and Apollos did the work and completed it, but God continues to give the increase.
We are reminded in 1: 3 that the church is those ‘who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ – their Lord and ours’
In 1 Chronicles chapter 1, although we think that Solomon asks for wisdom (which he does exhibit later on), the original Hebrew actually states that Solomon requests ‘listening ear’ - something that we should all asking God for.
We need to think about discussion at beginning:
· If you do not think that you have a role or do not know how to fulfil it– you need to call upon the Lord to lead you.
· If you do not undertake role – you need to call upon the Lord for courage and/or forgiveness
In verses 16 – 17, we are reminded that there are two Greek words for ‘temple’ – a) temple precincts and b) the shrine proper – it is the latter in this case. We are in centre of God’s plans.
‘Temple’ is in the singular whereas ‘you’ is in the plural – the body of Christ is being moulded into what He wants us to be - indwelt by the Holy Spirit, underlines the unity of the Godhead in shaping the church to glorify Him.
It could be that God is moving you onto new roles. Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, commented: ‘When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one that has opened for us.’
God uses all means to help us move oin in Him as illustrated by two Old Testament passages quoted: Job 5: 13 where Eliphaz (one of Job’s friends who held erroneous view that Job deserved what he got) and Psalm 94: 11 (in context of arrogant people oppressing the people of God).
In verse 20 (which quotes Psalm 94: 11), the word ‘futile’ or ‘vain’ literally means ‘without result,’ ‘fruitless,’ ‘empty’ - we need to make sure that we are filled with the knowledge of and about God in order that we can serve Him effectively.
God has a role for each one of us to demonstrate His glory - ‘Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.’ (Matthew 5: 16)
We should be looking for greater things within this church as demonstrated by the discussions, thoughts and prayers at the moment – we should be looking for the God to be glorified in Lansdowne Road: (Haggai 2: 9) ‘‘’The glory of this present house will be far greater than the glory of the former house,” says the Lord Almighty. “And in this place I will grant peace,” declares the Lord Almighty.’ – we will need to be prepared to step out in faith into what God has in store for us to be and to do.
Jane Williams, theology tutor at St Mellitus College, stated: ‘God doesn’t live in churches, and neither do we. God has work for every single one of us in those places where we actually live and work. The only question is whether we are prepared to be God’s employees.’
Are you prepared to be an active worker for Jesus?
Conclusion
Bob Kauflan said: ‘Nothing we do this Sunday morning will make Jesus look better than He already is. Aim to show people Jesus.’
Questions:
1. How are aiming to become mature in Jesus? – we need to be strategic, seeking to know God better (Bible notes/commentaries, books, conferences, DVDs/CDs, events etc.)
2. Are we reliant on the foundation that Christ has laid down? – we can often be reliant on own thoughts and efforts
3. How centred are you on God? – unless we are centred on Him, we can do nothing; so set your thoughts higher on God.
Bishop Graham Cray wrote: ‘There is no way to re-evangelise this nation apart from the impact of the daily lives of ordinary, everyday Christians.’
If we do not fulfil our roles, the results will be: the church will be not as effective or even injured, the life of the church and you will be contrary to the life of faith and growth that God has ordained for it, your potential will be hidden, and God will not get the glory He deserves.
Verse 11 sums it all up – the Son humbled Himself so that He would be glorified and that we would be saved to glorify Him.
So fulfil the role that God has given to you so that He can be glorified
