This morning we continue to look at Paul’s admonition to the church at Corinth. He tells them that they ought to have matured in their Christian faith during the five years the church in this city has been in existence. Instead they are carnal. By using this term Paul is telling the readers that they are fleshly, or led by the flesh. That old sin nature that faith in Christ ought to give us victory over. As a matter of fact, the old way of living to please the flesh ought to be dead to us as Christians.
***** Romans 6:1-14
This, however, was not the Corinthian believer disposition. Many of them had not forsaken the sinful culture that they were saved from. This caused disunity, or division, in the body of Christ. So, last week we looked at the cause of this division in the church: the flesh.
A lack of unity in a local church is one of the main causes of weakness in the local church. Sadly, this still occurs in many churches in our culture. Today, we will look at the symptoms of this disunity in the church at Corinth, and we will look at the cure for this division that they were experiencing.
PRAYER!!!!!!!!
We find the symptoms in verses three and four of 1 Corinthians, chapter three.
1 Corinthians 3:3-4 - “for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal?” (powerpoint)
Paul gives to us here three words to describe what it means to be carnal: Envy, strife, and divisions. The word, “envy”, comes from the Greek word zelos (dzay'-los); from which we get the word “zeal”. It refers to heat in the proper sense.
Figuratively, it refers positively to great passion or warmth. Negatively, as Paul uses it here, it refers to jealousy. The Greek word from which we get strife means quarrelsome. And we know that divisions refer to the lack of unity that is evident in the church at Corinth.
Carnality, or fleshly living, always manifests itself in self-centeredness. The desire to please the flesh. Jealousy is the attitude, and strife is the action that results from this type of living. These, however are only symptoms of this disease called carnality.
It is like a cancer in the church. Once it gets in it will affects all areas. It will corrupt morals, weaken personal relationships, produce doubt about God and His word, destroy your prayer life, and provide fertile ground for false doctrine and heresy. Carnality will strive to take away your rights: Right doctrine, right living, right beliefs, and right practices.
Jealousy is just a severe form of selfishness. When you are selfish you want to please yourself. When you are jealous, you don’t want others to have something and you want it for yourself. Selfishness is one of the obvious characteristics of being a baby. Paul called them babies in 1 Cor. 3:1 because they were selfish.
Paul asks the rhetorical question of his readers in verse three, “when you act like this aren’t you just behaving like mere men?”, or those who do not know Christ. Paul then gives the same example he used in chapter one
1 Corinthians 1:11-13 – “For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (powerpoint)
So how do we get rid of division within a church? First, we must guard against this happening in the first place. We have seen in this letter that if we are unified in Christ then there is no room for disunity or division. This unity comes by placing Christ first and by being strong in our doctrine. We must strive to be a people of the Book. (title powerpoint)
Sadly, we know this is not always the case. Our church, like many others, has had disunity in the midst. Some of you who have been here for many years have seen the damage it can do both to you as an individual and to the church as a whole. Our church is only around thirteen years old. It is only logical to conclude that there have been times during its history that there has been disunity.
It is my desire, as it is yours, that we won’t see a time of disunity together. There is a way.
***** 1 Corinthians 3:5-9
Have you ever been so focused on something that you don’t notice other things happening around you? Ever have someone walk by and say you thought they were in another part of the house? Then they tell you they said hi as they passed through and you even responded. Yet you don’t remember a bit because you were so focused on a TV show or a book. If we focus our attention on the Lord and His desires for us we won’t have time to focus on ourselves. I am not saying that we need to be so spiritual and walk around memorizing scripture and telling others about Jesus our entire day. We can do the regular things with Jesus as our focus. What kind of spouse we are; what kind of parent or child we should be; how we treat others; how we conduct ourselves in leisure. Every area of our lives belongs to God.
Colossians 3:17 – “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (powerpoint)
1 Corinthians 10:31-32 – “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (powerpoint)
Paul is again reminding the readers that he and Apollos are not the source of their salvation. They were only messengers that God chose to deliver the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. He could have chosen anyone to equip and perform this task. God just happened to choose them.
One commentator paraphrased this passage this way: “No one builds a movement around a waiter or busboy, or erects monuments to them. Apollos and I are just waiters or busboys whom the Lord used as servants to bring you food. You do not please us by trying to honor us. Your honor, your glory, is misplaced. You are acting like the world, like mere men. Build your monuments, give your praise to the One who prepared the spiritual food we delivered.”
Many immortalize great men and women because that’s all they know. It shouldn’t come as a shock to us. Think of Steve Jobs, Michael Jackson, or Princess Di. These people may have accomplished things in their lives. They may have even given us things. But they are not the giver of life eternal. He alone is the one due all honor, glory, and praise.
Remember people and recognize their accomplishments. But praise God! For He is the forgiver of sins and the giver of eternal life. (title powerpoint)
I don’t like gardens. To me they do not speak of things such as nurture, fulfillment, and accomplishment. To me, gardens use words such as work, dirt, weeds. However, my wife is not like me. For which I am extremely thankful.
She loves to have a garden. She likes to grow things. She also likes to share with me her accomplishments. I have learned to use phrases like; “Yes that is beautiful”, or “If I ate cucumbers that would probably be the best tasting ever”. To me the garden is the produce section of the local store.
I feel the same way about meat. When people ask me if I hunt I tell them yes: I hunt for the best deal at the grocery store that I can get. I know some love to have a garden, but I hope you don’t get crazy about it like some people.
Then there's the story of the woman who called up the fire department and said, "Look, I've just had a new rock garden built and I've just planted some new roses, and.”
The fireman said, "Where's the fire?"
She said, "I've just spent a lot of money having my lawn mowed and my hedges clipped. Some of my new plants are very expensive..."
He said, "Look, lady, you don't want the fire department, you want a flower shop."
She said, "No, I don't. The house next door is on fire, and I don't want you clumsy fireman stamping all over my garden when you come over."
Most of you know what a metaphor is. A metaphor is something used, or regarded as being used, to represent something else; emblem; symbol. Paul used a metaphor in this passage that most people in ancient times would understand. Most, except for the highest of rulers, got their produce through their own labor; Out of their own garden. So they understood what Paul meant when he said,
1 Corinthians 3:6 – “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.”
(powerpoint)
Paul was stating that he and Apollos only were part of the process. They were not responsible for the results. The greatest horticulturist or gardener in the world will never give life to a plant. They can plant the seed, tend the soil, and water as needed. Yet they never give the plant life.
How much less can any person, even an apostle, give spiritual life or growth.to anybody? The most we can do is prepare the soil, plant the seed, and add water. It is fulfilling to pray with someone to receive Christ as their Savior. It is humbling also to realize that we are just a tool that God uses to fulfill His plan.
1 Corinthians 3:7 – “So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.” (powerpoint)
It is important that Paul reminds his readers of this because divisiveness was the core of the other sins. Have you ever come across someone in a church who has some pride because they are doing so much in the church? Or their ministry is very successful and they want everyone to be aware of this? Worse yet, have you ever been this proud person?
These are symptoms of the carnality that Paul was warning the church in Corinth about. Paul reminds us that we are on the same level before God.
1 Corinthians 3:8 – “Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” (powerpoint)
This verse also teaches us that God is aware of those things we do for Him and will reward us accordingly. This refers to when we get to glory, but it also refers to blessings in this life. Faithfulness to God is a concept we will look at in more attention in due time.
1 Corinthians 4:2 – “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”
(powerpoint)
Proverbs 28:20 – “A faithful man will abound with blessings.” (powerpoint)
There is something I don’t want us to miss here in verse eight of 1 Corinthians 3.
1 Corinthians 3:8 – “Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” (powerpoint)
God rewards us on our “labor”. Too often we think God rewards based on results. We, as people, reward based on results. A salesman gets a bonus or promotion based on results. An athlete gets a scholarship or becomes a professional based on results. We give our kids money or privileges based on results: Who among us hasn’t promised something based on the number of “A”s they get on a report card?
God, however, bases His rewards on the labor. Why? Because the results aren’t up to you and I! They are totally dependent upon God.
Adoniram Judson, one of the earliest Baptist Missionaries, labored in the country of Burma six years before he saw his first conversion there.
Jeremiah in the Bible was known as the weeping prophet because he labored so hard for the Lord but saw little fruit for his effort.
On the other hand, Jonah tried to run from God and was forced to go to Nineveh. He grudgingly told the Ninevites of God’s coming judgment and many in the city turned to God.
Let us always remember it is God’s church and we are God’s people. According to 1 Corinthians 3:9 we are, “God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.”
Let us always remember this. Together we can always accomplish more than we could ever think of doing alone.
PRAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
