This week we continue our series called Chronos. A term which means time. We have decided to study the scriptures this year in the order they were published. It gives us a very unique insight into the early church and the struggles of a growing movement. This review of history is important because The Center’s leadership believes we are on the cuspid of a great awakening in America. An awakening that will challenge the status quo of the current Christian industrial complex. An institution more concerned with Attendance, Buildings and Cash than the Gospel, Grace and Growth of the kingdom.
This week we continue in the book of the first Corinthians. It’s another book written by Paul around 25 years after Jesus' earthly ministry. Corinth is the original sin city. It was a transitional city and as such there was a lot of anonymity. As a Coastal town people were always coming and going. Some for vacation, most for business. The community was know for their worship of the goddess of sex. They had one of the largest temples devoted to her and the idea of fertility. You can see why when you called somebody a corinthian back then, you were saying they were living without morality. After his 1 ½ years planting the church, Paul left behind Apollos who was an amazing preacher/teacher and yet, we can see from this book the people still had questions. The immorality of the culture was so rampant that Paul had to address everything from why church potlucks should not turn into drunken frat parties and worship to the one true God like kids first birthday party at chuck e cheese restaurant.
Last Sunday, we dove head first into the book. We learned what it meant to have the “mind of Christ '' and were challenged to examine our waking hours for a demonstration of this new way of thinking. Paul continues this letter by re-emphasizing unity and wisdom while reminding them of whose “name” we all represent.
This building once housed a group who called themselves the Evangelical Church, Bethany Evangelical Church. After a few years it became Bethany United Brethren Church. A few years later, it became Bethany United Methodist Church. A few years after that it became Bethany Center. And now, it’s The Center. All the while, it has claimed Jesus Christ as the head of the church.
Along the way, there have been faithful souls who took care of the day to day activities including taking care of the facility. However, none of those people were any more or less important to the mission Jesus started some 2000 years ago. Paul emphasizes this idea as we pick up his diatribe in the third chapter verse five.
5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
The truth will always be that it's Christ’s name on the door of our fellowship. Many may claim ownership. Local churches rename themselves to strike an identity, a central theme and declare a version of Christianity they are partial to. However, in the end, the only name that matters is Jesus. Verse Nine sums it up beautifully. We are co-workers in God’s service. Please note we are not owners. Just dedicated workers given assignments and directions. As we go about His business we are subtly changed. Like a blade of grass that grows unseen by the rest of the world, we grow through His Spirit giving us what is most needed. As we grow, the Kingdom grows in and around us.
Paul continues:
10 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. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 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. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
Paul is using the building as a metaphor for our lives because we are the temple and within us is where the Spirit resides. It’s not in a special building. It’s a changed heart in relationship with Jesus striving to do His will with other like minded individuals in this messed up world in which we live. Paul says it so well.
16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
The word “church” has a bad reputation in our context. Theologian, author and thought leader Alan Hirsch once described a research study done in the last 20 years that surveyed people about some key words used in our society. In general, the word Jesus, God and Holy Spirit all received a thumbs up. However, the word “church” was given a thumbs down. People associate the idea with a whole host of negatives. And yet, when we gather together the presence of God grows exponentially. Who hasn’t been to a revival, a march or a concert where you could literally feel the power of God? It’s why the author of Hebrews encourages believers to continue to meet together.
“(do) not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25
Gathering is good for us to sense His power, confirm our commitment and recognize His work in and through all of us. It also keeps us humble by reminding us we are not unique and God uses all who are willing to be led. Paul continues:
18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”[a]; 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”[b] 21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas[c] or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.
“All are yours” is used twice to remind us of our liberty and our responsibility.
God’s loving gift to those who claim Him as Lord is a freedom from shame and guilt for our past actions through His boundless forgiveness and unmerited favor. We first belong to Jesus. As such, we should never claim allegiance to anything other than Jesus and the other believers who make up His body in our world.
In recognizing our liberty, I began to wonder about our responsibility. I believe God can do anything at any time. I also believe he does everything with purpose. There is no randomness to God so why would he move from the temple to our hearts?
I believe God moved from the temple to our hearts so that His love and power could be demonstrated in more places and to more people through our cooperation with Him. For God, longs for everyone to know Him, Grow with him and go with him. As the prophet Isaiah once said:
Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! Isaiah 30:18
Each Christian houses the Spirit of God so Christ can be known in every corner of the world. He wants to be known in your home. He wants to be known at your workplace. He wants to be known at your school. He wants to be known at the grocery store. He wants to be known at the coffee house. He wants to be known and he is SENDING you to share your temple with others so they will come to know Him in a new way.
Reference: Warren Wiersbe 580-82
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