Church in the City
1st Corinthians 3
Planting and Watering
September 8, 2024
1 Corinthians 3:6-9 NIV
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
Luke 8:5-8 NIV
"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."
Luke 8:11-15 NIV
"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”
We all want our lives to be healthy and productive.
1. The soil is prepared.
Later in Luke 14, Jesus tells the parable of the wedding feast and he says something in V.7 that is remarkable.
v.7 – “When he noticed how the guests picked the places …”
Humility is allowing God to pick your seat.
Who is picking your seat?
Humility requires faith to believe that God has a seat for us.
2. The seeds are sown.
Hebrews 4:12 NIV
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
3. The seeds are watered.
John 7:38-39a NIV
“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive”
The Church was birthed by the Holy Spirit and can only be sustained and grown by the Holy Spirit.
4. The weeds are pulled.
A weed takes up resources but doesn’t produce any fruit.
Mindless distractions are weeds.
5. Wait
Luke 8:15 NIV
“But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”
The Kingdom of Heaven is more like a crockpot than a microwave.
There are two ways of reading this parable.
1. When we’re good enough, God will help us.
2. Jesus has already decided to help us.
