1 Corinthians
We Are the Church
I Corinthians 3
February 2, 2003
Intro:
A. The Church has become so frantic in its busyness that it reminds me of the well-known definition of a fanatic: “A person who redoubles his efforts after he has lost sight of his goals.”
B. In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul describes five views of the church; first…
I. The Church as a democracy.
1 Corinthians 3:1-4 (NIV), Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4 For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?
A. This is what so-called democracy always boils down to: arguments, quarrels, and infightings.
1. Nowhere do the Scriptures suggest democracy as the means of governing a church.
2. Nowhere do the Scriptures teach that fights and quarrels are good.
B. Paul says that quarrelling proves we are still worldly.
1. Some say, “That’s just the way I am.”
2. Paul says, “The way you are is sinful.”
C. Paul says quarreling proves that they were still infant Christians.
1. They were immature because they were quarrelling and fight.
2. Paul expected them to grow up in their faith.
D. Notice they are saved by are still worldly.
1. They have not matured in their faith and are still acting like people of the world.
2. They have not developed the mind of Christ that he talked about in the previous chapter.
E. The church is not a democracy and the church is not a place for infighting.
II. The Church as a garden.
1 Corinthians 3:5-9 (NIV), 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 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.
A. Paul says that no human is THE source of Godly wisdom.
1. We should not subscribe to the teachings of any one man.
2. We should understand that everyone has his own responsibilities in the church.
3. Some plant seeds.
4. Some water.
5. But it is when we all do our part that God causes the increase.
B. And of course the purpose of gardening is multiplication.
1. When we plant a tomato seed, we intend to raise many tomatoes.
2. When we plant corn, we intend to produce many ears of corn.
3. When we plant the seeds of faith in peoples’ lives we intend to produce many converts.
4. Some won’t grow or produce fruit, but many will.
C. Paul says we are all fellow workers in God’s field.
III. The Church as a building.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (NIV), By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his 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 man’s work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
A. Now Paul uses a building as a metaphor for a church.
1. But notice that he does not say that the church is a building—he uses a building as a metaphor of the church.
2. Paul says that he laid a foundation for the church as an expert builder.
3. Paul says someone else built upon that foundation.
4. This is another illustration parallel to the one before of the garden.
B. Paul emphasizes that Christ is the foundation that must be laid first.
1. Sometimes we loose sight of that.
2. I believe I got this story from Bob George…
Mac was a hard driving, though businessman in his 70’s.
He had been a church member for many years.
But one Wednesday night as he heard the associate share his testimony, he realized that he had never personally trusted Jesus Christ as his Savior.
Though he had been involved in a lot of religious activity, he never really had a clear idea of what it meant to be a Christian.
After spending a few days pondering and asking the associate questions, Mac made up his mind.
At the Sunday night service of their church, he decided to come forward to make a public profession of his faith in Christ.
The associate was down front serving as a counselor, and was deeply moved by the sight of this tough old businessman coming forward to receive Christ in childlike faith.
They were both in tears as they stood before the pastor.
“This is tremendous!” the pastor exclaimed.
He told the associate, “This man is one of the most brilliant businessmen in our city! He’s wealthy, he’s talented, and we need to put him to work! I want you to see that Mac is totally involved in what you are doing. We want to take full advantage of what he can do.”
The associate said he will never forget Mac, his eyes full of tears, speaking with a sincere, trembling voice: “Pastor, I don’t need a job. I need the Lord.”
3. Sometimes we Christians forget Who the foundation really is.
C. Then Paul emphasizes the importance of the quality of the work of the builders.
1. Paul says the quality of the work and the building materials is very important.
2. We need to take our work for Christ very importantly.
3. Paul says that the quality of our work and materials will be revealed when He returns.
4. If the quality is poor, we will still be saved—but it will be just barely.
5. We don’t want to just barely escape the flames!
D. We must understand that even though Paul uses the metaphor of a building and builders, he is not saying that the church is a building.
1. The church is not a building; it is a people.
2. And Paul makes that clear in the following verses.
IV. The Church as a temple.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (NIV), Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
A. Paul makes it clear that the church is not a building; the church is a people.
1. WE are the temple of God. WE are the dwelling place of God.
2. God does not live in temples built by human hands, God lives in people!
B. And of course if the people are the church and the church is the dwelling place of God, those who destroy the church, God will destroy.
1. This is in direct response to the situation given at the beginning of the chapter.
2. Paul is saying that these divisions destroy the body of Christ and Christ will destroy those who destroy the church.
V. The Church as a community.
1 Corinthians 3:18-23 (NIV), Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he 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"; 20 and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." 21 So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas 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.
A. So now Paul draws some conclusions.
1. Paul described what was going on in their church and told them that it was wrong.
2. Paul gave them two illustrations of how it should be in the church.
3. And now he ties a string around it to draw it to a close.
B. Paul says that they should not be thinking that they have a corner on the market of God’s wisdom because they believe the teachings of a certain human.
1. Paul is saying no human has a corner on God’s wisdom.
2. Paul is saying they should take the best of all Godly people’s teachings and celebrate Christ instead of arguing over who has the best teacher—“all things are yours.”
3. Paul says they need to forget worldly wisdom and become a fool for Christ.
4. Paul says they simply need to be a community of believers who have diverse beliefs and teachings who love and get along with each other.
5. Paul says that need to bear with one another in there disagreements.
6. Paul says they need to work together as a team to grow and build the church.
7. Paul says they need to remember that their enemy is Satan and not each other.
8. Paul says they need to work together to defeat Satan and save souls.
9. Paul says they need to grow up in their faith and stop quarrelling.
10. Paul says they need to stop quarrelling and be a community. Be the church. Be the body of Christ.
Conclusion:
A. The Church has become so frantic in its busyness that it reminds me of the well-known definition of a fanatic: “A person who redoubles his efforts after he has lost sight of his goals.”
1. I pray that Somerset will never forget what our goals are.
2. I pray that we will be the church that God has called us to be.
3. We are the church!
4. We are the church!
5. We are the church!
B. [I Saw Jesus, unknown]
I saw Jesus last week.
He was wearing blue jeans and an old shirt.
He was up at the church building;
He was alone and working hard.
For just a minute he looked a little like one of our members.
But it was Jesus,
I could tell by his smile.
I saw Jesus last Sunday.
He was teaching a Bible class.
He didn’t talk real loud or use long words,
But you could tell he believed what he said.
For just a minute, he looked like my Sunday School teacher.
But it was Jesus,
I could tell by his loving voice.
I saw Jesus yesterday.
He was at the hospital visiting a friend who was sick.
They prayed together quietly.
For just a minute he looked like Brother Jones.
But it was Jesus,
I could tell by the tears in his eyes.
I saw Jesus this morning.
He was in my kitchen making my breakfast and fixing me a special lunch.
For just a minute he looked like my mom.
But it was Jesus,
I could feel the love from his heart.
I see Jesus everywhere,
Taking food to the sick,
Welcoming others to his home,
Being friendly to a newcomer and for just a minute
I think he’s someone I know.
But it’s always Jesus,
I can tell by the way he serves.
May someone see Jesus in you today?
