If you use any or all of this message--would you be willing to fire off a quick email to:pastorjerryvargo@juno.com? I would like to have an idea of how often my sermons are actually being preached to strengthen the Body of Christ. Thanks!
"Temples Under Construction"
Pastor Jerry C. Vargo
Calvary Christian Chapel
Text: 1 Corinthians 3:9-17
A. We are “God’s Building Program.” Verse 9 says that we are “God’s field” and “God’s building.”
B. Verse 10 tells us that we must be “careful how we build upon it.” What is “it?” It is the foundation of Jesus Christ.
C. We must use the right materials
Wrong materials = suffering loss (verse 15)
Right materials = reward (verse 14)
D. Verses 16 &17 serve as a warning. We must live disciplined lives.
E. In Luke 14:25-35, Jesus speaks of the commitment involved in being a disciple. He states that we must “carry our cross” and following Him. He gives us two examples:
1. Building a tower – counting the cost.
2. King at war – can 10,000 overcome 20,000?
F. How do you build anything? Discipline! We must have discipline in three areas:
1. Disciplines of the body.
2. Disciplines of the soul.
3. Disciplines of the spirit.
Discipline not for the sake of discipline, but because we understand we are building something for God.
My desire is that my building will be made of gold, silver and precious stones!
II. Body.
A. Discipline of the body.
1. Look at 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 again. Let me read this out of the “Message.”
“You realize, don’t you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God’s temple, you can be sure of that. God’s temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple.”
In 24 hours the average adult accomplishes much:
Your heart beats 103,689 times
Your blood travels 168,000,000 miles
You breathe 23,040 times
You inhale 438 cubic feet of air
You eat 3 1/2 pounds of food
You speak 4,800 words
You move 750 muscles
You exercise 7,000,000 brain cells
It’s no wonder you feel tired!
2. The body is matter, but it is God’s creation. . . when it is neglected or scoffed at, God himself is insulted.
3. We have too often neglected the body. It’s time to take better care of the building that God has given us.
4. Two areas of bodily discipline must be exercised:
1. Exercise regularly
2. Eat right
B. Discipline of the soul (mind, will, emotions - EXPOUND).
1. Warning signs that we are not exercising discipline in our soul lives:
1) A sense of being overwhelmed
2) Outbursts of impatience and anger
3) A desire to avoid people
4) Dreaming of getting away
5) Depression
6) Stuffing Difficult Issues
7) A refusal to tear down Strongholds (takes
incredible commitment).
8) An unwillingness to submit to deliverance.
9) Opening up our lives for others to see so
our deliverance is complete. In other
words, willing to walk in intimacy.
IN TO ME SEE
2. Three needed areas of discipline in our soul lives:
1) Solitude (Mark 6:31-32)
2) Recreation (Learn to enjoy life).
3) Laughter (Proverbs 17:22, 15:13)
C. Disciplines of the Spirit
1. Look at Romans 8:5-9.
2. We need to discipline our Spirit man. We do this in at least 5 ways:
1) Regular time with God (2 Corinthians 4:16)
2) Fasting
3) Meditating on His Word
4) Small group life
5) Worship (Psalm 59:16-17)
Many Christians are only "Christaholics" and not disciples at all. Disciples are cross-bearers; they seek Christ. Christaholics seek happiness. Disciples dare to discipline themselves, and the demands they place on themselves leave them enjoying the happiness of their growth. Christaholics are escapists looking for a shortcut to nirvana. Like drug addicts, they are trying to "bomb out" of their depressing world. There is no automatic joy. Christ is not a happiness capsule; he is the way to the Father. But the way to the Father is not a carnival ride in which we sit and do nothing while we are whisked through various spiritual sensations.
-Richard Foster
III. Conclusion.
A. We are: “God’s Building Program.” Body, Soul, and Spirit.
B. Maybe you have neglected one of these areas. Let us renew our commitment to build our lives to the glory of God.
C. Altar call-Challenging the Body to commit to "sold out" Christianity: Body, Soul, and Spirit!
