What God Won't Bless Series

Turn Your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 3:6,8-9

Title: What God Won’t Bless

Theme: Beware of Slothfulness

Series: Laboring Together With God

Introduction: The church of Jesus Christ has a great privilege in working with God on the “Great Commission” as long as she is a God-loving, Word-filled, and ministry-minded disciple maker.

By God’s grace we have been called to Christ, it is by the blood of Christ He purchased His church and it is by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of Christ that the children of God have gifts for the purpose of building and edifying the Body of Christ. All Illuminated Christians have a heart cry, that desire to give reasonable service unto the Lord.

The apostle Paul lays down a foundation for all Christians as they enter into the year 2006 that helps maintain a proper focus in fulfilling their part of the “Great Commission.”

Listen as I read 1 Corinthians 3:6-8,11, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 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. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. 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. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:6-11) Let us pray!

Interrogative Sentence: What is our responsibility in planting the seeds of God’s Word that when watered by the Holy Spirit will give all in our area the opportunity to choose this day what God they will serve? What keeps us from becoming a hindrance to the spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ that has plagued the church throughout the years?

There are two dangerous types of laborers in the church and there is one type of worker who is very much a blessing to God and beneficial to the Body of Christ. The two laborers that hinder the work of God are 1.) The “Undisciplined Laborer.” 2.) The “Controlling Laborer.” The laborer who is a blessing is 3.) The “Trusting Laborer.”

Jesus Christ has given gifts to the church and the purpose of those gifts is to prepare the body of Christ for works of service. (Ephesians 4:11-13) Over the years I have had the privilege to meet and work with some of the most useful men and women of God that you can meet. There is one thing that the Lord has taught these wonderful workmen of God. They have discovered the value of spending the first part of the year allowing the Holy Spirit to take the Word of God and cleanse their hearts so they can hear the voice of God.

Many of them spend the month of January, fasting, praying and studying the Word of God. By the time the month of January is over they have in repentance confessed sin and have heard from the Holy Spirit what the Lord would have them pray through for the following 11 months. These surrendered servants of God are able to pray through what God has called them to do, thus, enjoying the fruits of faithfulness. It would be wise for us to do the same, to spend a few weeks Biblically reflecting.

It must be noted that today’s truth from God’s Word says, “…but God made it grow.” Reward in heaven will not be based on the numbers or the results that we think we have accomplished. It will be based on faithfulness to God’s call.

Proposition: I would propose to you that God’s Word gives clear instructions to those who have the heart of the Psalmist who wrote, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws.” (Psalm 119:105-106)

Everyone should use the Word of God personally, practically and habitually as they serve the Lord in this world. (Thru the Bible) The Word of God is to be the constant guide of the church that longs to be used of God and enjoy the benefits in kingdom building. The fact is the soldier of Christ is only as good as his ability to understand and respond to the Lord’s will and empowerment.

Transitional Sentence: Therefore, let us consider how the Lord views laborers in the Word of God. It is important to remember we will be looking at three types of laborers over the next three weeks and make a note, at any given moment Christians find themselves in one of these categories.