“Who Makes the Church Grow?”

1 Corinthians 3:1–9 CSB

For my part, brothers and sisters, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, since you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready, because you are still worldly. For since there is envy and strife among you, are you not worldly and behaving like mere humans? For whenever someone says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not acting like mere humans? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So, then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s coworkers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

CHAPTER 3:1-4 marks a transition from Paul’s discussion of the True Nature of the Gospel to a slightly different theme: What Makes the Gospel Work, or more specific, WHO MAKES THE CHURCH GROW?

Let me start by saying what does NOT make the church grow:

I. It is NOT the PASTOR/PREACHER/MINISTER/REVEREND that Grows the Church! – (3:1-4)

Based on the experience of Paul (and my thirty-plus years in ministry), I can state unequivocally, preachers cannot MAKE people grow!

1. The FRUSTRATION of Paul at their CONDITION – (v.1)

“…people of flesh”– fleshly, worldly, as opposed to “spiritual.”

“…as to babies in Christ”– as opposed to mature believers!

2. The EFFORTS of Paul during his MINISTRY at Corinth – (v.2)

For 18 months, Paul fed them the basics (milk) of the Gospel!

Some believe “milk” refers to the “easy” things of the Word, and “solid food” represents the difficult, or hard things.

That’s possible…let me give you another possibility:

Hebrews 5:7–6:2 CSB

During his earthly life, he offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was the Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, and he was declared by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. We have a great deal to say about this, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand. Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food. Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil. Therefore, let us leave the elementary teaching about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God, teaching about ritual washings, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

“Milk”refers to the things Jesus did while on earth (the primary subject of our children’s stories in church), and that solid food s is a reference to what Jesus is doing right now—as High Priest—resulting in the ability to discern good from evil!

3. The CONTINUED STUBBORNNESS of the Corinthians – (vv.3-4)

Instead of mature behavior characterized by humility and concern for others—obedience to God—the Corinthians were infantile, self-centered, and as a result, divisive – (v.4)

Two characteristics of carnality are given to us:

· “…envy”– from ζήλος, root word means, ‘to boil’ It is used both positively: “zeal” – (2 Corinthians 7:11), and negatively: “jealousy” – (2 Corinthians 12:20; Galatians 5:20).

· “…strife”– from έρις– always negative – “discord, contentions, quarrels (NIV)”

You have the picture of spoiled Christians who all wanted their own way, or they’ll take their toys (offerings and Bibles) and go somewhere else to play (church)!

II. GOD GROWS THE CHURCH! – (3:5-9)

Period (the exclamation point is not necessary because it’s true).

(vv.6b, 7b) – “…but God was causing the growth.”

What about the PASTOR/PREACHER/MINISTER/REVEREND?

Don’t worry…he’s not left behind. Paul says seven things about preachers and two things about you:

1. Pastor/Preacher/Ministers are SERVANTS (διάκονοι) – (v.5a)

2. They are VESSELS – (v.5b) – “…through whom you believed”

3. They represent a CONTINUING MINISTRY from God – (vv.6a, 8a)

4. They are NEVER to be the FOCUS! – (v.7a)

5. They WILL one day be REWARDED – (v.8b)

6. They ARE “God’s coworkers (fellow workers)” – (v.9a)

John 5:19 CSB

Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, the Son is not able to do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son likewise does these things.

Ephesians 3:20 CSB

Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—

7. They are NOT the only ones who experience God’s purpose& presence – (v.9b)

YOU ARE GOD’S…

“Field” – God is cultivating a work in you! – (Philippians 1:6)

“Building” – God DWELLS in you! – (Ephesians 2:19-22) (Matthew 16:18)

Matthew 16:18 CSB

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.