Building on the Foundation 1 Cor. 3

Intro:

Review from last week:

So, how does the “Holy Spirit: our Helper” impact our choices for education and learning (don’t think just “School”)? Well this is one of the main things we seek to do as a church family, provide opportuinities for people to Renew their minds in Scripture (worship)! The idea of being confronted with the glory of God through His written word and building from that same foundation.

Outline:

Merely Human: “Growth” (vs. 1-9)

Laying a Foundation: “The Grace of God” (vs. 10-15)

God’s Temple: “You are God’s Temple” (vs. 16-23)

Summary: Consider how you build

Illustration:

Prayer:

Merely Human: “God Gives the Growth” (vs. 1-9)

A Spiritual Question (vs. 1-3)

But I

Brothers

Could not address you as spiritual people

but as people of the flesh

as infants in Christ- important to know he is talking about Spiritual maturity

I fed you with milk (gospel)- Paul is vested in these people’s lives, this is not the first time interacting with them. The idea here is giving them something to drink over giving something to eat.

not solid food- more doctrine, things pertaining to sanctification or growth as a believer

for you were not ready for it

and even now you are not yet ready

for you are still of the flesh- as opposed to the Spirit, thinking merely as humans

For while there is

jealousy- “z-eh-los” a greedy or prideful longing for something that belongs to another; even something intangible, such as a skill

and strife among you- “eris” bitter conflict, heated often violent dissension

are you not of the flesh and

behaving only in a human way? presently

What is truly important? (vs. 4-9)

for when one says

I follow Paul

I follow Apollos

are you not being merely human?

What then is Apollos?

What is Paul?

servants through whom you believed

as the Lord assigned to each.

I planted

Apollos watered

But God gave the growth.

So neither he who plants

nor he who waters is anything

but only God who gives the growth

He who plants

and he who waters are one

and each will receive his wages

according to his labour

For we are God’s fellow workers

You are

God’s field

God’s Building

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

What caught your attention in this section?

Which verses or words would you like to study a little more this week?

Engage the Heart (humility vs. pride):

This is a spiritual conversation. That needs to be said. Everything in life is spiritual. This kind of conversation can get contentious really quickly if our hearts are not right (jealousy and strife).

Notice in the text, it wasn’t as important who it was as much as it was a servant of God’s choosing. God gives the growth and He does that through His people, yet he is the source of the growth. A good question we can derive from this is where can I go to be best exposed to the servants that God assigns? Where are the people that will teach that are not merely human? That is a question that you have to answer. God has servants in the public school system, they may be harder to find, but they are there.

Believers are God’s field, God’s building! Don’t forget the farmer! Don’t belittle the builder!

Where do you think the best place to learn about this is? The family of God!

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

Favourite teachers/cirriculum- Is it a bad thing to enjoy specific Pastors, teachers, or ways of studying the Bible? No, but if you start saying “Well John MacArthur says, or Dr. Jeremiah says” more than, the Bible says… Or “precept is the only way to understand the Scripture…”

Growth Groups

CBA

Children’s Centre

Transitional phrase: The biggest question we need to ask ourselves about this aspect of education is, “Who are we allowing to build into our lives?

Laying a Foundation: “The Grace of God” (vs. 10-15)

Take care how you build (vs. 10-11)

According to the grace of God given to me- can we all sit there for a minute? GRACE

like a skilled- “sophos” wise, skillful in his trade

master builder- “architektwn” a builder who is preminent in authority and skill over other builders

I laid a foundation- “themelion” usually made of stone

and someone else is building upon it- to continue construction of an unfinished building (which is already somewhat established).

Let each one take care- “blepetw” see, to watch carefully

how he builds upon it.

For no one can lay a foundation (“themelion” same as before) other than that which is laid

which is Jesus Christ

Revealed by fire (vs. 12-15)

Now if anyone builds on the foundation (same) with

gold

silver

percious stones

wood

hay

straw

each one’s work will become manifest- the work of building on the foundation of Jesus

for the Day will disclose it

because it will be revealed by fire

and the fire will test what sort of work each on has done

Gold, silver and precious stones are purified

Wood, hay, and straw burned up

If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives

he will receive a reward

If anyone’s work is burned up

he will suffer loss- “z-eh-miwth-eh-setai” fut, pass, ind, 3rd, sg to forfeit, be fined

though he himself will be saved

but only as through fire- burning everything but the foundation

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

What caught your attention in this section?

Which verses or words would you like to study a little more this week?

Engage the Heart (humility vs. pride):

One of the majors questions we have to ask ourselves when it comes to education is, “Are the people we allow to build into our lives building from the same foundation?”. This is true of education, finances, health, occupation, etc.

Does building a good foundation gaurantee anything? What do you mean, well, if I send my kids to Central Baptist Academy, jr. Church, Pioneer clubs, etc will that guarantee that they will follow Jesus? No.

So, are you saying that if I or someone in my family

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

How much of what we are building on the foundation will last?

Transitional phrase: The biggest question we need to ask ourselves about laying a foundation is not just , “Who are we allowing to build into our lives and are they building on the foundation of Jesus?

God’s Temple: “You are God’s Temple” (vs. 16-23)

You (pl) are that temple (vs. 16-17)

Do you (pl) not know that you (pl) are God’s temple

and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

If anyone destroys God’s temple

God will destroy him

For God’s temple is holy

and you are that temple

Wisdom that is folly (vs. 18-20)

Let not one deceive himself

if anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age

let him become a fool

that he may become wise

For the widsom of this world is folly with God

for it is written

“He catches the wise in their craftiness”-

Job 5:13 “He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.”

“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile”-

Psalm 94:11 “the Lord—knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath.”

Don’t boast in men (vs. 21-23)

So let no one boast in men

for all things are yours

whether paul

or Apollos

or Cephas

or the world

or life

or death

or the present

or the future

all are yours

and you are Christ’s

and Christ is God’s

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

What caught your attention in this section?

Which verses or words would you like to study a little more this week?

Engage the Heart (humility vs. pride):

How are we encouraging one another to build on the foundation?

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

Transitional phrase:

Summary: Consider how you build

Discussion Starters:

Who am I allowing to build into my life and are they building on the foundation of Jesus?

How much of what I am building on the foundation will last?

In what ways am I encouraging one another to build on the foundation?

Song: Yet not I but Christ

Benediction/Looking ahead: INVITE PEOPLE TO THE CAFE

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