Foundation of Christ - Divisions II

1 Corinthians 3:1-9

1 Corinthians 3:1–9 ESV

1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? 5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

What’s the goal of the Christian walk?

Discipleship.

What does discipleship lead to?

MATURITY!!!

Are you a mature believer?

I won’t ask you to raise your hands because I am not interested in division. Here is what I know based on human nature. Some of you would prefer to hear from Tom every week. I also know there are some who would prefer to hear from me more often. I would be foolish to think there are no preferences.

Why?

Because you and I are all human. I have also heard some folks say that out loud.

Does it hurt my feelings? No!

Do I want all of you to like me? Yes?

Why?

Because I am human and I have human desires and tendencies. I do not naturally lean toward maturity. I lean toward selfish desires.

(said in a whisper) Here’s the secret, “All of you are the same.”

Is that where we should stay?

Absolutely NOT!!!

Which one of us is better, Tom or me? Don’t answer that, it’s a trick question.

Neither of us is better than the other. People have preferences, but neither of us is in competition with the other. I have no desire to replace or beat Tom. I have no desire to show him up or make him look bad.

Why?

We are on the same team. We are moving in the same direction. We are working toward the same goal. We have the same desire, love, and respect for this body of believers. We both want this expression of the body of Christ to succeed. We both want this body of believers to grow to maturity in Christ and produce fruit that is honoring to God. We both want to enter eternity with you at our side.

This church, body of believers is not based on Tom or Cory, it is based solely on Jesus Christ. I heard Tom say last week, and i agree 100%, Sola Scripture, and Sola Fidae.

What does that mean Cory???

We do everything based on God’s Word, the Bible, Sola Scriptura (one scripture).

We all have one faith that comes from scripture (Sola Fidae), again, based solely on Jesus Christ.

Nothing here in this body, where faith or scripture is concerned, is based on either Tom or Cory.

Will you see some of our preferences, Yes.

Will we lead you on the gospel of either of us, NO!!!

Why?

It’s not about me

It’s not about you

It is all about HIM!!!

Do you know what causes the most disunity in churches everywhere?

Personal preference…kicking Jesus off the throne and you or I sitting on it.

Whole churches have been divided over preferences, paint, carpet, flowers, coffee in or outside the sanctuary, children in the service, children out of the service, contemporary music, hymns, or the psalms and every argument is based on a personal, human, preference, not God’s direction or leadership.

Do you know what I see the least of here than in any other church I have led or been a part of? There is not nearly as much division or issues. That is a huge blessing. Tom has been preaching on unity from the beginning of 1 Corinthians. A big part of unity is maturity. Thus, covering last weeks verses.

Where do we go from here?

Glorify God by growing others in Christ!

1 Corinthians 3:10–23 ESV

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. 18 Let no 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. 19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 So let no one boast in men. For 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 Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

In order to put up a building, what do you need?

You need a foundation!

What is my job. What is Tom’s job here.

to ensure there is a good foundation.

We are to preach, teach, and equip the saints

Ephesians 4:11–12 NLT

11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

What are men, human beings, afflicted, affected, pursued, bound, painfully used by?

Sin!

So is every pastor perfect? Nope and neither are we, but I will say we are working toward a standard, the scripture.

What is our foundation built on?

The word of God.

Why?

Because only God is perfect.

He is:

the same…

Hebrews 13:8 ESV

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

In him there is no…

James 1:17 NLT

17 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

Jesus, God, is the perfect foundation. That is what we work to lay down, but we also build on that perfect foundation.

Each person is responsible for what is built on their foundation. I, as a pastor, am responsible to an extent, but you are responsible for what is built on your Christian foundation.

Do you know how it will be tested?

Fire!

Matthew 6:19–21 ESV

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Don’t be worldly like Paul writes in verse 3, build on your foundation with the good things like he writes in verse 12, gold, silver, precious stones.

The discipleship you do today and the good works you do because of your faith in Jesus are the treasures you store up in heaven.

Why?

Good stuff with real value won’t burn.

Some believers will make it to Jesus bonfire, but they may leave with nothing. Some will get to heaven by the skin of their teeth. They are still there, but that is all that they have to show for it.

Don’t be that believer!

Walk away with some gold, silver, and precious stones, maybe a crown of salvation or a few of them. When you lead people to Jesus you get a crown. Some believers may not get any.

What a shame.

I don’t mean that as a put down. I do mean it as a rallying call. Get busy, be a disciple, get to know the God who saves you and gave us everything.

Don’t be that guy or girl who is like this.

Great, you made it, but what were you doing with the incredibly valuable gift Jesus died to give you.

How many people did you hate enough not to tell them about Jesus.

How little did you love Jesus to not want to know everything you could about him, because the bonfire is going to show it all.

The Jesus bonfire will show who was busy and who was lazy.

Woot woot, I got my ticket, but that’s it.

Romans 10:14 ESV

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

The watchman on the wall, that’s you and me, was responsible for telling the people of the town or city they were in when danger was coming. If they failed to give the warning, the penalty was severe. It was usually death if they failed while they were on watch.

Are you watching and telling people about the danger that is coming?

Are you telling them about Jesus and how he can heal their brokenness?

At the final judgement, will someone ask you, why didn’t you tell me?

Tom and I work hard to make sure we teach what is needed so that you are able to grow more mature and so that you can be fruitful, that means telling others about Jesus.

Did you know you are God’s temple? verse 16

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 ESV

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

You are not your own. You belong to God. You were bought with a price, the blood of Jesus.

The context here is taking care of your body, but telling others about Jesus is fitting too.

Did you know you’re not that wise, or you shouldn’t think you are a fountain of wisdom?

How do I know that, because I am not that wise. There are times I do and say really stupid stuff. the words come out of my mouth and I wonder, what was I thinking. Sometimes I am not very wise. When I get there I have to turn back to the right source to stay on track. The bible and listening to the Holy Spirit is essential.

Don’t look to Tom or Cory for all the answers. You are responsible for being a disciple and learning this stuff for yourself. It’s part of the maturity a believer is called to have.

That doesn’t mean, don’t call me if you have a question. I love answering biblical questions and live a breathe that. That doesn’t mean don’t call Tom either. W

What is does mean is that when the situation happens when you need to tell someone about Jesus, you need to be ready to do that. You should always be ready to tell someone about the word of God and about the good news.

1 Peter 3:15 ESV

15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.

What does that mean Cory. Be ready all the time to answer about Jesus. Always be ready to tell someone the good news of salvation. Tom or I are not supposed to do it all, you share the command to go, baptise, and teach, the same as we do.

Are you a mature believer?

If you are not, it’s not too late.

How do I know?

You’re still breathing.

Tom and I have a lot of tools to help you with that. You can start with being here at the 7:30 or 10:45 classes. We are breaking it down there in simple terms. Theology for ordinary people.

Will you stay where you are and all your works be burned up in the Jesus bonfire r will you walk away with a fortune in treasure that you sent on ahead? The choice is yours. I hope you choose right.

Let’s pray.