Becoming Who You Are # ! You Are God’s Field

Becoming Who You Are

1 - You are God's Field

(1 Corinthians 3:1-9)            File: 1 - You Are God's Field.docx                             5/24/2026

Intro: New series from 1 Corinthians chapter three, which has to do with becoming who you are. Becoming all that God has in mind for you to become.

It is very important as a believer is that we embrace and live up to our identity in Christ.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians who were living below their calling, filled with contention, strife, carnality, and tolerating immorality

The Corinthians were not living up to their identity, and He is challenging them by giving them word pictures of who they were called to be.

The words “you are” appear 7 times in 1 Corinthians 3.

He begins with the negative sense that "you are carnal." He could not speak to them as to spiritual people but as to babies, spiritual babies.

Paul, in contrast, presents four word pictures describing who believers are called to be

First picture: “You are God’s field” (1 Corinthians 3:9)

(1 Corinthians 3:1–9 NKJV)   1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.  2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;  3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?  4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?  5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?  6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.  7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.  8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.  9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.

I. YOU ARE God’s Field… A Picture drawn from AGRICULTURE.

A. You are Dirt?

1. "You are not all that"… A phrase that means you're not as important as you think. Get over yourself.

a) (1 Corinthians 5:2 NKJV)   2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.

2. At our basic nature, we are dirt—God made man from the dust of the ground

a) (Genesis 2:7 NKJV)   7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

b) (Genesis 3:19 NKJV)   19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”

3. This reality should spawn humility and keep us from thinking too highly of ourselves

a) Corinthian contention was rooted in pride…

b)(Proverbs 13:10 NKJV)   10 By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom.

(1) If pride takes root… we will have conflict.

c) We have borne the image of the earthly (though we will also bear the image of the heavenly)

B. You are more than dirt, you are soil.

1. “Soil,” in contrast, speaks of potential… the capacity for great fruitfulness.

a) (Genesis 9:7 NKJV)   7 And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; Bring forth abundantly in the earth And multiply in it.”

2. V9 "You are God’s field" Dignity conferred …, because we are God’s field.

a) Much of people's contention, strife, and trouble comes because of a poor self-image or bad self-identity, perhaps rooted in a spirit of rejection.

b) Because we belong to God, we should aspire to be all that we can be for His glory.

3. An investment has been made into our lives… "Paul planted, Apollos watered, but God gives the increase."

4. You are God’s field… not just dirt, but soil with potential

II. Digging Deeper into the soil of our soul.

A. Parable of the soils… 4 types of soils.

1. (Matthew 13:19 NLT)   19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.

2. Caliche dirt… In Tucson, there is dirt that is very hard, solid, and compacted that will not receive seeds.

a) We can become hardened… Unbelief and sin harden the heart.

b) (Hebrews 3:12–13 NLT)   12 Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.  13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.

3. And then there is the stony ground there’s no depth.

a) (Matthew 13:20–21 NLT)   20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.  21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.

b) (Matthew 13:21 NLT)   21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.

c) The ability to be rooted is critical.

(1) (Ephesians 3:17 NLT)   17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

4. Thorny ground soil

a) (Matthew 13:22 NLT)   22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.

(1) God can get crowded out of a believer’s heart and life.

(2) We can become worldly Christians, which is why we are warned…

(3) (1 John 2:15 NLT)   15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.

b) The enemy’s strategy…

(1) (Matthew 13:24–26 NLT)   24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field.  25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away.  26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

(2) That is true in a believer’s life. We must be alert and on guard.

B. Sowing into the field of our lives.

1. (1 Corinthians 3:5–6 NLT)   5 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.  6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.

a) God used someone to plant the seed and water our soul – but God caused the growth!

(1) We should be eternally grateful for those who sowed into our lives!

2. Our part is to give diligence to the condition of the soil of our soul.

a)  (Proverbs 16:1 NKJV)   1 The preparations of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

b) To keep our heart soft and pliable… to be receptive soil.

III. aMending the Soil of our Soul

A. Part of the work of planting a garden or maintaining it is working with the soil.

1. From a gardener’s perspective, “amending the soil” means deliberately changing what’s in the ground so plants can actually thrive rather than just survive.

2. To the believer, amending the soil means to break up hard ground, to pull out rocks and weeds, and work in fresh compost and nutrients so the roots have what they need to grow strong and healthy.”

B. Break Up.

1. (Hosea 10:12 NKJV)   12 Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.

a) "Break up your fallow ground".

b) "Fallow ground" represents a human heart or life that has become hardened, neglected, or overgrown with the "weeds" of sin, apathy, or distraction.

2. This is a call to self-reflection and repentance.

a) It means doing the hard, intentional work of softening your heart so it can be receptive to new growth and God’s wisdom.

C. Pull Out.

1. We have to pull out the weeds that take root in our heart.

a) Sin

b) Apathy

c) Carnality

d) Compromise

e) Unbelief

f) Lukewarmness

g) Bitterness

h) Complaining

D. Work In.

1. Fertilize the soil.

a) (Luke 13:6–9 NLT)   6 Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed.  7 Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’  8 “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer.  9 If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’ ”

2. God’s Miracle grow for the soil.

a) A nursery worker recommended Miracle-Gro for plant growth, suggesting application every holiday. This can be likened to applying God’s word and water to one’s life for spiritual growth.

b) God's word and God's spirit are truly Miracle-Gro for a believer's life.

c) (1 Peter 2:2 NLT)   2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,

3. Trials – overcome by faith are the “dung” that enrich the soil of a believer's life.

a) (James 1:2–4 NKJV)   2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,  3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

b) When we keep a right heart through trials, we are enriched by those experiences over time

4. When fields are fertilized, there is a distinct odor…

a) If you find yourself going through some stinky times… “count it all joy”!

b) But that odor means a fruitful season of harvest and blessing is coming.

c) (1 Peter 5:10 NKJV)   10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

Conclusion:

1.So, what is Paul really saying when he writes, ‘You are God’s field’?

a)He is reminding a carnal, divided church that underneath all the mess, there is soil that still belongs to God, soil He has no intention of abandoning.

b)He has planted, He has sent people to water, and He is still able to give the increase if we will let Him work the ground of our hearts again.

2.You are God’s field—soil He has not abandoned, even if some places have gone hard, shallow, or overgrown with weeds. 

3.He is calling you to amend the soil of your heart: to break up your fallow ground, pull out what you know does not belong, and invite His Word and Spirit to work deeply in you again. 

4.If that is your desire, come and say, “Lord, have Your field—plow where You must, so You can bring the harvest You desire in my life.”