Sunday School 8-2-26 (Serve Christ with eternity in mind)

Start with Discussion of Chapter 3 verses 1-4

Ask Class who their favorite celebrity?

Be careful of idols

King James Version Chapter 3

3 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto bspiritual, but as unto ccarnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and hstrife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

Immaturity of the believers

They should have moved from milk to meat

Yet they are not able to quit fighting over leaders

Spiritual Babies (Milk vs. Solid Food)

Babies in faith: Paul calls the believers "infants in Christ" because they have not grown up in how they think or act.

Milk, not meat: He gave them basic teaching ("milk") at first because they were not strong enough for deep truth ("solid food").

Stunted growth: They are still unready to grow because they choose to stay selfish. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Proof of Worldliness (Jealousy and Strife)

Acting human: Paul says their jealousy and arguing show they live "of the flesh"—meaning they act like people who do not know God.

Fights and anger: Envy and angry arguments inside the group prove their spiritual life is weak. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Division Over Leaders (Paul vs. Apollos)

Taking sides: People in the church are splitting into groups, saying "I follow Paul" or "I follow Apollos".

Missing the point: Paul explains that human teachers are just servants, and dividing the church over famous personalities is immature and worldly. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Apolos and Paul have different Roles yet they both are the same under God

No task is more important than another

Role of the servant to carry out tasks

How have you seen others used by God to Grow His Kingdom?

1 Corinthians 3: 5-15

1 Corinthians 3:5–15 (KJV 1900)

5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

Apollos was a Jew

Apollos was from Alexandria

Apollos would have been highly educated in Greek philosophy

Apollos would be strong in Greek language

Apollos was accurate in his speaking and teaching of Jesus yet his understanding of Jesus would be incomplte because he was only familiar with John’s baptism v 25 Acts 18

While in Ephesus Aquila and Priscilla taught him and expounded God to him v 26 Acts 18

The word minister here would be like a deacon but not that Paul and Apollos are deacons yet God is the Master and they are servants

6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

Paul planted Apollos watered - church planting discussion

7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Man is merely a tool here as God does the growing

8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

One job is not greater than the other they both serve God and it is not a competition

9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

Husbandry is cultivating another farming reference

God is working for and with God

The people become the cultivation, the sharecroppers, and the building thus the building is not the building

10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

Any skill or wisdom are not by Paul yet are of God

Building a church requires reaching, discipling, and encouraging and one can not do it alone

Jesus is the blue print for any church built if done in the correct manner

The wise masterbuilder (Holy Spirit)

Missions, evangelism, church planting, discipleship, yet if you build on any foundation other than Jesus it will not stand

11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Same

12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

Build with precious intent not cheep grace

13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

Day that declare it second coming of Jesus

14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

Eternal reward but not teaching works

Mention of crowns in 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 “

15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

If built on anything other than Christ it is false

Ministry on false foundations do not yield eternal results

Short term glory of false teaching will burn up

Paul is saying judgement by fire is equally final and complete, not a matter of personal salvation

If you are saved and converted by grace your are saved forever

However any ministry work not based in Jesus yield no fruit

If the church in Corinth divided among who they follow their ministry would have no value

How do we make sure we are building on the correct foundation when we serve in the church?

What things will or won’t survive fire?