4 Realign Leadership

Introduction

Apostle Paul’s letter to the believers in Corinth to answer questions and address some problems

1:10 …agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. Agree = align or realign, unity in mindset/attitude and purpose.

Addressing division - allegiance to specific leaders

Chapter 2 – the mysteries of God and His word are only understood as His Spirit speaks to our spirit.

Paul brings a deeper message of the mysteries of God to the mature, a message that is spiritual and can only be understood in our spirit as God’s Spirit speaks to us.

Chapter 3 – leaders and wisdom

C2 into 3 through v.4 Mature followers are ready for deeper insight and teaching. Our understanding comes from God’s Spirit speaking to our spirits.

Evidence of Immaturity

1 Corinthians 3:1 NIV

1 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ.

Paul is addressing the divisions over who the people want to follow which is a sign of their immaturity. They have not grown in their relationship with Christ because they have settled for human wisdom, human leaders, worldly mindset.

v3. Your immaturity is showing because you are squaring off to fight about something that is meaningless.

C3:1-4 But you are not mature. You’re still babies and so we have to teach you like babies. Your division and polarizing around leaders shows your immaturity.

Polarization examples: Pastor Lloyd or Pastor Ron or Pastor at another local church. Billy Graham or Joel Osteen or Greg Locke or Joyce Mayer or Beth Moore. And on and on. Or how about the political polarization – Trump or Bernie or Biden. Democrat or Republican.

God Grows Harvest

5-9 Who are all these people anyway? Hopefully they are all God’s servants. Servants do the work assigned to them. It is God Who actually causes the change, transformation, growth. V.8 the workers are working toward the same goal and are rewarded for their work.

1 Corinthians 3:6 NIV

6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.

Starts with planting metaphor – all who plant and water are the same (one) or same purpose, God gives increase/harvest. God rewards their work.

v.9 transition in metaphors from field and planting to building.

Christ Our Foundation

1 Corinthians 3:10 NIV

10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care.

10-15 Because of God’s grace – gift, calling, purpose

Laying a foundation and others build on the foundation. The foundation is Jesus. Workers are judged by the quality of their work.

Here is an extreme caution:

Be careful who you follow, but also don’t get too attached to the leader/teacher you follow.

12-15 Be careful because only those who build on the foundation of Jesus Christ are true. Some build around the foundation of Christ but not on Him. They focus on Jesus as the genie to grant our wishes, or the help desk to run to when things aren’t working the way we want. Some focus on the Bible as a rule book to follow, or more likely to make others follow, or as a repository for feel good quotes and anecdotes. Some focus on current issues.

The true servant builds on the foundation of Jesus Christ.

Division in the Temple

1 Corinthians 3:16–17 NIV

16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

16-17 Summing up what he’s saying – all of you together are the temple – dwelling place of God. Those who destroy the temple by causing division – destroy the fellowship and unity – will also be destroyed. Harsh judgment on those causing division.

Humble Yourself

1 Corinthians 3:18 NIV

18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise.

18-20 is a warning. We all want to think we are wise, we are mature, we already know. Paul’s warning is that we are deceiving ourselves. Human wisdom is nothing. To be come truly wise we must humble ourselves and let God’s Spirit teach or spirit.

1 Corinthians 3:21–23 NIV

21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! 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 of Christ, and Christ is of God.

21-23 Don’t boast. It’s not about the leaders you follow. All of these belong to you, but you belong to Christ who belongs to God – there is your boasting. Boast in Christ. Boast in God.

Conclusion

Paul gave the evidence of their failure to grow in faith and following Jesus. He directed them away from their earthly leaders and pointed them to God as the real provider and Jesus, the foundation of the temple in which God lives.

Big Idea: Don’t boast in human wisdom, you all belong to Christ who belongs to God.

Boast in God.

What About You?

What you do individually has an impact on the collective health of the church.

Who are you following?

What are you focusing on that is distracting you from fully following Jesus?

You all are God’s temple. What are you doing that might disrupt the unity of our fellowship?