Commands of Christ: Following Jesus in Building Our Lives
Notes
Transcript
June 2, 2021 The Commands of Christ – 11f
Adult Bible Study
Matthew 7:24-27 Even though Jesus does not say: Therefore, I command you, build your house on the “rock” of my teaching and commands — could it be implied?
Open:
In what way is life like a building project? What “foundation” does your life rest upon?
Recap:
Series Foundational Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20 esp. vs.20 … teaching them [the disciples of all nations] to observe all that I commanded you…
We continue to cover the commands that relate to Christ is Lord:
Deny Yourself | Take Up My Yoke and Learn from Me | Follow Me | You Have Heard It Said … but I Say to You | Pray This Way | Do This in Remembrance of Me | Remember What I Said
The Bible uses the image of “building” to illustrate what it means to follow Jesus. Not only are we all involved in the project, but we will also all face an evaluation some day for our personal contribution.
Purpose: To prompt us to examine how we are using our time, resources and energy to serve Jesus and to build God’s kingdom.
Dig:
READ: 1 Corinthians 3:9-15
1. What kind of “building” is Paul talking about in this passage?
What helped you draw that conclusion?
Vs. 9 says we are God’s building.
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,
22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
We are a “dwelling for God.” A “spiritual house.”
Question 1. It’s obvious that Paul is not talking about a literal building in this passage. Paul wants the Corinthians (and us) to see themselves as a diverse group of people with different skills and gifts, coming together to build a spiritual building. Every Christian is building God’s building, the church. We aren’t using literal bricks and mortar, but we are building into the lives of people through our ministries of love and encouragement or teaching or helping. As each member contributes to the project, the building grows stronger and larger and more beautiful. Paul’s point is that we are all building. Some are building poorly and some are building well.
Complete Biblical Library Commentary: But those who follow [Paul as a builder] must be careful as to what they build on top of this wise foundation. In this chapter Paul introduced three classes of builders:
(1) Those who are truly wise;
(2) those who are unwise and introduce wrong material but do not leave the foundation;
and (3) those who are fools and try to destroy God's temple.
Paul acknowledged other builders besides himself, but he acknowledged no foundation other than Jesus Christ. Everything must be built on the person and doctrine of Christ. In an absolute sense, there can be no other foundation.
2. How does it make you feel to think that you are one of the craftsmen working on God’s building?
Let each group member express his or her feelings without correction or judgment from the leader or from others in the group.
Question 2. Paul makes it clear that every Christian is building, whether we know it or not and whether we like it or not. We can’t just sit on the side and refuse to build. The spiritual community of believers is being built every day in every life. That fact should make us feel honored but it can also bring a sense of apprehension.
Each of us are either making the building better or we are making it worse — EACH OF US.
3. Jesus Christ is the foundation of God’s building. How did Paul and the other early Christian leaders lay that foundation?
In verse 10 he calls himself a wise “master builder.” The Greek word (only use in NT) is “archetektone” which would kind of obviously make us think of architect (which is the way some tranlations render it). Is there a difference?
Why is this foundation so important for God’s building?
Question 3. As the founder of the Corinthian church, Paul laid the spiritual foundation of the “building” by preaching the message of Jesus. These believers had heard the gospel and they had been taught the foundational truths of the Christian faith. It is on that foundation that any true work for God is built.
The foundation is important because our faith rests on Jesus’ death and resurrection. Our ministries as Christians spring from what God has done in our lives by his grace. If the “building” we are working on stands on the wrong foundation, it will ultimately collapse.
4. When and how was the foundation of faith in Christ laid in your life, and who were the people responsible for laying it?
The foundation was laid in August 1971 when I knelt at an altar, repented of my sins and asked Jesus to be Lord of my life.
The people who laid that foundation was Pastor Albert Pettit and his wife. The Pettits poured into me, especially Sister Pettit as my High School SS teacher. I had peers in the youth group who also helped me establish a foundation in Christ.
5. What does Paul mean when he talks about building with gold, silver or costly stones?
What about wood, hay or straw?
Complete Biblical Library Commentary: In building, men use different materials. Paul listed at least two categories of materials—good and bad. But he also set the stage for his next figure, fire, by listing three incombustible and three combustible types of material. These materials have been said to refer to one of three areas:
(1) Different sorts of persons in the Church;
(2) moral fruits; and
(3) doctrines of the different teachers.
It seems difficult and impractical to distinguish so finely among the three suggestions, since they have a relationship with one another. There is, however, some emphasis on speculative, curious doctrine versus solid doctrine. At this point one thing is certain, the emphasis is on what is done, not how it is done. In the process of building the work of Christ it is essential that the best materials be used because the work will be exposed and evaluated.
Question 5. Most of the materials Paul lists are not building materials at all. Wood certainly qualifies, but who builds a house with gold—or with straw? The materials represent the quality and motives of each worker. Some Christians are excellent builders on God’s building and they use exceptional materials. Other Christians rely on faulty methods and poor-quality materials. Some works of ministry will endure and be rewarded; some works of ministry will not endure. Those who try to do God’s work directed by the world’s wisdom or with selfish motives will find themselves constructing a flimsy house of straw.
6. Paul refers in verse 13 to a “Day” of evaluation that all believers will face. What will Jesus be examining on that Day?
Vs. 13 - The quality of each person’s work.
Question 6. This future “Day” is a reference to the judgment seat of Christ (Rom 14:10-12; 2 Cor 5:10).
10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
11 For it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall give praise to God.”
12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
This is not a judgment to determine if a person is saved or lost. We are saved by God’s grace through faith alone. The judgment seat will be a time of evaluation of each believer and how that believer has built his or her section of God’s building. Our motives, our methods, our faithfulness and our obedience will all be evaluated, and we will be rewarded or lose the reward based on the outcome.
7. If our building survives the fire of Jesus’ evaluation, we will receive a reward from him (v. 14). How do you envision that reward?
Question 7. The rewards for faithful service are often called “crowns” in the New Testament—visible symbols of victory and endurance that believers will receive from Christ and that we will ultimately lay before God in gratitude and humility (Rev 4:10-11). Rewards are also pictured in Scripture as the Master’s declaration of “Well done, good and faithful servant” and as expanded privileges and responsibilities in God’s kingdom (Matt 25:21). Group members may have other ways of envisioning Christ’s rewards.
Crowns:
2 Timothy 4:8 (NASB95)
8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
James 1:12 (NASB95)
12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
What happens to the crowns?
Revelation 4:9–11 (NASB95) And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
Also: Matthew 25:21 (NASB95) “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’
8. What will it mean to suffer loss of this reward (v. 15)?
Question 8. Paul stresses that loss of reward does not mean loss of salvation. Even the person who is left with nothing after the evaluation of his life “will be saved” (v. 15). Christians who have failed to serve the Lord faithfully will be shown what rewards they could have received had they built differently. A believer’s loss of reward will bring a sense of shame (1 Jn 2:28) that will be removed when God wipes every tear from our eyes (Rev 21:4).
28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.
Reflect:
Does this future Day of evaluation make you nervous or do you look forward to it with anticipation? Explain your answer.
Question 9. The reality of a future evaluation before Christ makes some Christians fearful. Remind your group that this is not an evaluation to determine if we are saved or lost, but an evaluation for reward or loss of reward. Paul also says that each believer “will receive his praise from God” (1 Cor 4:5). The purpose of the judgment seat is not condemnation but gracious examination.
We can begin today to build well on our section of God’s building and, as a result, we can anticipate that Day when we will hear Jesus tell us, “Well done.”
Sit in silence for a few moments, asking the Lord to evaluate the quality of your work on his building right now. Then talk to him about what you sense him saying, and ask him to give you the courage to build in such a way that he is pleased.
Plan to do something to build up God’s building. Help a senior adult with yard work, prepare a meal for a needy family, baby-sit for a young couple, buy clothes or toys for a family shelter. Do it in Jesus’ name, not for praise from others.
LifeGuide Topical Bible Studies - Following Jesus: 8 Studies for Individuals or Groups.
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