Day 6: 3:1-9 (Co-workers for God: Building His Church Together)

- The church should be built on God’s foundation, not human wisdom or personalities. While Paul and Apollos played different roles in planting and watering, it is God who causes the growth. The church is God’s field and building, and believers are co-workers with God in this process. Each person has a role to play, but ultimately, true growth comes from God, not human effort.

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


2. OBSERVATIONS :

•   What did this passage mean to its original audience? 

The Christians in Corinth had developed rivalries centered around their preferred leader. Their actions were a sign of spiritual immaturity. They needed to be reminded that they were not servants of the Lord, not of men. They also needed to be reminded that God had called them to work together for him, not in competition with one another.

• What does this passage reveal about God?
  - God is the one who is ultimately responsible for any spiritual transformation that takes place in our lives.
  - All ministry is performed for God. After all, we serve and work in HIS church and HIS world.

What does this passage reveal about people?
    - We have a tendency to compete with each other which leads to jealousy and strife
    - We are all servants through whom God does his work. None of us are better than another.

3. APPLICATION: What does this passage impact my affections, attitudes and actions?
 As a pastor I should celebrate the victories that take place in the ministries of other pastors. If I ever become jealous of the fruit of another person’s ministry I need to repent immediately.

I ought to view other ministers who are faithful to the Lord  as my brothers and co-workers rather than as my competitors. I must remember that when fruit is produced through my ministry or the  ministry of another person, that God deserves the glory for all of it!  If anything brings God glory then I should respond with joy and never with jealousy.

Ministry is never about “ME”.
 
4. PRAYER:
Lord, I thank you for the privilege of working together with other members of your church to build your church for your glory.  I pray that you would bless the work of our hands at Calvary Church and cause us to produce much fruit for your kingdom. I pray for the other churches in our community, across our state and around the world. I pray that they will be fruitful, growing in number and spiritual maturity. I pray that you will bless my fellow pastors. Keep them from harm, temptation, and discouragement. I pray they will walk in the Spirit and produce much fruit!!

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!  Psalm 115:1

- Pastor Randy.