1 Corinthians 3:4-15
Every minister is strong in certain areas and not so strong in others. To simplify it, he is human. Probably his spiritual life is a little out of balance.
That has been true from the time Jesus selected the twelve apostles. Judas was certainly a problem. We are told that he was the one who carried their common money, and that he used from the bag, money for himself. In current history, we have all heard of church treasurers who helped themselves with part of the church funds. Because of lax auditing, or none at all, this was a temptation. A wise minister, has no contact with the church’s funds at all. But all are not so wise.
Thomas is branded as being a “doubter” because he was not present the first time Jesus came to appear to the others after his rose from the grave, and he doubted, but didn’t they all doubt the word of the women who came to the grave that first Easter morning? Many ministers do not believe this as well, yet they have no problem assembling many to follow them. That is why Jesus warned us that there will be many false prophets and leaders in the latter days.
We must be aware of these facts, and not rely solely on what we are being taught. If the message is constantly at odds with the word of God, we have two choices, go to the elders with our complaint, or go where we trust the instructor. But, keep in mind, we too may be in error.
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
(1 Corinthians 1:12, 1 Corinthians 3:3)
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
(Romans 15:16, 2 Corinthians 3:3, 2 Corinthians 3:6, 2 Corinthians 4:1, 2 Corinthians 5:18, 2 Corinthians 6:4, Ephesians 3:7, Colossians 1:25, 1 Timothy 1:12, Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 3:10)
Every person is born with certain strengths, which we call talents. He or she may be born with musical abilities, and a voice that is always on pitch. To them this can be both a blessing or a temptation. I recall a lovely student, we often sang for chapel. She was talented, and had the appearance to go with it, but this led her away from using it for the Lord to a worldly venue. Praise to the Lord, I am told she repented of this bad choice.
But the talent can be in preaching as well. Many ministers, unfortunately have a talent for leadership, a strong personality, a good appearance. They look and sound the part, but they are not strong in the word. I was present once in a church assembly where there was a spiritual problem that threatened to become physical. The men were well armed and accustomed to responding violently. But, the leader had a strong personality, and I was amazed that he relied on this strength and did not refer to God’s word even once in the long session. When we departed, we were lucky not to have been stoned, and the problem persisted. Much later I was called back to that same church which still had the same problems. that they rejected the word, and still later the doors were locked. It was so filled with hatred and sinful practices that there was little choice. I was glad that I did not have to advise that solution.
6 I have planted, Apollos watered: but God gave the increase.
(1 Corinthians 4:15, 1 Corinthians 9:1, 1 Corinthians 15:1, 2 Corinthians 10:14, Acts 18:24-27, 1 Corinthians 1:12, 1 Corinthians 15:10)
No matter whether we are a seed planter by nature, a nurturer, or a harvester, all the praise goes to the Lord for the harvest. Some people are great at preparing a field and sowing the seed, but others come along to harvest the crop. Being of a farming background, I remember the preparation the field, the sowing of the seed, the tending of the young plants, and some of the harvesting of the crop, but when it came to harvesting time additional help was called in. A threshing machine arrived that day, and extra wagons went to the fields to collect the grain from the shocks that stood there waiting. That threshing machine soon separated the grain from the rest of the plant and the grain was stored safely in the barn, and the straw stood in one pile called the haystack. The next day that was transferred to the barn haymow . The point is, one person did not necessarily do all the tasks, even then.
In a church, there is a constant process of teaching of the word, appropriate for the age group first. There are talented teachers who share in this preparation. Many of the responses to that teaching, came through the revivals that we had each year when a talented evangelist came to peach, often with professional music leaders, souls were saved. I recall that in our sunday school class had three teenage boys. Our teacher was a local postman. He was later killed in an automobile accident, but he left the results of his teaching and example. All three of those boys graduated from Bible College, some of them with masters degrees.
7 So then neither is he that planteth anything, but he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
(1 Corinthians 3:141 Corinthians 4:5, 1 Corinthians 9:17, Galatians 6:4)
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are god’s husbandry, ye are god’s building.
(Mark 16:20, 2 Corinthians 6:1, Isaiah 61:3, Matthew 15:13, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Ephesians 2:20-22, Colossians 2L7, 1 Peter 2:5)
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.
(Romans 12:3, 1 Corinthians 15:10, Romans 15:20, 1 Corinthians 3:11, 1 Thessalonians 3:2)
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
(Isaiah 28:16, Ephesians 2:20, 1 Peter 2:4)
12 Now if any man build on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
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.
(1 Corinthians 4:5, Matthew 10:15, 1 Corinthians 1:8, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, 2 Timothy 1:12, 2 Timothy 1:18, 2 Timothy 4:8)
14 If a man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
(1 Corinthians 3:8, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 1 Corinthians 9:17, Galatians 6:4)
15 If a man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
(Job 23:10, Psalm 66:10, Psalm 66:12, Jude 23)
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READ YOUR BIBLE THROUGH THIS YEAR
4th Sunday - 1 Chronicles 6, 1 Corinthians 3, Proverbs 19:1-10
5th Monday - 1 Chronicles 7, 8, 1 Corinthians 4, Psalm 91:1-8
6th Tuesday - 1 Chronicles 9, 10, 1 Corinthians 5, Psalm 91:9-16
7th Wednesday - 1 Chronicles 11, 12, 1 Corinthians 6, Psalm 92
8th Thursday - 1 Chronicles 13, 14, 15, 1 Corinthians 7:1-19, Proverbs 19:1-20
9th Friday - 1 Chronicles 16, 17, 1 Corinthians 7:20-40, Psalm 93
10th Saturday - 1 Chronicles 18, 19, 20, 1 Corinthians 8, Psalm 94:1-11
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MEMORY VERSE FOR TODAY
“The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” - 1 Corinthians 1:18-19
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PRAYERS
A mother told her young son to go to bed and to be sure and say his prayers and ask God to make him be a good boy. The boy’s father, passing by the bedroom, overheard his son praying. “And God make me a good boy if you can; and if you can’t, don’t worry about it, ‘cause I’m having fun the way I am.”
I suspect some adults would pray somewhat similarly.
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At a White House breakfast for religious leaders, President Bush told the story of a little boy who offered up this simple prayer, “God bless Mother and Daddy, my brother and sister, and God, do take care of yourself because if anything happens to you, we’re all sunk.”
Amen to that!
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