WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:06.160 Okay, like I said, we are going to be in 1 Corinthians reading verses 1 through 17. 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:09.679 If you're able, will you please stand for the reading of God's Word? 00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:23.359 For my part, brothers and sisters, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ. 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:28.480 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, since you were not yet ready for it. 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:32.240 In fact, you're still not ready, because you're still worldly. 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:39.039 For since there is envy and strife among you, are you not worldly and behaving like mere humans? 00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:48.479 For whoever for whenever someone says, I belong to Paul, and another, I belong to Apollos, are you not acting like mere humans? 00:00:48.960 --> 00:00:50.399 What then is Apollos? 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:51.679 What is Paul? 00:00:51.920 --> 00:00:57.920 They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. 00:00:58.159 --> 00:01:01.840 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:08.319 So then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:16.319 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:18.560 For we are God's co-workers. 00:01:18.879 --> 00:01:22.319 You are God's field, God's building. 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:34.000 According to God's grace that was given to me, I have laid a foundation as a skilled master builder, and another builds on it, but each one is to be careful how he builds on it. 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:38.719 For no one can lay any foundation other than what has been laid down. 00:01:38.959 --> 00:01:41.359 That foundation is Jesus Christ. 00:01:41.519 --> 00:01:50.799 If any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one's work will become obvious. 00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:55.359 For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire. 00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:58.319 The fire will test the quality of each one's work. 00:01:58.480 --> 00:02:03.359 If anyone's work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:07.359 If anyone's work is burned up, he will experience loss. 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:12.080 But he himself will be saved, but only through fire. 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:17.919 Don't you yourselves know that you are God's temple, and that the Spirit of God lives in you. 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:21.520 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:25.840 For God's temple is holy, and that is what you are. 00:02:26.159 --> 00:02:29.599 Lord, I thank you, as we always do, but we don't take it lightly. 00:02:29.759 --> 00:02:30.960 Lord, it's not a habit. 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:32.719 We thank you for your word. 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:36.159 We thank you for the life that is in it. 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:43.439 Lord, we thank you that we get to hold it in our hands so freely and publicly like this every day. 00:02:43.840 --> 00:02:49.360 Lord, I pray that uh this morning that you would have your way in our hearts. 00:02:50.400 --> 00:03:04.879 That we, if there's any hardness, if there's any um calluses that need to be broken through, Lord, I pray that you would do that through your Holy Spirit, ministering to us and teaching us and convicting us here this morning, Lord. 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:10.719 Also encouraging us, Lord, and preparing us for the things that are ahead of us in this week. 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:14.319 So Lord, have your way in our hearts here this morning, we pray. 00:03:14.479 --> 00:03:16.479 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:18.240 You may be seated. 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:26.639 So, so far in Corinthians, Paul's talked, he's introduced two different types of people to us. 00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:29.599 He's mentioned the natural man, as he calls it. 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:34.000 That's those that have not submitted their lives to Jesus Christ. 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:37.680 They do not have the Holy Spirit living within them. 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:41.680 There are those that are given over to their fleshly desires. 00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:45.039 If their flesh desires it, they just try to make it happen. 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:57.439 The second type of person that Paul presents that we've talked about is the spiritual person, the person who has submitted to Christ and does have the Holy Spirit living in them. 00:03:57.599 --> 00:04:06.000 And not only that, but is obedient to the voice of the Holy Spirit and listening and saying yes to his direction. 00:04:06.319 --> 00:04:14.400 And then today, Paul's going to introduce a third type of person in chapter three here, often referred to as a carnal Christian. 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:22.639 It's someone that has given their life to Christ, but their actions and their works don't align with Christ. 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:29.279 They're still living for their fleshly desires, they're not disciplined in the things of the Lord. 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:38.319 Which may lead to that question that we might have of, well then, you know, are these people really Christians if they're still living for the flesh? 00:04:38.560 --> 00:04:43.759 But I want us to notice that Paul calls these people brothers and sisters. 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:48.240 And then he calls them babies in Christ. 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:52.160 So, yes, there is a such thing as a carnal Christian. 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:56.000 And that is who Paul's going to be addressing here in chapter three this morning. 00:04:56.240 --> 00:05:00.000 So I want, this is our challenge, hopefully, our takeaway that we had today. 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:06.639 I want to challenge you today to come to your own conclusion of which category you fall into. 00:05:07.439 --> 00:05:10.000 Are you not following God at all? 00:05:10.240 --> 00:05:14.000 So that the natural man just fulfilling those fleshly desires. 00:05:14.399 --> 00:05:16.480 Are you the second type? 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:24.160 Are you surrendered to God, abiding in Christ, walking by the Spirit, the spiritual person as Paul calls it? 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:26.959 Or are you a believer in Jesus? 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:37.120 But as we're going to be talking a lot about today, all of your works are going to be burned up by fire, and you'll be walking into heaven with nothing beyond your salvation. 00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:45.279 So those are the three categories, and I want all of us as we're going through this to classify where each one of us land. 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:47.680 So let's jump into first one. 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:58.319 For my part, brothers and sisters, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ. 00:05:58.480 --> 00:06:06.240 Now, if you remember a few weeks ago, we referred to this verse, we jumped ahead a little bit, when we were going through chapter 2, verse 6. 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:14.959 When Paul was telling the Corinthians that there is a wisdom that he shares with the mature Christians, but they aren't quite there yet. 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:16.959 The Corinthian church isn't quite there yet. 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:19.920 And now he's going to expand on what he meant there. 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:24.240 But there's a lot in this one verse before we jump into verse 2. 00:06:24.480 --> 00:06:30.000 You know, he tells these believers that he can't speak to them as spiritual people. 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:38.800 You know, we defined that last week as those that have the Holy Spirit living inside of them, those that love God, those are the spiritual people. 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:43.360 But Paul says he has to address them as people of the flesh. 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:49.839 That second category that we were talking about, as people given over to their fleshly desires. 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:53.439 That's how he feels like he has to still talk to these people. 00:06:53.600 --> 00:06:57.920 And not only that, Paul calls them babies in Christ. 00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:00.000 So, little exercise. 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:02.240 What do we know about babies? 00:07:03.439 --> 00:07:07.040 Babies have no logic or reasoning, do they? 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:10.639 Their intelligence, I heard somebody out there. 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:14.480 Somebody that must have little kids. 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:38.720 If they have a need, their only priority is to let you know about it until that need is met, right? 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:46.079 You know, I know my kids, when they were babies, I never heard this in the middle of the night. 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:54.399 Um, father, um, mother, I've awakened and I seem to be a bit hungry. 00:07:55.279 --> 00:08:01.680 I know you're sleeping, and I know you're very tired, so and I know you'd probably rather go to sleep back to sleep. 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:03.839 So if you'd rather go back to sleep, go ahead. 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:05.680 I know I'll survive until the morning. 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:08.639 So I'm actually I'm sorry that I awakened you. 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:10.720 I'll I'll see you at 7 a.m. 00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:24.160 That is not right for babies, I'm hungry! I need my pacifier! You know, I need my diaper tape, and they would just let you know about it until that need is met. 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:29.040 I say all of that because Paul is not complimenting the Corinthians. 00:08:29.120 --> 00:08:34.080 He's not saying, oh, you cute, cuddly little Corinthians, I just want to snuggle you. 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:41.360 He's calling them self-centered babies that can't handle what more mature Christians can handle. 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:49.440 You know, as a young believer, I remember being just like this: being completely self-centered, where it's all about us. 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:59.840 And that's a real season where we need the milk and where we have lots of needs that need to be met, but it's not a season that we can stay in. 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:06.720 We can't stay in a season where being with the church is all about our needs. 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:18.960 You know, I want this kind of sermon and I want this kind of music and I want these needs to be met, and this ministry has to be in place in order for me to be a part of this community of believers. 00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:29.759 You know, and from what I've seen, the biggest indicator that a follower of Christ is maturing out of that baby phase is when that person stops going to church. 00:09:29.919 --> 00:09:33.919 And I'm not talking about a building or a service, I'm talking about the people of God. 00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:46.159 It's when they stop going to church with a list of demands, but start being a part of the church that starts to ask, God, how would you like me to serve you today? 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:50.000 And how would you like me to serve your people today? 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:54.799 You know, the problem is we're a drop-down menu generation. 00:09:55.200 --> 00:09:56.320 We want options. 00:09:56.399 --> 00:10:01.840 You know, we want to hit that little hamburger in the corner there and then see, like, okay, I want to do this. 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:04.320 Even when we order food now, it didn't used to be that way. 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:06.080 We we want it our way right away. 00:10:06.159 --> 00:10:07.759 I think that was Burger King's thing, right? 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:10.639 Like, you can actually change what's in your burger if you'd want. 00:10:11.120 --> 00:10:14.799 But oftentimes I think we bring that into church with us. 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:20.399 But that's not the body of Christ, and that's not how it was created to function. 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:24.720 We're created to be servants of the Most High King. 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:28.240 And we're gonna talk about that at length here in a little bit. 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:30.960 But first, Paul continues on with this baby analogy. 00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:32.159 Look at verse 2. 00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:39.759 He says, I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, since you were not yet ready for it. 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:42.720 In fact, you are still not ready. 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:52.000 You know, Paul didn't get into some of the deeper doctrinal issues with the Corinthians when he was first there with them, when he was present and in person. 00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:59.600 And now he's telling them that they haven't matured enough since then to give them anything that has more substance. 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:12.080 And from Paul's time in Corinth to the time that he's writing this letter, it's estimated that it was about a three to four year gap between when he was actually with them and then when he wrote this letter to them. 00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:16.879 So some of these people could be five to six years old in their faith. 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:20.240 And he's still having to give them milk. 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:23.840 You know, just like you wouldn't give a steak to a newborn. 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:28.960 He's not going to go deep into doctrine, or these people are gonna choke on it. 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:34.480 And they haven't even advanced, it sounds like tachirios or the mashed up sweet potatoes, you know. 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:41.279 And I want to be clear with this the milk of God's word is not a bad thing. 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:46.960 And being an infant in your faith is not a bad thing. 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:51.360 It's the lack of maturing that is a bad thing. 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:54.000 And that's exactly what Paul is addressing here. 00:11:54.320 --> 00:12:05.759 In 1 Peter 2 2, Peter says, like newborn infants desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow into your salvation. 00:12:06.960 --> 00:12:14.000 It's great and needed for babies to be babies, and for babies to consume the milk that they need. 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:24.720 But if you have a six-year-old kid that doesn't eat or drink anything other than its mother's milk, there was something missed in the maturing process there. 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:27.279 And it's the same thing spiritually. 00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:36.399 You know, one of the most beautiful things about the gospel is that it's so simple that a child can understand it from a very early age. 00:12:38.960 --> 00:12:49.360 But God's plan for salvation from the foundations of the earth is so beyond us that the greatest theologians still can't wrap their heads completely around it. 00:12:49.759 --> 00:13:00.000 The mystery of salvation is something that the Holy Spirit will be revealing to us daily, at least for the rest of our life and maybe throughout the rest of eternity as well. 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:07.440 You know, these Corinthians understand the gospel, they're believers in Christ, but their maturity is lacking. 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:20.639 They're not allowing the Holy Spirit, as we've been talking about so much, especially last week, they're not allowing the Holy Spirit to take control of their lives, and therefore he's not able to reveal to them the deeper things of God. 00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:29.440 And it's interesting here how Paul determines if somebody is an infant or if somebody is mature in their faith. 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:31.440 Did you notice that as we were reading through it? 00:13:31.679 --> 00:13:37.279 It's by if they are still living in the flesh or if they are walking by the Spirit. 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:39.600 That's how he defines it here. 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:44.240 In verse 3, he's about to outright tell them where they are in that spectrum. 00:13:44.399 --> 00:13:54.720 So he ends verse 2 by saying, in fact, you are still not ready, referring to the solid food, and he jumps into verse 3 and says, Because you are still worldly. 00:13:55.279 --> 00:13:58.559 Because you're remaining in the flesh. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:04.320 If you're a highlighter, underliner, underline or highlight that word still right there. 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:13.919 Because it's saying you haven't graduated, you haven't grown, you haven't matured, you're still worldly. 00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:18.080 You're still just like the world that God saved you from. 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:22.080 And now he's gonna tell them how he knows they are worldly. 00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:24.399 Look at verse 3, or the end of verse 3. 00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:32.320 For since there is envy and strife among you, are you not worldly and behaving like mere humans? 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:37.840 So envy and strife within a church is a sign of immaturity. 00:14:38.720 --> 00:14:42.559 And the reason that he's still serving milk to these people. 00:14:42.879 --> 00:15:03.279 You know, when we went through the book of Romans together, Paul got into some deep theology and he tied it in to so much of the Old Testament and the history of Israel and God's plan from the beginning for that nation and how God set them apart from all of the neighboring countries around them. 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:07.759 He was serving up ribeye and baked potatoes to the Romans. 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:14.240 And then we get into 1 Corinthians, and it's messages like we're gonna see in chapter 4. 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:16.240 It's a message of humility. 00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:19.840 Chapter 5, don't sleep with your stepmom. 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:24.639 Chapter 6, don't take other people in your church to court. 00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:27.840 Chapter 7, practical advice on marriage. 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:31.039 Chapter 8, food to eat and food not to eat. 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:34.320 Chapter 9, support those that are ministering to you. 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:36.960 Chapter 10, don't worship idols. 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:40.639 11, don't get drunk off of the communion wine. 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:41.519 12. 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:44.879 Don't let your church services get out of hand and get rowdy. 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:48.080 Chapter 13, the basics of love. 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:52.159 Chapter 14, again, order within the church services. 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:55.360 And then chapter 15 is a simple gospel message. 00:15:55.679 --> 00:16:06.879 This is practical advice covering the basics, the milk of the Christian faith, which is great and it's needed, and we're all gaining so much from what Paul had to write. 00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:11.120 But Paul flat out says, you're not ready for the solid foods. 00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:22.080 So I'm writing you this letter, and it's still infant formula until you mature and can start, and I can start speaking to you like the Roman church. 00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:25.919 Because Paul says, you are still worldly. 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:27.759 Look at verse 4. 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:36.799 For whenever someone says, I belong to Paul, and another, I belong to Apollos, are you not acting like mere humans? 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:42.240 Corinthians, you're acting like everybody else in Corinth right now. 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:49.120 You're elevating humans and you're dividing into groups and you're arguing for the sake of arguing. 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:53.120 You're not acting like the Holy Spirit is dwelling inside of you. 00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:56.080 You're not walking by the Spirit, Corinthians. 00:16:56.240 --> 00:17:00.240 You're not obeying the voice of the Holy Spirit in your life. 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:04.640 I think he's just trying to tell him he's inside of you. 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:12.079 The Holy Spirit is inside of you, brothers and sisters, but the voice of your flesh is so much louder that you can't even hear him. 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:18.799 And I think he's trying to communicate, you know, if you're not listening, you're never gonna understand the deeper things. 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:24.799 You're never gonna understand the mysteries that the Holy Spirit wants to reveal to you. 00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:30.000 You're never gonna be at this base, you're never gonna be able to chew those solid foods. 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:33.440 So he's just telling him, stop listening to your flesh. 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:35.519 You need to start listening to the Holy Spirit. 00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:37.359 Look at verse 5 with me. 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:39.200 What then is Apollos? 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:40.960 What is Paul? 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:48.480 They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. 00:17:48.640 --> 00:18:09.279 Now, if you remember, Paul already brushed on this topic a few weeks back, and we use the example to try and help us understand a little bit better of a restaurant that had amazing food, an amazing atmosphere, and then we give the waiter all of the credit for that amazing food in that amazing atmosphere. 00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:27.920 When that waiter was simply a server, they didn't make the food, they don't own the place, they didn't decorate the place, they didn't choose the music, they're simply servants hired by the owner of the restaurant to be an extension of that establishment. 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:30.799 And I like how Damien Kyle puts this as well. 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:38.559 He says, you don't go to a museum to look at a masterpiece work of art and say, that guy must have had an amazing paintbrush. 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:39.359 Right? 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:44.240 Man, I would love to meet that paintbrush and thank it for painting the Mona Lisa. 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:51.680 You know, it's not the instrument that gets the credit, it's the one that's using the instrument that gets the credit. 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:53.599 So keep that in mind. 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:55.279 Let's read verse 5 again. 00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:57.119 What then is Apollos? 00:18:57.759 --> 00:18:59.119 What is Paul? 00:18:59.359 --> 00:19:03.200 They are servants through whom you believed. 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:07.039 And each has the role the Lord has given. 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:09.440 He's telling him, we're just a waiter. 00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:14.240 We're just a paintbrush in the hand of the master artist. 00:19:14.640 --> 00:19:20.000 And then Paul jumps in and talks about those specific roles that he and Apollos have in verse 6. 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:25.039 He said, I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:31.759 Corinth, we're just servants, we're just instruments, we're tools in God's hand. 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:38.640 God used us, yes, but we can't take any credit, and you shouldn't give us any credit either. 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:43.359 So Paul uses his own analogy here: the example of plants. 00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:49.039 He's saying, I scattered some seed, Apollos came along and he watered those seeds. 00:19:49.200 --> 00:19:51.599 But humans don't make things grow. 00:19:52.400 --> 00:20:01.920 They can assist, they can serve a plant, they can make the environment conducive to growth, but we can't make things grow. 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:04.880 And it's the same thing in the kingdom of God. 00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:12.000 We can serve, we can help in the role that God has given us, but the results are up to God. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:19.680 We can't force somebody to believe in Jesus, and we can't force a believer to grow and mature in their faith. 00:20:19.920 --> 00:20:29.839 He goes on in verse 7 and says, So then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 00:20:30.079 --> 00:20:39.200 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:42.000 Now the phrase that we see here are one. 00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:45.599 It basically means of equal status. 00:20:46.079 --> 00:20:49.119 One is not more important than the other. 00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:54.240 The one that plants is not important more important than the one that waters, and vice versa. 00:20:54.480 --> 00:21:00.160 And I think what Paul's trying to clarify here is that our service does matter. 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:08.720 God sees the work, he sees the labor, he sees the motive, and he rewards accordingly. 00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:15.440 Notice it doesn't say we're rewarding according to we're rewarded according to our results. 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:22.720 At the end of verse 8, it says we're rewarded according to our own labor. 00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:27.680 The work we put in while leaving the results up to God. 00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:38.960 But even if we do our job well, even if we labor well, that doesn't make us better or more special than somebody that's in a different role. 00:21:39.200 --> 00:21:54.240 Or like Paul and Apollos, who are serving in very visible roles, it doesn't make them more important than the person that prepared communion this morning, or hosted a service at their own house, or serves the tables to the widows. 00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:59.680 Paul's saying, Corinth, stop elevating servants and paintbrushes. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:03.279 Whether it's somebody else or it's yourself. 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:08.720 And then in verse 9, he says, For we are God's co-workers. 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:10.880 And I want that to just set in a little bit. 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:13.920 I want us to really think about what that says. 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:17.119 For we are God's co-workers. 00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:19.680 Isn't that an interesting thought? 00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:23.119 And this can be read in two ways. 00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:29.200 And depending on which translation of the Bible you're holding, it probably will go in one way or the other. 00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:35.599 The first thought is, Apollo and I, we are co-workers for God together. 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:41.680 The second is, we, Apollos and I, are co-workers with God. 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:45.200 We work with him for his purposes. 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:51.519 And I know the Holy Spirit had Paul craft this sentence exactly like this on purpose. 00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:53.519 Because I really think he means both. 00:22:53.839 --> 00:23:00.640 Apollos and I are co-workers as we join in the work of God while we co-work with God. 00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:05.680 You know, some people get weirded out by that, thinking, well, doesn't that put us on the same level as God? 00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:07.119 You know, co-workers with him. 00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:16.319 No, it just means we've just decided to join in the work that God's doing, and he's invited us into doing that work with him. 00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:18.799 And this is such a neat thing. 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:21.839 It's something that I still don't fully understand. 00:23:22.559 --> 00:23:26.319 That he doesn't need us, yet he desires us. 00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:33.119 He doesn't need our help in his work, yet he desires that we help in his work. 00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:44.960 He's a relational God that desires us and desires for us to do things with him, to co-labor in the kingdom work of God. 00:23:45.680 --> 00:23:49.200 As it says, for we are God's co-workers. 00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:57.359 At the end of 9, he says, You are God's field, God's building. 00:23:59.119 --> 00:24:00.319 We're both. 00:24:00.640 --> 00:24:06.880 We're both something that needs to be cultivated, and we're something that needs to be built. 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:19.920 And Paul's communicating how God has used him and used Apollos to help in the cultivating of these Corinthians and their faith and also in the building of the church in Corinth. 00:24:20.400 --> 00:24:28.880 Verse 10, according to God's grace, now I want you to remember that phrase because it's going to sound like Paul's gonna start bragging here, okay? 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:39.920 But he says, according to God's grace that was given to me, I have laid a foundation as a skilled master builder, and another builds on it. 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:43.039 Paul's really kind of saying, I'm a really good waiter. 00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:50.880 I'm a really good paintbrush, but I still don't own the restaurant, and I'm still not the one that painted the picture. 00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:54.319 But as he says, it's according to God's grace. 00:24:54.480 --> 00:25:04.319 Paul served God and through that grace was able to lay a foundation, and through God's grace was able to do it with great skill. 00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:13.279 You know, I think once we see how Paul started that sentence, Paul's humility is actually shining through again here. 00:25:13.440 --> 00:25:16.559 Even when he's talking about doing something really well. 00:25:16.880 --> 00:25:19.440 Because he knows it wasn't him. 00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:25.200 He wasn't the chef, he wasn't the owner of the restaurant, he was the server. 00:25:25.359 --> 00:25:32.640 He's the waiter that was helping God deliver things that only God can do in all humility. 00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:40.480 He's co-working with God in God's works that Paul and Apollos could never do on their own. 00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:44.960 And Paul acknowledges that top to bottom, like it was not us. 00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:49.119 We are just the paintbrush in the master artist's hands. 00:25:49.359 --> 00:25:51.200 Look at the end of verse 10. 00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:57.039 It says, but each one is to be careful how he builds on it. 00:25:57.279 --> 00:26:01.200 For no one can lay any foundation other than what has been laid. 00:26:01.359 --> 00:26:04.240 That foundation is Jesus Christ. 00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:06.960 It was something that only Jesus could do. 00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:12.079 Lay that perfect foundation, and he did it perfectly. 00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:15.599 And the church is very special in that way. 00:26:15.839 --> 00:26:22.720 And Jesus called the apostles to lay the foundation of Jesus throughout the whole earth. 00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:31.680 Laying that foundation and then building on that foundation through planting church, churches, and then discipling those people. 00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:39.039 And then doing things like writing letters back to these people, like Paul's doing right now, to continue to build them up. 00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:46.640 And Paul talks about this in more detail in Ephesians 2 verses 19 through 22, and I want to read that to you. 00:26:46.880 --> 00:27:04.880 He says, So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. 00:27:05.119 --> 00:27:11.839 In him the whole building being put together grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:18.400 In him, you are also being built together for God's dwelling in the Spirit. 00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:25.440 The apostles are working tirelessly to build on this foundation, which is Jesus Christ. 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:32.720 The problem is Paul knows that others will come along and try to build on that foundation as well for all of the wrong reasons. 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:37.680 Because they want notoriety or they want power or they want monetary gain. 00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:39.680 So he speaks of this in verse 12. 00:27:39.759 --> 00:27:40.880 Look at it with me. 00:27:41.200 --> 00:27:49.680 If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw. 00:27:49.759 --> 00:27:50.960 So let's stop right there. 00:27:51.119 --> 00:27:53.440 You know, others can build on this foundation. 00:27:53.599 --> 00:27:55.200 Paul's acknowledging that. 00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:58.000 But what will we choose to build with? 00:27:58.079 --> 00:27:59.279 That's the question. 00:27:59.599 --> 00:28:11.599 The mention of gold, silver, and costly stones are some of the same materials that God had them use in the construction of his first temple in 1 Chronicles 22. 00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:17.680 And when you see costly stones here, don't think of gems and diamonds and things like that. 00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:21.039 Think of things like granite and marble. 00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:25.599 Costly structural stones that were being used. 00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:31.519 So those first three products in that list of six are materials that last a really long time. 00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:34.799 And they're all found naturally in nature. 00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:42.079 Followed by three products that don't last nearly as long and can very easily be burned up. 00:28:42.160 --> 00:28:49.599 And not only be burned up, but are actually things that we use to fuel fires the wood, the hay, and the straw. 00:28:50.000 --> 00:28:56.720 And those three products are all things that grow naturally in nature and have a lifespan. 00:28:57.200 --> 00:28:59.440 So remember that as we move forward. 00:28:59.599 --> 00:29:01.200 Look at verse 13 of me. 00:29:01.599 --> 00:29:04.559 Each one's work will become obvious. 00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:09.200 For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire. 00:29:09.440 --> 00:29:12.799 The fire will test the quality of each one's work. 00:29:13.039 --> 00:29:19.839 So if you're a follower of Jesus, we are all going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 00:29:20.160 --> 00:29:22.720 Not to decide whether we're saved or not. 00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:27.200 We're all sealed by the Holy Spirit, and we can be confident in that. 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:51.279 Paul will go into more detail on this once we get into 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 10, where he says, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 00:29:51.519 --> 00:29:56.400 So you may have heard of this referred to as the bima seat of Christ. 00:29:56.559 --> 00:29:58.960 That's the Greek word for this. 00:29:59.200 --> 00:30:08.960 Because it comes from the platform that the Greek athletic judges would sit on to both judge the Olympic or the Isthmian Games. 00:30:09.119 --> 00:30:12.400 And it was also the place where they would hand out awards. 00:30:12.559 --> 00:30:16.960 They'd hand out crowns to the winners of these athletic games. 00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:19.039 And it's the same with Christians. 00:30:19.279 --> 00:30:26.880 We will all one day come before the judgment seat, the Bhima seat of Christ, and our works are going to be judged. 00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:33.200 Our quality of work, our quality of labor will be examined by fire. 00:30:33.680 --> 00:30:42.799 And if we build on Christ's foundation with silver and with gold and with costly stones, we're going to be rewarded. 00:30:44.240 --> 00:30:53.119 If we build with wood, hay, or straw, by God's grace and by his mercy, the result is not going to be damnation. 00:30:53.440 --> 00:30:55.359 We're not going to be punished for those things. 00:30:55.519 --> 00:30:59.279 Those things will simply be burned up and will be gone. 00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:01.680 As if we never did them. 00:31:02.079 --> 00:31:08.720 And I'm positive that we're all going to have things that we're going to look at and say, look at what I did for God. 00:31:09.119 --> 00:31:13.599 Oh man, I'm going to get a crown so heavy, like my neck won't even be able to support it. 00:31:13.839 --> 00:31:16.559 And then the fire comes and poof, it's gone. 00:31:16.799 --> 00:31:19.200 Because we did that with the wrong motives. 00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:22.480 We did it with the wrong intentions, with the wrong heart. 00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:26.400 Those are the things that are going to be burned up in fire. 00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:34.400 But the things that we did correctly, with the right heart, with the right building materials, those are the things that we will be rewarded for. 00:31:34.559 --> 00:31:37.519 You see, God's only concerned with quality. 00:31:38.160 --> 00:31:42.319 He's only concerned with our heart behind the labor. 00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:47.680 Both the intention and the motivation behind why we did those things. 00:31:47.839 --> 00:31:57.039 You know, some of the things Paul will address later with the Corinthians have to do with people wanting to be seen, with people wanting to gain recognition. 00:31:57.200 --> 00:32:01.839 And he'll address that with the use of spiritual gifts specifically. 00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:10.480 The question at the judgment seat of Christ, though, will be was it for pride and recognition and self-gain that you did these things? 00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:15.920 Or was it for God's glory and for his kingdom that you did these things? 00:32:17.359 --> 00:32:19.440 Look at verse 14 with me. 00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:26.240 If anyone's work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 00:32:26.720 --> 00:32:31.200 So it will survive the fire, and then we will be rewarded. 00:32:31.440 --> 00:32:32.240 Verse 15. 00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:36.400 If anyone's work is burned up, he will experience loss. 00:32:36.640 --> 00:32:41.920 But he himself will be saved, but not but only as through fire. 00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:45.839 You know, I want to reiterate the judgment seat is not about works. 00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:50.400 It's not about gaining salvation, it's not about gaining favor with God. 00:32:50.640 --> 00:32:53.759 This is about works done because we love God. 00:32:54.720 --> 00:32:59.200 And we desire to work with him for his kingdom. 00:32:59.839 --> 00:33:09.279 We can have works that are completely for the wrong reasons and for the wrong motivations and still be Christians, which is kind of a little bit scary. 00:33:10.000 --> 00:33:18.240 And if that is us, you know, we're just fooling ourselves in doing things that might look good but have zero eternal value. 00:33:18.480 --> 00:33:24.640 There are things that I know I've done in the past that I look back on now, like that's gonna get burned up. 00:33:24.960 --> 00:33:30.319 Because the wrong perspective, the wrong heart I see now, but at the time I didn't. 00:33:30.559 --> 00:33:35.039 But it doesn't mean that we're gonna be judged for those things. 00:33:35.279 --> 00:33:41.839 It just means they go away as being worthless in the light of God's glory, in the light of God's kingdom. 00:33:42.079 --> 00:33:45.680 Now, for the sake of clarity, I do want to mention one more thing. 00:33:45.839 --> 00:33:50.799 There is another judgment seat that we see in Scripture, and sometimes it all gets confused in our minds. 00:33:50.880 --> 00:33:55.119 And that's the great white throne judgment seat that we see in Revelation 20. 00:33:55.279 --> 00:34:00.160 And that's a whole different thing, not to be confused with the judgment seat of Christ. 00:34:00.559 --> 00:34:10.639 And the great white throne judgment, it's for those that have not given themselves to Jesus and have not accepted that free gift of salvation. 00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:15.760 And they will be judged to eternal damnation at that judgment seat. 00:34:16.000 --> 00:34:20.000 But we as believers, we don't have to worry about that seat. 00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:36.000 Because John 5.24, Jesus says, Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life. 00:34:36.559 --> 00:34:44.239 If you are in Christ, your only judgment, think about this, your only judgment will be regarding reward. 00:34:45.599 --> 00:35:01.920 And if you do not have Christ, you'll have to stand before the great white throne of judgment and stand on your own two feet and stand on your own works, which Scripture makes abundantly clear is not enough to earn salvation for anybody. 00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:08.400 But we as followers of Christ, we get to bypass that because of the blood of Jesus. 00:35:08.800 --> 00:35:13.760 We get to be rewarded at the judgment seat of Christ. 00:35:14.480 --> 00:35:22.480 So I want to encourage all of us as we work, as we build on the foundation of Christ, let's do it with the right heart. 00:35:22.639 --> 00:35:27.760 Let's do it with the right motive and the right attitude for the right reasons. 00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:36.960 And that is to build up this beautiful building that is the people of the church, that is the body of Christ. 00:35:37.280 --> 00:35:39.360 Look at verse 16 with me. 00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:45.760 Don't you yourselves know that you are God's temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 00:35:45.920 --> 00:35:48.800 Now I think it's important here that we don't lose context. 00:35:48.960 --> 00:35:55.599 You know, Paul is going to talk about us as individuals being the temple of the Holy Spirit in chapter 6. 00:35:55.920 --> 00:36:01.199 But here, all of the you's and the yourselves that you see in verse 16 are plural. 00:36:01.519 --> 00:36:11.760 He's saying, Don't you yourselves know that you are God's temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you all, is really what it means. 00:36:11.920 --> 00:36:17.760 The building where Jesus is the foundation and God's servants have built on it. 00:36:18.079 --> 00:36:21.440 That is where the Spirit of God dwells. 00:36:21.679 --> 00:36:28.480 Both individually, as we'll see in chapter six, but collectively as well, as we see right here this morning. 00:36:28.800 --> 00:36:36.639 So don't use junk and human wisdom to build on the temple of the Holy Spirit. 00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:38.000 Verse 17. 00:36:38.480 --> 00:36:42.159 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. 00:36:42.320 --> 00:36:46.320 For God's temple is holy, and that is what you are. 00:36:46.800 --> 00:36:49.360 You all are, is what he's saying. 00:36:49.519 --> 00:37:01.599 When we see this word destroy, you think along the lines more of like destroy through corruption, as opposed to like pulling all of the stones down on a stone building. 00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:14.079 He's saying, if anyone builds with shoddy building material, with wood, hay, or straw, and corrupts the purity of the church, God's gonna do the same thing to that person. 00:37:15.039 --> 00:37:24.559 You know, and I'm encouraged that if the gates of hell can't prevail against God's church, as Jesus said, one person's shoddy works will not prevail either. 00:37:24.800 --> 00:37:26.880 They will just be burned up. 00:37:27.360 --> 00:37:33.280 God's temple, his church is holy because God is holy. 00:37:34.159 --> 00:37:40.239 And holy, if you're not familiar with that word, it's a word that gets kicked around a lot, and sometimes we don't fully understand it. 00:37:40.320 --> 00:37:51.039 It simply means to be set apart, to not be like the world that is around us, and to not be like the old self that we were saved from. 00:37:51.360 --> 00:37:52.880 And I want to end with this. 00:37:53.119 --> 00:37:54.880 1 Peter 1 14. 00:37:55.199 --> 00:38:03.360 And Peter writes, As obedient children, do not be conform to the desires of your former ignorance. 00:38:03.679 --> 00:38:10.480 But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct. 00:38:10.719 --> 00:38:15.519 For it is written, Be holy, because I am holy. 00:38:16.000 --> 00:38:36.639 So wherever you classified yourself at the beginning of this message, as the natural man living for the flesh, as the spiritual person living for Christ, or as a carnal Christian believing in Jesus, but there's no evidence of Jesus in your actions, I think we're all still in the same boat here this morning. 00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:40.639 We're all in need of being more holy. 00:38:41.039 --> 00:38:53.519