1 Corinthians 2:14-4:21 - Part B

When you are preoccupied with God's servants that will drive you apart when you are occupied with the master draw you together.

You serve 51 church and said his plate division thinking they don't connect with Skip right, Skip shares why it's vital to work cooperatively with fellow believers to do God's work before we begin to let you know about this the most out of your Bible study talked is your personal Bible study time, frustrating direction. You can study the Bible with the plan and see progress. Listen to this from skip. I think all of us. We have trouble with certain parts of the Bible. Sometimes it's tough, but exposure to the Bible, a consistent exposure to the Bible. I would add on a daily basis with the consistent desire to obey it will do more for you than any other thing that I can think of? Take the mystery out of studies sherbet pastors how to vital $25 and Bible teaching ministry. I don't have to be afraid to enjoy it. I think online securely/often copies hundred 90 I used to drive not because of trying to be obnoxious purposely not to be gracious, but I remember it was Monday and it was toward the later part of the morning artwork at a hospital in Orange County, California to St. Joseph's in Orange, California, and I I'm I'm doing my work. I'm whistling and my supervisor. She was just she was kind of ornery. I never really saw her happier or or let out about anything good and so she just looked at me and she was why are you always whistling. You seem so this and she said you seem so happy. I said well I am happy. Well I don't get it. I mean we have so much work and then the listing all the things that I should be unhappy if I got those are true, but I've got something deeper inside me going on there goes above and beyond that, that's irrespective an unrelated to that I don't get understand. Because of this you get it they don't get you to understand your spiritual or natural. Now we get to 1/3 category in chapter 3 verse one I mentioned last week, the chapter breaks and verse numbers are not in the original manuscripts we just have the letter of Paul to the Corinthians. He didn't write chapter 3, verse one.

He didn't do that. That came later on, the guy who did it was well-intentioned but he got it wrong is not inspired of God.

He just came up and it's very handy to me. It was a turn to chapter 3 verse one of a certain book.

Very handy to do that but sometimes I think chapter breaks are better served con textually in different places than others, but that's that's for another study, let's just get into it and I brethren could not speak to you as to spiritual people just talked about the natural versus the spiritual. I couldn't talk to you is spiritual but asked to carnal, as to babes in Christ – the third category you have natural spiritual carnal Suki costs if you want the original language pneumatic costs and then this word carnal Starkey costs or fleshly or the NIV translates it worldly. You are worldly. Sometimes Christians scholars commentators will say there's no such thing as a carnal Christian is only there's only Christians or non-Christians are natural and spiritual will I do believe there are carnal Christians for a number of textual reasons and will just confine ourselves to the remarks of this text. Because notice what he says I'm speaking to you not a spiritual but as carnal and then he defines it as to babes in Christ. There still in Christ there Christians are related to Jesus Christ, but their immature their babies there spiritually immature, carnal, worldly.

There between two natures, the old nature. The new nature, the world, the flesh versus the spirit there in between two kingdoms. You might think of it this way, they have enough of Christ to be saved, all you need is to believe in Jesus Christ you really trust that he died for you on the cross. You believe that he took your sins on the cross. If you believe in your heart that and that God raised him from the dead. Paul said in Romans, you will be say they have enough of Christ to be safe, but they also have enough of the world to be miserable in Christ, not really satisfied in Christ. They're not maturing as to babes in Christ. Think of it this way there saved, but they are stunted in their growth there. Not as far along as they should be. I love evangelism I do. I love seeing people get saved love calling people to faith in Christ somebody so many of us to sort of make that the event the big deal the culmination. It is a service. If you are asking. Skip is evangelism your biggest joy as much as I love it and I should say probably yes because I do want to see people go to heaven and not help but I think my greatest joy I would echo the words of John the apostle in for John who said I have no greater joy than to see that my children want to intrude. I love seeing God's people maturing, rolling, getting along in their walking and their faith in Jesus Christ but I couldn't speak to her spiritual people, but as to carnal debates in Christ.

He further says in verse two I fed you with milk and not with solid food, for until now you were not able to receive it. And even now you are still not able one of the characteristics of a immature Christian is there diet like like a little baby. You give a baby baby food. It's easily digestible. You don't give a baby stake and onions and whole vegetables. Their system can't take it. It's not easy for a baby to digest such material. So you give them something that's easy for them to digest same spiritually. There are basic truths of Christianity, and Paul said look what I was with you I can only go take you to the ABCs of Christianity. I want to go deeper, but I couldn't.

You unable to take Jesus even said to his disciples. I have other more things that I want to tell you what you are not able to bear them the writer of Hebrews in chapter 5 said or when you ought to be teachers, you have need that somebody teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God, and you need milk instead of solid food. So one of the characteristics is that of diet. They just need easily digestible truths.

Paul said when I was with you. Rightfully so, your your just saved. I could go deep into eschatology. I could go deep into a lot of things. So I just kept it very simple, but here's the deal. It had been four years since the church at Corinth had been founded by Paul and Paul says I'm still not able to four years down the line, you should know something you should be pretty adept at basic Bible doctrine tells them why they do it milk number solid food. Verse three for you are still carnal, fleshly, worldly circuit costs for where the RMV strife divisions among you, that's all Paul Apollo's thing, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men for when one says, I'm up all and another. I am of the Paulus are you not carnal does not prove your immaturity. That is all and who was a Paulus, but ministers, servants to whom you believe does the Lord gave to each one.

I planted started the church in Corinth, Paulus watered, he came along later and also taught them truths, but God gave the increase. So, than neither is he who plants is anything, nor he who waters but God, who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

This may be helpful in current agriculture. They were used two schools of philosophy, they came from their sister city of Athens philosophers in schools of philosophy dividing and pooling over loyalty to their favorite philosophical teacher. There were used to that kind of party spirit that was Corinth that was the world the right assessment in the church is not to be like that the right assessment of the workers in the church is your all servants of Christ and so that's why he says who that is. Paul, who is a Paulus, but ministers and again the word means servants so I planted is using the art agricultural imagery here. I planted a Paulus watered but is God who gives the increase. Let's say you're a farmer and you plant seed somebody else comes later on you about a hired header; letter on water. You can take pride in your work that you can't boast that you really did that because God created the earth and put seed in it and so it all comes from him. Ultimately he is the garden. Remember what Jesus said in John chapter 15 I am the true vine. My father is the husbandman.

The farmer, so it is God who gives the increase. So I love what Paul is doing is taking it out of a worldly model of comparing one teacher to another teacher one leader to another leader in says luck. Let me tell you who we really are were slaves were servants of Christ doing our part exercising our individual gifts, but it is God who is giving the increase. Matthew plants and he waters are one and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. When you are preoccupied with God's servants that will drive you apart when you are occupied with the master that will draw you together. They were preoccupied with the servants. Paul is trying to get them occupied with the master where one is God reserving him. It's his church. Verse nine for we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field. Now he changes the imagery little bit from from the field were a farmer, plant seeds now to a building. So, look what he does in one verse for we are God's fellow workers. You are God's feet field you are God's building was changing the metaphor, and he continues that in verse 10, according to the grace of God which was given to me as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. Let each one take heed how he builds on it for no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Paul calls himself not just in a builder but a master builder not just a master builder because I'm a wise master builder is a will is that being arrogant now. Again, the Greeks love the idea of wisdom saw Foss. We talked about last week.

The word for wisdom stoploss and we told you the word philosophy is lover of wisdom for you last saw Foss so the left. They love the idea of that kind of wisdom. When Paul calls himself a wise master builder. He's using this term saw Foss architect tone architect. The reason he calls himself a wise master builder is because he laid the right foundation in Corinth, he didn't put the foundation on him. He didn't put the foundation on Peter or on Apollo's or anybody else. He put the foundation was Christ alone. No other foundation can anyone lay than what is already been laid and that is, he says Jesus Christ. If you try to build a church on any other foundation.

It's a faulty foundation. If you try to build a church on church tradition.

It's your building on sand. If you try to build on the Peter on a person like Peter and I building this church is the church of Peter your building on sand is that dude was a week dude if you're building it on felt needs. It's a weak foundation if you're building a worldly wisdom. It's a weak foundation. It has to be on the simplicity and the singularity of life in Christ Christ and Christ alone.

I determine that I know nothing among you, he wrote earlier except Jesus Christ and him crucified simple pure truth of his sacrifice and resurrection. Now verse 12 if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones would take straw each one's work will become manifest for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on indoors, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. Now what we just read has a couple of applications. One is a secondary application not not not the primary application that is is not the main point let me get that you first get on my because this were most people go with this verse and there is this application but is not the primary application of the secondary application the secondary application is that it refers to all Christians that were Augustana before the judgment seat of Christ.

That's usually how this verse is verbal with a rotten stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Second Corinthians 5 says we will all stand all of us believers stand for the bema seat. The report seat. The judgment seat of Christ, that we may receive rewards for the things that were done in our bodies, each according to his own work and that that that Paul is referring to that. Here's is if you build with silver, gold, precious stones or would hey and stubble are strong. It is true we are in a given account to God and to stand before Christ, not for our sin.

We will all be evaluated for our service to the Lord as believers and will be given rewards or will lose a reward that is true we are never going to be judged for our sin. Romans a wonders therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus...

That judgment is passed, Jesus took our judgment on the cross, you will never be judge for your sin, but as a Christian you will be judge or your service to him. If you are faithful to the gifts and callings God gave to you and talents God gave to you and time God gave to you and treasure God gave to you.

If you are faithful to that and if you did with the pure motive. All of that will be way performing you and I will be judged because of that, and though that's true, and it is a secondary application that is not the primary application. The primary application is to Christian workers, evangelists, and teachers talk about Paul Paulison some planning and some watering and some doing the work of the ministry so he's talking about those who are building this spiritual house for fellow workers with God. Those in ministry, like himself, Anna Paulus and SEVIS etc. who are building the spiritual house and what they give what they do's.

You will either endure and you get rewarded for it or not. In other words, some ministry, some teaching is valuable and worthwhile and has lasting value others as has little value, or none whatsoever, and God will determine that an reward based on so since he is talking about spiritual work in building churches me just tell you there's a few ways that you can establish a church if you're thinking I'm in a be a church builder or a church planter is a few ways you can do it and all of them have been tried and there are many warlike I can give you a longer list would let me do some of this were number one sensationalism and build a church building ministry and sensationalism it's working.

Have a miracle service. Pretty soon you have to start defining what a real miracle is or is not because I felt a little woozy before the surface and now I feel a bit better is a far cry from the New Testament miracle Les Nemecek. Miracles are like dead people rising and bones are fractured instantly being healed. True miracles, but it would have a miracle healing service or when the cast out demons or some sensational supernatural signs and wonders, or talk about prophecy updates.

Everything is a prophecy fulfillment somewhere and and and when you build a ministry on on that kind of stuff. There are pros and cons. There's a pro it will grow quickly as people are always interested in where the fire is burning.

And if there's a fire burning in that barn were going to go watch that fire burn.

It's exciting, but there's a lot of diminishing returns. And so here's the con you once you build on that. You have to keep building on that in your fire has to get bigger and bigger each week. Are you going to lose credibility in her to lose people. That's one way to build a ministry. Another way to build a ministry is by strategy to take surveys of the neighborhood to find out with the felt needs are the medium income desires professionally and were to strategize and build according to that and so we we are all geared up to reach that segment that demographic. These things can work the problem with that is I find people who approach ministry. That way, get burned out very very very quickly. A crash and burn hard as always about their insight and their strategy in their work and working rocks. There's another way to do it and that is through the systematic teaching of God's word teaching the Bible. They listen listen listen to gets real boring verse by verse chapter by chapter my book Genesis to Revelation.

All 66 books that's long and laborious. Now here's the downside of that growth will be slower usually in the sensational ones so that's that wraps up skipping to dismiss from the series expound use Skip to share these messages coming your way to connect you and many others around the world with God. The Bible tells us that every day draws us closer to the return of Jesus. One day the Lord will return and that means our time to reach others with the gospel is urgent. People need to hear the good news that changed your life and mine. So today I'm asking for your help to reach more people around the world with these teachings from God's word. Here's how you can partner with this ministry to make that happen.

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