Scripture
By Pamela Jones
Our Lesson text, found in 1 Corinthians 3:10-23, helps us to understand that Jesus Christ is the one who is the builder of the church, and is therefore the foundation that it is built upon. We all have a part to do in the advancement and growth of the church. Verse 16 says “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you.” Due to the fact that we have the Spirit of God in us, we would do well if we all do our assigned tasks from the Lord. We cannot lose, since we have the Lord in us, and working through us.
1 Corinthians 3:1-9 is a related text in this story, which speaks of how we need to work together, because one person will plant, another will water, but God is the one who gives the increase of the work. No one person can do it all. God can do it all, but He has included us in His plan of reaching the world, by working together.
Ephesians 2:19-22 is another related text. Verses 21 and 22 refers to Jesus as being the one “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” We, being the temple of the Lord, will grow to be one in which God will abide in, move in, and do His work through, for the advancement of His kingdom.
Synopsis
By Doug Smith
The foundation of the Church of all believers is Jesus Christ. Paul laid this foundation when he began the church at Corinth. Paul wrote that he and Apollos are both merely servants of the Lord. God used each of them to bring the Corinthians to faith in Christ, but they should not be the focus of the faith. Paul described the church built on Jesus Christ, our foundation. He gives the examples of perishable and imperishable elements to describe the need for diligence in Christian works.
One cannot build a true church on any person or principal except Jesus Christ. Christ will evaluate each ministers contribution to the life of the church. The day of judgment will reveal the sincerity of each person’s work. God will determine whether or not he or she has been faithful to Jesus’ instructions and good work will be rewarded. “ Those believers who are not rewarded will still be saved, but much like a person escaping a burning building.”
As our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost, so is the local church is the temple of God. Paul was not telling the Corinthian believers to neglect the pursuit of knowledge, he was warning them that worldly wisdom, if it holds them back from God, there’s no wisdom at all. The Corinthians were using so-called worldly wisdom to evaluate their leaders and teachers. Their pride made them value the presentation of the message more than its content. We can receive Jesus Christ, because of the power of the cross and the Indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit , that is present in our lives.
Practical Application
By Brittenne Boykin
Growing up I have heard many a sermon on the solid foundation of Christ. In today’s lesson Paul likens it to a wise builder and places it in the context of ministry. God used the Apostle Paul to remind the church at Corinth to keep the main thing the main thing. We ourselves can find a gentle reminder in the text.
In a culture where doing things our way, leaning to the world’s wisdom fueled by greed, self-preservation, and self-promotion is celebrated, building on the foundation in the text is thought of as crazy! (Vs. 19) He cautions us against leaning into this type of thinking. I use the word, thinking, because it is these thought patterns that cause us to build on the shaky foundation of our own egos. Our society pushes us to leverage our gifts and talents to our profit and advantage. God expects us to pour them out lavishly in service to the body of Christ and to use them for the advancement of His kingdom.
Our gifts should always be tethered to His purpose. We build upon the foundation of Christ again and again! God has called us all to an amazing work. He has dropped us smack dab into His amazing story. The foundation grounded in Him will always stand the flame of testing and trial (Vs.13-14). I encourage you to let the foundation you build upon be for His glory!
