God's House

1 Corinthians 3:5-17 [NLT], After all, who is Apollos?  Who is Paul?  We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News.  Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering.  What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose.  And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 9 For we are both God’s workers.  And you are God’s field.  You are God’s building. 10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder.  Now others are building on it.  But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done.  The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss.  The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. 16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple.  For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. 

Paul tried to restore unity by…

1.  Removing the spotlight off of himself and Apollos.

2.  Putting the spotlight back on the One it belonged.

1 Corinthians 3:5-9 [NLT], After all, who is Apollos?  Who is Paul?  We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News.  Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering.  What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose.  And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 9 For we are both God’s workers.  And you are God’s field.  You are God’s building. 

• As God’s building we are an assembly of believers who collectively form His spiritual house; His place of dwelling.

1 Peter 2:4-5 [NLT/AMP], You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple.  He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. 5 You, like living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house…

Ephesians 2:20-21 [EXB], You are like a building that was built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets.  Christ Jesus himself is the most important stone in that building, 21 and that whole building is joined together in Christ.  He makes it grow and become a holy temple in the Lord.

“As God’s spiritual house, we exist primarily to proclaim and to bring glory to the name of Jesus.”

How is your life currently bringing glory to the name of Jesus?

How are we as a church, currently doing at proclaiming the name of Jesus?

“Buildings are always built, from the bottom up.”  

1 Corinthians 3:10-11 [AMP], According to the [remarkable] grace of God which was given to me [to prepare me for my task], like a skillful master builder I laid a foundation, and now another is building on it.  But each one must be careful how he builds on it, 11 for no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Matthew 16:13-18 [NLT], “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” 15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you.  You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

• When it comes to us becoming God’s “spiritual house” it must start with us knowing Who Jesus is.

Matthew 7:24-27 [AMP], “So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, will be like a wise man [a far-sighted, practical, and sensible man] who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods and torrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish (stupid) man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods and torrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great and complete was its fall.”

The foundation of our lives comes by us…

1.  Having a true revelation of Who Jesus is.

2.  Putting our faith in the Gospel.

3.  Obeying God’s Word with a teachable and submitted heart.

1 Corinthians 3:10 [AMP], According to the [remarkable] grace of God which was given to me [to prepare me for my task], like a skillful master builder I laid a foundation, and now another is building on it.  But each one must be careful how he builds on it… 

• We have been given a foundation, but now it is up to us in what will be built on top of it.

1 Corinthians 3:12 [NLT], Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels [precious stones], wood, hay, or straw.

On one hand we see…

• gold — the most valuable, highly prized material of that time.

• silver — considered nearly as expensive and precious as gold.

• precious stones — marble and granite.

These items were considered in that day to be the most expensive and highest quality of building materials used in construction. 

But on the other hand, Paul mentions…

• wood — described wooden timbers or branches from a tree.

• hay — food for the animals.

• straw — considered so bad the animals wouldn’t eat it.

These materials were intentionally used to describe a building composed of cheap, temporary, perishable, burnable material.

“The foundation of our lives is Jesus, but what we build on top of that foundation depends on our personal commitment and the level of excellence we demand of ourselves in every area of our lives.”

How are we building our lives?

1.  How are we building our marriages?  

2.  How are we building our children?

3.  How are we building our relationships?

4.  How are we building our businesses or ministries?

5.  How are we building our finances?

6.  How are we building our health?

7.  How are we building our relationship with Jesus?

• Why the way we build is so important:

1 Corinthians 3:13-15 [NLT], But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done.  The fire will show [try, test, scrutinize] if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss.  The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. 

• There will come a time where each one of us must give an account.

Have you ever had an opportunity to go through a fiery trial?

Two ways to look at those trials…

1.  As something that was meant to hurt or embarrass us.

2.  As the grace of God in action. 

Because it served as a precursor of what might be revealed on that day, unless we change.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 [NLT], Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple.  For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.  

What is God saying to you?  And what are you going to do about it?