October 6, 2019

As Paul continues to deal with this matter of exalting spiritual leaders and quarreling over them, he shifts from one metaphor to another. This past Sunday, he said he and Apollos were fellow workers and that local churches are “God’s field.” They had planted and watered and God had given growth.

This Sunday Paul will use another analogy. They are also like fellow workers on “God’s building,” and in particular, “God’s temple.” We are God’s holy temple on earth, in whom His Spirit dwells, and God cares about how we continue to work together to keep building this temple.

“Let each one take care how he builds upon it. (1 Cor. 3:10).”

The foundation has already been laid, “which is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11).” As Jason said last Sunday, we never move on from the gospel. As Paul writes elsewhere, “as you received the Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him (Col. 3:6).” And we learn in this week’s passage that the works we do as God’s fellow workers on His building will one day be either burned up or rewarded. Some will amount to nothing; others will receive the “commendation of God (1 Cor. 4:5).” Isn’t that incredible?

This Sunday Rob Lister will be preaching from 1 Corinthians 3:9c-23 and Kenny Clark will be leading our time of sung worship. Would you pray for each as they prepare? And we encourage you to read this passage ahead of time this week and ask the Lord, “How do You want me to grow and serve as Your fellow worker?”

And pray for all who will hear the word preached this week, that the Spirit would fill us with fresh enthusiasm and energy to live as God’s fellow workers, building with “gold, silver, and precious stones,” and that He would help us see the ways in which we live and minister that will burn up as “hay, wood, and straw” on the final Day.

See you Sunday. Let’s come hungry!

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Song Link of the Week
King of Love – Steven Curtis Chapman

King of love, let Your kingdom come
Reign in us, Your daughters and Your sons
Fill us up ‘til we overflow
With Your love until the whole world knows
You are the King of love