There are many memories from this building project.
Jeff surfing concrete stairs, Tracy trying to go through the wall twice,
Patrick making sure we all knew the boss was on site, and removing seal plates with
a broom. So many more stories, but I cannot remember them all.
What I do remember is the goal behind this project,
shared by the team and the entire board. It was to make sure our fellowship
hall would stay standing for another hundred years. And with the hard work of
Jeff, Tracy, and Patrick, I believe it will. God’s victory will continue to be
celebrated in those walls through baptisms, receptions, and dinners for years
to come. This was and is the hope.
But the Kingdom of God is more than buildings,
though they are important resources gifted to us by God. The Church is always
building with the help of the Church members. God is always doing a work in the
life of His followers that spills over the Church universal. The question that
creates for each of us is: what are we building? Our passage today provides an
insight on the answer to that question.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (CEB):
I laid a
foundation like a wise master builder according to God’s grace that was given
to me, but someone else is building on top of it. Each person needs to pay
attention to the way they build on it. No one can lay any other foundation
besides the one that is already laid, which is Christ Jesus. So, whether
someone builds on top of the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones,
wood, grass, or hay, each one’s work will be clearly shown. The day will make
it clear, because it will be revealed with fire—the fire will test the quality
of each one’s work. If anyone’s work survives, they’ll get a reward. But if anyone’s
work goes up in flames, they’ll lose it. However, they themselves will be saved
as if they had gone through a fire.
This is the Word of God.
For the people of God.
Thanks be to God.
Paul is addressing many things in this
letter to the church in Corinth. But one of the things important to our
understanding in our passage is that church members were disputing who was
better, Paul or Apollos? In his response, Paul is not taking a shot at Apollos,
but the folks involved in the dispute. Both sides were missing the point, Paul
and Apollos were doing God’s work. This passage for today is part of Paul’s
response to this issue.
In verses 10 and 11, Paul is letting the
Corinthians know God was the designer of the house. Paul worked for the
Designer, following His plan. Knowing his past and what Paul wrote in other
letters, it was a marvel to this apostle that God was using the “chief of
sinners” such as himself.
While Paul knew the Designer, he also knew
he was building on a solid foundation. He knew Jesus, Jesus was the foundation
on which Paul was building. In the gospels, Jesus asks His disciples, “Who do
you say that I am?” Peter responded, “The Christ.” Jesus then tells Peter,
“Upon this rock I will build my church.” Faith in Him is what all the apostles
built the Church upon. It is a foundation that cannot be improved and will not
crumble. The soundness of any building depends on its foundation, so for the Church
faith in Jesus is everything.
Moving into verses 12 and 13, Paul shares
that the materials chosen to build on that foundation matter. Some build with
“gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, or hay.” There are two
interpretations to this. The first is that “gold, silver, precious stones,”
refers to valuable and sturdy materials, meaning mature Christians build their
lives on sound doctrine that can withstand the elements of life. These are
beliefs resting on the foundation of faith in Jesus and a framework built from
the things revealed by the Holy Spirit based on God’s Word and experience.
“Wood, grass, and hay” are materials of less quality. They are susceptible to rot,
fire, bugs, and all kinds of issues. A Christian can have faith in Jesus, a
solid foundation, but use a framework of human wisdom and man-made traditions.
These things are not bad, and certainly play a part in understanding, but
divorced from Scripture and personal experience, these materials build a flimsy
structure.
That was the first interpretation, which I
believe has a lot of merit. But the second interpretation connects with the
parables of Jesus. God does not expect Jesus to return only to find us standing
on the foundation, He expects that those who have faith in Jesus will build His
church upon that rock with His help and His provision. So, Paul could be
calling the Corinthians to build with what God has made available. Over time,
some lesser materials may need to be repaired or replaced, but the expectation
is for them to build. There is some merit to this thought too.
Verses 13 through 15 talk about fire and
reward. “Fire” and “the day” are implying the Corinthians will stand before
Jesus and give an account for the work they have done. But the “fire” is not
for judgment but purification. Solid structures built from solid materials on
the foundation of faith in Jesus will survive the fire, anything that is not
made correctly will be consumed by the fire.
Verse 15 says, “If anyone’s work goes up in
flames, they’ll lose it. However, they themselves will be saved as if they had
gone through the fire.” The idea is of a house fire with total loss of
possessions, but the person escapes to live. In other words, works do not save
us, faith in Jesus does. The point Paul is making is that the Corinthians can
be saved through faith in Jesus, but they are to build on that foundation with
what God gives them. They should strive to build a structure that will last, be
beautiful and sturdy, able to withstand the flames. This is not about a
physical structure, but lives of faith dedicated to the Kingdom of God and
living it out for His glory.
How does this apply to us? How does it help
us answer the question: what are we building? The answer to that question for
each of us personally impacts our faith community collectively. As a church are
we building an eyesore that is flammable or one that is beautiful and will
last? Is my life of faith contributing to something that adds to the beauty or
something flammable?
Our surrender in Christ, the Holy Spirit
and grace given to us is for building a structure that will last. We are saved
by our faith in Jesus, not by works. But is our lives something beautiful Jesus
has done and is doing in us that draws others to Him? The culture we are
ministering in has seen an ugly glimpse of the Church (not necessarily our
church), but we can show them something different. Something beautiful,
something good, not of ourselves but of Him. For that to happen we have to
offer ourselves up as living sacrifices, just as Jesus did for us. And
Scripture tells us, “He who started a good work in you will see it through to
completion.” He who laid the foundation in you and me through our faith in
Jesus will give us the Holy Spirit to build the framework and beyond.
We are called to faith in Jesus. If you do
not know Jesus, He is calling so listen for His voice. I heard His voice and so
have many others in this room, and when we heard it we knew it was Him. He
called us to the place where we belong, into this fellowship with Him.
We are called to be filled with the Holy
Spirit. If you are not filled with the Holy Spirit, ask and you will receive.
Ask offering more than just your sins and sinful nature to be taken away, but
offering up your whole self. I surrendered all of myself and so have many
others here, and God has accomplished more in us and through us than we could
have ever imagined. He can and He will in your life if you surrender all to Him
too.
We are called to build. If the Holy Spirit
is in us and our sins are forgiven, this is the next step. What hinders us is
fear over materials and the elements they will endure. But we have the Holy
Spirit of God! Trust Him and allow Him to direct you to the materials
available. We may be at a moment realizing what we used to build has rotted or
crumbled, but He wants to help us remodel! He wants to replace it with
something that will last. Let Him.
Come Holy Spirit, I need you
Come sweet Spirit, I pray
Come in Your strength and
Your power
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