THE TEMPLE OF GOD

I Cor. 3:16-17 Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will bring ruin upon anyone who ruins this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you Christians are that temple.  NLT

       Paul is writing to the church at Corinth. He is reminding them that together they are God's dwelling place. Individually and collectively, we are the temple of God. We are where God chooses to live. We have been given a sacred trust by God, to take care of His temple. Historically, God's chosen people did a very poor job of taking care of the Temple. They allowed it to fall into ruin because of their sinful rebellion against God. They chose to leave God out of their lives, despite the many warnings God had given them to repent and obey him.

       We must ask ourselves, "Are we taking care of God's temple?"  Individually, are we striving to please God in all we do? Are we seeking Him out through the disciplines of faith---meditation and study of His Word, prayer, service, and fellowship? Do we notice when we slack off and the temple begins to weaken and crumble? Are we careful to attend to the problems we notice before they get any worse?

      Collectively, are we attentive to what is going on in our church? Are we addressing issues before they become real issues that divide and destroy? Do we insist on accountability within the body? Are we striving to do what is right in God's eyes in all we do? Is your church in disrepair? If so, are you setting a good example for others to follow? Are you insisting on submission and obedience to God's Word?

       And, if the church you worship and have fellowship in refuses to change and submit to godly teaching and living, what are you doing about it? We become like those whom we associate with. The longer you stay amongst a wayward people, the more like them you will become. Sometimes we need to move on for our soul's sake. We need to be in an environment where spiritual growth can take place. We need to be challenged and nourished. We need others who will spur us on and not hold us down.

       Are you taking care of the temple of God, your soul? You are responsible for the shape it is in and God will hold you responsible for it.

CHRIST, OUR FOUNDATION

I Cor. 3:10-11 Because of God's special favor 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. For no one can lay any other foundation than the one we already have---Jesus Christ.  NLT

     The Church is big and diversified. There is a church for just about any preference. And, if none is found, new churches are started. We are created with a need for worship. We all worship someone or something. The thing that plagues us is that we can't agree on how we ought to worship God. We are convinced that our own experience with God is the only really valid one and that all should conform to our understanding of Him. The more the population grows, the more diversified the Church becomes. It makes me wonder if it is selfishness that is at the root of our diversity, or God. Does God really want the Church to be so fragmented? I wonder.

       I also wonder, "What other kind of foundations are being laid in Jesus' name that are not Jesus?"  Is it reasonable to assume that every church that bears Jesus' name has Jesus as her foundation? Or, can we agree that many things being done in Jesus' name are missing Jesus as their foundation? To what extent are we confident that Jesus is the foundation upon which we are building our lives? Do you know for certain that you are living for Jesus alone? Is He the reason why you do what you do in life? Any foundation in life that is not Christ, will crumble and fall.

       If you are building your life on Christ, then you will do so carefully. You will take great pain in being sure that you are doing it right and not shoddily. You will be sure that others can easily build on what has already been built in your life. You will be a good example of godly living so that those who look up to you or look at you will know that Jesus alone is why you are who you are and the way to live and die. You will pave the way for others to continue your legacy of faith. You will count it a privilege to be an example to others and rejoice when others build on the foundation of faith you laid.

      You only have one opportunity to get the foundation right. Once the building goes up, it is too late. Don't mess around. Be sure your foundation is right so that those who come behind you will build their lives on a sure foundation. Your life does matter. Don't waste it.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT

I Cor. 3:7-9 The ones who do the planting or watering aren't important, but God is important because he is the one who makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work as a team with the same purpose. Yet they will be rewarded individually, according to their own hard work. We work together as partners who belong to God. You are God's field, God's building---not ours.  NLT

This text ought to be engraved on every pulpit, and etched on every heart. Every church ought to become so convinced of these truths that they become the governing practice of the church. Every college and seminary that prepares students for ministry ought to preach and teach these verses in every classroom until everyone gets it. In God's kingdom, there is no hierarchy! God does not elevate one person over another and give them special honor among men. God does not deem anyone better than anyone else. So, why do we?

       We somehow have gotten the idea that certain individuals are more important or special to God because of what they do or who they are. In some circles, we adorn ourselves in order to make a distinction between us and them. Some people begin to believe their attention is justified and relish in it. Some people use their position of leadership to serve themselves rather than God or His people.

      We must understand and believe what Paul is saying in our text today. Each one of us is given a role to play in the body of Christ. Where we are placed is based on how we are created and led through life by God. Every role is equally important to the work of the kingdom. We are responsible to God for the faithful fulfillment of our role and for the attitude we have about our role. Every person in the body of Christ is an equal partner with everyone else. No one is better or worse than anyone else. God makes no distinction between His children. We are all on equal footing.

      When we distort our standings in the church and honor some over others, it is sin.  No one, no matter who they are or what they do, deserves to be put on a pedestal.  There is no distinction between people in the church, just different roles to play.  Do not let anyone put themselves above you because their role may be more visible than yours.  Do not compare yourself with others.  Everyone in the Church must answer to God for the role they have been given to play in the Church.  Faithfully do what God has given you to do and leave the rest up to Him.

UNDERSTANDING THE TRUTH

I Cor. 2:14 But people who aren't Christians can't understand these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit can understand what the Spirit means.  NLT

       Don't be surprised or alarmed because the world "doesn't get it".   Unless the Spirit of God reveals it to them, the Gospel seems foolish and not worthy of attention. When the Spirit reveals wonderful truths to you and you think that you have discovered the key to convincing someone that they need Christ, don't be surprised when they don't see what you see. Only those who have the Spirit to guide them into the truth can grasp the truth. What we learn as we grow in Christ is not understood by those who are not growing with us. The Spirit does not give anyone more of the truth than they can handle.

       The simple truths of the Gospel are given to those who can only grasp simple things, and the deeper truths of the Gospel are only given to those who by faith have grown in their relationship with God. Don't expect more out of people than they can handle. Unless the Spirit of Christ draws them to Him, the world will reject the Gospel message as foolishness.

      The light shines in the darkness, but it is not seen by most to whom it is shown.  Most in the darkness prefer to stay in the dark so that they don’t have to deal with the light or change because of what they discover in the light.

      If you can understand the truths of the Gospel, thank the Lord for helping you understand.  Thank Him for His wisdom and guiding you into all truth. 

INSIGHTFUL LIVING

INSIGHTFUL LIVING

I Cor. 2:14  But people who aren’t Christians can’t understand these truths from God’s Spirit.  It all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit can understand what the Spirit means.  NLT

       Those who aren’t Christians will never understand the things of God as revealed through His Spirit.  It seems foolish to them that man can have a personal relationship with God.  It is beyond their ability to know what it is like to be forgiven of their sins and have a pure heart before God.  They cannot know how awful the punishment will be for sin or that there can even be a punishment.  They cannot comprehend what life is like without elusive peace or how anyone can have joy and satisfaction of soul. 

       Only those who live in Christ can understand these things.  We understand what it is like to have a real relationship with a real God.  We understand what it is like to have a reason to live and a reason to die.  We understand that this life is not all there is, that there is a glorious life ahead for those who die in Christ.  We know that life can be lived without guilt and shame as we resist sin in our lives.  We experience the joys of sins forgiven and sins forgotten by a holy God.

       Everything the Spirit reveals to us about God makes sense to us.  We are not confused about spiritual things.  We know the truth and it frees us from our confusions about life and the holy life.  The Spirit guides us into all truth and reassures us all the time that we are indeed children of God.  And the Spirit enables us to accept those things we can’t fully understand through faith in God as true.  We learn that it is okay to not know and understand all things.

       Don’t expect non-Christians to know what you know about the Christian life.  It is hidden from them unless they repent and surrender their hearts over to Christ.

THE SPIRIT'S WORK

I Cor. 2:10-12 But we know these things because God has revealed them to us by his Spirit, and his Spirit searches out everything and shows us even God's deep secrets. No one can know what anyone else is really thinking except that person alone, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. And God has actually given us his Spirit (not the world's spirit) so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.  NLT

       Do not underestimate the work of the Spirit in you and your need for Him to control you. You will never grow in Christ on your own. You need to give the Spirit permission to grow you. He actively works to teach us new things about Christ and our walk with Him. He does not give us more information than we can handle, but gently leads us into a more godly life than we now live. If you don't see any evidence of His work in you, then you need to head back to the cross and get right with the Lord.

       Don't try to figure God out. He will tell you what you need to know, when you need to know it. He knows the things you don't need to know as well and will withhold those things from you.

       The Spirit knows how to read your mind, no one else does. Be careful what you assume to be true about others, only the Spirit knows for sure. Let Him deal with whatever needs to be dealt with. If something is wrong in another person's life, it's none of your business. You don't have the right or knowledge to judge and insist on change. You can speak the truth in love and then go into your prayer closet and pray. The rest is up to the Spirit of Christ.

      The Spirit opens up our minds and hearts so that we can understand and embrace the wonderful things that are ours in Christ. There is far more available to us than we can ever imagine or grasp. However, the more we press on and strive to live in Christ, the more we will understand and grow in Him.

THE MESSAGE THAT MATTERS

THE MESSAGE THAT MATTERS

I Cor. 2:1-2  Dear brothers and sisters, when I first came to you I didn’t use lofty words and brilliant ideas to tell you God’s message.  For I decided to concentrate on Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. NLT

       It does very little good to spend our time on things that only prick our thinking.  There are so many things that we think and talk about that really don’t matter much.  I don’t want to suggest that we should not strive to learn more, but we can’t let our learning take us away from the thing that really matters in life, our relationship with Christ.

       There is no greater subject matter in all of the world than Jesus and what He did for us on the cross.  If we fail to understand the importance of Christ’s death and resurrection, we jeopardize our eternal souls.  Eternal life hinges on the cross.  Where we will spend eternity depends on whether or not we embrace Christ as our Savior and Lord.  God’s judgment is based solely on the righteousness of Christ in us. 

      We discuss a lot of things in life, things that intrigue us and have importance to us.  But, talking about our salvation should be at the top of our list of things to talk about.  Sadly, for most of us, it isn’t.  We take for granted our salvation.  We hoard our experience and fail to share it with others.  We fail to keep it at the forefront of the things we value in life.  We allow other things in life to crowd Christ out of His rightful place as Lord over our lives. 

      Our salvation should be the most important part of our living.  We should focus on it and talk about it much.   The message of salvation is not complicated.  It can be told in very simple words so that anyone can understand.  If our salvation is of first importance in our lives, we will share it freely with others.  It is the greatest love gift that we can ever give to others.