WEBVTT 00:00:02.089 --> 00:00:04.530 Today our text is from the book of 1 Corinthians 00:00:04.530 --> 00:00:08.210 chapter 3. So we continue to work through this 00:00:08.210 --> 00:00:12.509 passage, this wonderful passage that Paul speaks 00:00:12.509 --> 00:00:16.449 here from chapter 1 through 4 and then we'll 00:00:16.449 --> 00:00:20.309 move on to additional ones in chapter 5. But 00:00:20.309 --> 00:00:22.589 today we're going to be looking at the nature, 00:00:22.769 --> 00:00:26.149 work, and responsibility of the Christian minister. 00:00:26.589 --> 00:00:32.640 The nature, the work, and responsibility of the 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:36.719 Christian minister. Our text begins in verse 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:43.039 5. Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but 00:00:43.039 --> 00:00:46.299 ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord 00:00:46.299 --> 00:00:52.179 gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, 00:00:52.179 --> 00:00:56.340 but God gave the increase, so that neither he 00:00:56.340 --> 00:01:01.979 who plants is anything. nor he who waters, but 00:01:01.979 --> 00:01:06.659 God who gives the increase. Now, he who plants 00:01:06.659 --> 00:01:12.459 and he who waters are one, and each one will 00:01:12.459 --> 00:01:17.540 receive his own reward according to his own labor, 00:01:17.719 --> 00:01:21.959 for we are God's fellow workers. You are God's 00:01:21.959 --> 00:01:27.750 field. You are God's building. Let's pray. Father, 00:01:27.769 --> 00:01:30.829 we thank you for this passage. We look to you 00:01:30.829 --> 00:01:34.750 today to enlighten us on this matter. Give us 00:01:34.750 --> 00:01:37.450 great understanding, Lord. Open up this passage 00:01:37.450 --> 00:01:40.170 to us. And by the Holy Spirit, would you feed 00:01:40.170 --> 00:01:42.989 us with it? Would you speak to our hearts? Would 00:01:42.989 --> 00:01:46.670 you show us your ways, Lord? And let us shed 00:01:46.670 --> 00:01:49.930 the ways of man. Oh, Lord, we look to you. And 00:01:49.930 --> 00:01:52.269 we thank you for the gifts you have given to 00:01:52.269 --> 00:01:58.969 us. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Before we mine 00:01:58.969 --> 00:02:02.870 the riches of this passage, I'd like to ask you 00:02:02.870 --> 00:02:08.990 a few questions. In considering the nature, the 00:02:08.990 --> 00:02:11.530 work, and the responsibility of the Christian 00:02:11.530 --> 00:02:16.909 minister, what should a church's leadership team 00:02:16.909 --> 00:02:22.710 or pastor or pastors be like? Let me give you 00:02:22.710 --> 00:02:29.080 some ideas or questions. as is sometimes taught, 00:02:29.259 --> 00:02:33.819 like a CEO, a chief executive officer of a large 00:02:33.819 --> 00:02:36.840 company with lots of programs and lots of things 00:02:36.840 --> 00:02:42.699 going on, and he is the chief executive of it. 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:47.840 Or should they be maybe like the head of a marketing 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:52.460 company attempting to market Jesus and sell a 00:02:52.460 --> 00:02:55.699 product? You should believe in Jesus because 00:02:55.699 --> 00:02:59.419 of what he will do for you kind of thing. It's 00:02:59.419 --> 00:03:02.879 to your advantage. Now, it's true that it is 00:03:02.879 --> 00:03:05.819 to our advantages, but there are also many difficulties 00:03:05.819 --> 00:03:08.659 that come. So is that what it should be like? 00:03:08.919 --> 00:03:12.639 Or maybe should the church be led by managers? 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:16.659 Whereas Michael Foster says a view of the pastoral 00:03:16.659 --> 00:03:21.419 ministry as overseeing a heavily systemized rule 00:03:21.419 --> 00:03:25.379 -focused process. where people are given narrow 00:03:25.379 --> 00:03:28.159 goals to fulfill under the close supervision 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:33.479 of the pastor. Instead, what about a dynamic 00:03:33.479 --> 00:03:36.939 leader with plenty of charisma and energy and 00:03:36.939 --> 00:03:40.379 ideas and with a real strong personality that 00:03:40.379 --> 00:03:44.139 just attracts people? Is this the biblical ideal? 00:03:44.659 --> 00:03:49.340 Or, kind of similar, but should he be like a 00:03:49.340 --> 00:03:52.430 cult leader? where he can say or do no wrong, 00:03:52.590 --> 00:03:55.870 and he uses his power and authority to manipulate 00:03:55.870 --> 00:03:59.210 people and to get them to do what he wants. And 00:03:59.210 --> 00:04:02.229 of course, he gets a following who hang on his 00:04:02.229 --> 00:04:05.949 every word as if he is a prophet or an oracle 00:04:05.949 --> 00:04:11.169 or a mini -god. Now, as you are probably thinking, 00:04:11.449 --> 00:04:14.469 none of the types that I have just described, 00:04:14.849 --> 00:04:20.389 none of them are marks of genuine biblical truth. 00:04:20.360 --> 00:04:24.360 leadership in his church now it is true that 00:04:24.360 --> 00:04:26.500 there are some who are more dynamic than others 00:04:26.500 --> 00:04:29.360 and there are things that need to be done and 00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:33.579 accomplished but we are not the the leadership 00:04:33.579 --> 00:04:35.680 of christ church should not be characterized 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:40.500 in the way that i just asked these questions 00:04:40.500 --> 00:04:43.560 and yet how many times are these kinds of models 00:04:43.560 --> 00:04:47.899 followed how many churches grew quickly under 00:04:47.899 --> 00:04:51.509 one of these kinds of leaders only then to flame 00:04:51.509 --> 00:04:56.269 out in a generation or sometimes even less, sometimes 00:04:56.269 --> 00:05:00.670 much sooner, especially when public sin and scandal 00:05:00.670 --> 00:05:05.949 happen to that dynamic leader. We have seen this 00:05:05.949 --> 00:05:10.990 over and over again. The principal words that 00:05:10.990 --> 00:05:13.529 define biblical leadership in Christ's church 00:05:13.529 --> 00:05:17.509 in the New Testament are these. They are instruments 00:05:17.509 --> 00:05:23.399 of God. as overseers or elders and shepherds. 00:05:23.500 --> 00:05:26.920 Indeed, the calling and function of the shepherd 00:05:26.920 --> 00:05:30.939 of sheep are very similar to the calling and 00:05:30.939 --> 00:05:34.720 function of those whom God has placed in leadership 00:05:34.720 --> 00:05:39.180 of his church. Even Jesus himself calls himself 00:05:39.180 --> 00:05:44.100 the good shepherd who leads his sheep to green 00:05:44.100 --> 00:05:47.620 pastures and to still waters, like Psalm 23. 00:05:48.250 --> 00:05:53.990 speaks of even god himself is called a shepherd 00:05:53.990 --> 00:05:59.449 in psalm 23 the lord is my shepherd i shall not 00:05:59.449 --> 00:06:04.310 want even the very word pastor denotes that of 00:06:04.310 --> 00:06:09.209 shepherding this morning And when we read Ephesians 00:06:09.209 --> 00:06:12.050 4, my translation or the translation I use, the 00:06:12.050 --> 00:06:14.910 New King James, has the word pastors in Ephesians 00:06:14.910 --> 00:06:17.889 4 when it describes the offices. And what Brother 00:06:17.889 --> 00:06:22.170 James read said shepherds. Shepherds. The word 00:06:22.170 --> 00:06:26.389 pastor and shepherd are pretty much one and the 00:06:26.389 --> 00:06:30.189 same. So what are shepherds and overseers or 00:06:30.189 --> 00:06:32.629 elders? What are pastors? What are they to do? 00:06:33.089 --> 00:06:36.620 That scripture gives several things. that are 00:06:36.620 --> 00:06:40.560 very, very clear. They are to, number one, feed 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:43.939 the flock of God. They're to feed the flock of 00:06:43.939 --> 00:06:48.000 God. 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 2. Shepherd 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:50.560 the flock of God which is among you, serving 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:54.399 as overseers, not by compulsion, but willingly, 00:06:54.699 --> 00:06:58.990 not for dishonest... dishonest gain but eagerly 00:06:58.990 --> 00:07:02.990 not as being lords over those entrusted to you 00:07:02.990 --> 00:07:06.290 but by being examples to the flock he gives three 00:07:06.290 --> 00:07:08.750 things that they're not to be and three things 00:07:08.750 --> 00:07:12.310 that they are to be they're not to do it by compulsion 00:07:12.310 --> 00:07:15.069 they're not to do it for dishonest gain and they're 00:07:15.069 --> 00:07:17.850 not to do it as lords over those entrusted to 00:07:17.850 --> 00:07:20.689 them but they are to shepherd they are to oversee 00:07:20.689 --> 00:07:23.529 they are to do it willingly they're to do it 00:07:23.529 --> 00:07:26.459 eagerly and are to be an example to the flock. 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:31.439 That's 1 Peter chapter 5. To the elders in Ephesus, 00:07:31.540 --> 00:07:34.319 Paul tells them in Acts chapter 20 verse 28, 00:07:34.579 --> 00:07:37.959 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all 00:07:37.959 --> 00:07:42.079 the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:47.040 you overseers to shepherd the flock of God, the 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:50.720 church of God, whom he purchased with his own 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:54.500 blood. Secondly, they are to read the word, they're 00:07:54.500 --> 00:07:56.220 to give the sense of the word, and they're to 00:07:56.220 --> 00:07:59.639 apply the word in helping God's people to understand 00:07:59.639 --> 00:08:02.360 the reading. We see this in Nehemiah chapter 00:08:02.360 --> 00:08:05.160 8. When the preaching of the word occurred, they 00:08:05.160 --> 00:08:07.360 read the word, they gave the sense of the word, 00:08:07.399 --> 00:08:10.139 and they applied the word. They caused them to 00:08:10.139 --> 00:08:13.439 understand the meaning. And in so doing, they're 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:17.639 to preach the pure word. 2 Timothy chapter 4 00:08:17.639 --> 00:08:22.230 and verse 2. preach the word, be ready in season 00:08:22.230 --> 00:08:25.910 and out of season, convince, rebuke, exhort with 00:08:25.910 --> 00:08:28.889 all longsuffering and teaching. And this happens 00:08:28.889 --> 00:08:31.990 both in the pulpit and out of it. This is to 00:08:31.990 --> 00:08:35.330 be done by all of the elders and overseers of 00:08:35.330 --> 00:08:37.809 the congregation, not just the one who stands 00:08:37.809 --> 00:08:40.730 in the pulpit every Sunday. Thirdly, they are 00:08:40.730 --> 00:08:43.470 to guard against wolves and those who would divide 00:08:43.470 --> 00:08:48.269 God's people. Acts 20, verse 29. For I know this, 00:08:48.289 --> 00:08:51.230 that after my departure, savage wolves will come 00:08:51.230 --> 00:08:54.870 in among you, not sparing the flock, Paul says. 00:08:55.309 --> 00:08:59.210 And continuing then in 2 Timothy 4, as I read, 00:08:59.309 --> 00:09:02.009 preach the word, be ready in season and out of 00:09:02.009 --> 00:09:05.750 season, convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering 00:09:05.750 --> 00:09:08.429 and teaching. And then he continues, for the 00:09:08.429 --> 00:09:11.330 time will come when they will not endure sound 00:09:11.330 --> 00:09:13.730 doctrine, but according to their own desires, 00:09:13.950 --> 00:09:26.539 because they have... But you, Timothy, be watchful 00:09:26.539 --> 00:09:29.860 in all things, endure afflictions, do the work 00:09:29.860 --> 00:09:33.200 of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry. 00:09:33.860 --> 00:09:36.500 Guard against wolves and those who would divide 00:09:36.500 --> 00:09:39.659 against God's people, making sure that they are 00:09:39.659 --> 00:09:44.409 fed and that the word is given. Now, this passage 00:09:44.409 --> 00:09:47.710 today speaks to us in a number of ways. This 00:09:47.710 --> 00:09:52.330 is both a very humbling passage, and it is sobering, 00:09:52.330 --> 00:09:56.809 but it is also quite comforting. Because on one 00:09:56.809 --> 00:10:00.490 hand, we're going to see that ministers are simply 00:10:00.490 --> 00:10:03.460 instruments of God. They're ministered, they're 00:10:03.460 --> 00:10:07.039 instruments before a holy God. And this is very, 00:10:07.139 --> 00:10:10.440 it's humbling because he says in here, Paul, 00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:14.220 the word of God is like, we do not have anything. 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:19.820 We are nothing. In other words, we are his instruments. 00:10:19.940 --> 00:10:23.700 But we also see the comforting presence of the 00:10:23.700 --> 00:10:26.259 Holy Spirit who works through his instruments 00:10:26.259 --> 00:10:31.500 and that he does the work that no man. And thus 00:10:31.500 --> 00:10:34.519 it is humbling, but it is also quite comforting. 00:10:35.039 --> 00:10:38.240 Remember that the big issue at hand are the divisions 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:41.200 in the congregation at Corinth. There were factions. 00:10:41.399 --> 00:10:44.120 There was a neglect of the foundational doctrine 00:10:44.120 --> 00:10:46.740 of Jesus Christ crucified. And there was the 00:10:46.740 --> 00:10:50.559 elevation of human. reason in the understanding 00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:53.220 and practice of the christian faith they said 00:10:53.220 --> 00:10:55.960 some said i follow paul as if you're he's the 00:10:55.960 --> 00:10:59.580 man of god or i follow apollos he speaks great 00:10:59.580 --> 00:11:02.539 words he's a great orator as the scripture bears 00:11:02.539 --> 00:11:05.940 witness to it he has such a way with words but 00:11:05.940 --> 00:11:08.000 after stating the case against them in their 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:11.059 immaturity paul now speaks to their misunderstanding 00:11:11.059 --> 00:11:15.149 of christian ministry Their misunderstanding 00:11:15.149 --> 00:11:18.429 of it in this exposition of what Christian ministry 00:11:18.429 --> 00:11:23.470 is all about. He exposes the senselessness of 00:11:23.470 --> 00:11:26.909 their allegiance to particular Christian leaders 00:11:26.909 --> 00:11:32.309 by asking what such individuals are in themselves. 00:11:32.929 --> 00:11:36.190 So reads the pillar commentary. So let's dive 00:11:36.190 --> 00:11:38.610 into the first portion of this chapter and then 00:11:38.610 --> 00:11:42.090 Lord willing we will continue next week. Our 00:11:42.090 --> 00:11:44.870 first and our main point today is that ministers 00:11:44.870 --> 00:11:49.809 are humble servants in the field of God. Humble 00:11:49.809 --> 00:11:57.169 servants in God's field. Who or what is a minister? 00:11:57.370 --> 00:12:00.330 Paul begins this discourse on ministers with 00:12:00.330 --> 00:12:03.470 a description of what they are. First of all, 00:12:03.490 --> 00:12:06.169 we want to take a look at the word minister or 00:12:06.169 --> 00:12:09.879 servant, depending on your translation. The word 00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:13.039 is diakonos. It's the Greek word. It means a 00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:17.500 servant, an attendant, and a waiter. A waiter, 00:12:17.559 --> 00:12:20.080 as in a waiter at a restaurant serving food. 00:12:20.820 --> 00:12:26.200 This word is used to refer to deacons, to ministers, 00:12:26.419 --> 00:12:29.480 and to other servants in the Bible. It is somewhat 00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:35.519 contextually defined. Paul describes both himself 00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:41.070 and Apollos in this way. Jesus himself is called 00:12:41.070 --> 00:12:44.169 by this description in Romans chapter 15 verse 00:12:44.169 --> 00:12:48.149 8. Paul says, now I say that Jesus Christ has 00:12:48.149 --> 00:12:52.169 become a servant to the circumcision for the 00:12:52.169 --> 00:12:55.470 truth of God to confirm the promises made to 00:12:55.470 --> 00:12:59.070 the fathers. Ministers are those who are servants 00:12:59.070 --> 00:13:02.110 of Christ who preach and speak the word of God 00:13:02.110 --> 00:13:05.950 to others, those to whom God has sent them. While 00:13:05.950 --> 00:13:09.210 this word is sometimes used to refer to anyone 00:13:09.210 --> 00:13:13.210 who serves, such as Phoebe, a servant of the 00:13:13.210 --> 00:13:17.929 church at Centria in Romans chapter 16, the context 00:13:17.929 --> 00:13:23.649 of the passage today in 1 Corinthians 3 refers 00:13:23.649 --> 00:13:27.269 to those who are in an office of the church. 00:13:27.929 --> 00:13:32.129 Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, elders, 00:13:32.450 --> 00:13:36.559 teachers, those listed. in Ephesians chapter 00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:41.659 4 verse 11 and 12 and he gave himself I'm sorry 00:13:41.659 --> 00:13:46.379 and he himself gave some to be apostles some 00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:49.539 prophets some evangelists and some pastors and 00:13:49.539 --> 00:13:54.179 teachers for the equipping of the saints in the 00:13:54.179 --> 00:13:58.159 work of ministry for the edifying of the body 00:13:58.159 --> 00:14:02.210 of Christ I think that the ministers or servants 00:14:02.210 --> 00:14:05.509 spoken of in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 would also 00:14:05.509 --> 00:14:09.250 include deacons. Now, while we believe that the 00:14:09.250 --> 00:14:13.250 gifts and offices of apostle and prophet are 00:14:13.250 --> 00:14:16.269 no longer given to men since the word of God 00:14:16.269 --> 00:14:19.889 is now revealed and the canon of scripture of 00:14:19.889 --> 00:14:24.429 God's revelation is now closed. But evangelists, 00:14:24.429 --> 00:14:27.330 pastors, teachers, deacons, yes, they are all 00:14:27.330 --> 00:14:30.919 God's ministers. They are God's. servants as 00:14:30.919 --> 00:14:35.139 his instruments now the section this section 00:14:35.139 --> 00:14:39.019 of the passage speaks in agricultural terms we're 00:14:39.019 --> 00:14:40.759 going to see a little bit later lord willing 00:14:40.759 --> 00:14:43.639 next week that paul then switches and he speaks 00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:47.879 in terms of architecture a great building and 00:14:47.879 --> 00:14:51.279 he speaks to that considerably but today the 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:54.779 passage is in agricultural terms in verse 9 he 00:14:54.779 --> 00:14:58.480 says you are god's field You as the congregation, 00:14:58.779 --> 00:15:01.639 you are God's field. And then it continues, you 00:15:01.639 --> 00:15:04.080 are God's building. So we're not going to be 00:15:04.080 --> 00:15:05.720 looking at building today, but we're going to 00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:08.899 be considering the field. As the ministers of 00:15:08.899 --> 00:15:12.220 the Lord, in particular Paul and Apollos, have 00:15:12.220 --> 00:15:15.539 labored in the field to sow the seed of God's 00:15:15.539 --> 00:15:18.799 word, and they have watered it. This is brought 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:22.620 out very plainly in verse 6. Paul says, I planted, 00:15:22.919 --> 00:15:27.230 Apollos watered, and God gave the increase. God 00:15:27.230 --> 00:15:30.149 gave the increase. Now Paul is the one who planted 00:15:30.149 --> 00:15:33.570 the church. He went to Corinth, recounted in 00:15:33.570 --> 00:15:36.990 Acts chapter 18. He began his ministry by attending 00:15:36.990 --> 00:15:39.830 the Jewish synagogue first on every Sabbath. 00:15:40.029 --> 00:15:42.309 And he reasoned from the word of God to them, 00:15:42.389 --> 00:15:45.750 persuading both Jews and Greeks. Because as was 00:15:45.750 --> 00:15:49.470 common in many of the Gentile areas at the synagogue, 00:15:49.629 --> 00:15:52.309 there were God -fearers among the Gentiles who 00:15:52.309 --> 00:15:55.070 would come and listen to the word of God being 00:15:55.070 --> 00:15:57.919 read. By the Jews. So they would come. And so 00:15:57.919 --> 00:16:01.080 this mixed multitude could be together in a synagogue, 00:16:01.100 --> 00:16:03.580 even though there was a lot more separation at 00:16:03.580 --> 00:16:05.980 the temple. But in the synagogues, they would 00:16:05.980 --> 00:16:09.039 come and they would listen. So as Paul ministered, 00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:11.399 he ministered both to the Jews and the Greeks. 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:14.220 He was accompanied with Silas and Timothy, who 00:16:14.220 --> 00:16:17.120 came from Macedonia. But when some of the Jews 00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:20.460 opposed him and they blasphemed God, then they 00:16:20.460 --> 00:16:23.000 started meeting, guess where? In the house of 00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:25.500 justice, whose house was right next to them. 00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:27.659 synagogue so the people could come and they could 00:16:27.659 --> 00:16:30.279 go there instead of to the synagogue and still 00:16:30.279 --> 00:16:34.879 continue to hear paul preach acts 18 verse 8 00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:37.779 then crispus the ruler of the synagogue believed 00:16:37.779 --> 00:16:40.740 in the lord with all his household and many of 00:16:40.740 --> 00:16:43.960 the corinthians hearing believed and were baptized 00:16:43.960 --> 00:16:48.850 paul planted the seed and i remind you What kind 00:16:48.850 --> 00:16:52.289 of a place that Corinth was. It was a very wicked 00:16:52.289 --> 00:16:55.710 and yet cosmopolitan city. There was all sorts 00:16:55.710 --> 00:16:58.629 of things going on. One writer describes it as. 00:16:58.690 --> 00:17:01.289 There was the seed of God was planted in the 00:17:01.289 --> 00:17:05.589 muck and the mud of Corinth. And yet this beautiful 00:17:05.589 --> 00:17:08.309 flower was coming up. And yet we know that this 00:17:08.309 --> 00:17:12.789 church had a lot of problems. And yet there they 00:17:12.789 --> 00:17:15.809 heard the word. They believed and they were baptized. 00:17:16.230 --> 00:17:19.599 Well then Paul leaves. And Apollos comes over, 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:22.960 and we know this from Acts 8, verse 27 and 18. 00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:26.079 It says, when he desired to cross to Achaia. 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:28.859 The brethren rode, exhorting the disciples to 00:17:28.859 --> 00:17:31.980 receive him. The region of Achaia is where Corinth 00:17:31.980 --> 00:17:35.400 was. So Apollos comes, and he's referenced here 00:17:35.400 --> 00:17:38.299 in 1 Corinthians, and he spent some time there, 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:41.940 and he greatly helped those who had believed 00:17:41.940 --> 00:17:45.299 through grace. For he vigorously refuted the 00:17:45.299 --> 00:17:48.099 Jews publicly, showing from the scriptures that 00:17:48.099 --> 00:17:51.599 Jesus is the Christ. Acts 20, Acts chapter 18. 00:17:52.119 --> 00:17:56.079 So Paul plants the seed. Apollos waters it. the 00:17:56.079 --> 00:17:59.259 seed with the preaching of the word of God both 00:17:59.259 --> 00:18:04.319 of them as servants and ministers of Christ now 00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:08.619 Paul then goes on and he says emphatically God 00:18:08.619 --> 00:18:14.759 gave the increase he goes on to say a most startling 00:18:14.759 --> 00:18:20.940 statement so then neither he who plants is anything 00:18:20.940 --> 00:18:28.109 and nor he who waters, but God who gives the 00:18:28.109 --> 00:18:31.950 increase. He is saying here that in themselves, 00:18:32.390 --> 00:18:36.809 in Paul, in Apollos, in almost a hyperbolic statement, 00:18:36.990 --> 00:18:44.089 they are nothing. It is God who gives the increase. 00:18:45.309 --> 00:18:48.829 I say somewhat hyperbolic because we know that 00:18:48.829 --> 00:18:51.849 Paul had been given certain authority as an apostle. 00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:55.680 Titus is told to speak and exhort with all authority 00:18:55.680 --> 00:19:00.039 in 1 Timothy 2 verse 15. I'm sorry, Titus 2 verse 00:19:00.039 --> 00:19:03.660 15. But the point is that God's ministers as 00:19:03.660 --> 00:19:07.319 mere men, they are nothing. They are not anything 00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:10.700 is the words. And God does not differentiate 00:19:10.700 --> 00:19:14.339 between the one who plants and the one who waters. 00:19:15.319 --> 00:19:18.259 Look at verse 7. So then neither he who plants 00:19:18.259 --> 00:19:22.289 is anything nor he. And yet, as verse 8 says, 00:19:22.490 --> 00:19:26.430 they are one. They are one. They are instruments 00:19:26.430 --> 00:19:29.789 in the hand of a mighty God who sends forth the 00:19:29.789 --> 00:19:32.509 Holy Spirit to do God's purposes through his 00:19:32.509 --> 00:19:35.609 instruments. For after all, can the planter of 00:19:35.609 --> 00:19:39.690 seeds make the seed grow? Can a water hose make 00:19:39.690 --> 00:19:42.150 the water and perform the miracle that watered 00:19:42.150 --> 00:19:45.150 seeds die and resurrect again with new plant 00:19:45.150 --> 00:19:49.099 life? Of course not. We know that they cannot 00:19:49.099 --> 00:19:51.880 do this. They do not have this power in and of 00:19:51.880 --> 00:19:54.920 themselves. And so neither do God's instruments. 00:19:55.299 --> 00:20:01.940 We convey God's word, but God gives the increase. 00:20:02.980 --> 00:20:05.319 Without the Holy Spirit's work of regeneration, 00:20:05.579 --> 00:20:10.619 those who plant and water might as well be planting 00:20:10.619 --> 00:20:14.640 rocks. What good would it do to plant rocks? 00:20:15.160 --> 00:20:17.240 Children, if you go out and plant a rock, is 00:20:17.240 --> 00:20:20.380 it going to give out more rocks? No, it's not 00:20:20.380 --> 00:20:22.660 that way. Sometimes it seems like it, though, 00:20:22.680 --> 00:20:24.759 because they keep reappearing, right? But no, 00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:29.319 rocks don't grow rocks. Plants bring forth life. 00:20:29.940 --> 00:20:33.279 And the one who plants cannot bring forth that 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:37.279 life. Consider this further. Who made the soil 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:40.400 that the seed is planted in? Who made the seed 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:44.730 in the first place? who made the water, and who 00:20:44.730 --> 00:20:48.849 created the whole process of germination. It 00:20:48.849 --> 00:20:55.109 is God, the creator. He is the Lord. And we as 00:20:55.109 --> 00:20:59.589 men and women, we can do nothing in bringing 00:20:59.589 --> 00:21:05.130 forth that new life. It is God. This life -giving 00:21:05.130 --> 00:21:08.630 power of God is spoken of in this wonderful Psalm, 00:21:08.809 --> 00:21:13.289 Psalm 65. To the chief musician, a psalm of David, 00:21:13.529 --> 00:21:17.170 a song. Praise is awaiting you, O God, in Zion. 00:21:17.549 --> 00:21:20.829 And to you the vow shall be performed. O you 00:21:20.829 --> 00:21:24.470 who hear prayer, to you all flesh will come. 00:21:24.990 --> 00:21:28.390 Iniquities prevail against me. As for our transgressions, 00:21:28.390 --> 00:21:30.930 you will provide atonement for them. Blessed 00:21:30.930 --> 00:21:33.730 is the man you choose and cause to approach to 00:21:33.730 --> 00:21:36.130 you that he may dwell in your courts. We shall 00:21:36.130 --> 00:21:38.450 be satisfied with the goodness of your house. 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:42.039 of your holy temple. By awesome deeds and righteousness 00:21:42.039 --> 00:21:45.480 you will answer us, O God of our salvation, you 00:21:45.480 --> 00:21:47.720 who are the confidence of all the ends of the 00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:50.250 earth and of the far off seas. Who establish 00:21:50.250 --> 00:21:53.029 the mountains by his strength. Being clothed 00:21:53.029 --> 00:21:55.769 with power. You who still the noise of the seas. 00:21:55.849 --> 00:21:58.009 The noise of their waves and the tumult of the 00:21:58.009 --> 00:22:00.769 peoples. They also who dwell in the farthest 00:22:00.769 --> 00:22:03.630 parts are afraid of your signs. You make the 00:22:03.630 --> 00:22:05.609 outgoings of the morning and evening rejoice. 00:22:05.910 --> 00:22:08.910 You visit the earth and water it. You greatly 00:22:08.910 --> 00:22:11.809 enrich it. The river of God is full of water. 00:22:11.970 --> 00:22:14.849 You provide their grain for so you have prepared 00:22:14.849 --> 00:22:18.329 it. You water its ridges abundantly. You settle 00:22:18.329 --> 00:22:21.400 its fronds. You make it soft with showers. You 00:22:21.400 --> 00:22:24.059 bless its growth. You crown the year with your 00:22:24.059 --> 00:22:26.440 goodness and your paths drip with abundance. 00:22:26.720 --> 00:22:29.740 They drop on the pastures of the wilderness and 00:22:29.740 --> 00:22:33.019 the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures 00:22:33.019 --> 00:22:35.559 are clothed with flocks. The valleys also are 00:22:35.559 --> 00:22:38.319 covered with grain. They shout for joy. They 00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:42.140 also sing. It is God, the creator, who causes 00:22:42.140 --> 00:22:45.579 all of these wonderful things to happen. And 00:22:45.579 --> 00:22:48.440 so Paul's point in all of this is that factions 00:22:48.440 --> 00:22:51.440 around men are worthless. They're irresponsible 00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:55.420 and they're useless. They elevate men to places 00:22:55.420 --> 00:22:58.720 they should not be. To build a movement or a 00:22:58.720 --> 00:23:02.799 faction around a man will do nothing but disrupt 00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:06.420 and divide. And in the end, those who trusted 00:23:06.420 --> 00:23:10.039 in the leaders of those factions will be disillusioned 00:23:10.039 --> 00:23:13.710 and disappointed. The efforts of those who were 00:23:13.710 --> 00:23:16.869 developing factions and sowing division needed 00:23:16.869 --> 00:23:20.950 to be stopped. And so Paul rebukes them. But 00:23:20.950 --> 00:23:25.009 in this rebuke, he is also showing the worthlessness 00:23:25.009 --> 00:23:30.529 of man without God. The complete inability to 00:23:30.529 --> 00:23:34.289 shepherd, to feed. And so why would we create 00:23:34.289 --> 00:23:37.519 factions after them? Back in chapter 1, I remind 00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:40.119 you, when he first talks about this problem, 00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:42.839 he says, Now I plead with you, brethren, by the 00:23:42.839 --> 00:23:46.279 name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak 00:23:46.279 --> 00:23:48.900 the same thing, and that there be no divisions 00:23:48.900 --> 00:23:52.380 among you, but that you be perfectly joined together 00:23:52.380 --> 00:23:56.400 in the same mind and the same judgment. For it 00:23:56.400 --> 00:23:59.140 has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, 00:23:59.220 --> 00:24:01.599 by those of Chloe's household, that there are 00:24:01.599 --> 00:24:05.480 contentions. Among you. Now I say this. That 00:24:05.480 --> 00:24:09.079 each of you says. I am of Paul. Or I am of Apollos. 00:24:09.180 --> 00:24:12.859 Or I am of Cephas. Or I am of Christ. Is Christ 00:24:12.859 --> 00:24:15.960 divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were 00:24:15.960 --> 00:24:18.900 you baptized in the name of Paul? Chapter 1. 00:24:20.140 --> 00:24:24.319 10 -13. There may be times. In fact this was 00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:27.160 the case here. When the overseers of a congregation. 00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:30.380 Need to exhort the congregation. Even warning 00:24:30.380 --> 00:24:33.900 them. And making a plea. to stop the division 00:24:33.900 --> 00:24:38.279 and the contention. Indeed, when that happens, 00:24:38.539 --> 00:24:43.059 they are to take heed for, as Hebrews 13 verse 00:24:43.059 --> 00:24:47.240 17 says, those who have been placed as the shepherds 00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:50.480 of God's people, watch out for your souls as 00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:55.059 those who must give account. As those who must 00:24:55.059 --> 00:24:59.859 give account. And so ministers are instruments. 00:25:00.700 --> 00:25:04.859 In the hands of God. So don't develop factions 00:25:04.859 --> 00:25:09.619 after them. Don't create division and contentions. 00:25:10.799 --> 00:25:13.799 Now, let's look then furthermore at the work 00:25:13.799 --> 00:25:20.380 of the Holy Spirit. Excuse me. The nature, that 00:25:20.380 --> 00:25:22.960 is the work, the responsibility of a farmer, 00:25:23.099 --> 00:25:27.220 a husbandman, a vineyard dresser, a laborer in 00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:31.309 God's field. a minister, a deacon, or a servant 00:25:31.309 --> 00:25:35.809 is to faithfully do the work of soil preparation, 00:25:36.230 --> 00:25:41.650 planting, and watering, and trust in God through 00:25:41.650 --> 00:25:45.509 the Holy Spirit to bring the growth, to trust 00:25:45.509 --> 00:25:49.529 in God through the Holy Spirit to bring the growth. 00:25:49.769 --> 00:25:53.250 As I said, this is both humbling And freeing. 00:25:53.250 --> 00:25:56.329 It's humbling in that we are only instruments. 00:25:56.470 --> 00:26:00.890 But it's freeing in that God, through the power 00:26:00.890 --> 00:26:03.509 of the Holy Spirit, works through us to do the 00:26:03.509 --> 00:26:07.509 good. And it's all attributable to Him. We are 00:26:07.509 --> 00:26:11.509 simply... instruments we cannot give life but 00:26:11.509 --> 00:26:15.230 he can and he does we get perplexed we get cast 00:26:15.230 --> 00:26:18.309 down we get weary and unable to help people to 00:26:18.309 --> 00:26:21.809 change but the holy spirit changes life frees 00:26:21.809 --> 00:26:24.069 people from their sins and their bondages and 00:26:24.069 --> 00:26:27.990 brings life from the dead that is the work of 00:26:27.990 --> 00:26:31.140 the holy spirit The calling of a minister then 00:26:31.140 --> 00:26:34.019 is to labor faithfully as God's servant. And 00:26:34.019 --> 00:26:36.740 then God will give each one his reward according 00:26:36.740 --> 00:26:39.839 to his labor. We find this in verse 8. Now he 00:26:39.839 --> 00:26:43.079 who plants and he who waters are one. And each 00:26:43.079 --> 00:26:47.839 one will receive his own reward according to 00:26:47.839 --> 00:26:54.759 his labor. His own labor. God does not measure 00:26:54.759 --> 00:27:00.289 by results. He rewards according. to the labor. 00:27:01.549 --> 00:27:05.549 Sometimes there are those who labor for years 00:27:05.549 --> 00:27:09.349 and years in a hard field and have little to 00:27:09.349 --> 00:27:13.029 show by way of results. But these labors are 00:27:13.029 --> 00:27:16.170 not in vain and neither are yours. Though not 00:27:16.170 --> 00:27:18.549 ministers in the sense of an office in the church, 00:27:18.690 --> 00:27:22.319 parents are also a form of minister. Because 00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:26.519 it's hard to raise a family. It's hours and hours 00:27:26.519 --> 00:27:29.720 of blood and toil and sweat, of hard decisions 00:27:29.720 --> 00:27:32.539 and tender care and discipline and sleepless 00:27:32.539 --> 00:27:36.960 nights and discipleship and prayer. And so all 00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:40.240 of us, as we serve Christ in and of our own capacity, 00:27:40.539 --> 00:27:43.660 in whatever it is that God has given to you, 00:27:43.799 --> 00:27:46.420 you need the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish 00:27:46.420 --> 00:27:51.869 the work. But yet God remembers your labor, your 00:27:51.869 --> 00:27:56.809 labor of love, even as you are a channel of instrument 00:27:56.809 --> 00:28:01.210 for the Lord to work in your children, to others 00:28:01.210 --> 00:28:04.089 around you. Maybe you're discipling someone else 00:28:04.089 --> 00:28:08.289 or to leaders of churches and shepherds and overseers. 00:28:08.369 --> 00:28:13.410 In all of this, we must remember that our labor 00:28:13.410 --> 00:28:18.160 is not in vain. To all Christian believers. That 00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:21.099 wonderful chapter on the resurrection of 1 Corinthians 00:28:21.099 --> 00:28:24.279 15. Paul encourages every believer with these 00:28:24.279 --> 00:28:28.119 words. Therefore my beloved brethren. Be steadfast. 00:28:28.119 --> 00:28:31.420 Be immovable. Always abounding in the work of 00:28:31.420 --> 00:28:35.319 the Lord. Knowing that your labor is not in vain 00:28:35.319 --> 00:28:39.539 in the Lord. Your labor is not in vain. There 00:28:39.539 --> 00:28:44.460 are times in history where God. enabled shepherds 00:28:44.460 --> 00:28:47.380 to lead and and as i said the ground was very 00:28:47.380 --> 00:28:49.799 hard it was a very difficult place to minister 00:28:49.799 --> 00:28:53.220 and very few were were converted through the 00:28:53.220 --> 00:28:56.539 fruit of their ministry but they labored faithfully 00:28:56.539 --> 00:28:59.720 and were rewarded by god only then for someone 00:28:59.720 --> 00:29:02.420 else to come and maybe even the next generation 00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:06.000 and the seed had been that all the ground had 00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:08.720 been worked even though it was hard and all of 00:29:08.720 --> 00:29:11.900 a sudden the spirit of god moved and great amounts 00:29:12.200 --> 00:29:16.660 of people came into Christ's church over a short 00:29:16.660 --> 00:29:19.380 amount of time. That wasn't because of the man 00:29:19.380 --> 00:29:22.480 who came and watered. It was the work of the 00:29:22.480 --> 00:29:25.180 Holy Spirit using both the labor of the man who 00:29:25.180 --> 00:29:28.720 planted and the one who watered. And they together 00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:33.220 are one in Christ. Do not develop these factions 00:29:33.220 --> 00:29:37.400 is what Paul is saying here. Now Paul differentiates 00:29:37.400 --> 00:29:39.279 here between the ministers and the congregation 00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:43.950 in that ministers are God's fellow workers. He 00:29:43.950 --> 00:29:48.289 says, we, verse 9, we are God's fellow workers. 00:29:48.390 --> 00:29:51.410 He's referring to their, to Christ's servants. 00:29:51.730 --> 00:29:57.569 We are God's fellow workers. You are God's field. 00:29:57.789 --> 00:30:02.869 You are God's building. And so to the Corinthians, 00:30:03.009 --> 00:30:08.150 these apostles and the others who followed on 00:30:08.150 --> 00:30:12.059 after them, They labored and labored before the 00:30:12.059 --> 00:30:15.099 Lord, some planting, some watering. And it wasn't 00:30:15.099 --> 00:30:17.380 only Paul and Apollos. There were many others 00:30:17.380 --> 00:30:21.000 who came after and who continued to work in this 00:30:21.000 --> 00:30:24.079 congregation so that they would prosper, which 00:30:24.079 --> 00:30:27.250 they did do. They did prosper. They were able 00:30:27.250 --> 00:30:29.470 to deal with some of the sin in their midst, 00:30:29.609 --> 00:30:31.789 even though they still had issues and problems, 00:30:31.809 --> 00:30:34.890 just like pretty much all congregations do, yet 00:30:34.890 --> 00:30:38.089 they were able to grow and prosper by the work 00:30:38.089 --> 00:30:43.410 of the Holy Spirit in them. And so, he says, 00:30:43.490 --> 00:30:46.670 we are laborers together. We are God's fellow 00:30:46.670 --> 00:30:50.609 workers. This is an incredible thing, to think 00:30:50.609 --> 00:30:54.900 that we... are able, even as mere instruments, 00:30:55.019 --> 00:31:00.700 that God works in a unique way with us. But again, 00:31:00.779 --> 00:31:03.180 I would remind you that even though the context 00:31:03.180 --> 00:31:06.440 here is up to the church, God also works through 00:31:06.440 --> 00:31:10.980 you as parents. or as counselors, or to one another 00:31:10.980 --> 00:31:15.359 in various ways. God uses you in the gifts that 00:31:15.359 --> 00:31:17.880 he has given to you, but it's still the Holy 00:31:17.880 --> 00:31:21.619 Spirit that accomplishes good in whatever way 00:31:21.619 --> 00:31:28.359 you are an instrument, whatever way it is. Nevertheless, 00:31:28.480 --> 00:31:31.140 here, looking at the text and staying with the 00:31:31.140 --> 00:31:34.779 text, he says, we are God's fellow workers. You 00:31:34.779 --> 00:31:37.980 are God's field. God's servants are instruments, 00:31:38.160 --> 00:31:40.700 which brings us back to the beginning. They are 00:31:40.700 --> 00:31:43.579 shepherds who feed the flock of God, laboring 00:31:43.579 --> 00:31:46.980 together with God, and trusting the Holy Spirit 00:31:46.980 --> 00:31:50.599 to do the work of sanctification, that of making 00:31:50.599 --> 00:31:57.920 God's people holy. Now, let's apply this in just 00:31:57.920 --> 00:32:01.559 two different ways. First of all, as a congregation, 00:32:02.839 --> 00:32:06.720 Strive to be of one mind. Over and over in the 00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:10.259 scripture it says, be of one mind. And even where 00:32:10.259 --> 00:32:13.140 there are some differences, then love, love one 00:32:13.140 --> 00:32:17.319 another. 1 Peter 3, verse 8 and 9. Finally, all 00:32:17.319 --> 00:32:20.079 of you be of one mind, having compassion for 00:32:20.079 --> 00:32:24.029 one another. Love as brothers. Be tenderhearted, 00:32:24.190 --> 00:32:27.390 be courteous, not returning evil for evil or 00:32:27.390 --> 00:32:30.769 reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, wise 00:32:30.769 --> 00:32:33.829 blessing, knowing that you were called to this, 00:32:33.869 --> 00:32:36.890 that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3, 8 00:32:36.890 --> 00:32:40.690 and 9. And so, yes, we're going to have disagreements, 00:32:40.690 --> 00:32:43.849 brothers and sisters. We will. But we can work 00:32:43.849 --> 00:32:46.299 through them. And we need to love one another 00:32:46.299 --> 00:32:49.920 as brethren, to love one another as being part 00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:54.119 of the family of God together, even where we 00:32:54.119 --> 00:32:58.519 have disagreements and we seek to be one, to 00:32:58.519 --> 00:33:02.700 be united together as much as lies within us. 00:33:03.059 --> 00:33:05.660 And so my encouragement and application to you 00:33:05.660 --> 00:33:08.779 is do not develop factions, but strive to be 00:33:08.779 --> 00:33:11.059 of one mind and even where there are differences, 00:33:11.220 --> 00:33:15.259 love, be tenderhearted and courteous. courteous 00:33:15.259 --> 00:33:20.299 toward one another secondly use the gifts that 00:33:20.299 --> 00:33:24.920 god has given to you because god has given to 00:33:24.920 --> 00:33:29.140 each one in the body unique gifts the apostle 00:33:29.140 --> 00:33:31.779 paul gives clear instructions on this in romans 00:33:31.779 --> 00:33:35.039 chapter 12 after we have presented our bodies 00:33:35.039 --> 00:33:39.440 as a living sacrifice to god we see ourselves 00:33:39.440 --> 00:33:42.200 in a new light. And so he says, for I say through 00:33:42.200 --> 00:33:44.579 the grace given to me to everyone who is among 00:33:44.579 --> 00:33:47.779 you, not to think of himself more highly than 00:33:47.779 --> 00:33:51.480 he ought to think, but to think soberly as God 00:33:51.480 --> 00:33:55.599 has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For 00:33:55.599 --> 00:33:58.559 as we have many members in one body, but all 00:33:58.559 --> 00:34:01.160 the members do not have the same function, so 00:34:01.160 --> 00:34:04.690 we being many... Are one body in Christ. And 00:34:04.690 --> 00:34:07.549 individually members of one another. Having then 00:34:07.549 --> 00:34:11.170 gifts. Differing. According to the grace that 00:34:11.170 --> 00:34:14.940 is given to us. Let us use them. If prophecy, 00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:18.019 let us prophesy in proportion to our faith. Or 00:34:18.019 --> 00:34:21.019 ministry, let us use it in our ministry. He who 00:34:21.019 --> 00:34:25.239 teaches, in teaching. He who exhorts, in exhortation. 00:34:25.480 --> 00:34:29.039 He who gives, with liberality. He who leads, 00:34:29.300 --> 00:34:32.739 with diligence. He who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. 00:34:32.920 --> 00:34:36.059 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is 00:34:36.059 --> 00:34:39.079 evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affection 00:34:39.079 --> 00:34:43.210 to one another with brotherly love. In honor, 00:34:43.250 --> 00:34:46.150 giving preference to one another, not lagging 00:34:46.150 --> 00:34:49.420 in diligence, fervent in spirit. Serving the 00:34:49.420 --> 00:34:52.940 Lord. Rejoicing in hope. Patient in tribulation. 00:34:53.460 --> 00:34:56.639 Continuing steadfastly in prayer. Distributing 00:34:56.639 --> 00:34:59.239 to the needs of the saints. Given to hospitality. 00:34:59.880 --> 00:35:01.619 Now that's quite a list there. And sometimes 00:35:01.619 --> 00:35:04.559 our minds kind of glaze over as we look at, as 00:35:04.559 --> 00:35:07.119 we just, it kind of all jumbles together. The 00:35:07.119 --> 00:35:10.480 fact is that everyone has a gift. We're all instruments 00:35:10.480 --> 00:35:14.079 of God. And we need to seek to use the gifts 00:35:14.079 --> 00:35:17.619 that God gave us in a way that glorifies Him. 00:35:17.929 --> 00:35:20.409 knowing that it's the power of the Holy Spirit, 00:35:20.610 --> 00:35:23.909 the grace of God that has given you the gift 00:35:23.909 --> 00:35:28.349 and the ability to do it. So it is also with 00:35:28.349 --> 00:35:34.050 our ministers and with our leaders. We are called 00:35:34.050 --> 00:35:39.309 to be those instruments, but look to the power 00:35:39.309 --> 00:35:44.750 of the Holy Spirit. Let's pray. Father, we thank 00:35:44.750 --> 00:35:48.510 you that you have called us to yourself. We thank 00:35:48.510 --> 00:35:50.989 you that you have given to us these great gifts. 00:35:51.269 --> 00:35:54.869 We bless you and we praise you. And we ask for 00:35:54.869 --> 00:35:56.869 your blessing on this congregation that we would 00:35:56.869 --> 00:35:59.489 be like -minded and that we would walk in your 00:35:59.489 --> 00:36:03.210 ways and that we would be overflowing and abounding 00:36:03.210 --> 00:36:07.289 in love for one another. And we ask this in Jesus' 00:36:07.429 --> 00:36:08.469 name. Amen.