1 Corinthians 3:5-9 says...
Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 3:5-9, which read,
v.5 - What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.
Paul keeps speaking to them with childish language or of milk rather than meat. He continues to say the obvious because they are following the flesh rather than following the Spirit. Paul and Apollos are nothing compared to Christ. They are just men who are servants of Christ and doing what Christ called them to do. They spoke the Word but they are not the Word. Jesus is so much more that Jesus even gave them the opportunity to believe. Paul and Apollos could give witness of Jesus Christ but Jesus Christ was in control of the hearer's heart.
v.6,7 - I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.
It sounds like we are back at the parable of the soils. We scatter the seed but God tills the soil. Paul gave the message and Apollos also gave the message but the growth that would come was not of their doings but of God. I am thankful for those in my life who planted and watered. They are names that I remember and places where I heard the message of Christ again and again. Some were actions that I saw in the persons who were planting and watering. I am so thankful for them but it would mean nothing if I didn't realize that what they were saying was what was more important than who they were. They were speaking of Christ and the emphasis on the process needs to rest there.
v.8 - Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
Paul is saying that in the eyes of God, he is one and Apollos is one, they are equal in His sight. A reward is given by God but that reward is given to each individual by God based on that person's labor is sharing the message of Christ. You won't get a special reward because you are of the Paul group and not the Apollos group. Your reward is based on your response and reaction to Christ.
v.9 - For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
Paul wants the Corinthian Christians to know that all the workers that have been sent to them with the message of Christ are "fellow" workers. Do you remember the "star" player on the team you were on? The focus could easily go to that star player and how good they were and if they weren't on the team we would be nothing. They were just one player and let's say for the example we are talking basketball and five players make up a team. To God, all five players are "fellow" players in His sight. Some might have more skills than others but they are just a player on the team with the other players. We might look at Paul as a "superman" Christian but he is just a Christian along with us who are also on the team.
Paul then focuses on the possession of the workers and of them. It is "God's fellow workers" and "God's field" and "God's building." If I keep the basketball example going, God is not just the coach of the team but better seen as the owner of the team. He is the sole owner. He owns the team, the contracts, the building, the franchise, the vending machines, the bleachers, the floor, the basketballs, the hoops, etc.
Paul is going from planting to building in his analogy to give the Corinth Christians another elementary word picture for them to understand what they are doing wrong. Tomorrow we will unpack that one. For today, keep your eyes on the One who makes you grow and thank Him for those who planted the seed in your life.
"Lord, we too need to hear examples that help us to keep our eyes fixed on You, the Message and not get stuck on the messenger that You sent. Many times it is easier for me to read a book by a messenger of You rather than the book that You gave. Thanks for all those other books and the godly men and women who wrote them but may they never take priority over hearing You through Your words. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.5 - What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.
Paul keeps speaking to them with childish language or of milk rather than meat. He continues to say the obvious because they are following the flesh rather than following the Spirit. Paul and Apollos are nothing compared to Christ. They are just men who are servants of Christ and doing what Christ called them to do. They spoke the Word but they are not the Word. Jesus is so much more that Jesus even gave them the opportunity to believe. Paul and Apollos could give witness of Jesus Christ but Jesus Christ was in control of the hearer's heart.
v.6,7 - I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.
It sounds like we are back at the parable of the soils. We scatter the seed but God tills the soil. Paul gave the message and Apollos also gave the message but the growth that would come was not of their doings but of God. I am thankful for those in my life who planted and watered. They are names that I remember and places where I heard the message of Christ again and again. Some were actions that I saw in the persons who were planting and watering. I am so thankful for them but it would mean nothing if I didn't realize that what they were saying was what was more important than who they were. They were speaking of Christ and the emphasis on the process needs to rest there.
v.8 - Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
Paul is saying that in the eyes of God, he is one and Apollos is one, they are equal in His sight. A reward is given by God but that reward is given to each individual by God based on that person's labor is sharing the message of Christ. You won't get a special reward because you are of the Paul group and not the Apollos group. Your reward is based on your response and reaction to Christ.
v.9 - For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
Paul wants the Corinthian Christians to know that all the workers that have been sent to them with the message of Christ are "fellow" workers. Do you remember the "star" player on the team you were on? The focus could easily go to that star player and how good they were and if they weren't on the team we would be nothing. They were just one player and let's say for the example we are talking basketball and five players make up a team. To God, all five players are "fellow" players in His sight. Some might have more skills than others but they are just a player on the team with the other players. We might look at Paul as a "superman" Christian but he is just a Christian along with us who are also on the team.
Paul then focuses on the possession of the workers and of them. It is "God's fellow workers" and "God's field" and "God's building." If I keep the basketball example going, God is not just the coach of the team but better seen as the owner of the team. He is the sole owner. He owns the team, the contracts, the building, the franchise, the vending machines, the bleachers, the floor, the basketballs, the hoops, etc.
Paul is going from planting to building in his analogy to give the Corinth Christians another elementary word picture for them to understand what they are doing wrong. Tomorrow we will unpack that one. For today, keep your eyes on the One who makes you grow and thank Him for those who planted the seed in your life.
"Lord, we too need to hear examples that help us to keep our eyes fixed on You, the Message and not get stuck on the messenger that You sent. Many times it is easier for me to read a book by a messenger of You rather than the book that You gave. Thanks for all those other books and the godly men and women who wrote them but may they never take priority over hearing You through Your words. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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