Written by: Phil Bowyer - Tearfund
1 Corinthians 2 v 10-16
But God has shown us these things through the Spirit.
The Spirit searches out all things, even the deep secrets of God. Who knows the
thoughts that another person has? Only a person’s spirit that lives within
him knows his thoughts. It is the same with God. No one knows the thoughts of
God except the Spirit of God. Now we did not receive the spirit of the world,
but we received the Spirit that is from God so that we can know all that God
has given us. And we speak about these things, not with words taught us by human
wisdom but with words taught us by the Spirit. And so we explain spiritual truths
to spiritual people. A person who does not have the Spirit does not accept the
truths that come from the Spirit of God. That person thinks they are foolish
and cannot understand them, because they can only be judged to be true by the
Spirit. The spiritual person is able to judge all things, but no one can judge
him. The Scripture says:
“Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Who has been able to teach him?”
But we have the mind of Christ.
Notes
This passage talks about the awesomeness of us being in relationship with God:
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As we are in relationship with God, as we go
deeper into that relationship and seek after Him, then we become aware that
our thoughts are less like those of the people around us. The fact that the
world doesn’t understand us can be frustrating. Let’s be encouraged,
though - it’s OK that we don’t think the same way that the people
of this world think. Allow God to change your mind; allow your thoughts to
be less like the thoughts of the inhabitants of the world around you and
more like the designer and orchestrator of the entire universe!
It’s encouraging to know this as we seek to be God’s mouthpiece in the world. We’re often very aware of our failings and often it’s our words that let us down, but if we know God then we can “speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom but with words taught us by the Spirit”.
What a relief! We can live in the assurance that God can, will and does speak through us. Even in those situations when we’re out of our depth, He can and will provide us with the words to speak.
Prayer reflection
We’re reminded by this passage that we don’t have to know all the
answers and we don’t have to rely upon our own knowledge. Phew! If we
depend upon God for our words then those words will be inspired by the Spirit
and we will speak in true wisdom and have a profound impact. Don’t be
scared by that prospect; let it free you up! Spend some time now inviting God
to speak through you, submitting your ideas and will to His purposes and what
He wants to say through you.
1 Corinthians 3 v 1-4
Brothers and sisters, in the past I could not talk to you as I talk to spiritual
people. I had to talk to you as I would to people without the Spirit—babies
in Christ. The teaching I gave you was like milk, not solid food, because
you were not able to take solid food. And even now you are not ready. You
are still not spiritual, because there is jealousy and quarrelling among
you, and this shows that you are not spiritual. You are acting like people
of the world. One of you says, “I belong to Paul,” and another
says, “I belong to Apollos.” When you say things like this, you
are acting like people of the world.
Notes
Paul reflects upon a time he spent with the people of Corinth and compares
them to infants who needed milk. They were a people who could only cope with
the basics. They were not ready to move on with God. They could not move
onto solid food. As a result of this, he describes them as “worldly”.
The basics that Paul shared with them had not affected their lives to the
extent that their behaviour and attitudes had changed - they were still quarrelling
and there was jealousy among them.
Where are you with God? If a friend asked you about the difference God makes to your life, would you go back to the time when you first committed to God or would you talk about something that happened between you and God yesterday or in the last few days? We need to be moving on with God all the time. He needs to be making differences to our lives daily.
In order for babies to grow physically, they need the right nutrients and care, as well as carers who will stand back and let them learn for themselves.
Spiritually we need the same. As babies in Christ we need to learn the basics and we need to be cared for. To grow and develop we need to let what we learn affect our lives - to change our attitudes and behaviours. We need to take responsibility for our spiritual growth.
Prayer
Lord, thank You that I am committed to You. Thank You that You do make a difference
to my life. Please help me to grow and develop into the person You want me
to be. Please place people around me who will encourage me to seek You and
to grow in You. Amen
1 Corinthians 3 v 5-9
Is Apollos important? No! Is Paul important? No! We are only servants of God
who helped you believe. Each one of us did the work God gave us to do. I
planted the seed, and Apollos watered it. But God is the One who made it
grow. So the one who plants is not important, and the one who waters is not
important. Only God, who makes things grow, is important. The one who plants
and the one who waters have the same purpose, and each will be rewarded for
his own work. We are God’s workers, working together; you are like
God’s farm, God’s house.
Notes
In this part of Paul’s letter, he describes the roles Paul and Apollos
played in order for God’s work to be done. Both Paul and Apollos had
important roles. Paul’s role was proclaiming, telling people about Jesus.
Apollos’ role was to continue to preach and teach. The point being made
here is that both are needed and so should not be compared. Both roles are
necessary, but ultimately God is the only one who can enable people to grow.
God working in people through the Holy Spirit enables people to develop and
grow.
Paul and Apollos were God’s co-workers. You, on earth, are God’s co-worker. What has God asked you to do? What is your role? What is the burden God has placed on your heart?
God wants us all to be His co-workers. We need to ask Him what He wants us to do and use the gifts He has given us. We all have to play our part, and no part should be seen any differently to another. Within this we need to remember that God is the one who helps us to grow. As the Holy Spirit works within you, you will grow and develop. Other people can’t force us to change. We can’t force other people to change. In people’s lives it is only God who can make the difference. We have to make sure we are doing what God wants us to do in order for Him to do His work.
Prayer
Thank You, God, that You have a specific role for me. Please confirm what Your
desire for me is. Help me to be Your co-worker. Help me to be patient with
people I live, work and study with. Help me to see how You are working through
their lives. Amen
1 Corinthians 3 v 10-15
Using the gift God gave me, I laid the foundation of that house like an expert
builder. Others are building on that foundation, but all people should be
careful how they build on it. The foundation that has already been laid is
Jesus Christ, and no one can lay down any other foundation. But if people
build on that foundation, using gold, silver, jewels, wood, grass or straw,
their work will be clearly seen, because the Day of Judgement will make it
visible. That Day will appear with fire, and the fire will test everyone’s
work to show what sort of work it was. If the building that has been put
on the foundation still stands, the builder will get a reward. But if the
building is burned up, the builder will suffer loss. The builder will be
saved, but it will be as one who escaped from a fire.
Notes
“The wise man built his house upon the rock, and the rain came tumbling
down…”
Those who went to Sunday school will still be able to sing and perform the actions to this song based on a parable Jesus told, a parable echoed in today’s Bible verses.
Paul reminds us of the perfect foundation that we have in Jesus, one on which our lives are designed to be lived out. All around us people are desperately trying to lay foundations of their own design. From those that can corrupt (money, sex, power) to the seemingly good (family, friends, relationships), all are unable to support our lives the way God intended. As in the parable, only a house built on the rock will stand to the end.
So assuming that we know Jesus and He is our foundation, how do we go about building our lives upon Him? God wants us to build our lives by investing in both what will last and what is precious in His eyes. From bringing our friends to Jesus, to studying His word, to standing up for justice, we all know the areas that would survive the testing of fire.
Despite this, so much of our time is devoted to investing in the world, from the pursuit of money and instant fulfilment, to hours spent in front of the TV. God’s response? An amazing promise in the final verse that you might have missed. We may spend our time investing in the world and relentlessly pursuing happiness, yet if our foundation is Jesus, God sees past it all and promises to save us.
Prayer reflection
Make a list of all that consumes your time, money and thinking. Bring this
before God and prayerfully ask for guidance on how to invest in that which
is lasting.
1 Corinthians 3 v 16-17
Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit
lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that
person, because God’s temple is holy and you are that temple.
Notes
Just as the temple/church building must be centred and founded upon Jesus Christ
- a place where he dwells - so, as individuals, we are also a dwelling place
for the Holy Spirit and our lives must be rooted in Jesus.
Are we, as temples of the Holy Spirit, testaments to God’s work? When we rely on our own internal resources to do God’s work, we can so easily be in danger of missing the mark. However, when God’s Spirit is dwelling within us and He is at the forefront of our spirits, directing and guiding our actions, we are walking in the Spirit, as opposed to the flesh, and we can then expect the extraordinary to happen.
Is there room and space in your heart and life for the Holy Spirit to dwell? Is He welcome?
The people of Corinth were warned against destroying God’s temple, His community, His people. There was much division and fraction in the church of Corinth. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that we are seriously warned against this.
Jesus is passionate about His church - past, present and future. How are we contributing to the body of Christ as individuals? Do our actions, heart and attitude seek to affirm and uphold, or destroy?
Prayer
Dear God, may my body, soul, mind and spirit be a dwelling place for Your Holy
Spirit today. May my life be a testament to Your work. Help me each day to
walk in the Sprit, not in the flesh, and to pursue holiness in my thoughts,
actions and attitude towards others. Please give me grace and strength to
contribute to the body of Christ as You would want me to. Amen
1 Corinthians 3 v 18-23
Do not fool yourselves. If you think you are wise in this world, you should
become a fool so that you can become truly wise, because the wisdom of this
world is foolishness with God. It is written in the Scriptures, “He
catches those who are wise in their own clever traps.”It is also written
in the Scriptures, “The Lord knows what wise people think. He knows
their thoughts are just a puff of wind.” So you should not brag about
human leaders. All things belong to you: Paul, Apollos and Peter; the world,
life, death, the present and the future—all these belong to you. And
you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
Notes
We live in the age of the internet, where we potentially have access to a whole
fount of knowledge simply at the click of a few buttons! In some ways, it
is therefore easier than ever to “wise up” and become knowledgeable
in any subject matter that we care to choose. In many ways, this is great
and we should be thankful and take up the opportunities presented to us when
we can. However, we also need to be careful and ask ourselves some questions.
What are the standards of this age? Are we in danger of too easily associating “wisdom” with “knowledge”?
Today’s Bible passage concludes with Paul listing an impressive range of people and circumstances that clearly have their root and being in God. So today, whether it be Blair or Bush, or world poverty, or our decisions about the future, or our very life and being, these things need to be given to God and we need to acknowledge that He is the one in whom we live, move and have our being. The good things we have are a gift from Him and we need to be wise and grateful recipients, willing to acknowledge Him as the owner. We have these things “on loan”, to be used wisely in the eyes of God and not by the world’s standards.
Prayer reflection
Ask God to help you today to acknowledge that He is the source of all true
wisdom. Be thankful to God for the things and people that He has blessed
you with and ask Him to help you keep giving them back to Him, so that you
may boast in Jesus Christ and not in any power or gifts or wisdom that you
may think you have.
1 Corinthians 4 v 1-5
People should think of us as servants of Christ, the ones God has trusted
with his secrets. Now in this way those who are trusted with something valuable
must show they are worthy of that trust. As for myself, I do not care if
I am judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. I know
of no wrong I have done, but this does not make me right before the Lord.
The Lord is the One who judges me. So do not judge before the right time;
wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light things that are now hidden
in darkness, and will make known the secret purposes of people’s hearts.
Then God will praise each one of them.
Notes
Paul urges the people of Corinth to think of him as a servant of Christ and
encourages them to be the same. Every day we are provided with opportunities
and challenges from God to choose to do what is right. However small they
are, the significance lies in whether we can rise to the challenges or not – in
which can lie great opportunities to be servant-hearted towards those around
us. In these valuable opportunities that God has entrusted to us, can we
show Him that we are worthy of His trust?
We can so easily get caught up with the “impressive” jobs that result in glory in front of others, but the bigger and more important call on our lives is to live like (and for) Jesus, day in, day out, in the quiet place, as well as the loud, when the only person looking is God. In that place, we enter into “true” worship, when it really is for the audience of One.
It can be so easy to judge others against what we see with the human eye. It’s important to remember that it is God who judges – because it can at times be so easy for us to assume that role. Maybe it makes us feel better about ourselves when we judge who is a better servant for Christ. When we judge another, we inevitably consider ourselves as superior to the other - but this is not a mark of a true servant.
Prayer reflection
Ask God today to show you how you can honour Him in the smaller day-to-day
things as well as the bigger. Ask God to give you His eyes and heart for
the situations and individuals that you encounter each day. Pray that your
heart would be loving and open to those around you - even the tough and difficult
people - and that your heart’s desire would always be to put others
first before yourself, not judging others in order to make yourself feel
better.
word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text
taken from the Youth Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright
1993 by Word Publishing Milton Keynes