Building Carefully

A world-class woman runner was invited to compete in a road race in Connecticut. On the morning of the race, she drove from New York City, following the directions—or so she thought—given her over the telephone. She got lost, stopped at a gas station, and asked for help. She knew that the race started in the parking lot of a shopping mall. The station attendant also knew of such a race scheduled just up the road and directed her there. When she arrived she was relieved to see in the parking lot a modest number of runners preparing to compete. Not as many as she’d anticipated; an easier race than she’d been led to expect. She hurried to the registration desk, announced herself, and was surprised by the race officials’ excitement at having so renowned an athlete show up for their race. No, they had no record of her entry, but if she’d hurry and put on this number, she could just make it before the gun goes off. She ran and, naturally, she won easily, some four minutes ahead of the first male runner in second place.   Only after the race—when there was no envelope containing her sizable prize and performance money— did she confirm that the event she’d run was not the race to which she’d been invited. That race was being held several miles farther up the road in another town. She’d gone to the wrong starting line, run the wrong course, and missed her chance to win a valuable prize.

As we continue our ongoing study in the book of 1 Corinthians.  Written by the Apostle Paul, as he worked with young Christians who also had outward sins in their lives.   They had problems with improper worship, problems with allowing sin to go unexposed, and problems with a misunderstanding of eternal consequences for things done in this life.  So Paul writes them to straighten out some problems that had crept into the church.  

With that we enter chapter three where the Apostle tells them about those consequences and rewards in eternity for ministry done on earth.  So lets read the text together.

READ 1 CORINTHIANS 3:1-4

How do we need to be addressed?  As infants or mature, do we still drink formula or are we moving on to T-bone steak?   If the Apostle Paul were writing this letter to us, could he address us as mature or worldly, do we elevate men or women, above our own walk with the Lord?  Those are questions for us the twenty-first century church.  

Over the years I have known many people who never grow in the faith, they sit in good church where the word is preached, they have their favorite Christian authors but they never seem to apply it.  I think the problem in Corinth with the elevation of ministers is a prevalent problem today as people brag about what church they attend or who they follow.    

So Paul starts with a bang this section of his letter where he deals with the problems – he tells them they are worldly, carnal, they are babies and not yet ready for solid food.  Then from there, he gives them what they need, the solid food of the words and will of God. So lets consider what he tells them in the heart of chapter three.

1 CORINTHIANS 3:10-15  BUILDING CAREFULLY

Paul uses the language of construction to speak about heavenly rewards. Three things we will consider in our text as Paul.   #1. The foundation laid.   #2. The materials used.  #3. The structure  tested.

1. THE FOUNDATION LAID.  V 10-11

Any building that is going to stand must be built on a solid foundation.  The builder must insure the base of the building is able to withstand the elements, hold the weight, and stand the test of time.  The church is like that, it is built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ.  That is the foundation that Paul laid in Corinth, he laid like an expert builder.  Paul was a craftsman and focused in his ministry at Corinth on the most important thing,  Jesus Christ and him crucified.

TURN TO MATTHEW  16:13‑20

The church will be built upon the rock.  What rock is Jesus going to build his church upon?  On the rock of Peter the (Petros ) a little stone or piece of rock?   Our Roman Catholic brothers would say yes, Peter is the man, he was the first Pope and that is the rock of the church.  But Peter like me, and like you was flesh and blood, a foundation built upon him would be to build Christ’s kingdom on a foundation that was full of flaws.  No the rock is not Peter but the Rock (petra); a mass of rock.   Peter’s confession  reveals the rock/ the foundation of our faith.  “You are the Christ.”   Those who are the church, must confessing Jesus as the Rock/ the foundation of our faith. 

Eph 2:20‑22 The church is... built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Throughout the old testament it was spoken about the stone that the builders would reject would become the capstone or cornerstone.  That stone is Jesus Christ, he is rejected by men yet he is the only foundation that is sure, the capstone, the one that holds it all together.  Today the churches organizations seems to be about many things, social reform, counseling services, marriage seminars, weight loss programs, or entertainment, some might be good stuff.  But none of those things can save a soul, not eloquence or entertainment.   Remember church, if we loose sight of our foundation, all the good that we can do, all the excitement we can muster is building on a foundation that will crumble, and give way.  No other foundation but Jesus Christ can be laid. 

Peter referring to Jesus being the rejected stone, says.

1 Peter 2:4‑5  As you come to him, the living Stone‑rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him‑ you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

First we see the foundation laid, and there is only one foundation for your faith Jesus Christ, the solid rock.

2. MATERIALS USED. V12

Paul continues in his construction project leaving the foundation and going to the building materials.  He tells us that a man / a woman will build with different types of materials.  The context is speaking to church leaders, but it certainly applies to all believers.

Whenever I read this I am reminded of the story of the “Three little pigs”.  How one brother was in a hurry to play, and he quickly put up a shelter made of straw and the second little pig was also in a hurry to do things so he built with sticks, but the wise third pig built his house with bricks.  Of course we all know the story how the Big Bad Wolf came and huffed and puffed and he blew down the houses made with inferior materials.   You say, “Ok Rich, I know the story, what in the world does that have to do with anything.”  Well, not much!

But what Paul is speaking about here is not unlike the story of the Three Little Pigs as he causes us to question what we are building with. 

As we journey in this life, the bible says we are Aliens, Strangers, Pilgrims in the land, and we build upon our faith with the deeds that we do.  Some of our materials are good and others cheap, like the Three Pigs homes, some are able to stand because they built with good materials.  Of course our buildings are not tested by the Big Bad Wolf, rather they are tested by the righteousness of Christ. 

1 Cor 3:13" The fire will test the quality of each man's work"  

Understand that God is concerned that we build our lives upon.  Jesus said, the wise man – wise woman is the one who builds their life upon the rock.  Of course he was talking about the rock of obedience to God’s word. So how are you building?  What are you building with?  Paul speaks of two types of materials.

a.      # 1^st.  INFERIOR MATERIALS. 

Are you like the Pharisees who Jesus said, love to let people watch how much they give, and love to pray in the temple to be seen by men, they made their faces look gaunt when they fast.  Jesus said of them.   “I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.”  These are materials of wood, hay or straw, (KJV) says, stubble.  I like that because for us stubble is what goes down the drain after shaving --  worthless waste materials.

How should we build?   How do we insure we have quality materials?  First as we have already said, build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. Then we learn from the Pharisees and examine your motives to ensure that we are doing things with a right heart.  Are you looking for the praise of men, or do we believe what Jesus said? 

Matt 6:6....Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

God sees what you do.  He sees your faithfulness, your giving, your acts of faith, so you should never worry about who else sees what you do, because your father in heaven knows. 

Things done for the praise of men, with false humility, or things done for any wrong motivation, will be like inferior materials in a fire.  God does not seek to burn you, but he does bring to light the quality of what your life was built upon. 

Jesus speaks to the church in Ephesus:

Rev 2:2‑5 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.

Jesus knew their deeds, all the good they were doing, but he also knew their motivation, they had forsaken him as the foundation. 

Like the old saying goes.  “Everything in this life shall pass, only what is done for Christ will last”. 

So in this construction project of like some of the things we do are like inferior materials, but there are also superior materials.

b.      # 2^nd. SUPERIOR MATERIALS.

Like the wise little pig who built to withstand the evil threat, our lives should be like Gold, Silver and Costly Stones.  Not only do they survive the fire- but in the case of Gold and Silver they are refined and made more pure by the fire.  

Gold, things done in faith, when Christ tells us to go, we go, when we are to speak, we speak, when we are to stay, we stay.  Because we are doing things by faith, and in obedience.   Silver, taking steps of faith, stepping out of our natural man, and our comfort zone to share Christ with the lost.  Being faithful in the little things every day, in our homes, in our marriages, and on our jobs -- because we are lovers of Jesus.  Costly Stones, diamonds are not only “a girls best friend”, but they shine in heaven as an eternal reward for treasures laid up.  Jesus said to: “lay up treasures in heaven, where moth and rust will not destroy.”   Its been said, “you can’t take it with you but you can send it ahead.”

There’s an old joke, about a man who was determined to take it with him, he left instructions for his wife to stitch up some gold in his pockets when he died.  So when the man died his wife fulfilled his wish, he found himself before the pearly gates standing on streets of Gold, only to be asked by Peter, why did bring more pavement with you? 

Things of value on earth are worthless in heaven -- but things done on earth, in obedience- by faith, are of great value in heaven.   Rewards in heaven are not hoarded but like the example of Jesus who gave his life, we will worship God and give him our most treasured possession as we place them before the throne of God.

Rev 4:10‑11 The twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever.  (And) They lay their crowns before the throne…

Perpetually worshiping God, giving back to him their most valuable object. 

We have seen that life is like a building project begin with the foundation of faith in Christ.   Then we build on that in ministry using quality materials.  Finally I would like you understand there will be a test. 

3. THE STRUCTURE TESTED. V13-15

When you build today, you must have engineered plans, follow the building codes and then the project is inspected.  Does your building pass the structural tests?   Are the snow loads correctly calculated, did you take the earthquake factors into account?   Will your materials withstand the winds, and elements?  So it is with the each man’s, - each women’s work in this life.  They will be tested to reveal what kind of material were used. 

1 Cor 3:13  TLB   There is going to come a time of testing at Christ's Judgment Day to see what kind of material each builder has used. Everyone's work will be put through the fire so that all can see whether or not it keeps its value, and what was really accomplished.

The first thing we see about this testing is “The day will bring it to light.”   

a.      # 1^ST. THE DAY.

When is the day?  Today is a day, but so far it is not, “the day.”  “The day”, is the “Day of the Lord”.

1 Cor 4:4‑5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts.  At that time each will receive his praise from God.

The day will bring to light the motivation/ the inspiration of all that we had done during our lives on earth. 

2 Cor 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

The Beema judgment seat of the Lord. The structural test is on that day, before God’s throne, second we see it will be by Fire.

b.      # 2^ND. THE FIRE

The fire refers a “refiners fire” that separates the waste –the dross from precious metals.  Silver and gold and precious stones, will endure the fire, but  wood and hay and straw, will be consumed in it.  There is a day coming that will distinguish one man from another, and one woman's work from another's.  Just like the refiners fire distinguishes gold from dross, and things that will bear the fire from what will be consumed in it.

William James once said.  “ The great use of life is to spend it for something that (will) outlast it.”  

 TURN TO MAL 3:2-4 / 4:1-3

What will that fire be like for Christians?   Will there be a big oven, maybe like the old brick oven, and a big pile of stuff goes in on one of those things they use at the pizza place.  Then out comes a big heap of ashes with some gold and silver flakes and a few gems?   As I thought about this I was reminded of John’s description of Jesus in:

Rev 1:14‑16 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double‑edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.