caution: Construction Zone! , 1 Cor 3:5-17

1. What We Are doing: building a Temple

1.1. God’s Building

1.2. Not a Stage

1.3. Not a Lecture Hall

1.4. Not a Cruise Ship

Recently my friend David from New York told me how he’d been going to church as a “consumer”, focused on comparing and critiquing. He realized he needed to become a “communer” who goes to meet God and express His love to others. God has helped him change from a person who left church each week with a list of complaints to an active servant. “The beautiful part of all this,” David said, “is that I’m a lot happier as a communer than I was as a consumer.”

Josh Harris, Stop Dating the Church, p. 59.

1.5. Building A Temple

1.5.1. A dwelling of God

God will manifest his presence in congregational worship in ways you can never know even in the most glorious secret worship. That’s because you are not only a temple of God as an individual, but the bible also says (and far more often) that Christians collectively are God’s temple… God manifests His presence in different ways to the “living stones” of His temple when they are gathered than He does to them when they are apart. Donald Whitney

1.5.2. Holy

1.5.3. Caution – construction zone!!

2. Who is doing it: Leadership & Crew

2.1. Servants – laborers.

2.2. Under God, by His grace.

2.3. Each as one

2.4. Master builders

Hebrews 13:17

2.4.1. Workforce.

Ephesians 4:11-12

I know there are some who say, “Well, I have given myself to the Lord but I do not intend to give myself to the church.” Now, why not? “Because I can be a Christian without it.” Are you quite clear about that? You can be as good a Christian by disobedience to your Lord’s commands as by being obedient? What is a brick made for? To help build a house. It is of no use for that brick to tell you that it is just as good a brick while it is kicking about on the ground as it would be in the house. It is a good-for-nothing brick. So you rolling stone Christians, I do not believe that you are answering your purpose. You are living contrary to the life which Christ would have you live, and you are much to blame for the injury you do. Charles H. Spurgeon

3. How We Are doing it: Christ and His gospel of grace – built to last.

3.1. Built on Christ Alone

3.2. Built for Results

3.3. Built to Last

4. Conclusion

4.1. Application

4.1.1. Believe

4.1.2. Repent

4.1.3. Do

My Main Application:

Questions:

1. What is Paul talking about in this passage? What are his main points?

2. Why is he talking about this? What sort of problems or needs did the Corinthians have that prompted him to write this?

3. Are any of these problems or needs similar to ours? Give three examples.

4. What are some common misperceptions in New England of the church, it leaders and its methods? How does a biblical understanding of the church keep us from these errors?

5. What is a misperception you have had or now have that this passage addresses?

6. What specific changes is God calling you to as a result of this passage? Any changes in how you prepare for Sunday meetings? Caregroup meetings?

7. Spend some time praying for our church.

Resources:

NIV Study Bible

New Geneva Study Bible

NAS Study Bible

ESV Bible

1 Corinthians: Godly Solutions for Church Problems, John MacArthur

The Cross and Christian Ministry, DA Carson

Showing the Spirit, DA Carson

1 Corinthians, David Prior, Bible Speaks Today Series

daily Devotional

Day	Verse	Thoughts
Mon, Jan 10, 2005	1 Cor 3:5-7	Who is the most influential Christian leader in your life? What about them is so influential? Is God getting the most attention and gratitude through their ministry? Thank God for how he has affected your life for good through specific Christian leaders you know. Pray that God will bless and use the ministry of your church leaders.
Tues, Jan 11, 2005	1 Cor 3:8-9	What does it mean that "he who plants and he who waters are one'? What are they one about? How does this influence how we think of Christian leaders? Are they one in your mind? Pray for the leaders of other local churches.
Wed, Jan 12, 2005	1 Cor 3:10-11	What sort of foundation is in your life? Your family? Your caregroup? Your church? What does it mean to have Jesus Christ as your foundation? How does this work itself out practically in your life? Thank Jesus for being our one sure foundation.
Thurs, Jan 13, 2005	1 Cor 3:12-15	What are some practical examples of building with things that burn up? What are some practical examples of "gold, silver and precious stones"? Are you building your local church with things that burn up? What are they? How can you repent and replace these things with "gold, silver and precious stones"?
Fri, Jan 14, 2005	1 Cor 3:14-15	What does this teach us about what will occur at judgment day? What allows us to make it through the fire? Do you think you will take something that makes it through the fire? What? (see 1 Thess. 2:19, Col 3:23, 24 and others.) Thank God for His grace that delivers us from the fire and enables us to earn a reward.
Sat, Jan 15, 2005	1 Cor 3:16-17	Who is God's temple? In whom does God's Spirit dwell? How does this affect our view of the church? How does it affect our view of our Sunday meeting? Our caregroup meetings? What can you do to prepare for these holy occasions? Ask God for help in this.
Sun, Jan 16, 2005	1 Cor 3:16-17	How would someone destroy God's temple? What sort of things were going on in Corinth that might be destroying God's temple? What might be some things at King of Grace that would be destroying God's temple here? Anything for you to repent of? Thank Him for His protection and pray He will build King of Grace in Christ.