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God's Fellow Workers

TEXT1 Cor. 3:9

INTRODUCTION:

A.      MANY FIGURES USE IN THE NT TO DESCRIBE OUR RELATION TO GOD.

B.      Eph. 2:10.  GOD HAS WORK FOR US.

C.      OUR TEXT DEALS WITH OUR RELATION TO GOD IN THIS WORK.

I.      WE ARE GOD'S FELLOW-WORKERS.

A.      SPECIFICALLY, WHO IS HE TALKING ABOUT?  PAUL & APOLLOS!

          1.       Not as apostles.  Apollos wasn't an apostle.

          2.       Not as inspired prophets. No mention of Apollos being inspired( Acts 18:28 ).

          3.       As teachers of the gospel( Context - 1:17;  3:5;  4:1 ).

B.      ALL HAVE THIS RESPONSIBILITY( Phil. 2:15-16;  Rom. 1:14 ).

C.      GOD WORKS THROUGH HUMAN AGENCY.

          1.       His pleasure is done through us( Phil. 2:12-13 ).

          2.       He empowers us( Phil. 4:13 ).

          3.       He is to be glorified( Matt. 5:16;  John 15:8 ).

II.     YE ARE GOD'S HUSBANDRY - HIS "TILLED GROUND."

A.      THE SOWER( Luke 8 ).

          1.       Our hearts the soil and the seed his word( Luke 8:11 ).

          2.       Men's hearts our labor( 2 Cor. 10:3-6 ).

B.      ISAIAH'S VINEYARD - GOD'S CARE( Isa. 5:1-2 ).

C.      SIMILAR FIGURE TODAY( John 15:1-8 ).

          1.       Emphasis on "fruit bearing"( John 15:2, 5 ).

                   a.       Fruit bearing is exercising our talents( Matt. 25 ).

                   b.       Different abilities( Rom. 12:2-8 ).

                   c.       Fruit = effort, not success( 1 Cor. 1:17;  Acts 20:26-27 ).

          2.       What if we don't put forth?( John 15:2, 6 ).

          3.       What if we are like Isaiah's vineyard( Heb. 6:6-8 ).

III.    YE ARE GOD'S BUILDING.

A.      CONTEXTUAL EMPHASIS - PAUL LAID A FOUNDATION( 1 Cor. 3:10 ).

          1.       What foundation?( vs. 11 ).

          2.       What does he mean( 1 Cor. 1:23 ).

B.      BUILT BY WORK OF APOSTLES AND PROPHETS( Eph. 2:20 ).

C.      MUST BE CAREFUL HOW WE BUILD(  1 Cor. 3:10 ).

          1.       Refers to teaching and conduct of teacher( 1 Tim. 4:16 ).

          2.       Materials sometime effect quality( 1 Cor. 3:12-15 ).

D.      WHAT SORT OF BUILDING?  A TEMPLE( 1 Cor. 3:16-17 ).

          1.       God's presence( 2 Cor. 6:17-18 ).

          2.       Priesthood and worship( 1 Pet. 2:5 ).

          3.       Function of the priest - offer sacrifices( Rom. 12:1 )

CONCLUSION:

A.      EACH ONE HAS A PLACE IN GOD'S SERVICE.

B.      WE MUST BE DOING GOD'S WORK.

C.      WE MUST BE IN JESUS TO DO THE WORK( John 15:5 ).