(By Nathan Williams)
John welcomes Tom by pointing out that he asked Tom to give this particular message because it had been such a blessing to him.
In 2005 George Barna wrote a book called Revolution in which he paints the local church as dead. He paints it as a relic from the past which has completely outlasted it’s usefulness. In the book the view is given that one can live the life of a Christian without heading to church. Barna calls for a revolution in which millions of Christians can grow without making the church the center of their spiritual lives. All of us who are here believe in the local church as the only institution which Jesus Christ promised to build. It’s not time for a new model or approach. The frightening thought is that those who think they love the church and sometimes cause it the greatest harm. We get unanticipated consequences from many of the plans which we make as humans. This is how many pastors end up doing harm to the church when they want to do it good.
Paul challenged the leaders in the Corinthians church in 1 Cor. 3. The Christians in this church rallied behind certain leaders and thought they were doing what was best for the church. Paul uses two metaphors in this chapter to teach people how they should think about their leaders in the church, agriculture and the architectural. We will focus on the architectural metaphor this afternoon. This begins in verse 9 of 1 Cor. 3.
Paul was a son of the city. He understood what it was like to minister in cities. No wonder then, that he chose this metaphor. Church leaders are fellow workers on this building project which God has initiated. The key thought is found in verse 10, Let each one take care how he builds. Paul is talking primarily to us who are involved in leading the church. We are to be careful how we build. In this context the command “be careful” means we are to be constantly assessing how we are building the church. The goal is for us each to make this passage a blueprint for our ministry. Paul lays out the blueprint
Paul gives three foundational instructions for how to build the church.
1. Build on the right foundation. (vs. 10-11)
Paul compares his role as an Apostle to a wise master builder. The architect has the greatest skill in building and was given management of the entire project. Paul is arguing that he was given this assignment from God and was responsible to lay the proper foundation. Obviously, foundations are crucially important to a building. The foundation stones uphold the entire building. Verse 11 points out that the only true foundation is Jesus Christ. It is possible to try to build on another foundation, but if you try, it will not be the church. It is crucial for us to know what this foundation is. What does it mean that the only foundation is Jesus Christ?
Ephesians 2 lays out several pictures of the church, and we will focus on verse 20. The foundation consists in the apostles and prophets. In what sense? In Eph. 3:5 Paul tells us the foundation has now been revealed. The Apostles and Prophets received the revelation of God and the NT church is built on the revelation that came through them. Jesus Christ is the cornerstone. The cornerstone is the primary foundation stone and the architect fixes a standard based on this one stone. The rest of the stones in the building are true to this stone. It was the ultimate measure of everything in the building. When Paul says in 1 Cor that he laid Jesus as the foundation he means that any authentic church must be based on the NT revelation of Jesus Christ. To build on another foundation is to build on anything that is not revealed in the Scripture. You must build on the NT revelation which came from Christ and through the Apostles and Prophets.
The foundation is everything. Even if you are slightly off on the foundation everything you build will be at risk. In verse 10, Paul adds that he laid the foundation and says that another is building on it. We are continuing to build on the foundation which was laid. The picture behind this text is of a massive building which took many generations to build. The cornerstone has been laid in Jesus Christ and everything we do must be squared with the cornerstone and with the work that has been done before. We live in a day when there is an endless array of options for how to build the church. Just pick up any Christian catalogue and you will see many different options for how to build the church. The options are endless, every year or two some new approach will come on the scene. These schemes have one thing in common, without fail they offer a substitute for NT revelation. No amount of marketing or lights or candles can replace God’s revelation of the church. It’s not our job to decide which way the church should be built, stick to the blueprint. Martin Luther said, “The only mark of a Christian church is following and obeying the Word.” Build the church on the right foundation.
2. Use the right materials (vs. 12-15)
In the first century many different materials were used. 6 materials are listed here. Paul is contrasting two groups of materials. One side is gold, silver, and valuable stone, the other is wood, hay and straw. All these were used in the 1st century. But if you were going to build an important public building you would use marble and gold or silver as accents. The most important difference is that the first group will not burn. The greatest threat to buildings in the 1st century was fire. If you were going to build a great important building, you had to build with materials that were not combustible. What did these materials represent?
Paul tells us the two primary ways God will evaluate us. First, the character of our teaching and preaching in 1 Cor. 4. I will be evaluated based on how I handle God’s revelation. Were we trustworthy? Building with quality materials had to do with the quality of our teaching. Wood, hay and straw refer to inferior teaching. Second, we will be evaluated based on the character of our hearts. 1 Cor 4:3-5 says that God will disclose the motives of our hearts and this will be how God evaluates us. What motives matter most to God? If you go back through 1 Cor. they are several contrasts between Paul’s motives and the Christian leaders in Corinth. Paul’s motives were valuable stones and the false motives were wood, hay and stubble. What are your motives? Do you want people to think of you as cultured, elite and educated? Or are you content to have people think of you as despised and a nobody so God gets all the glory? Are you concerned that people think your cool? Are you concerned that people leave your church thinking “what a great preacher” or “what a great God”?
We constantly remind ourselves that all our ministry is a gift from God. Don’t miss Paul’s big point. You can build a church on the right foundation and still use the wrong materials, verse 13. Each man will be based on each man’s work. It will be comprehensive and without exception. The quality of the work is the basis of the evaluation. Christ’s evaluation of our ministry will be like a fire sweeping through a building. Verse 14 shows us the two possible outcomes. If our work passes inspection we will receive a reward. There is a real connection between our work and our reward. Our reward will primarily consist of our Lord’s praise and of a greater capacity for service in eternity. Verse 15 shows the other outcome which is possible. The word suffer loss was used on the context of ancient building contracts. The builder was reprimanded because he used faulty materials. The last phrase of verse 15 pictures us standing in the church we’ve built and a fire breaks out. Will the church we’ve built stand the test? The fire evaluates every material it touches. Don’t ever forget, we will stand before Christ and He will evaluate the character of our teaching and the motives of our hearts. If we build on the right foundation we will receive a reward.
3. Remember the rightful owner (vs. 16-17)
In verse 16, Paul was saying, you know this, so stop living like you don’t. The church we are involved in building is the temple of God. The church is where God manifests His presence. The church is the modern day Holy of Holies. We are not building a house for ourselves where we get to decide what materials to use. Verse 17 is a sober reminder. Paul is still talking primarily to us as leaders. The word destroy can mean to injure and damage. If a worker damaged the work which was already completed he was responsible. Paul’s point is that you are careless with the church and you harm the work which other workers have done, God will deal with that seriously. Damaging the church comes with a serious penalty. God is jealous of his spiritual temple. The damage to the church can be unintentional. How? Factionalism, heresy, eyes off the cross, superficial conversions and programs, entertaining people to death, prayerlessness, bitterness, biblical illiteracy, self promotion and materialism. All this things can destroy the church. God’s temple does not belong to you. If you destroy God’s temple, God will destroy you. This is warning to those of us who shepherd the church. Some will be tempted to think that leadership in the church means that the church is yours. Some will think they can choose which methods to use. Experience brings a different kind of danger. Experienced pastors can think they have built the church. Paul would say, be careful how you build. Remember the rightful owner of the church. Be careful how you build.