WHO AM I?

Sunday 8^th January 2012

Sermon by Elder Peter K. Abban

Main text: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9

"And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?  For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?  Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.  Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building."

 Everyone of us is here today because of some faithful servant of God who was willing to share with us the message of Christ.

Each one of us have been influenced over the years by godly men and women who encouraged us, directed us, and showed us the Christian way. We who are gathered here today are the result of years of faithful service with countless hours of preparation by others who cared enough to minister to us.

In the passage of scripture we are looking at today, we will look at how God uses ministers to cause his church to grow.

Verse 5

What then is Apol'los? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.

Paul and Apollos were two ministers who helped to establish the church in Corinth. Our church has had many ministers throughout its years. Each contributed to its growth and many lives have been touched by the ministry of this church.

But who are these ministers? Did they have a special ability, super talent, or superior knowledge? Notice what Paul says about the Corinthian ministers. They were "servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each." It was not their special talents or abilities, but it was God who assigned each minister to perform his specific task. Our serving Christ was a result of our personal commitment to Him, but it was ministers who were there to help us along the way, to guide us and to encourage us.

Verse 6

I planted, Apol'los watered, but God gave the growth.

Were we see the work of ministers in the church. There is planting and there is watering. And then there is growth. I think of planting as encouraging that seed of faith to grow in the lives of the congregation. And with watering I think of nurturing. As believers are growing in their faith, they need to be cared for and nurtured. The result of all this careful planting and nurturing is spiritual growth in lives.

Some ministers may feel frustrated that they don’t see any growth, but someone must do the planting and watering before there can be growth. As Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 11:6, "In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good."

Harper’s Bible Commentary points out, "Although Paul recognizes some distinction between himself and Apollos, he insists that his and Apollos’ mission are directed toward the same goal. Paul who planted and Apollos who watered are equal because it is God who gives growth.... Paul and Apollos are God’s servants and co-workers who were mediators of the community’s faith."

Verse 7

So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

How this is a remarkable statement that should cause all ministers to learn a little humility. Paul is saying that we ministers are really nothing. We are simply the conduits through which God works. It is God who gives the growth. Our task is to be obedient. He will give us ability, but it is he who will draw people into his kingdom. God allows us to be part of that great work. So what is there for any minister to brag about?

As Kling in Lange’s Commentary wrote, "The church belongs to God; He it is who tills the field–externally, by the preaching of the Word–internally, by His Spirit. What teachers do is to plant and to water. But the word sown is His seed; all the ability employed in its first planting and after culture is His gift; on Him depends all success. Without His blessing, all planting and all watering, however skilful and careful, amount to nothing."

Verse 8

He who plants and he who waters are equal, and each shall receive his wages according to his labor.

All of those who have ministered in the gospel of Christ are equal. Even though some ministers are famous and get a lot of attention by men, in God’s eyes they are all equal. Have you ever noticed how all the conference speakers are pastors of large churches? Ministers who are working in smaller or rural churches never get invited. That’s the way man looks at things. But Paul says that all God’s ministers are equal.

Whether a pastor was here for a long time or a short time, whether they had great numerical results or little results; as long as they were building up God’s kingdom, they will receive their heavenly reward. God is not partial as people are. He has no favorites. He calls many ministers to perform different tasks. How we are obedient to the job that he has set before us is what God looks at.

Verse 9

For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

That a deep understanding of the nature of God Paul reveals here. He says "we are God’s fellow workers." This is really what any minister is. God is doing a work, and he calls us alongside to participate in the ministry. He guides us, directs us, and shows us what we must do. It is up to the minister to be obedient to God’s call on their life.

As the ministers of Christ learn to follow God’s plan, they will see results – not because of their ability, dynamic personality, or high intelligence – but because they are obediently working in God’s field, planting and watering while God gives the increase.

Pray for your ministers. Pray that God will help us to learn obedience and discern his plan for our lives and for the life of our church; and that they shouldn't be carried away by what they have done via the power of God and not cla. God will do the work, if we are willing to cooperate with him. When we do, then we will see the growth.

Lets pray that our church leaders keep their composure and give all glory to God and not attribute it to themselves else they become anti-christ.

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. ( 1 John 2:18,19)

Let us beware of our character and lifestyle, it should be like that of Christ because He is the one we emulate.