"What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
I Corinthians 3:5-9
Good Morning Beloved,
Welcome to worship, we're so glad you're here!
As believers and followers of Christ, we all know the biblical Christian behavioral standards. And as such, we should never attempt pit one Christian against another, let alone one minister against another, or exalt one minister over another, or to even favor one minster over another. Yet in many ways, it is often difficult to distinguish believers from those in the world.
Let's bow our heads in prayer.
Heavenly Father,
Gracious and loving Father, we thank You for this precious time together in Your Word, we are so grateful. Lord, we just pray that You would bring our lives into harmony with what You've made us.
May our hearts rejoice for that new birth of those coming to Christ today, receiving the gift of salvation, for those who have gone to be with You, who have fulfilled their earthly duties. Father, may we faithfully commit ourselves to You in service and obedience. All for Your glory.
In Christ's name we pray
Amen
The Corinthian church was severely divided. The division came because the congregation was hung up on the former preachers of the church. I must say, I would really dislike being called to a church like that. The former preachers in the Corinthian church were Peter, Paul and Apollos. The ministers themselves were not involved. It was the carnal believers in the church who were causing the problem. Some liked Peter. Some liked Paul. Others liked Apollos. Apollos and Paul are no better than servants. They are both doing whatever work the Lord assigns them. The Lord gives them orders, and they do as they are told.
The issue of which preacher was better and whether that preacher is the best for a church, is always a very critical issue. It's quite common, even today, for a believer has his or her favorite minister and that is typically the one that led them to the Lord or assisted in some way to a deeper commitment to the Lord. Perhaps they ministered to his family during a trying time, or who really spoke to his heart when he preached. A minister who becomes deeply involved in a person’s life is bound to mean a great deal to that person, having a special place in that persons heart.
This is what had happened to the Corinthian church. It looks like they were trying to determine what kind of minister was best for them. The discussion had overflowed into the homes and meetings and cliques were beginning to form. Can you imagine that? In a church?
Open with me your Bibles to I Corinthians chapter 3. In our continuing study of the book of I Corinthians today we come to verses 5-9 in the third chapter. Follow along with if you would as I read to you from this incredibly rich text in this epistle from the apostle Paul. I Corinthians 3:5-9
"What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building."
In verse 5, Paul writes, "What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one."
Ministers of God are servants. Ministers are not lords over God’s flock. They are servants of God and the servants of God’s people. Ministers are only instruments of God. They aren’t the ones who believers are to praise. They aren’t the ones who believers are to be focused upon. God should be our only focus. Ministers didn’t create the gospel; God did. The minister doesn’t save the believer; God does. A minister is only as good as the God he serves! Therefore God alone is to receive the glory.
I can speak only for myself, however, I can only do what I do through the power and prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is God, who gives the increase. I am merely His servant.
Further, a minister can only help people as God gifts him. The gifts that God gives the minister are not natural abilities. They are spiritual gifts only given by God. The minister can only serve effectively when God gives him the gifts of His Spirit. It is not on his own accord.
The minister himself, as a person, has nothing in which the people can glory. His gifts are of God so the people really need to focus their thoughts and praise upon God alone. But judging from Paul’s answer in verse 5, they were focusing on the men, Paul and Apollos.
Verses 6 and 7 tells us, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth."
Ministers are nothing in comparison to God. No minister has any cause for glory or praise or honor or recognition. So for a minister, there is no room for pride or self-satisfaction. There is no reason for a person to idolize or worship a minister. Respect the minister, yes; because the minister has an important task; perhaps one of the most difficult on earth. That said, human instrument is irrelevant.
We are to respect the minster of God, but not idolize him and follow him as though he is the founder of your faith. You may recall in chapter 1, verse 13, he says, “Did Paul die for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?” So what he was implying was, “What did they ever do for you?” And here he says, “They did nothing.” He says, “They are nothing. They are diakonoi.” Do you know what that originally meant? A table waiter or busboy. Ever hear of anyone exalting a busboy? Yeah, me either!
So Paul gives us a farming picture to show what our attitude toward ministers should be. One minster of God planted the seed of God’s Word in our lives. Another minister comes along and waters the seed. All the ministers that cross our paths contribute to our lives. They contribute either the seed of the gospel or the water of the Word. But note: it is God who gives the increase. No minister can make the seed grow.
Growth is not caused by man’s hands. Spiritual growth is activated by God’s energy, force and power alone. So Paul says in verse 7,"So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth."
So if you are going to glorify anyone, glorify God. Lift His name up, not the name of the minister. Be thankful for the minister’s gifts but glorify God and thank Him for giving those gifts to the minister.
Paul says in verse 8, "Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor."
All ministers are equal in God’s eyes. The church should view ministers the same way. However, the reality is, we don’t. "I’m going to this other church because the minister is more godly, he preaches better sermons, his messages are more dramatic, etc." Both the sower and the waterer are said to be one. All ministers are called by the same Lord, to the same office, to the same work, to stand accountable before God and before God alone.
Ministers are in spiritual unity. The work of the one who plants cannot be done without the work of the one who waters. They are planting and watering lives for God. If the church and its believers exalt or pit one minister against another, they are going against God’s purpose for His gospel and the church. Paul makes it clear that Christians need to be careful of such distinctions.
Each minister is personally responsible to God. He is to use his own gifts that God gave him and not try to be like another minister. Trying to be like another minister is not his task. His task is to be who God called him to be and to do as God gifts him to do. The minister shall be judged for his labor, nor for what men may term success.
Ministers are co-workers with God. Paul makes three points in verse 9. "For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building."
God is the source of all in the church. All is of God; He is all in all. He is the source of all that concerns the church.
Ministers are co-workers, and they work together with God, carrying out His will and doing what he wants done. Their concern is not what men think and want. Their mission is to serve right along by the side of God Himself. While many may doctrinal knowledge, yet lack in faith and experience. Contentions and quarrels about religion are very sad evidences of carnality. A true relationship with Christ makes men peaceable, not contentious. Many a professors, and preachers tend to show themselves to be carnal, by vain strife, an eagerness for dispute, and willingness to despise and readiness to speak evil of others.
The church is God’s field and building. A field doesn’t exist to lie unused. It exists to bear a harvest. The church is to bear fruit.
To sum this answer up: both ministers and believers are workers together with God. All have a part in God’s church and the need is for all to cooperate in building together.
Just imagine the world wants to honor a great author, do you think for one moment they would honor his pen? Or let's say an artist, his paint brush? Of course not!
Paul says that we, the church, are God’s field and His building. The church as a field must let the one who plants and the one who waters do their work or else the field of the church lies useless to God, and the building of the church lies unused for God.
Paul founded the church in Corinth, so he started teaching them when they knew nothing about the Christian faith. So it was appropriate for Paul to feed the Corinthian Christians with spiritual milk when he was among them, for they were very young Christians. I can only imagine how frustrating this had to have been for Paul, after all, it was he who had invested so much of himself in the Corinthian church.
Paul has introduced a number of contrasts in this text: “Spiritual people” vs. “people of the flesh.” “Milk” vs. “meat.” Those who plant and those who water vs. “God who gives the increase.” Now he introduces another contrast: “God’s fellow workers” vs. “God’s field, God’s building.” In the Greek, the emphasis is on “God’s” rather than “servants” or “field” or “building.”
I believe many pastors today, would do well take a page from Paul epistle, and learn from his example. If Paul experienced disappointment and frustration within the church, should we today expect anything less? However, if we learn to expect times of frustrations, and earnestly we pray for grace, it can help us to maintain our sanity during such times. Keeping our focus on God and be sure to remember, that it is the Holy Spirit’s job to change lives, not ours.
Beloved, God works through people to change the world.
May His work be done through each of us
May it be so
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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