1 Corinthians 3:9
We have been looking at some of the “together” statements found in the Bible. We have discovered that it is God’s intention that we….
· Assemble together for encouragement.
· Dwell together in unity.
· Pray together in faith.
Now, here is another one. We are to “labor together with God.”
1. The Pattern of Laboring Together.
Verses 6 is the ideal operation. “I have planted, Apollos watered: but God gave the increase.” How about this: I do my work and you do your work and God does what only God can do!
Paul had literally planted this church. He was the founder of the church at Corinth. You can read about it in Acts 18 where he labored for 18 months in that difficult city. After Paul moved on….
Apollos pastored the Corinthian church, Acts 18:27-19:1. How would you have liked the assignment of being the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Corinth? Imagine the business meetings or Bible studies or the counseling there. Envy, strife, division, carnality, immorality, law suits, idol issues, abuse of spiritual gifts, serious questions about their doctrine. Imagine a missionary out of that church calling for an appointment to present his burden. Who would want to associate with and fellowship with the FBC of Corinth? Ready? God. In it all, they were still the “church of God which was at Corinth,” 1 Corinthians 1:2.
Then, in God’s time and in God’s way and for God’s glory, there was a divine increase. God is the real difference–maker. Amen? Attorney David Gibbs reminds us, “We have only one job in life and that is to believe God can do His job!” But, preacher, What about the economy? What about the culture? What about the end of the age? My answer, “What about God!”
There is the pattern, me and you and God.
2. The Presumption of Laboring Together, v. 9.
“We...” The Holy Spirit did not lay it on the heart of Paul to say, “I am laboring together with God.” He included others among those in whom and through whom God was working. I love the way one black preacher put it. “When I see God is blessing my neighbor, at least I know God is in my neighborhood!”
“Are” This indicates “present tense.” At this very moment.
“Labourers together...” Again, the word is plural requiring that we understand there are more people involved in God’s work than just ourselves. This word is “fellow laborers” (sunergos) in 1 Thessalonians 3:2. Speaking of Timothy Paul says, “Our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ.” There is no “generation gap” here.
“With God.” It is not us without God. It is not us in the place of God. But us with God. What a partnership! We are in partnership with the Creator of the universe, God almighty! What an honor. What a privilege! God wants all who are His working together. And we need all of God working in us in His great work.
God’s fields are “white unto harvest,” Jesus said. Jesus also said, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Pray…” The Psalmist said, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy,” Psalm 126:5. Paul said, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not,” Galatians 6:9. 1 Corinthians 15:58 declares, “Your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
· One precious soul is worth more than all the world can offer.
· One congregation established is worth a world of businesses.
· One preacher trained for the ministry is worth the investment.
Yet, let’s be honest, we are not that good at laboring...together.
3. The Problems of Laboring Together.
If it is God’s intention to use us to reap a “spiritual harvest,” then I most honestly ask, “Why isn’t it happening?” Only God can give the increase, but we can hinder the work of God.
The Discouragements of IMMATURITY, vs. 1-3.
The Corinthians were “brethren,” they were now “in Christ,” they would end up in heaven but they were at that time a bunch of baby believers. Paul had given them 18 months—teaching, preaching, discipling, encouraging—yet they never got out of their spiritual diapers. John Phillips calls Paul words “holy scorn,” yet you can hear the discouragement in the voice of Paul. “Babes.”
Now that Susan and I are unemployed parents we think babies are delightful little creatures—so long as someone else has that responsibility. Amen? Babies are really cute. They get by with sucking their toes and no one think anything about it. They make funny noised at both ends. You have to love babies—but they are “high maintenance.” They’re messy, they spit up, live in their own little world, and, man, do they cry a lot.
In time babies grow up….but the Corinthians had not grown up. They were spiritually stunted by their own neglect. And there was no excuse for their lack of maturity, in light of all that Paul had taught them.
We don’t need George Barna to give us the results of a current survey to make us face the current discouragements of immaturity: Babies do not make great workers. Babies do not establish churches; they destroy churches. So, the positive that we are to take from this is we all need to (1) “grow up in Christ,” (2) get on a serious “meat” diet, (3) “exercise ourselves unto godliness,” 1 Timothy 4:7, and (4) go on unto “perfection,” that is, “maturity,” Hebrews 6:1 .
One last thing about this “baby problem” in churches: Babies aren’t interested in being enlightened or edified or empowered—they are all about being entertained. There is so much “milk” preaching, and seldom any “meat” being served. If some Baptist churches were properly renamed they would be “Nursery Baptist Church,” we would turn in our KJV for a children’s Bible story book and the doxology would be one long burp!
The Deification of PERSONALITY, vs. 4-7.
We all need to see ourselves for who we are. “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed?” We are only “ministers.” The word means “servant” (diakonoi). God’s plan for His churches is that it is to be made up from the top down and all in between of “servants.” We are God’s “water boys.”
“Neither...anything…” v. 7. Nothing! Nobodies. Anybody could do what they did. They were merely God’s seed-planters, God’s plant-waterers. God is the “deal-maker,” He and He alone gives the increase! Compared to God, we are all “nothing.”
Howard Hendricks, long-time professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, was at a Pastor’s Conference and a very pious acting man said to him, “Brother Hendricks, pray that I shall be nothing.” Hendricks replied immediately, “Ah man, just take that by faith!”
The Dearth of UNITY, v. 8a.
“Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one.” Paul saw Apollos as a “partner” in God’s work, not a rival! Isn’t there plenty of work for everyone? We should mutually respect other ministers, other pastors, other missionaries, other workers, other believers. I have already established that we are all different. But out differences should not diminish our desire and our ability to work together for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Each of us may be engage in different labor. Some “plant.” Some “water.” Some “weed.” All wait. Where we go wrong is expecting (sometimes even demanding) that everyone do what we do and do it the way we do it—with no exceptions.
If we are in truth laboring with God, we are engaged in “one” and the same ministry. You ask, “What ministry is that? Is it the pastoral ministry... evangelistic ministry...church planting ministry...music ministry...youth ministry...printing ministry… prison ministry?” No. How about getting together in this ministry—GOD’S MINISTRY!
The Distraction from ETERNITY, v. 8b.
“And every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.”
The day in view here is the day we stand before God as believers at the Judgment Seat of Christ. What a day that will be! Preacher, you will not stand before your peers that may be trying to keep you under their thumb and in their camp. You will not stand before your people. You will be standing before your Savior and Lord at the Judgment Seat. What men think of our ministry—good or bad—is not important; what God thinks is all that matters—now and then!
Isn’t God wonderful. If we ever do anything worthwhile, He does it through us in the person of the Holy Spirit...we do it in His time...we do it with His resources….we do it for His glory...and then, at the end…. He rewards us!
We labor “in” time, but we should be laboring “for” eternity.
In many ways our labor on earth is rewarding. 1 Cor. 15:58 “Your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” But, that same letter sets it straight. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable,” 1 Corinthians 15:19.
Look at four words that are tied together: “Own labour...own reward.” Some protest...
· “We should work for the Lord only because we love Him.”
· “We should work for the Lord because of the dire peril of the lost.”
I agree, but the Bible says we are to keep our eyes on the prize.
· Our Lord held out the prospect of rewards for His persecuted followers in Matthew 5:10-12.
· Jesus said even the smallest deed, like giving a cup of cold water to a little child, will gain an eternal reward, Matthew 10:42. Hay, I’ve tried to hold up a couple of kids toa water fountain this week.
· Jesus told the rich young ruler that under certain conditions he would “have treasure in heaven,” Matthew 19:21.
· Jesus said those who have been faithful will be “made ruler over many things” and in so doing they would “enter into the joy of the Lord,” Matthew 25:21.
· The Apostle John approached the close of the book of the Revelation with these words of our Lord. “And, behold, I come quickly: and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be,” 22:12.
It easy to figure out why rewards are held before us—it’s all about eternity! If we keep rewards in mind we will keep eternity in mind. The way we make the most of every day is by keeping eternity in view. If you want God’s heart, a heart for missions, then put your money there and your heart will follow.
For the sake of eternity we should be laboring together with God and with others in the gospel.
Has God helped you to understand His Word today? Laboring together with God has great consequences. It is through the gospel of Jesus Christ that men and women, boys and girls are offered and receive eternal life. God calls the unsaved to “turn” and “trust.” I have been praying that God will save people here today.
The gospel is still free...but it has an expiration date, and it cost a lot to get it to those who need to hear it… and its worth every dollar we sacrificed doing it.
What has God been saying to you through this message?
· Has God exposed your prolonged immaturity? Are you still a “baby believer” that refuses to grow up?
· Has God shown you the foolishness of following human personalities, when He has called you to follow Him?
· Has God pointed out your personal pettiness that has created barriers with others with whom you need to partner?
· Has God awakened you to eternity—yours and those who are lost?
I am going to ask people here today to partner up for prayer during this invitation and ask God to bring His increase. Compared to God, we are nothing; but compared to each other believers are one in Christ
Make your way and team up tonight in prayer for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Find someone and ask God to do His work of “increase” with the promise that we will not hinder His world-wide work.