SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 3
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labour. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. [1Corinthians 3:6-9]
Paul is stressing that we cannot take the credit for the results of our ministry.
The problem in Corinth is that some believers were proud of their super-spiritual gifts and abilities, and looking down on Paul and others as lesser Christians.
Paul shifts the focus away from people to God.
Its not that we do nothing, we are His fellow-workers.
But the credit for power and success goes to God!
He also said, ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain–first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.’ [Mark 4:26-28]
The kingdom of God is not established by us, but through us.
We are not the source of the blessing of the kingdom, but we are channels of that blessing.
We are fellow-workers.
We do what we can do, but then we step back and marvel as God does what only He can do.
We plant the seed of a simple prayer, and God takes that prayer and produces a miracle.
We are not the source of the miracle, but we are the channel.
This is both humbling and energizing.
It keeps us in our proper place before God, humbly working with Him as His partners, joining Him in His mission, confident in His power.
There are two errors that we fall into – either expecting God to do it all, or expecting ourselves to do it all.
God is the senior partner, but we are junior partners.
God could do it without us, but He chooses to do it through us.
Will I attempt great things for God?
Will I expect great things from God?
PRAYER:
Lord, You are able to do immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine. Give me a huge imagination and determination for You!