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The Church of Corinth was full of saints who were compromising with their sinful culture - a Beautiful Mess. This ancient text to this ancient culture will give us insight & correction on how we, individually and collectively - as God's Church, can grow in the purity and passion of Jesus.

Paul was keeping the main thing…the main thing - the simple message of the Cross demonstrates that our sin is so serious and God is so gracious. This message is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to those who are being saved. (Have YOU experienced this?) 

God’s wisdom, declares Paul, is a mystery that has been hidden. This is why Paul, a well studied, well trained Jewish Pharisee, could not see the mystery of the crucified Messiah in the Old Testament writings. At one point of his life, Paul stood against the ‘foolishness’ of the followers of Jesus. But this same man, now transformed by the message of the cross, gives his life to persuade others that God’s wisdom - what was once a hidden mystery - has now been clearly revealed in the crucified Messiah.

• Read Isaiah 53 or Psalm 22 to see Old Testament writings speaking of one who would be brutally beaten and killed as a substitute sacrifice for others. Also, notice how the New Testament writers often quote the Old Testament writings giving evidence that Jesus IS the Messiah.

Before the life of Jesus, this was a mystery that was hidden, but now God had revealed the mystery through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus!

For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? The only way we can know each others’ thoughts is by sharing what we are thinking with one another. So too, know one can know what God is thinking unless He reveals it to us. Thankfully, He has!

The Gospel message Paul and other teachers like Apollos and Simon Peter speak is not something they made up from their own human wisdom, but were words taught by the Spirit. Believers have the Holy Spirit Who tells us about God’s thoughts, just as Jesus knew the Father’s thoughts, therefore we have the mind of Christ.

Craig Blomberg: “The Spirit brings Christ’s thoughts to believers by living in them.”

• Those who have God’s Spirit are enabled to know what God has revealed to them. This is why those who follow Jesus can have a much deeper understanding & appreciation of the Scriptures than those who do not follow Him.

• Those without the Spirit cannot understand them (the things that come from God) 

Doctrine of Illumination - light cast into a dark place allows one to see what was once hidden. 

John MacArthur “The doctrine of illumination does not mean we can know and understand everything (Deut. 29:29), that we do not need human teachers (Eph. 4:11–12), or that study is not hard work (2 Tim. 2:15). It does mean that Scripture can be understood by every Christian who is diligent and obedient.”

• Are you Diligent and Obedient - growing in your faith, seeking the Lord’s will, and obeying what He says?

   OR....are you just in neutral coasting through life and being pressured by our ungodly culture?

Paul calls these people his brothers and sisters. He doesn’t say they aren’t Christians, but he DOES say they sure aren’t acting like Christ. Instead of maturing, these people are acting worldly. 

• The Greek term for worldy means “flesh” (as rendered by CSB, NET, ESV) - giving in to sinful physical desires. 

These adults are acting like infants, still needing others to give them milk rather than being able to eat solid food. 

• God wants us to grow in knowledge of Him and grow to acknowledge Him by our daily obedience. This happens by reading the Scriptures, being taught the Scriptures, and going to live out what you read.
• If you’re a new Christian, we want to help you grow. We want to give you the basics (join Starting Point or another Group on Sundays or Wed nights). 

As we have already discussed 2 weeks ago, the immaturity of this church is demonstrated in how these people have divided over the messenger rather than uniting on the Message of the Cross.

One farmer plants, the other waters, but the farmers don’t make the seeds grow. Only God makes things grow. People in that day would pray to their gods and offer sacrifices for fruitful harvests. They understood the human task of planting and watering, but what happened under the ground was mysterious and determined by the gods. Even though we might understand the science, it is still mysterious to consider how a dried up seed planted in fertile soil and fueled by water, sunlight, and the right temperatures - can spring up from the ground and grow fruitful. 

• Humble Christian farmers still recognize despite our hard work, God gets the credit for making things grow. 

These 'farmers’ have different tasks but they are working for one purpose, to see God’s field grow & become fruitful.

And now Paul shifts to another word-image that the Corinthians would certainly understand and appreciate. He not only calls them God’s field, but He also calls them God’s building. 

The foundation of any building is crucial. If the foundation is faulty, then the whole building could collapse. 

The foundation is Jesus Christ, and everything He says (Mt 7:24-27).

The foundation of any building is crucial. If the foundation is faulty, then the whole building could collapse. 

The foundation is Jesus Christ, and everything He says (Mt 7:24-27).

All builders understand that there will be an inspection to see if the work performed is worthy. So too, there is a Day that will test the quality of each person’s work. Those who cut corners will be found false, while those who abide by the requirements will be found true.

• Just as fire would burn up wood, hay, or straw while gold, sliver, and costly stones would survive, so the actions and intentions of our work for the King will be revealed as worthy or not. The corner-cutting builder (Christian) will not be burned up with their works, but their ‘work’ will be contrasted with the reward for the Christians who do the right things for the right reasons.
• If THAT DAY were TO-DAY, would the things you say you’ve done for the Lord survive? 

Christians in Corinth saw all the temples to false gods on a daily basis. Christians had no building that could compete with the glorious structures surrounding them.

• The temple of Apollo (see pic) had a roof supported by 40 massive columns.
• The temple of Aphrodite (Latin - Venus) was on the mountain.

But God’s temple is not a building, it’s a BODY of believers - not a place made of stone, but a people made of flesh, in whom God’s Spirit dwells.

This Church needed to humble themselves and appreciate that those who become fools in the eyes of the world, to become wise in Christ Jesus. And those in Christ have been given all things. Instead of claiming,     “I belong to Paul, Apollos, or Cephas”, the church should recognize that ALL OF THEM…belong to us! 

We are to remember that all the things that we can fear - the world, life, death, the present, and the future - all are under the authority of God who loves us and will be faithful to us through it all.

Romans 8:35–39 (NIV)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

• What if every one of us acts like the Day that is coming when Jesus will test the quality of our work?
• What if we worked together as a team, rather than worrying about which of us getting the credit? Let’s live like THAT! 

Take some time to discuss these questions with your family, friends, or group.

1. What challenged or encouraged you most from today’s teaching? Explain your answer.
2. Read 1 Cor 2:6-16. Share the difference you experienced in understanding the Scriptures BEFORE you trusted Jesus and how came to understand the Scriptures since committing to follow Jesus. Why is there such a stark contrast between the two? (Go back and look at your notes on “the doctrine of illumination” for more insight.)
3. Read 1 Cor 3:1-9. Why didn’t Paul consider Apollos to be his competition? Do YOU ever fell competition with other Christians? If so, what are some practical things we can do to view them like teammates rather than opponents?
4. Read 1 Cor 3:10-11. How is Jesus the foundation of our faith? Read Matt 7:24-27. What’s the difference between those who claim Jesus and those who really know Him?
5. Read 1 Cor 3:12-15. Share about a time when your actions/intentions might have looked worthy to others, but the Lord viewed as unworthy. Share about a time when another person was serving Jesus well with their actions and intentions. Share some simple ways we might serve Jesus this week with right actions and intentions.
6. Read 1 Cor 3:16-17. How does knowing that this passage is written to the collective church (not individuals) challenge you to protect & grow God’s people instead of dividing or discouraging God’s people? What are some practical ways we can build up God’s people?
7. Read 1 Cor 3:18-23 and Romans 8:35-39. If you are willing, share something you fear (we all have fears). How do these passages can encourage you to overcome that fear?
8. Share prayer needs and pray for one another. Continue to pray for our Supreme Court decision on Roe v Wade. Pray for Christians in Ukraine and Russia to carry the message of Jesus with them wherever they go.