Verse 12, 1 Corinthians 3, Now if any man build upon this
foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, I've
entitled this message building materials. And they're listed
gold, silver, precious stones, or wood, hay, and stubble. I covet your prayers that I might
be enabled to give the meaning of this passage and that you
would be given grace and I would be given grace to receive it. This passage that I just read
first applies to preachers. That's what the context of this
passage is. Paul said, I've laid the foundation
and another builds thereon. What are the materials you use
in this building? it also applies to the building
materials every believer uses during their time here. Look in verse 13. Every man's
work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because
it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every
man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide, which
he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work should be burned,
he shall suffer loss, but he himself should be saved yet so
as by fire. Now, the only way to look at
any scripture is to throw the rest of the Bible at it. This has been used to teach heavenly
rewards. Some will be rewarded. And those who are not rewarded
will just simply be saved by the skin of their teeth. They'll
be saved so as by fire. Some will have a high reward
in heaven. Some will be down on the ground
floor. When that passage is, when that
truth is taught, when the Bible teaches with regard to that,
we got to look at what the other scripture says. I think of the
parable of the workers in the vineyard. Some work 12 hours,
some work one hour. They were all given the same
reward. How can you improve? on having
the righteousness of Christ. What can you add to that that
would make you higher in heaven? I think of the passage in 1 Samuel
chapter 30 where David and his men went after the Amalekites
to deliver the people that were taken away in zig lag including
his wife and the other men's families. When they go and they
reach a creek, 200 of the men were too tired to ford the creek. And the other 400 men went. And
when they came back with the spoils of the Amalekites, the
scripture says the sons of Belial, the wicked ones, the worthless
ones. That's what a son of Belial is,
a worthless person. They said, they should not get
any of the spoils because we did all the work. David said,
it'll not be so. Everybody gets the same thing. And it was a statute in Israel
from that time forward. We know from the light of other
scriptures that this is not speaking of somebody having a better life
and therefore being rewarded accordingly. In the context,
as I said, this is talking about preachers. Look in verse 9. For we are laborers together
with God. You are God's husbandry. You
are God's building. According to the grace of God
which is given to me as a wise master builder, it's by grace.
Paul wasn't saying that arrogantly or with pride. It's the grace
of God that's made me this wise master builder. I have laid the
foundation. And another buildeth thereon,
talking about this building, it with gold, silver, precious
stone, wood, hay, or stubble. Another buildeth thereon, but
let every man take heed how he built thereon. For other foundation
can no man laid and that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now, if any man build upon this
foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, Hey, and stubble. I want to read a passage of scripture
from Ephesians chapter four, verses 11 and 12. And he gave
some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some
pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints for
the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body, the
building of the body of Jesus Christ. Now that's what he's
talking about. And he's talking about preachers. in the context
and the building materials are gold, silver, precious stones,
wood, hay, or stubble. It's all going to be tried by
fire. What I've done is going to be tried by fire in preaching. What I've done, you say, what
have you done? I know I haven't done anything,
but I'm preaching. I'm trying to preach and the
Lord Put me in the ministry. Um, uh, and I've, I've had to
work. I've got to work and it's going
to be tried by fire. Every man's work shall be made
manifest for the day should declare it because it should be revealed
by fire and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort
it is. If any man's work abide, which he built there on, he shall
receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned,
he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so
as by fire. Now, what abides a fire? Gold, silver, precious stones. What gets burned up in a fire? Wood, hay, and stubble. Now the fire will be used to
show what manner of building materials we use. The work that remains after the
fire shows us what building materials were used. If it remains, it
was gold, it was silver, it was precious stones. If it's burned
up, it was nothing more than wood, hay, and stubble. Now if it remains, we read, In
verse 14, if any man works abide, which he's built there upon,
he shall receive a reward. What is the reward? Well, we
can answer that question from 1 Corinthians. Turn to 1 Corinthians
9. Verse 16, for though I preach
the gospel, I have nothing to glory of. For necessity is laid
upon me, yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel. Now,
I don't have to preach, but I have to preach the gospel. For if I do this thing willingly,
I have a reward. And what a blessing it is to
willingly preach the gospel. That's a reward in and of itself.
I have a reward. But if against my will, a dispensation
of the gospel is committed unto me, what is my reward then? A higher place in heaven? Verily that when I preach the
gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge. I preach
it freely that I abuse not my power in the gospel. That's my
reward. And it's a glorious reward. I'm
thankful for that reward. Now, what's he talking about
when he talks about wood, hay, and stubble, gold, silver, and
precious stones? The building materials that will
stand the test of fire are gold, silver, and precious stones.
And what I thought about was the Old Testament tabernacle. Gold. the deity of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Silver. Do you remember the silver
atonement money that everybody paid the same amount? It was
a half a shekel, the silver atonement money that was used for the construction
of the tabernacle and the silver sockets that held up the tabernacle.
It represents the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, the deity
of Christ. The atonement of Christ, what
are the precious stones in the tabernacle? You remember the
priest, how he had the precious stones in his breastplate and
on his shoulder pads, representing Christ, representing his people?
Now, if that is my message, I'm using gold, silver, and precious
stones. It's the preaching of the gospel
and it abides the fire. It'll stand the test. Those who
believe will continue. In the New Testament, the 12
foundations of the church is the doctrine of Christ. This
is what this is referring to, what abides, what makes true
converts the truth. Now, if I use wood, hay, and
stubble, all the people that I preach to will be found to
be not even saved. There wasn't anything to it.
Wood, hay, and stubble, anything that's not the doctrine of Christ,
emphasizing church growth, using the wisdom of words, trying to
package the gospel, Some appeal other than the gospel, some motive
other than Christ's glory. When the fiery trials come, the
converts that came out of that will prove to have been false. Wood, hay, and stepple. Now, I've seen men preach the
gospel and they have some emphasis other than
the gospel. church growth, trying to stir
something up. They preached the gospel, but
they had the foundation, but they used wood, hay, and stuff. It was all burned up. And let
me say this, this burning is not talking about going to hell.
This is talking about here on a day in time. You can be tested. The test of
time. It proves everything, doesn't
it? All the trials that come through time. They will demonstrate
whether the men and women who claim to be converted through
the preaching of that man, whether it was real. The man who preaches
gold, silver, and precious stones, the gospel, he'll stand the test
of fire. the people who believed it will
be found to be real. And the man who made something
other than the gospel, some kind of emphasis in his preaching
and his quote ministry. I don't even know how to use
that word. I don't like when preachers talk
about my ministry. It's not your ministry. It's
the ministry of the church. It's my ministry. So I don't
know how to say this the right way, but I do know this. If my
preaching, has been wood, hay, and stubble. Nobody is really
saved under it. And that's going to be shown
in this life. That day will declare it. There's
always going to be testing. And the Lord did tempt Abraham. So the first application of this,
and a very important application, is this is talking about the
ministry. Wood, hay, and stubble is used,
or gold, silver, and precious stones. But this has a word to every
believer, not just preachers. You and I have a race to run,
a life to live, a course to finish. You and I are building on the
foundation. What materials are we using in
the building we're doing on this foundation, Christ alone. And what came to my mind when
I was thinking about this was second Peter chapter one. Would
you turn with me there? Second Peter chapter one. I think
that this is a good commentary on what Paul is talking about.
Second Peter chapter one. I first want to call your attention
to verse eight of 2nd chapter one. And if these things be in you
and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now the
word barren is usually translated idle. It means lazy. Lack of effort. Lack of diligence. Unfruitful. Every believer does
not want to be barren. And every believer does not want
to be unfruitful. Amen. Not if I'm a believer, I don't
want to be barren. I don't want to be lazy. I want,
don't do not want to be undiligent in the things of Christ. I want
to bear the fruit of God, the Holy spirit. I want to bear the
fruit of love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, and temperance. I don't want to be unfruitful. And every believer fears that
because they know something about themselves and they know how
easy it will be for them to be barren and unfruitful. Now let's see what led Peter
to make this statement and it will cast some light on what
Paul meant by these building materials. Now look up in verse
one of second Peter, Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus
Christ to them that have obtained like precious faith with us. Now I love the language. I'm
writing to the people who have been given faith. If you have faith, you know,
it didn't come from you. You know, you obtained it. You
know, God gave it to you. And I love the way he calls faith,
like precious faith. Believers believe the same thing.
Their faith is alike. They all believe that Christ
is all in their salvation. I mean, they're all right together. Someone says, well, I'm not so
sure about that. Then you don't believe. Every believer believes the same
thing, just alike. And that faith is precious. Now
that's who he's speaking to. Those that have obtained like
precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and
our Savior, Jesus Christ. The righteousness of God, our
Savior, Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied
unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
according as his divine power hath given unto us all things
that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him
that hath called you to glory and virtue. whereby are given
unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might
be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption
that's in the world through lust. And beside this, as glorious
as these all are, beside this, or this also, this also, And
beside this, or this also, giving all diligence. Add to your faith, virtue. Now these are these building
materials. Add to your faith, virtue. And to virtue, knowledge, and to
knowledge, temperance, and to temperance, patience, and to
patience, godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly
kindness, charity. For if these things be in you
and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, but he
that lacketh these things." Now, the word lack does not mean he
that is without these things, but the word means they're not
at hand. They're not there so you can
see them. If you're a believer, you have the fruit of God, the
Holy Spirit. He's talking about it not being
at hand, not being able to see it. That person is blind and
cannot see afar off and hath forgotten that he was purged
from his old sins. He loses his assurance. Now we're going to come back
to that in a moment, but let's look what he says in verse Five,
and beside this giving all diligence, also giving all diligence, add
to your faith virtue. Virtue. Now the word virtue means
moral excellence. Add to your faith moral excellence. And it's taken from the word
Man, be a man. Act like a man. Was this only
to men? No, it's to women too. Be a man. You know what be a
man means? You know, Paul said, quit ye
like men and be strong. You know what be a man means?
Do the right thing. That's simple enough, isn't it?
Do the right thing. Be a man. Don't be a child. Don't be immature. Add to your
faith virtue. Be a man. Do the right thing. And add to your virtue knowledge. Knowledge. Now, this is not talking
about where Paul says knowledge puffeth up. I know more than
you. I've got an advantage on you.
I know something you don't know. The pride of knowledge, this
is not what that's talking about. What it's talking about, add
to your virtue knowledge. But it's the knowledge Peter
goes on to speak of in 2 Peter 3, verse 18, when he says, grow
in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Paul put it this way, oh, that
I might know him. I want to grow in the knowledge
of his person. When I use His name, I don't
want it to be name dropping. I want to know Him and I want
Him to know me. growing knowledge. That's the
knowledge of his doctrine. I'm not talking about being able
to spat out to everybody what you believe. I believe this,
I believe that. I think scripture teaches that. I mean, that's
got its place. That's important. But I want to grow in my knowledge
of my need of the doctrine of Christ, of everything the doctrine
of Christ says. I want to have a more glorious,
exalted view of him. I want to have a right knowledge
of myself, my own sinfulness and my need of him. I want to
see my need of his doctrine. I want to see my need of his
grace. I want to see my need of him
to elect me. I want to see that more. I never want election to
be just something I argue about or it's something I already believe.
I want to see my need of his electing mercy. I want to see
my need of his precious atonement. I want to see my need of his
grace where it's not that doctrine I argue over, but I, I need for
salvation to be by grace. I need to be preserved by him. I need, I want to, I want to
grow in my knowledge, my understanding. I'm not talking about, I know
something that you don't know, but I mean, my true knowledge
of him. Paul said, oh, that I might know
him. And to your knowledge, he says
in verse six, and to knowledge, temperance. To your knowledge, add temperance. The word means control from within. It's the last of what Paul calls
the fruit of the spirit. The fruit of the spirit is temperance. Now, usually when we think of
temperance, we think of temperance in eating and drinking, and that
indeed is part of what temperance is. No question about that. It
also means a temperate view of yourself. Not being drunken and
intoxicated with pride and self-righteousness and self-importance and arrogance. You know, when Paul gave in Romans
chapter 12, that you may prove the good and acceptable and perfect
will of God, the first thing he said, let every man, well,
I can't quote it. So turn to Romans 12 real quick. He says, I beseech you, therefore,
by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that
good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say through
the grace of God, given unto me to every man that's among
you, Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to
think, but to think soberly. Don't be drunk. Have a temperate
view of yourself. And you know what it is? Not
to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think. What
damage that does to us when we think of ourselves more highly
than we ought to think temperance. And then, to temperance, patience. Back to our text in 2 Peter chapter
one. To temperance, verse six, patience. Now what is patience? The word
means an abiding under. In my own experience, when things
aren't going my way, I get so upset. I become so discontent. I become so resentful, but when
I am given grace to see things are going God's way, everything
exactly as he has purposed it for his glory and my good, I'm
patient. Patient endurance. You know you're a lot happier
when you're patient, aren't you? When you're not patient, when
you're all upset about what's taking place, oh, you're so miserable.
Add to your temperance. Patience. Everything is going
exactly as God decreed for it to take place. I love what Scott
Richardson said. If I had omnipotence, I'd change
things. If I had omniscience, wisdom,
I'd leave things exactly as they are. Everything is going according
to God's eternal purpose. Patience. And to patience, godliness. Verse six. Devotion. Devotion. Piety. I want to be devoted to the Lord,
don't you? Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were present
far too small. Love so amazing, so divine, demands
my soul, my life, my all. And to godliness, brotherly kindness. Oh, what a blessing. Brotherly
kindness. Love is kind. It's not mean-spirited. Love is kind in the kindness
of the brethren. By this shall all men know you're
my disciples, the Lord said, by your love one to another. Make love your aim. Be ambitious
about charity. Make love your aim. Brotherly kindness. And to brotherly kindness, he
says in verse seven, charity. I loved the scripture reading
this morning, 1 Corinthians chapter 13. What a glorious, ah, charity,
charity. And then I see, aren't these
glorious building materials? And he says, add these, add these. Now look what he says in verse
eight, four. If these things be in you and
abound, what things? Virtue, knowledge,
temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity. If these things be in you and
abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful
in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. I don't want to
be barren and unfruitful. I want these things to abound
in me. You see, this thing of walking
with Christ by faith doesn't mean, well, I believe I'll wind
up in heaven. No, we got a race to run. We got a course to finish. And
I want to abound in these things. But, verse nine, he that lacketh
these things, and let me repeat again, that word does not mean
he doesn't have them, period. It means they're not at hand.
They're not at hand. You know what that means. You
know plenty of times in your own experience when they're not
at hand with you. You're acting like an unbeliever.
You're thinking like an unbeliever. You hate yourself for it, but
that's what you're doing. These things are not at hand. What's
the first thing you do when these things are not at hand? You think,
I must not be saved. I must not be saved. And Peter tells us that's what
we're gonna think. Look what he says. He that lacketh
these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten
that he was purged from his old sins." Now, when you're like
this, you're going to forget that you
were purged from your own sins. Now, let me say this, and this
is so important. Can you say, well, with regard
to virtue, check that box. I'm good
shape. I must be saved. Knowledge, check
that box. Temperance, check that box. I'm in good shape. Patience,
yeah, I'm patient. Godliness, that's me. Brotherly kindness, yep, got
that one too. Charity, I've got assurance I'm
saved. You're blind. The only time you're
going to have assurance or the only ground of assurance is this,
it is finished. And if you get assurance from
thinking, well, I measure up on these things, you've missed
it. It's also true that when these
things are not at hand, you're gonna forget that you were purged
from your old sins. That's our experience. How many
times has that happened to you in the course of a day? Wherefore, the rather brethren
give diligence to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you
shall never fall. For so an entrant shall be ministered
unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord
and Savior, Jesus. Christ. Now that's the building of gold,
silver, and precious stones. And then there's the wood, the
hay, and the stubble. Now in concluding this message,
I could not help in thinking of the fire, burning up everything. Who do you think I thought of?
Abraham and Lot. They were both believers. And the New Testament speaks
very highly of Lot. While we're in second Peter,
look in second Peter chapter two, verse six, and turning the cities
of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes and condemn them with an overthrow,
making them an example onto all those that afterwards should
live ungodly and delivered just lot." Righteous lot, that doesn't
mean just lot as in he's the only one. Righteous, just, righteous
lot. "...vexed with the filthy conversation
of the wicked. For that righteous man dwelling
among them and seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from
day to day with their unlawful deeds." Now that's God's testimony
of lot. So Abraham, we know Abraham was
a believer, the father of the faithful. As far as men goes,
he's the most important man born of woman in the Bible, Abraham. Lot, well, this is God's testimony. Now, in Genesis chapter 25, when
it's speaking of the death of Abraham, it says in verse eight,
then Abraham gave up the ghost and died in a good old age, an
old man and full of years. That word full means satisfied.
Satisfied. And he was gathered to his people. Now, Abraham, we know from the
scriptures, was a sinner, just like you and I are. But when he died by the grace
of God, he died satisfied. I think of Paul saying, I've
fought a good fight. I finished my course. I've kept
the faith. That's the good fight. I've kept
the faith. Lot was a believer, and you know
their history. He chose the well-watered plain
when Abraham gave him the choice. He didn't show any deference
to Abraham. He chose the well-watered plain. And he pitched his tent
towards Sodom. And the scripture says the men
of Sodom were exceedingly sinful, exceeding sinners before God.
But he saw some kind of attraction in Sodom. He pitched a tent towards
Sodom. He saw advantages in Sodom. And then all of a sudden we find
him living in Sodom and sitting at the gate in Sodom, which means
he became a civic leader there. He saw all kinds of advantages,
fleshly advantages in Sodom. I understand. I understand. And when God destroyed Sodom,
he actually lingered. This man lot lingered. God's going to destroy this place
lot. lingered. He didn't want to leave.
And the angels grabbed him by the hand and yanked him out and
brought him out of the city, the Lord being merciful to him. Well, I'm thankful for the Lord's
mercy. But you know what he saw? He saw everything that he was
involved in in Sodom burned up. in this life. And he died somewhat
in shame, living in caves. And here's the point. Lot was
saved, just as saved as Abraham was. Just as righteous as Abraham
was. Just as accepted as Abraham was. The same place every believer
is. Which one was happier in this
life? I guarantee you, Abraham, when
he died in that good, old, full age. And the last we read of
Lot, he was living in a cave in fear. His wood, hay, and stubble is
burned up, wasn't it? All the fleshly advantages he
thought he had Living in Sodom, it was all burned up. Now, gold, silver, precious stones,
what building materials? Wood, hay, or stubble. Now the gold and silver and precious
stones, the virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness,
Brotherly kindness and charity all arise from a simple faith
in Christ. That's where that comes from.
Looking to Christ only. Not trying to be that way. You
look to Christ. That's what happens. And I thought
about this. Let me say this. I'm not interested
in legacy. And people say, I want to leave legacy. I could care
less. Uh, if I'm in heaven, do you think I'm going to care about
any of this kind of care? Uh, I'm not interested in leading
a legacy, but I do believe this. How I will be remembered by the
ones that knew me when I die is the way I am. That's a, um, something to think
about. Will I be remembered as someone
who loved Christ? Someone who believed the gospel? Someone who, well, I guess I
say everything when I say someone who loved Christ. I want to be
remembered as someone who believed the gospel and loved the Lord
Jesus Christ. And that's the way every believer
wants to be remembered. I don't want to be remembered
by, what a jerk he could be. I can be, I know. I'd like to be remembered as
someone who built upon the foundation, gold, silver, and precious stones,
the gospel. May the Lord grant us that for
Christ's sake. Let's pray together. Our merciful heavenly father,
how thankful we are for your gospel. for the foundation that
you have laid, the Lord Jesus, and that all of our salvation
is in him. And Lord, we pray that we might,
by your grace, build upon this foundation, not wood, hay, and
stubble, will be burned and prove to be nothing but gold, silver,
and precious stone. May we add to our faith virtue
and our virtue knowledge and our knowledge temperance and
to our temperance patience and to our patience brotherly kindness
and to our brotherly kindness charity. Lord, we pray that these
things by your grace might be in us and abound that we be not
barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ. Lord, bless this message. Bless your word. In Christ's
name we pray. Amen.