1 Corinthians chapter 3. Let's read verse 21 through 23. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or
Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present,
or things to come, all are yours. In year Christ, and Christ is
God's. Now this is the cure, brethren,
for division and strife between brethren. That's what we're dealing
with here. Paul's been dealing with this
strife and this contention that was going on between the brethren
at Corinth. And he tells us here, Therefore
let no man glory in men. Now the Holy Spirit moved Paul
to begin. We want to see why does he say
therefore. Go back to 1 Corinthians and
look at chapter 1 and verse 5. He says, In everything You are
enriched by God. Look at verse 8. Who shall also confirm you unto
the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus
Christ. And then he tells us in chapter
2 that it's God who gives us an understanding by the Spirit
and makes us to have life and to see and to believe, to trust
Him. And then he tells us in 1 Corinthians
3, in verse 16, he says, Know ye not that you are the temple
of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile
the temple of God, you don't have to try to protect the temple
of God. He says, Him God shall destroy. God will protect His temple.
He says, For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
Verse 19, He says, For it is written, He taketh the wise in
their own craftiness. Verse 20, And again, the Lord
knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain. You see,
what He has been showing us is that everything that has taken
place is of God. And so He says in verse 21, Therefore
let no man glory in men, for all things are yours. Now believer,
this is a simple proposition. All things are yours. That means
everything in this world is designed by God for the good
of His people. Everything that takes place,
everything He brings to pass is for the good of His people. And everything belongs to His
people. Believer, all things are yours. Now that's what God said. First
of all, God's true ministers are yours. He says, whether Paul
or Apollos or Cephas, all are yours. Every true preacher is
a gift of Christ Jesus to his church for her edification. He doesn't give ministers for
men to set them up as idols. They'd be honored for their work's
sake, loved for their work's sake, but not to set them up
as idols. The minister is just that. He's
to minister. He's to serve God's people. And he says here, he's given
you ministers to serve you. Look back there at 1 Corinthians
3, 5. He says, who then is Paul? Who is Apollos but ministers? servants, serving you, ministering
to you, by whom you believe, even as the Lord gave to every
man. Now, not all preachers are placed
in the same office, and not all preachers are given the same
gifts. He said in Ephesians, He gave some apostles, and some
prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.
Christ may use some of His preachers to minister to large numbers
of people, He may use some to minister to less. But all preachers
are given by Christ to serve the same purpose. And here's
the purpose. He said in Ephesians 4, for the
perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for
the edifying of the body of Christ. So God's servants are one. They're
not competing, not in competition. They're not trying to exalt men. They're exalting Christ. And
they're promoting the unity of the brethren. Look back at verse
8, 1 Corinthians 3, 8. Now he that planteth and he that
watereth are one. They're one. Verse 9, for we're
laborers together with God. You're God's husbandry. You're
God's building. So brethren, don't ever compare
preachers with preachers. Don't ever try to exalt one over
the other. or anything like that, it doesn't
matter where they minister, it doesn't matter how large a congregation
they minister to, the one thing that matters is this, they're
preaching Christ and Him crucified and giving God all the glory
and the salvation of His people. That's what matters. That's what
matters. Now secondly, he tells us here
back in 1 Corinthians 3, 3.20, Verse 22, He tells us, and the
world is yours. The world is yours. Everything
taking place right now in the world is taking place for the
good of God's people. It's taking place for His glory
and for the good of His people. Everything, that which appears
to us to be great evil, that which appears to be good, all
is ministering to God's people, everything. We know that all
things work together for good to them that love God, to them
who are called according to His purpose. And we see this most
in the crucifixion of our Savior. Look at Acts 4.26. He says there, the kings of the
earth stood up and the rulers were gathered together against
the Lord and against His Christ. For of a truth against thy holy
child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate
with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together
for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before
to be done. That's the darkest time in the
history of the world. when we crucified the Prince
of Life. And yet everything that took
place was directly by the hand of God. God working together
everything according to His purpose for His glory and the good of
His people. And what was the result? God was glorified. God, His righteousness was manifest. Christ was exalted. He's seated
there at the right hand of God, the God-man, seated there in
glory, ruling everything. And all those for whom He died
were justified. Their sins were put away. That's
what was the result. So everything that took place
was good. Now, God might send you trials. He does. He's going to send us
trials in this life. And God may send us hunger in
this life. But you know what it's for? Remember
why He said He did that to the children of Israel? He said that
He might make thee know that man does not live by bread only,
but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord
doth man live. What do we need more than all
these things we work for and all these things we go after
and all these things that we're so fervent to get? What do we
need more than any of that? We need the Word of God. And
that's what He's teaching us. We need the Word of God. And
He teaches us, love not the world, neither the things that are in
the world. If any man loved the world, the love of the Father
is not in him. But, He says, everything taking place in this
world, even the whole world itself, is yours. It's yours. It's mine. Gospel preachers are yours and
the world is yours. sitting here and you rebel against
God, you don't know God and the wicked in this world, nothing
is theirs. You look at the richest man that
owns everything. The man that's not God's owns
nothing. And you look at God's saints
who may be as poor as they can be and not have anything in this
world, and they possess all things. It's theirs. Alright, thirdly,
he says here, life is yours. Life is yours. Look at 1 John
5.11. And it doesn't matter what happens
to you and me. This is what we always need to
remember right here. 1 John 5.11. This is the record
that God has given to us eternal life. And this life is in His
Son. He that hath the Son is going
to have life. No, He has life. He that has
the Son right now hath life. And he that hath not the Son
of God hath not life. Look at verse 20. We know that
the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding that
we may know Him that is true. And we're in Him that is true.
Even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal
life. Christ has given us eternal life. He said the thief comes to destroy,
to steal and destroy. He said, I come that they might
have life and they might have it more abundantly, more abundantly. And nothing's going to separate
us from Christ our life. Christ laid down His life to
give His people life. Christ took our sin away and
He gave us eternal righteousness. So nothing's going to separate
Christ and His people. He's not going to allow that.
Nothing's going to separate us from eternal life. You know,
you say that, and I think people think, well, does that mean I'm
not going to die? You might die in the flesh. But
if somebody were to try to separate you from Christ, that was their
motive, that was their goal. The worst they could do is destroy
your life. This life. But when they've done that, They
can't take eternal life. That's the separation that they'll
never separate us from. The love of God in Christ. They'll
never separate us from eternal life in Christ. That's what we
have. Now, as far as life in this earth,
this life is yours. This life is yours. The life
of the greatest men of this world. Rulers, the Lawmakers, the CEOs,
the most powerful men in this world. God gives them life and
sustains their life for one reason. Just one reason. For you. For his people. That's why he
does it. And your life in this earth is
yours. But remember what Christ said
in Luke 12. He said, I say until you take
no thought for your life, no anxious thought. Don't be worried,
he said, about what you'll eat, neither for the body what you
shall put on, because the life is more than meat and the body
is more than raiment. Consider the ravens. They neither
toil, they neither sow nor reap, which don't have a storehouse,
they don't have a barn. And God feeds them. And He says,
how much are you better than the fowls? How much better? What is our life? Paul said,
for me to live is Christ. That's our life, Christ. Now
if we could get this and grasp this, that life is ours. We'd
spend a whole lot less time worrying and a lot more time seeking God
and His righteousness. Alright, fourthly, he says here,
death is yours. Death is yours. Wednesday afternoon,
Pastor Maurice Montgomery left this world. He took his last
breath in this world, but he just started living. He just
begun to start living. No sin, only immortality. No hindrances anymore, just perfect
worship of God. He has nothing between Him and
Christ. He can behold Christ and know
Christ just like Christ has known Him. Death is ours. Why? Why is death the friend
of the believer? The sting of death is sin. The
sting of death is sin. And the strength of sin is the
law. And Christ has come and he's
fulfilled the law for his people. And he put away all our sin.
That's what Christ did for his people. So now death doesn't
have a sting. The law is satisfied. The law
is our friend. Death is our friend. He abolished
death and he brought life and immortality to life. Thanks be to God. We didn't do
it. We didn't have any part in this.
But thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ. Death is ours. And then look
at this next thing. Things present and things to
come are yours. Things present and things to
come are yours. Now, we're in a house of clay. And presently, we might possess
very little, but we have a rich inheritance to come. Now, if
you were sailing across the sea and you were on a ship and you
didn't have hardly any money in your possession, you're very
poor, you didn't have anything, but you knew when you get to
the other side, you're going to inherit an inheritance larger
than this world has ever known. Would you be content sailing
across the sea knowing that that's what awaits you? Well, that's
what awaits the believer. We have an inheritance. Look
at Romans 8.16. The Spirit itself beareth witness
with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children,
then heirs, heirs of God in joint heirs with Christ, if so be that
we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. I
reckon that the sufferings of this present time," he said,
things present are yours and they involve suffering, but it's
suffering for you. And it's to teach you that it's
not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed
in us. We're joint heirs with Christ.
Joint heirs with Christ. We don't look at things that
are seen. Things that are seen are temporal. We look at things
which are not seen. Those are things that are eternal.
And we know that when this house, this tabernacle is dissolved,
we have a house that's eternal in the heavens. That's our inheritance. And our contentment in things
present is the same as our contentment in things to come. Did you hear
me? Our contentment in things present
is the same as our contentment in things to come. It's Christ. Listen. Let your conduct, let
your conversation be without covetousness and be content with
such things as you have. For He has said, I will never
leave thee nor forsake thee. My contentment with what things
I have is this. I have Christ. He's not going
to leave me. He's not going to forsake me.
Money will leave you. Possessions will leave you. Friends
will leave you. Even your dearest loved ones
will leave you. But Christ said, I'll never leave you and I'll
never forsake you. That's my contentment in things
present or in things to come. Now the things present might
be sorrowful and the things present may be have no joy in them, but
it's to turn us to Christ who is our joy. Things present may
make us very weak, but it's to teach us Christ is our strength.
Things present may make us behold that we're just utterly foolishness,
but it's to make us behold Christ as our wisdom. Things present
may include sickness, but it's to bring us to rejoice in Christ
who healeth thee, the Lord who healeth thee. Things to come
are yours. You've heard to say, and I don't
know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow. So
things present are mine and things to come are mine. Now lastly,
why are all these things true? Why is all this true? Look at
verse 23. 1 Corinthians 3.23. You're Christ's
and Christ is God's. Every chosen child of God our
Father was the gift of God to Christ in eternity. He gave his
people to Christ. When he chose us, he gave us
to Christ. You're Christ's bride. You're
Christ's children. You're Christ's sheep. You're
Christ's jewels. And you're Christ by electing
grace, by God's decree, by predestination, by adoption, You're Christ. You're Christ's purchased possession.
He said you're not your own. You're bought with a price. Bought
with the price of Christ's precious blood. Bought by His accomplished
redemption. Bought by atonement fully wrought
by Christ. You're His purchased possession.
And you're His glory. You're His glory. Listen to this.
Even everyone that's called by my name, I have created him for
my glory. He said in Isaiah 46, 13, I bring
near my righteousness. It shall not be far off, and
my salvation shall not tarry, and I will place salvation in
Zion for Israel, my glory. His people are his glory. He
manifested his glory by saving his people. And His people are
His glory. And you're Christ's portion.
His inheritance. We just saw that He's our inheritance. We have a large inheritance in
Christ. But Christ's people are His inheritance.
Deuteronomy 32.9 says the Lord's portion is His people. The Lord's
inheritance is His people. So you're Christ's. And then
He says, and Christ is God's. Christ is God's salvation for
His people. Christ is God's mercy and grace
for His people. Christ is God's everlasting covenant
to His people. Christ is God's express image
and God's glory. He's the fullness of the Godhead
bodily. That's Christ. So seeing that
you're Christ, and seeing that Christ is God's, then everything
about you and me, now I'm speaking to believers now, Everything
about you and me, everything about our brothers and our sisters
in Christ belongs to God. 1 Corinthians 6, 19, He said, You
are not your own, for you are bought with a price. Therefore,
glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. You mean my body and my spirit
is not mine? No, it's God's. Now here's our
double security. And not only that, this is the
end of strife between brethren. This is the end of glory in men. This is the end of uncovering
a brother's sins and blaming brothers and sisters, no matter
what they've done, no matter how badly they may have offended
you. This is the cure for it right
here. You're Christ and Christ is God. That means that brother,
that sister is Christ, and Christ is God's. Herein is our love
made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment,
because as Christ is, so are we right now in this world. Now
you think about this. There you got a brother or sister.
Let's say you got a brother there that's offended you. Christ is
God's beloved Son. That's who He is. Well, that
brother that's offended you is Christ's beloved Son. That's
who He is. Say you have a brother or a sister
who has offended you. Christ is seated at God's right
hand and is beloved of the Father. So is that brother. He's seated
in Christ at God's right hand and is beloved of God. Why was Christ? Christ is God's
Son. Christ is seated at God's right
hand. Christ is the righteousness of God. That brother, that sister
that's offended you, they're the righteousness of God. And
Christ said this, He said that whatever you do to a brother
or sister, He said, you've done it unto me. So when we open our mouth, like
those at Corinth, you know, their problem was division. They were
dividing with one another. That meant somebody was putting
down somebody and exalting somebody else. And when they're putting
down that brother, they're putting down. They're talking negative
about him. Might as well be talking about
Christ. He says, much you've done it
to the least of these, my brethren, you've done it unto me. That's
how one we are with Christ. That's what Paul's point is here
in saying all these things. Everything is taking place in
this world. God's working it for your good. You've got a preacher
who's a great orator. You've got a preacher who can't
hardly complete a sentence. Both of them are the gift of
God. Don't exalt one over the other. They both came from God
to minister to you. And now he's telling us, Christ
is God. And not only did Christ say,
if you offend them, you offend Me. You've done it unto Me. He
said this too. He that honoreth not the Son,
honoreth not the Father. So you're Christ. That brother,
that sister is Christ. If I do something to them, I'm
doing it to Christ. And if I do it to Christ and
dishonor Christ, I'm dishonoring the Father. Because Christ is
God's. You see how that works? That's the end of strife and
division. So, something happens and it
looks like it's just going to, just a bad thing and it's going
to wreak havoc. God's working it. To teach me
that God's working it. To teach me that you're God's
temple and He's going to keep His temple and He's going to
protect His temple. He's going to protect each of
His people. All things are yours. All right, brethren, let's stand
together. Heavenly Father, we thank you
for this word. We pray that you'll bless it
now and cause us to truly understand, cause us to really enter into
the fact that we're one with Christ. My brother, my sister
is one with Christ. And everything you're working
now, you're working it for our good. Teach us to wait on you. Teach us to forgive one another. Teach us to do it for Christ's
sake, even as you've forgiven us for Christ's sake. Lord, we
thank you for the day that we can come together and worship
and hear a word from you. And we look forward to that day
when we'll do it for all eternity. Lord, make us peacemakers. We ask it in Christ's name. Amen.