All right, let's open our Bibles
to 1 Corinthians chapter 3. 1 Corinthians 3. Let's read verse 8 again. That's the
last verse we read this morning. Now he that planteth and he that
watereth are one. Every man shall receive his own
reward. which I dealt with earlier, according
to his own labor. For we are laborers together
with God. The ministers of God are laborers. They're not lazy men, they're
laborers. Their work is in the study. Their
work is in the pulpit. Their work is in meditation and
prayer and faithfully preparing and preaching and teaching the
Word of God. I know it's a work for which
no man is sufficient, but as Paul said, our sufficiency is
Christ, and he will give grace and strength for those who are
committed to this work. 1 Timothy 5, the Apostle Paul said
in verse 17, let the elders that rule well. That rule is not a
dominion, that rule is a teaching ministry, who teach men the word of God.
Let those elders that sufficiently perform the task God's given
them, be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor
in the Word and in the doctrine. They labor. It's a labor. If
it's done right, it's a labor. And we labor as under shepherds,
under the chief shepherd. And our work is never in vain.
The Lord always blesses that faithful ministry of his word.
In 2 Corinthians 5, I'd like for you to turn here and look
at this scripture. In 2 Corinthians 5, verse 17, Paul is talking
about the ministers of the gospel. And he says in verse 18, And
all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus
Christ, and hath given us Paul said, the Lord put me in the
ministry. He has given us the ministry
of reconciliation. Namely, that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses
unto them, and hath committed unto us this word of reconciliation,
this message, this gospel. Now then, we're ambassadors for
Christ. as though God did beseech you
by us. We pray you, we minister to you,
we implore you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. And
when the apostles in chapter 6 of Acts, when the apostles' ministry increased, And the number
of the disciples multiplied in Acts chapter 6. Look over there
at verse 1. In those days when the number
of the disciples were multiplied, more hearers came, more people
came to hear the gospel. There arose a murmuring of the
Grecians against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected
in the daily administration, the business of taking care of
the widows and orphans and needy and etc., etc. And then the twelve,
these ministers of the gospel, called the multitude of the disciples
to them and said, it's not reason, or reasonable, that we should
leave the word of God and serve tables. This is when they appointed
the first deacons. So brethren, verse 3, look out
among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost
and wisdom. whom we may appoint over this
business of the needy, and the widows, and the orphans, and
the business, and so forth. And the preachers, verse 4, will
give themselves continually to what their ministry is, to prayer
and to minister the word. It's a laborer. If it's done
right, it's a laborer. That's what he says in verse
9 of 1 Corinthians 3, we're laborers. We're laborers. But we're laborers
together with God. You're God's husbandry. You're
God's tillage. You're God's farms. You're God's
people. And then he compares the church
to a building. He said you're God's building.
Now let me show you this over in Isaiah 61. This analogy that
Paul uses here of the farm, of a garden. that Paul plants and
Apollos waters and someone else does something else, but it's
God's garden. And God gives the increase. That's what we looked
at this morning. Here in Isaiah 61, verse 3, listen. To appoint unto them that mourn
in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for
mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness,
that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting
of the Lord, that he may be glorified." We're the planting of the Lord.
It's God's garden. And that's what he's saying here
in verse 9. We're laborers together with God. But just not my church,
or my garden, or my vineyard, or my building. This is God's
garden. We're the planting of the Lord.
plant which my Heavenly Father hath not planted, Christ said,
shall be rooted up. Every plant that the preachers
planted or the bishops planted or somebody else has planted
shall be rooted up. You're God's planting, you're
trees of righteousness, you're His garden, you're His temple. Christ said, I'll build my church,
I'll build my church. The Lord added to the church
daily such as should be saved. So verse 9, we are laborers together
with God, but you're God's husbandry, you're God's garden, you're God's
building. Now, verse 10, according to the grace of God which is
given unto me, the apostle attributes all of his gifts and his usefulness
as a builder, as a planter, as one who sows the seed, he attributes
it all to the grace of God. He said once, he said, I've labored
more abundantly than they all. I've given my life and spent
my time totally in the ministry, more than anyone else, he said.
Yet not I, but the grace of God in me. That's what he's saying
here. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, He
calls himself a wise master builder. And that he is. Because the foundation
he laid is Christ Jesus. He's a wise master builder. Our
Lord said, I want you to turn to this in Luke chapter 7. Listen
to this. Paul evidently has got this in
mind. When he wrote this, in Luke chapter
7, let's look at Matthew 7. Paul has this in mind when he
wrote this, in Matthew chapter 7. Therefore, whosoever heareth
these things of mine, and doeth them, I liken him to a wise man,
a wise man. built his house on the rock.
I turn to Luke 6. This is where I want you to go,
Luke 6. Luke 6, verse 47. Luke 6, verse 47. Whosoever cometh
to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I shall show
you what he is like. He is like a wise man. Matthew
called him a wise man, which built a house, and he did Dig
deep and lay the foundation on a rock. This was laborious work.
This was time-taking, requiring work. Dig deep. Search. Study. Dig deep. Lay that foundation
on a rock. And when the flood arose and
the stream beat vehemently upon that house, it couldn't shake
it. Why? That wise master builder laid
That foundation right here, he's talking about, as a wise master
builder, I have laid the foundation. What is that foundation? Well,
Ephesians 2. Ephesians 2. I've got you running
through the word, but it's the word I'm trying to preach. Ephesians
2, verse 18. Ephesians 2.18, this is Paul
speaking about this foundation. For through him, through Christ,
we both have access by one Spirit to God, the Father, Jew and Gentile. Now therefore, you no more strangers
and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints of the household
of God. And you are built upon the foundation of the apostles,
that's who Paul is, an apostle, and the prophets, Moses, Isaiah,
all those Old Testament, Jesus Christ himself being the chief
cornerstone, in whom all the building, and what did he say?
You're God's garden, you're God's building. As a wise master builder,
I've digged deep, I've laid a foundation, and that foundation is the foundation
of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the
chief cornerstone in whom all the building, fitly framed together, fitly framed together. See, the
cornerstone is the strength of the building, and the cornerstone
determines the shape of the building and the beauty of the building.
And Christ is that cornerstone. The whole building fitly framed
together, and groweth upon him a holy temple to the Lord, in
whom you also are builted together. a habitation of God through despair.
Now, as a wise master builder, sent of God, he said, I've laid
a good foundation. According to the grace given
to me, I've laid a foundation. Don't take any credit for it,
but God gave me the grace. Now, watch what he exhorts us,
but let every man take heed how he builds there on every elder,
everyone in the kingdom of God, let him be careful how he builds
that wall. Verse 11, for other foundation
can no man lay. There is no other foundation,
other foundation no man can lay than that which is laid, which
is Christ Jesus. Who laid that foundation? Paul just came along preaching
that foundation, but God laid it, turned to Isaiah Chapter
28, God laid that foundation, Christ Jesus. And another foundation
no man can lay than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus
our Lord. In Isaiah 28, Isaiah rebukes
the unbelieving Jews, wrapped up in their doctrine of works. and their doctrine of ceremonies
and sacrifices. Verse 14 of Isaiah 28, Wherefore,
hear the word of the Lord now, ye scornful men, that rule this
people which is in Jerusalem. You have said, We have made a
covenant with death, and with hell are we out of agreement.
We are not afraid of hell or death. When the overflowing scourge
shall pass through, it won't come unto us. We've made lies
our refuge, we've got a refuge, we've got a hiding place, but
God says it's a refuge of lies and it's a refuge of falsehood
under which you hid yourself. Verse 16, Therefore thus saith
the Lord, Behold, I lay in Zion a foundation. Here is the foundation,
as a wise master builder, I've laid the foundation, and here
it is, back in the writings of Isaiah. I've laid for a foundation
a stone, a rock. in a weary land, a rock. Upon this rock, Christ said,
I'll build my church, the heart of Christ, the Son of the living
God. It's a tried stone. This stone tipped in all points
as we are, yet without sin, tried by Satan, tried by the law, tried
by men, tried by God. yet perfectly obeyed. A precious
cornerstone. That's what we've been reading
about. The strength of the building, the design of the building, the
shape of the building, the beauty of the building depends on the
cornerstone. And it's a precious cornerstone.
Precious to the Father. Precious to the Old Testament
believers. Precious to the angels. Precious to all who know him.
Precious cornerstone. A sure foundation that cannot
fail. He that hath begun a good work
in you shall finish it. He doesn't lay a foundation in
vain. It's a sure foundation. And he that believes will not
make haste. He'll not be ashamed. He'll never
be confounded. He'll never be deserted. So take
heed how you build our own. For other foundations can no
man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus. There is no
true church except that church built on Christ. And that's just
so. We can out of kindness and generosity
try to include as many folks as we can, but there's no church. Christ said it's my church. He's
the head of the church. The church is his body. It's
called the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. There's no true
church except that church which is built on this foundation,
Christ Jesus. There's no true gospel except
that gospel of Christ Jesus. There's no other gospel. Paul
said, if he comes preaching another gospel, I don't care if it's
an angel from heaven, let him be accursed. There's no kingdom
except the kingdom of his dear Son. That's what God calls the
kingdom of heaven. He calls it the kingdom of his
Son, the kingdom of his dear Son. He that hath the Son hath
life. He that hath not the Son of God
hath not life. He that believeth on Christ hath
everlasting life, shall never come into condemnation. He that
believeth not, the wrath of God abideth on him." That's the foundation
no man can lay. There's no true Christian except
that man who believes in Christ. Narrow? Well, it's a narrow way. Let me read you Galatians 4,
listen to this. Can it be any plainer than this?
Listen, Galatians 4. Galatians 4, verse 4. But when
the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made
of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under
the law, that they might receive the adoption of sons. sons of
God. And because you are sons, because
Christ hath redeemed us, and we have in him received the adoption
of sons, and because we are sons, God sent forth his Spirit, the
Spirit of his Son, into our hearts, whereby we cry, Father. The Jew
says, We have one God, one Father. Christ said, If God were your
Father, you would love me. You have your Father, the Your son, God sent forth the
Spirit of his Son in your heart, and you can cry, I have no father.
Wherefore, you are no more a servant but a son. And if a son, you are an heir
of God through Christ. There is no other way. There is nothing
else to preach. You can't wiggle around that.
Go around it, Barnard said, when you meet the gospel in the middle
of the road, you've got to bow to it or run away from it. You
can't tunnel under it, go over it or around it, you've got to
meet the gospel head on and believe it or deny it. It's the gospel
of his son. That's just so. Other foundations
can no man lay. Paul said, I've digged deep as
a wise master built. I've laid the foundation, which
is Christ Jesus and no other foundation. Now, verse 12, if
anyone build on this foundation, now here, the apostles and prophets
laid the foundation, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone.
Now preachers, missionaries, pastors, Witnesses, Christian workers,
churches, denominations, they go forth into this world preaching,
teaching, witnessing. Riding their bicycles, carrying
their books, knocking on their doors, building churches, building
followers, building assemblies, building denominations, building,
building, building, building, gathering, gathering, gathering,
gathering, all these different buildings. I'm talking about
spiritual buildings. professions, denominations, sects,
cults, all these things. We got one here. We have preached
50 years. We've met together here, Sunday,
Wednesday, special meetings, Bible conferences. We've taught,
written books. We have tapes and TV and conferences
and all these things. Many people have come from everywhere. and have gathered, and have listened,
and have received what's been preached from this pulpit. We've
been building. Paul said the apostles and the
prophets laid the foundation, Jesus Christ himself being the
cornerstone, you take him how you build there on. You build
on the witness, the message, the gospel of Christ. Many people have come. Some of
our people, God's called them away. Their children are here,
their grandchildren. What have we built? We know who
the foundation is, but what is the structure? Well, he named
some things. He said, if any man build on
this foundation, gold, silver, precious stone. The other three,
wood, hay, and stubble. That's the building materials.
Gold, silver, precious stone, wood, hay, and stubble. But I know three things about
these six things, divided three each. Gold, silver, and precious
stone, that's valuable. That's valuable. That's genuine,
we used to say. That's real. That's of true value. It's called precious. Precious
stone. Precious gold. It costs a precious
price. blood of the Son of God. To you that believe He's precious,
and you're precious to Him, precious in the sight of the Lord, death
of His saints, gold, silver, precious stones, that's valuable.
But wood, hay, and stubble is worthless. I'm not in the market
for any hay or stubble, and neither is God. One valuable, what are you building?
Valuable, the real article, precious, or wood, hay, and stubble. Secondly,
one is lasting. The gold, silver, and precious
stone endure the fire. It'll endure anything. Fire only purifies gold and silver
and precious stones. It never loses its value. The older it gets, the more valuable
it is. Never loses its value. Whatever
it's worth now will be worth more later. But the other, the
longer it lasts, the less it's worth. Wood, hay, and stubble. It passes away, it rots, it smells,
it's only fit to be burned. Gold, silver, and precious stone.
Tell you something else about them. All three are God made. No human being can make gold.
He can discover it where God put it. Silver? Can't make it. Discover it where
God put it and mine it. Precious stones? The things they're making to
look like precious stones aren't precious. They're a counterfeit.
God makes all of these. But the other? That wood, hay
and stubble, that's the product of the flesh. That's the product
of man. That's the product of manipulation
or man's efforts. So what are we building? On this foundation, Christ Jesus.
He's a gold and silver and precious stone, valuable, valuable to
God, sons of God, lasting, persevering, continuing in the faith, made
by God. I know there will always be tears,
but I'm talking about the general state of the building. The general
state of the building that's built on Christ Jesus by faithful
gospel preachers is gold, silver, and precious stone. The others
are wood, hay, and stubble. Then he says in verse 13, that's
going to be discovered in time. That's going to be discovered.
The reality of profession will be revealed. The reality of our
state will be known. The reality of our relationship
with God is going to be manifested. Every man's work,
every preacher's work, every preacher's ministry, every church's
ministry, not just the preacher's ministry, it's the folks that
are with me. But every man's work is going to be manifested.
By the day he shall declare it." Now a lot of people give that
wholly to the judgment. Like Malachi said over here in
Malachi 3.17. A lot of people give that just
to the judgment. And that will be the time when
everything will be revealed. And nothing secret will not be
revealed. Nothing done in the corner will not be broadcast
from the housetop. In Malachi 3 verse 17, and they
shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that day when I make up my
jewels, my special treasure, in that day I'll spare them as
a man spares his own son. They're my jewels. Now wait a
minute, when I make up my jewels, That's something we don't do.
He does that. We're his husband, we're his tillage, we're his
building, we're his church, we're his kingdom, and he makes up
his jewels, gold, silver, precious stone. And the day is going to
declare it. For he says in verse 13, because it will be revealed
by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort
it is. And this seems to indicate the
last day. Most people agree. the day when
our Lord shall return, the day of judgment. But I don't believe
that's always the case. I do not. I believe that we shall,
if we live long enough, if we live long enough, we're
going to have proof of what our ministry has been, of what sort
it is, whether it's gold, silver, precious stone, or whether it's
wood, hay, and stuff, of what sort it is. Most preachers don't
stay long enough where they go to find out what sort it is.
But if you hang around long enough, live long enough, it'll be revealed
of what you've been building on that foundation. Because it
says in verse 14 and 15, listen, this seems to bear this out.
If a man's work abide which he hath built thereon on that foundation,
he'll receive a reward. I talked about that this morning.
And that's not talking about a heavenly reward. That's talking
about a reward Right back there in verse 8, according to his
labor, the love of his people, fellowship of believers, the
praise of his God, God is pleased. Also the satisfaction, just the
satisfaction of being able to say what Paul said in your reading
tonight. He said, I've not shunned to
declare unto you the whole gospel. He said to those people, he said,
I kept back nothing from you. He said, my hands are free from
the blood of everybody. Boy, that's satisfaction now.
That's a reward, see? So that's a reward, isn't it? Reward of the love of the people,
the praise of God, and the satisfaction that you've told them the truth.
You coveted no man's silver or gold. You haven't coveted anything
anybody has. You preach the gospel without
fear, favor, boldly. That's a reward. That's a reward. And that's all right here. Right
here, I've experienced the very things I'm talking about. I'm
talking out of heart, not just off the top of my head. I've
fought a good fight, Paul said. I've kept the faith. And that
crown of rejoicing will be to see you in the presence of the
Lord someday. That's right. But if any man's
work be burned, wood, hay, and stubble is going
to finally be burned. It's going to rot. It's going
to come to naught. You can't sleep in a house made
out of wood, hay, and stubble, not very long. Not when the fire
falls, and not when the wind blows, and not when the floods
come. It's not going to last. And that fellow, he's compromised
the gospel for covetousness, for intellectualism, for the
friendship of the world, for some reason. And he's going to
see his work perish, and he's going to suffer loss. He's going
to be like a man who watches his house burn down. He hasn't
got a thing. He's standing there in his underwear, and his house
is burned down. Everything he saved and collected
and put together is burned down, and here he stands. Now he's
saved, so as by fire. He's out there away from the
flame, but everything he's done is gone. Now that doesn't sound like a judgment
to me, does it to you? It doesn't sound like that, it
sounds like right here, I've seen this happen to preachers.
I've seen this happen to grace preachers. I've seen this happen to men
I believe are saved. It's gone. Might be a little gold here,
a little there, precious stone here or there, but the rest of
it's gone. And see, these trials, it's not
just judgment, it's the trials of time. Time tries things. Time tries all of God's servants,
but his jewels endure to the end. They endure to the end. They don't quit. That's the reason I believe you're
gold, silver, and precious stone. You shine. You've been around
long enough to shine. You've been through the time
test. There's the time test, and there's
the years test, and there's the discouragement test, and there's
the prosperity test. Prosperity is a greater danger
to spirituality than sickness or death. That's right. That's
what Solomon said. Don't give me too much, Lord,
I'll forget you. But don't make me too poor, I
might steal. You don't know me, you know. David said, I would have faded
if I hadn't believed to see the goodness of God in the land of
the living. There's been times, David said, when I would have
quit. Just flat, quit. And thought a lot about it. But
he said, I knew God would be victorious. So I waited on him. Still waiting. There's a test
of sorrow. Old Job sitting there, scratching
his balls and weeping tears. And his wife said, just curse
God and die. He said, though he slay me, I'll
trust him. And he did. But you know the outcome, don't
you? I tell you, it'll be tried. Tried by fire. And I'm talking
about fire. Tried by compromise. Another
voice. Another shepherd. Now they won't
hear. They won't hear another voice.
They won't hear another shepherd. They won't follow another shepherd.
But those voices are out there. And they'd deceive their very
elect if they could, if it's possible. They'd deceive you.
And they'll try it. They'll keep knocking on your
door. Trial of sickness. Some of you have been down some,
didn't even know your name, it got so bad. Been wired up, I've seen some
of you wired up, you look like a zombie or a robot or something. But you stayed faithful. Old
age tries people. and then death, and God's people
endure to the end. That's right. You know what you
are, verse 16? You are the temple of God. You
are the temple of God built on the foundation Jesus Christ and
the Spirit of God dwells in you. That's talking about the Church.
Paul says, I'm the wise master builder, apostles and prophets,
and Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone. And God sent his preachers throughout
the days, and they preached his gospel, and he built it. He's
got these living stones, living stones. Put them together, and
he dwells in that church, his church, his bride. That's right. That's you, believers. Living
stones. Now, if any man defiled this
temple, how did they defile it? Well, I'll tell you how they
defiled it. They defiled it through covetousness, compromise, philosophy,
ambition, wisdom of this world, false doctrine. They divide,
they destroy, they corrupt the minds of God's people from the
simplicity of Christ. If any man, this gold, silver,
precious stones, these living stones, There is God's temple,
he has brought them together. Now if anybody come along and
divide and defile and trouble and corrupt that church, God
will destroy him. God will destroy him because
the temple of God is only to him which temple you are. That's exactly what that's saying. You're the temple of God. That's
what we build on that foundation, the temple of God. He builds
it. He hews out the stones and brings
them in. But you want to be careful now
not to defile that temple of God through love of money or
covetousness or philosophy. And here in verse 18, Paul puts
his finger on the problem. Let no man deceive you, if any
man among you. preacher, elder, pastor, missionary,
whoever comes along in the name of God. He seems to be wise in
this world. A fellow comes along and he seems
to be wise in this world. He's educated. He thinks himself
to be wise. Well, if he wants to be wise,
let him become a fool that he may be wise. Let him become a
fool. Let him become convinced of his
sin and folly. Let him embrace the gospel of
the crucified Lord, which is foolishness to the world and
despised of men. Let him deny his worldly wisdom,
his prestige and place and position. Let him deny his righteous self,
confess his ignorance, confess his weakness, rely on the Spirit
of God, that he may be wise. That he may be wise. See, that's what happens, that's
what defiles the Church of God, the Temple of God, the people
of God, is philosophy, deceit, the wisdom of this world. You've
got a battle always between the wisdom of the world and the Word
of God. That's always a conflict, the wisdom of the world and the
Word of God. That's a conflict in our country
about man, religion, the wisdom of the world, or the Word of
God. If any man, let no man deceive
himself, if he seems to be wise and educated, high and mighty,
know-it-all, brilliant, eloquent, in this world, there's just one
way God will use him, and that's him to become a fool. Admit it, confess it, if it's
true, just like the preacher graduated from the third grade,
and holds his hands up to heaven for manner and help and power
to preach. Let him become a fool, and then
he'll be wise. Because the wisdom of this world,
verse 19, is foolishness with God. It's written, he taketh
the wise in their own craftiness. And what he's saying there, that's
a quote, and what he's saying there is that these men of so-called
wisdom of the world, they are destroyed in the snares and traps
they prepare for others. He takes them in their own craftiness.
You see, they're crafty and sly and subtle and they devise means
to deceive people, and God takes them in their own traps and snares
that they've prepared for another. God destroys them in it. That's
it destroys them, the very thing. He takes them in their own craftiness.
And again, it says, the Lord knows the thoughts of the wise.
One writer said, there are men in this day of such great wisdom
and great capacity for a knowledge of the things of the world and
cleverness that their schemes and their reasoning and their
devices are not known by men, ordinary men. and owned by God,
and God knows that their so-called wisdom is really vanity. Sometimes we're awed by these
so-called men or giants, but don't be awed. The Lord knoweth the thoughts
of the wise, the vanity, the dangerous. That's right, just
abort it, get back to the simplicity of Christ. Therefore, let no
man glory in men, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
or the mighty man glory in his might, or the rich man glory
in his riches. For all things are yours, don't
exalt and magnify the flesh. All things are yours. And this
is the way this chapter started. Who is Paul? who is Apollos, who is Cephas,
but ministers, servants of God, by whom you believe. So, don't
glory in me, because whether it's Paul, the greatest missionary
apostle who ever lived, or Apollos, the eloquent genius taught by
Aquilinus Selim, or Cephas, Peter, the gruff fisherman whom the
Lord Jesus loved, Peter the Apostle. Or the world! They're fascinated
by this world and all. They're building their tower
of Babel now. Gonna conquer the space. That's what they tried
to do back in Genesis. Built the tower of Babel. We're
going on up to heaven. Don't be fascinated. It's yours. or life, or death, or things
present, or things to come, everything's for your sake, for your salvation,
for your redemption. It's all yours. God's designed
everything that's going on for the redemption of his church,
for the building of that temple, and for the growing of those
trees of righteousness. And you belong to Christ, and
he belongs to God. All right, we've had a good day.
This is a good study. Profitable to me and I hope to
you.