Wood, Hay and Stubble

Q: What does the Bible say about the purpose of the pulpit?

The Bible states that the purpose of the pulpit is to teach, evangelize, administer ordinances, and reprove believers. According to the Bible, the pulpit serves a fourfold purpose: to lead worship, teach the Word of God for the edification of believers, administer the ordinances of Christ, and evangelize those who have not heard the gospel. As highlighted in 2 Timothy 4:1-2, preachers are charged to proclaim the Word with authority and to reprove and encourage believers in their spiritual walk. The pulpit's role is crucial for strengthening the faith of Christians and guiding them toward a closer relationship with Christ.

Q: How do we know that Christ is the foundation of the church?

Scripture emphasizes that Jesus Christ is the only foundation on which the church can be built (1 Corinthians 3:11). 1 Corinthians 3:11 clearly states that, 'For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.' This verse underscores the belief in Christ as the only viable foundation for the church. Additionally, passages like Isaiah 28:16 refer to God's promise of establishing a precious cornerstone, affirming that faith in Jesus is essential for the church's existence. Only what is built on His solid foundation will endure through trials and glorify God.

Q: Why is it important to examine our personal contributions to the body of Christ?

Examining our contributions helps ensure they are valuable and spiritually beneficial rather than mere 'wood, hay, and stubble.' It's crucial for believers to examine their lives and contributions to the body of Christ to determine whether they are building with enduring materials like gold, silver, and precious stones, or with transient materials such as wood, hay, and stubble. This self-examination, as described in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, prompts believers to consider how their actions contribute to God's glory and the spiritual health of the church. By reflecting on our daily decisions, activities, and relationships, we engage in meaningful ministry that honors Christ.

Q: How can Christians ensure they are building on the right foundation?

Christians can ensure they are building on the right foundation by living according to the gospel and aligning their actions with Christ's teachings. To build on the right foundation, Christians must focus on their relationship with Jesus Christ and live in accordance with the gospel message. As highlighted in Romans 1:1-2, the gospel centers on Christ, and it is through Him that all believers find their true purpose. By engaging in prayer, studying the Scriptures, and remaining active within the church body, believers can cultivate a life that not only honors God but also contributes to the witness of the church. Ultimately, it's about valuing eternal contributions over temporal gains, seeking to promote the kingdom of God in every aspect of life.

Now, the purpose of the pulpit in any church is fourfold. Besides to lead the people in
the worship of the Lord, the purpose of the pulpit is to teach
the Word of God. that believers might be edified,
that they might be strengthened in the faith of Christ, and that
they might be comforted in the things of the Lord. Secondly, the purpose of the
pulpit is to administer the ordinances of Christ. And thirdly, the purpose of the
pulpit is to evangelize, to preach the good news of redemption to
men where they are and as they are, to those who have never
heard the gospel of substitution. In the fourth place, the purpose
of the pulpit, other than leading the people of God in the worship
of the Lord, teaching the Word of God, administering the ordinances,
evangelizing, is to reprove and to rebuke us. I'd like you to
turn first of all to 2 Timothy chapter 4. The purpose of the
pulpit is to reprove and to rebuke the children of God. In 2 Timothy
4 verse 1, Paul says, I charge thee, therefore before God, And
the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead
at his appearing and his kingdom, preached the word. Be instant,
in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering
and doctrine. Now let me read that to you in
the amplified version. You get a lot of help from this.
Paul says, Timothy, herald and preach the word. Keep your sense
of urgency. Stand by, be at hand and ready,
whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable,
whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it be welcome or unwelcome, You are a preacher of the Word.
You, as a preacher of the Word, are to show people in what way
their lives are wrong, and convince them, rebuking and correcting,
warning and urging and encouraging them in long-suffering and patience. Now, the purpose of my message
tonight is not just for you, but for me, too, and it's to
help us And it's time we did this, and it's something we need
to do regularly, to help us take inventory, to help us to re-evaluate,
to help us to re-examine not our profession, not our doctrine,
but our lives, our goals, our ministry. the direction that
we're going right now, and the part that each one of us is playing
in the purpose of God and toward the greater glory of Jesus Christ. Now, turn to John 5. This is
a scripture I thought should fit in right here. John 5, verse
23. Now listen to this carefully.
What part I'm playing in the greater glory of the Son of God,
in the accomplishment of his purpose. in John 5.23, that all men, Christ
said, should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father, and
he that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father that
sent him. You see how important what we're dealing with is this
evening. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father. What part am I playing? My life,
my direction, my goals, my daily What part am I playing? What
am I contributing to the accomplishment of the glory of Jesus Christ
and the honor of Jesus Christ and the purpose of the Lord Jesus
Christ? Now, we spend time examining
our profession, and we should. This is what I preached on, was
it last Sunday or the Sunday before, examining our profession,
our relationship with the Lord, and that should be done. And
that's a profitable undertaking. The scripture tells us to examine
ourselves, whether we be in the faith, to give diligence, to
make our calling and election sure. But that's not enough. And that's not where we'll stop.
And I'm afraid some of us stop right there. Well, do I know
I'm a sinner? Yes, I know I'm a sinner. My
sins are ever before me, and we say that in sincerity and
honesty. And my only hope is God's grace. My only hope is Christ's sacrifice. My only hope is that He has died
for me, and I rest in that, and I trust in that. He's my refuge
and my strength. And I believe the Bible, and
I believe in Christ. Well, that's well and good, and
that's necessary for our very being, but there's some more
things necessary for our well-being. And that's not only an examination
of our faith, and our interest in Christ and our relationship
with Christ, but an examination of what I'm doing and where I'm
going right now in reference to Christ, in reference to eternity. We need to also spend some time
examining our ministry. You say, I have no ministry.
I beg your And that's one of the eras of this day, the ministry
and what they call layman. There ain't no such animal in
the kingdom of God as a layman. We're all in the ministry. That's
right. We're all in the ministry. Some
preaching, some elders, some teachers, some deacons, some
custodians, some cook, some working to supply the needs, some praying,
some various gifts. The body of Christ is made up
of many members. But everybody is in the body
of Christ, and Christ ministers, therefore his body ministers.
And we need to examine our place and our function in the body
of Christ. Turn to Ephesians 4. Now listen
to this, and Ronnie When I was talking this morning over a cup
of coffee, and I think this is the scripture he read over here,
Ephesians 4, the first seven verses. Isn't that it, Ronnie,
the first seven? Ephesians 4, I think that's the one you read.
But let's look at it. Ephesians 4.1, I therefore, the
prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the
vocation wherewith you are called. You've got a vocation. You're
called to that vocation, to walk in it. with all lowliness and
meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another, endeavoring
to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Good God! There is one body and one spirit,
even as you are called, in one hope of your calling, one Lord,
one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above
all and through all and in you all, but unto every one of us. It doesn't say unto the pastor,
unto the evangelist, unto the missionary. To every one of us
is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
You've been given a gift. A gift of grace. You've been
given a vocation. You've been given a calling.
You've been given a ministry. We're going to see, turn to 1
Corinthians 3, we're going to see that the foundation has been
laid. And that foundation is Christ.
And every one of us are building on that foundation. We're building
gold, silver, precious stone, or we're building wood, hay,
and stubble, but we're all building this preacher, And every one
of you, we're building on that foundation. There's not an idle
son in the king's household. Now, I want you to look at 1
Corinthians 3. This is the text. First of all,
verse 11. The first concern of any building
is the foundation. That's the first concern. Eddie,
that's the first foundation. You better spend some time down
there. Scripture talks about two men, built some houses, and
one of them built on the sand. He didn't bother about digging
deep and finding a stone and a rock. He just built on the
sand, built his house quickly and cleverly, and the wind blew
and down it fell. But that other fellow digged
deep, took his time, and he sought the rock and finally found it.
And he laid his foundation on that rock, and that house stood. And here's what it says in verse
11, for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid
which is Jesus Christ. That is the foundation. He is
the foundation. There is no church except that
one which is built on Christ the Lord. Turn to Isaiah 28. Listen to this scripture. Isaiah
28, verse 16. Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation,
a stone, a tried stone, never failed,
a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation, and he that believeth
shall not make haste. If only our doctrine brings us
together, we meet in vain. If only our peculiarities bring
us together, If only our so-called standards bring us together,
if only our hope for heaven brings us together, we meet in vain.
That's so, because there's a whole lot of folks who have a hope
for heaven. But our Lord said, if two or three are met in my
name, I'll be in their midst. That's what brings us together. His name, that name, that name
which is above every name, the name of our Lord, his name which
includes all of his attributes and all of his character, his
sovereign name, we come together in his name. There is no church
except that church which is laid on Christ, built on Christ, submerged
and baptized into Christ. of whom Christ is the head. That's
the start. And there is no gospel except
that gospel which is concerning his Son. You turn to Romans chapter
1, and this is something, Bruce, that they ought to teach in every
seminary and in every Bible school, and this is one of the things
way back yonder, almost 30 years ago, 25 years, 27 years ago,
one verse of Scripture throughout the Bible God would send me a
verse, and it was just like, as Spurgeon said, like Isaiah,
where he said, look unto me, and he said it was like a curtain
pulled back. And I saw the revelation of his person. And when I saw
this, Paul said in verse 1 of Romans 1, Paul, a servant of
Jesus Christ, a bond slave, called to be an apostle, separated unto
the gospel of God. the gospel of God. Now skip verse
2, it's in parenthesis, lift it out. Separated to the gospel
of God concerning his Son. That's what the gospel is concerning.
It's not concerning what you do with his Son, the gospel is
concerning his Son, whether you do anything or not. The gospel
is not a proposition. The gospel is the declaration
of a person and his There are a lot of folks today preaching
about the gospel and not preaching the gospel, because they're not
preaching Christ. There are a lot of folks that
are talking about the gospel and singing about the gospel,
but they haven't begun to commence to get started to touch the gospel
yet. You haven't preached the gospel
until you've preached Christ. Who He is, what He did, why He
did it, where He is. That's when you start preaching
the gospel, when you start telling who He is, talking about Him.
Not talking about what people ought to do with him and do for
him and do in serving him. That's not the gospel. The gospel
is not even talking about his benefits. The gospel is a person. I wish I could make that clear.
God has to make that clear. I can't. He has to reveal it.
The gospel is a person. You can preach on heaven, not
preach the gospel. That's right. Preach about hell, not preach
the gospel. You've got to preach Christ's gospel. Good news of
a person. And there's no gospel except
that gospel concerning his Son. That's the foundation. That's
where the work has to be done. And then thirdly, there's no
salvation except that which rests in Christ alone. Look back at
1 Corinthians 1.30, right across the page there. But of him are
you in Christ Jesus. God put you there. He put you
there in covenant mercy. He put you there by sovereign
grace. He put you there by choice. Of God are you in Christ. You
didn't get there by yourself. He put you there. But of him
are you in Christ. That's how you got there. God
gave you to Christ. Of him are you in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification,
and redemption. God made him that pleased God
that in him should all fullness dwell, and it pleased God that
you should dwell in him. And he's everything I need. There's
nothing I need that's not met in Christ. I grow in these things. I grow
in wisdom. I progressively sanctify some
of these things. I grow in his grace. But when
I was born again, a baby in Christ, I had every faculty of my spiritual
being right there. When a baby comes out of the
womb, if it's got no right leg, it'll never have a right leg.
If it's got no index finger, it'll never have an index finger.
If it's got no ear on the right side of its head, it'll never
have an ear there. That baby's born the way it's gonna be. And
when a child is born into the family of God, he's born sufficient
to inherit to the inheritance of the saints in glory. But he
grows. He grows. He's got love. He's got grace. He's got patience. He's got faith. He's got meekness. He's got it in the blood. Someday
it'll be blooming. But he's got it. It's there. It's in Christ. Everything I
need is in Christ. There's no Christian except that
man who has Christ as his foundation. That's right. There's no Christian
but the man who by covenant grace, by regenerating power, by saving
faith, is in Christ Jesus. So that's where we start. No
use going, no use anybody following me any further into this chapter
if you can't stop at verse 11 and say with the Apostle Paul,
I know whom I have believed. And I'm persuaded he's able to
keep that which I've committed to him against that day. He's
my foundation. Now, preachers, you can go on
from there, because Christ is my foundation, all right? For
the benefit of those who can take another step, let's look
at verse 12. Now, if any man build upon this
foundation, so we'll stop right there, if any man build, all
right, to whom I was speaking. if any man build on this foundation
to whom I was speaking." Well, I know this, and you preachers
here know this. First of all, he's talking to
ministers. That's what this chapter is all
about, mainly, about ministers. Go back to verse 4. He said in
verse 4, while one saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of
Apollos, are you not carnal? Who is Paul, and who is Apollos,
but ministers by whom you believe, even as the Lord gave to every
man? I have planted, a polish is watered, God gave the increase,
so then neither is he that planteth anything, he that watereth, but
God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that
watereth are one. We are laborers together, verse
9. According to the grace of God, I have laid the foundation.
And he's talking about us building ministers of the gospel. But
let me tell you this, are we not speaking to every child of
God? Does not every child of God have
a ministry? Let me ask you this. The 13th
Street Baptist Church, is this my ministry or ours? Guess how much ministry would
I have without you? Is this my family or ours? Is
this my work or ours? Is this my responsibility or
ours? But you know the answer to that.
Turn to 1 Corinthians 12. This is our ministry. This is
our ministry. In 1 Corinthians 12, and I want
you to look carefully at this because this is important to
what we're going to say. In 1 Corinthians 12, verse 12,
as the body is one and has many members, and all the members
of that body being many are one body, so is Christ. For by one
spirit are we all baptized into one body. Whether we be Jews
or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, we've been all made
to drink into one spirit. For the body is not one member,
but many. Now the foot shall say, because
I'm not the hand, I'm not of the body. Because I'm not a preacher,
I'm not of the body. Because I'm not a deacon, I'm
not of the body. Because I'm not a song leader, I'm not of
the body. Because I'm not a musician, I'm not of the body. Because
I'm not a teacher, I'm not of the body. Is it therefore not of the body?
And if the ears shall say, because I'm not the eye, I'm not of the
body, is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were
an eye, where would be the hearing? That's what I say. Where would
I be without you? Where would you be without me?
If the whole, if everything was hearing, where would be the smelling?
But now hath God set the members, every one of them, in the body
as it It's his church, as it pleased him. And if they were
all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members,
yet one body. And the eye can't say to the
hand, I don't need you. And the head to the feet, I don't
need you. Nay, much more, those members
of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary. Those
members of the body which we think to be less honorable, upon
these we bestow a more abundant honor. And our uncomely parts
have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no
need, but God hath tempered the body together, having given more
abundant order to that part which lacked, that there be no schisms,
divisions in the body, but that the members should have the same
care, one for another. And when one member suffers,
all the members suffer with it. It ought to be like a body. If
I cut my hand, my whole body is sympathetic. My eyes weep
and my stomach knots up and my feet tremble. One member of the
body be honored. All the members rejoice with
it. Now you are the body of Christ and members in particular. God
has sent some in the church, first apostles and then prophets
and teachers and miracles and gifts of healing, help, government,
diversities of tongues. All apostles, all prophets, all
teachers, all workers of miracles do all have the gift of healing,
do all speak with tongues, do all interpret, covet the best
gift. But here's Sunday night's message.
I'll show you the best way. Love one another. So over here in 1 Corinthians
3, we're not only talking to the minister. I hope God will
deliver us from giving the Bible away. I know people that say
Hebrews is for the Hebrew, and Revelations is for the Millennium,
and the book of Matthew is for the Jew, and the book of Romans
is for somebody else, and all I got left is John 3, 6. They
just give the Bible away. And this is written to ministers.
No, it's not. It's written to every believer.
We're all building on the foundation Christ Jesus. If we're on the
foundation, if we are in Christ, if we are building on Christ,
every person here, we're all making some sort of contribution
to life. We're all making some kind of
contribution to one another. We are all making some kind of
contribution to the general kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. You
say, I don't teach, I don't preach, I don't pray
in public, how am I making a contribution? Many ways. Attitude, general conversation, your material gifts, your cooperation,
your daily witness, your faithfulness, your general conduct in the home,
in the church, on the job, around others, the person I am, the
life I live, the daily existence I have, if I am a believer in
Christ, all of this contributes to a spiritual work if I am a
spiritual person. And all of this produces some
sort of material in the kingdom of God. It makes some sort of
contribution. It may be just a great big glorified
mess, but it's a contribution. For there are no idle sons in
the kingdom of God, in the household of our Lord. Now look at the
next verse. Now the next line, now if any man build, and we're
building, you built some things today, you made a contribution
today. I did too, throughout this day,
this week, I made some sort of contribution. If I'm in Christ,
I'm not, a person is not just saved and put over here on a
shelf and God moves on around his business and someday comes
and takes him home, you know. No sir, he's in the kingdom of
God. He's in the process of accomplishing God's purpose. He's used and
he's in the body of Christ. I have no idol members in this
body. Every idol member in this body
is dead. Everything is growing in this
body of mine. Everything is moving, everything
has life, everything from my head to my feet is making a contribution
to either my well-being or my unhappiness. That's right. And every member of the body
of Christ is making a daily contribution to the glory of God or to the
shame, either to the accomplishment of God's purpose or that which
is detrimental to God's purpose. either helping or hurting the
body. But there are no dead members in the body. There are no idle
members, there are no sleeping members. Now watch this, so let's
go on. Now if any man build on this
foundation, there are two classes of material. One is listed as
gold, silver, precious stones. Now what do you think about gold,
silver, and precious stones? One, well, it's valuable, valuable.
Valuable secondly enduring lasting that which continues on and on Precious precious stones precious
jewel All right, what about the other? wood hay stubble wood
hay stubble What do you think about it? Well gold silver and
precious stone is valuable wood hay and stubble It's not valuable,
it's junk, it's the chaff which the wind bloweth away. Gold,
silver, and precious stone, put it in the fire, it'll last. Hammer
it with a hammer, it'll last. Put it under any kind of test,
it'll last. The wood, hay, and stubble, stick
a match to it, gone. Nothing lasting about it, temporary,
no good. The gold, silver, and precious
stones represent that which is valuable and lasting and glorifying
to God. The wood, hay, and stubble represents
the flesh. And every one of us is building
on that foundation, either gold, silver, precious stones, valuable,
lasting, spiritual contribution to the Kingdom of God, or our
lives are doing nothing in the world but producing. That which
will be destroyed, wood, hay, and stuff. All right, take the
next verse now. And every man, every man, woman,
boy, and girl, every believer's works going to be revealed, going
to be manifest. For the day shall declare it.
What day are we talking about here? Well, most people think
we're talking about the day of judgment. And maybe so. But I don't think we're going
to have to wait that long, unless I have a heart attack right now
and I'm not able to evaluate my contribution. But I'm old
enough already to have been doing some evaluation. I'm old enough
already. The day has already come, I believe.
Now that day is coming, the day of our Lord, the day of judgment,
the day of divine examination. But I believe a Christian, a
believer, a true believer, I believe he has a day of realization.
I believe a Christian has a day that he knows himself, whether
or not what contribution he's made to the glory of God has
been lasting and valuable and spiritual, or all in the world
he's given his time and life to has been nothing but chaff
and stubble and hay and fit for the fire. Listen here, he says
the fire, it shall be revealed by fire. Well, that may be divine
examination, but I believe it's the fire of time. Now, I'm not
denying the judgment and the fire of divine wrath and when
we shall know as we are known, but as I grow in the grace and
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that I'm enduring some
fiery trials now that are revealing some things to me. I thought
about a little illustration this morning. Two old men, older than
me and you, Cecil. Two old men. Let's make them
90 years old, okay? Two years older than you, Cecil.
Okay, two old men are sitting on the front porch of a rest
home. Two old men. Life's over. It's gone. They're just sitting there. They're
sitting there, both of them alone, both of them deserted, both of
them awaiting God's call. Now you think about this a minute.
One of them speaks up. Well, he says, I've made a lot
of money in my days. I've gone through a fortune.
The other says, where is it now? It's all gone. And I had a lovely wife and several
fine children. Where are they? He's dead. Great
kid. Don't have the faintest idea.
I was a popular man. I was a popular man. I was captain
of my football team and then I ran for this office and that
office and got elected. I knew everybody that was anybody. I could walk down the street
and everybody would speak to me. They knew my name. What about
now? Forgotten. I had a home. It was the finest home in the
community. I owned a farm, land, had cattle. Don't even own the chair I'm
sitting in now. I was educated. I graduated from
the finest university. I knew I could talk to you on
any subject. Can't remember yesterday now.
I had the latest car. I didn't walk anywhere, and now
I can't walk anywhere. I had a responsible job. And
since I retired, Two or three fellows have held it and done
a better job. I headed many community projects. I've been replaced
now, and they've been replaced by new projects. I look over
my whole life, and you know what it amounts to? Wood, hay, stubble. That's right. But what about
you, old friend? Well, the other man says, by
God's grace, I had a part in building a church where the gospel
was preached. And I faithfully attended and
supported that church, and I believe many people came to know the
Lord. And by God's grace, when he calls me home, I'm going to
meet every one of them. I made some contribution, I believe,
to their coming to know the Savior. I had a part in a missionary
effort all over the world. Oh, we bought Bibles, and we
sent missionaries, and we had schools, and we saw many rebels
come to know the Savior. And I helped support native preachers
to learn the gospel, and they're still preaching the And I lived
far, and I talked about the Savior. I had an imperfect witness, as
it was, but men knew where I stood, and they knew what I believed.
I never did have a whole lot of this world's good, but I had
a knowledge of Christ, and I believe God used that witness, which
I witnessed for Him, for His glory. And, old friend, I believe. I don't have anything now. I'm
just like you. I don't have anything here. But
I've got a treasure where moth and rust does not corrupt and
thieves don't break through and steal. Now you turn to Matthew
6, and let's look at that, what Cecil read in the study a few
minutes ago. In Matthew 6, verse 19, "...lay
not up for yourselves treasures on this earth, wood, hay, and
stubble, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break
through and steal. Lay up for yourselves treasures
in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where
thieves do not break through and steal. For where your treasure
is, there will your heart be." And I want myself and you to,
I want to look at my life. And I'm not talking about your
money. God's blessed you and many of you are good givers and
this church is blessed and I don't preach that way and you know
it. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about go over my
life and your life. Let's just look at our lives.
What we've done today and what we've done this week and what
we've done this year. How much of it could you say
is wood, hay, and stuff. And you know what you'll find
out? As I find out, most of it. Most of it. How much of it would
you say is gold and silver and precious stones? How much of
what we give our lives to, you ladies, if you could make a contribution
to some dear old lady or some orphan child or some missionary
on the field, if you just If one of these missionary ladies
down there that lives so lonely down there in Mexico or over
there in Spain or France or Ireland or somewhere, and you just sat
down and wrote them a letter and said, I'm thinking about
you and praying for you and our church rejoices that you are
where you are and that you are witnessing for our Lord and you're
not alone and you made it. And that missionary wife gets
that and tears come in her eyes and it just thrills her heart
and she's able to serve the Lord more glowishly that day and in
a more happy way, gold, silver, and precious stones. But what
do you do? What do I do? Well, we make ourselves a dress,
or we make ourselves a pie, or we clean our house, or we do
this for our husband or our children. It's a selfish vocation in which
we occupy. And what are we doing to contribute
to happiness to knowledge of Christ, to somebody's joy, to
the glory of Christ. You see what I'm saying? But in its typical, we get in
this routine of living in a sort of a cocoon of our own. We're surrounded by our efforts
and our needs and our bodies and our families and everything
pertaining to ourselves. And we're just building a lot
of wood, hay, and stubble. We're building a bigger house,
driving a finer car, getting a bigger bank account. We're
getting a larger family. We're doing this for one another,
for ourselves and for our families. And we're just building a great
big old mansion of wood, hay, and stubble that one of these
days is just going to be swept right out from under us. And
we're going to be standing there naked, having made no contribution
whatsoever to Christ's glory. or to the happiness of anyone
else. Now, and that's what I'm talking about. And that's what
Paul's talking about over here. And he's talking to ministries
and talking to every one of us. If any man build, and that's
what we're doing, building. I'm not saying these things have
to be done, I know that. I know you men have got to go
out to work, you've got to do your job, but you can do your
job in such a way as to make a contribution to somebody's
well-being, somebody's happiness, somebody's spiritual welfare.
the kingdom of God by attitude. You'd be surprised as you're
working, your attitude reflects your relationship with Christ.
If people talk to you and how you reply, how you do your job,
we do our job not as servants of men but as unto the Lord.
I believe a man sweeps the floor, ought to sweep the floor like
he's sweeping it for the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe a person
down in where you work, I believe a person working on your line
ought to work not as if you were his boss, but Jesus Christ was
his boss. I do. I think Mike gets up here to
sing, he ought to sing as if he's singing for the Son of God
himself, the best he can. And anything less than that is
no good. We're building. Now this is the
truth. What I'm saying is the truth. Look at verse 14. Now,
if any man's work abides If we can examine our lives in this
day of personal examination, my attitude and my relationship
and my contribution, wood, hay, and stubble, or gold, silver,
and precious stone, I know, you know, we're nobody's fool, we
don't have to wait till judgment to find out whether or not we
have brought any glory to Christ at all, we made any contribution.
I tell you, your presence here helps me preach. Your prayers
help me preach. How you receive the word helps
me preach to somebody else. Some stranger comes in, and because
of the fellowship in this church, I'm enabled to preach better.
That's a contribution. If any man's work abide, when
it's been examined, any man's work abide which he hath built,
he shall receive a reward. Now, brethren, let's don't tie
this in with some kind of future crown sitting on my head with
some extra diamonds in it because I did a little more than somebody
else. You know better than that. Let's find out what it is. Turn
to 1 Thessalonians 2. 1 Thessalonians 2. Let's look at this a minute.
1 Thessalonians 2, what use will I have for a gold crown in glory? What use would I have for stars
in my crown? We just got materialistic and
it carried over into our spiritual life. 1 Thessalonians 2, verse
19. Listen to Paul. What is our hope
or joy or crown of rejoicing? Are not even you in the presence
of our Lord Jesus at his coming? You are our glory and our joy. I tell you, if we can come to
the place where we can, like you looked at those slides last
night, you saw that truck sitting down in Mexico, and you can say,
I helped send that down there. That's my joy. You see old Retillo
and Franklin and Jose and all these other fellows, you know,
that God saved. That school, those 25 preachers. You know who feeds them every
morning? You saw that stuff they were mixing up to eat? This church
bought that. You bought it. Those books in their hands? You
bought them. Their bus fare going back to
the Pueblo? You paid it. The missionary standing
there who's able to stay down and preach to them? You made
possible. That's gold, silver, and precious
stone. And they'll be here when Jesus
comes. And all this other junk that we've got, all this other
hobbies and all these other things, you know, that we gratify ourselves,
maybe it helps us relax to some, and that's good, we need that
too. But the general direction and tenor of our lives ought
to be making some sort of contribution to the spiritual well-being of
some believer and the glory of our Lord. Turn to 2 Corinthians
1. I mean, let me show you another
verse on this. Paul said, you are my joy. That's my joy. That's my joy. God let me have
a part in his kingdom. That's my joy. In 2 Corinthians
1 verse 12, our rejoicing is this. Our rejoicing is this,
the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly
sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we've
had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you would,
for we write none other things unto you than what you read or
acknowledged, and I trust you even acknowledge, you shall acknowledge
even to the end, as also you have acknowledged us in part,
that we are your rejoicing, even as you are our rejoicing in the
day of our Lord. That's what it's going to be.
You are our rejoicing and we are your rejoicing in the day
of our Lord. If God was pleased in some way to use us, whatever
way it is, I don't care what it is, if it's making this place
more beautiful, in which his people can worship, that's a
contribution. If it's playing these instruments, Martha, bless
her heart, does such a great job, Mike, If you just stand
up here and the people of God have come, and somebody has come
with a heavy heart, and you, by God's leadership, pick out
a song that's able to lift that burden, and say, join with me. Would you join with me? Let's
sing. Let's praise the Lord. And that person joins with you
and praises the Lord. That's worth all this week that
I've done for myself. If I've been able, and some of
these men stand to pray, and some heavy, broken heart there
is listening and praying with you, and they're lifted with
you, that's contribution. That's gold, silver, and precious
stone. But it's good for us, it's good for me to just reevaluate
and reexamine my wood, hay, and my stubble. That which is just
going to be blown away by the breath of his wrath. And it's
all going to go. Everything we've got is going
to go. Just well to write it off now because it's gone. But
there's some things that are going to last. And that's what
we'd better be building on. Our Father in heaven, we thank
you for your word. Thy word is a comfort, but thy
word convicts us. And our word, O Lord, gives us
assurance and confidence in Christ, for we have no other hope, no
other foundation than Christ our Lord. But our word does reprove
and rebuke us. Forgive us, our Father, when
we get our eyes and our hearts and our minds set on these things
that the Gentiles and the heathens seek after, what we shall eat
and what we shall drink and what we shall wear, instead of seeking
first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, trying to
be a blessing, trying to so order our lives and our conduct and
our conversation. that we might lift somebody's
load and be a blessing and make Christ known.

Wood, Hay and Stubble

What does the Bible say about the purpose of the pulpit?

How do we know that Christ is the foundation of the church?

Why is it important to examine our personal contributions to the body of Christ?

How can Christians ensure they are building on the right foundation?

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Wood, Hay and Stubble

What does the Bible say about the purpose of the pulpit?

How do we know that Christ is the foundation of the church?

Why is it important to examine our personal contributions to the body of Christ?

How can Christians ensure they are building on the right foundation?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

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