Building Blocks for Effective Spiritual Maturity (1 Corinthians 3)

Introduction to sermon titled “Building Blocks for Effective Spiritual Maturity Spiritual:

I wonder how many of you received a letter in the post recently. Sadly, we don’t get too many letters by post now, but we do get letters mainly through email. We also get messages on WhatsApp. Maybe you got a letter saying that you’ve got a promotion, or you’ve got a salary raise—some good news. Or maybe you got a letter that wasn’t so pleasant, that was a bit difficult to receive. Or maybe you even received a letter that brought some correction or some guidance into your life.

Well, whatever it may be, we know the value of receiving a good and meaningful letter from someone. 

Proposition: I would like to share a sermon today titled, ‘Building Blocks for Effective Spiritual Maturity’, based on the Apostle Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthian Church. 

As we look at this book, and the background to this book, we find that the church in Corinth, which was a city in Greece, had been founded by the Apostle Paul. The Apostle Paul founded that church while he stayed there for 18 months, teaching the word of God. It happened through a vision that he received from the Lord (Acts 18:9), and this particular church was very precious to the Apostle Paul. He was like a father to the congregation.

The church, as I mentioned, was in a city called Corinth in ancient Greece, which had now become a Roman Colony. It was a very prosperous, Mercantile City—you could call it the New York of our times. The city of Corinth had two languages that were regularly used—the Greek and Latin languages. They also had a culture taken from both the Greek and Latin cultures. But now, Paul had received news saying there were issues within the church. 

The Corinthian Church was also a lively church. It was a church where the gifts of the Holy Spirit were operating quite powerfully. But although there were good spiritual things happening, many members of the church were displaying carnal lifestyles. They were full of knowledge because in that part of the world, there was a lot of philosophy, a lot of knowledge, but they were not practicing the knowledge they had of the things of God. They were not showing spiritual maturity. In fact, someone once said that “If sins were horses, the Corinthian Church could have filled many stables”. 

And so, with a heavy heart, Paul, as a father figure, was writing to this church in Corinth, trying to sort out the issues that were in the church. Today, through this sermon, I would like to share about some of the challenges that the Corinthian Church was facing and the godly solutions Paul gave them to help them into spiritual maturity. 

As we read through this epistle, we find Paul speaking to the believers about marriage and about singleness. He spoke to them about lawsuits that were happening amongst them. He talked of spiritual gifts. He talked about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He talked about ministry within the church, which is called body ministry. He talked about Holy Communion. He talked about sexual purity and immorality. He talked about unity. And he talked about love in that beautiful chapter 13, that is often used at weddings.

So, Paul covers a lot of topics to help these Corinthian Christians find the true meaning and purpose for why they had found the salvation of God. He assures them first in 1 Corinthians 1:9 that God was still calling them to fellowship and for them to build that fellowship. He says, “God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord”. 

Today, I would like to cover three main points, about some aspects of what Paul was handling with the believers at Corinth. We will look at 1 Corinthians chapters 1 to 3 today. Let’s go to point 1. The first thing that Paul tells them is that they must:

1) Spiritual Maturity Through Building Christlikeness 

By the way they were behaving, the believers were not showing true Christlike behavior and they were not building spiritual maturity. (In fact, the theme of my sermon today is, ‘Building Blocks for Spiritual Maturity’.) They were not maturing spiritually, and sadly, Paul had to call them babies or infants, and worldly people. He told them that he could not give them strong teachings from the word of God because they were only able to receive basic teaching. He compares this to receiving spiritual milk instead of spiritual meat.

Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 3, verses 1 and 2 and see what Paul says there. He says, “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the spirit but as people who are still worldly – mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.”

What a sad state of affairs. Paul had to treat them like spiritual infants. He says they are still not ready to receive solid spiritual nourishment. Friends, I wonder where you and I are today. Are we growing into spiritual maturity with the Lord? Many of the people in the Corinthian Church were not in that place. So, let’s look at some things that were hindering their spiritual growth.

A) First of all, there were Divisions within the church. 

They were divided over many things. In 1 Corinthians 1:10 Paul says, “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” 

So Paul is saying here that there were divisions among them and that they should be united in the things they say, and in the way they act. So, friend, this was a very serious problem in the Corinthian Church. There was a lack of unity; there was division. They were divided over baptisms, and they were divided over preachers. They were comparing their spiritual leaders. Instead of comparing spiritual truths, they were comparing their leaders. 

Some were saying, “I follow Apollos.” Others were saying, “I follow Paul.” Some were saying, “I follow Peter.” Others were probably saying, “I’m only with Christ, I don’t need anybody else.” So, they were battling things that were causing unnecessary divisions in the church.

They were also idolizing preachers depending on the preacher’s personality and skill, or how clever they were with human wisdom and the way they spoke. It looks like Apollos was probably a better preacher than maybe Paul and probably a more charismatic person than Paul. So, some of them were saying, “Hey, I prefer the preaching of Apollos.” While others were saying, “I prefer the preaching of Paul.” Maybe there were other leaders they were going after, and this was causing a lot of division. 

In fact, the original word for ‘division’ in that passage gives the idea of something being torn apart or rent apart. It shows that the church in Corinth was in danger of being torn apart in possibly four or more directions. They were struggling with division and a lack of unity. 

B) Secondly, there was jealousy and quarreling amongst them. 

I want to ask you a question. When was the last time you were truly happy about somebody else’s success without being jealous or envious? On the other hand, when was the last time you actually quarreled with somebody? Maybe it was in the very recent past. Paul was dealing with this problem that was present in the church. They were jealous of one another and they were quarreling amongst themselves.

Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 3:3: “You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?” 

Look at what Paul says. They were quarreling amongst themselves, they were not acting like godly people, but in worldly ways. And there were possible social barriers as well in the church. Some were richer than the others, some were more wise than the others, so they were kind of proudly acting like, “Why, I’m better than you.” And this behavior was causing all kinds of problems in the church. 

In fact, in that culture, manual labor was considered as not being too good for a leader. Since Paul was therefore someone who was involved in manual labor, maybe they thought that Paul was not the right guy to have around. Maybe they wanted somebody who was better in philosophy and social standing. Anyway, there was division, there was jealousy, and there was quarreling. So, Paul had to write to them, and he told them, “I didn’t come to you with strength, human wisdom, or with eloquence. I came to you in weakness, but the power of God was working within me. The power of God was seen in what I did amongst you.” (as per 1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

C)The third problem in the church that was hindering their spiritual maturity was that they had started to trust human wisdom over godly wisdom. 

They were more dependent on human wisdom, human skill, human preaching, than over the wisdom that comes from the word of God. And Paul tells them, “Hey, I didn’t come to you with human wisdom.” In 1 Corinthians 2:1, this is what Paul says, “And so it was with me, brothers and sisters, when I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.” And further in 1 Corinthians 1:25, Paul makes this statement, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” 

So, Paul is saying that the foolishness of God is greater than human wisdom, because they were trusting more in human wisdom, human thoughts, human skills, than what God was trying to tell them through His wisdom.

Paul emphasizes in 1 Corinthians 2:16, “Have the mind of Christ.” He was basically telling them, “You all need to look at building Christlikeness in your life. Put away your divisions, put away your quarreling, put away your jealousies. Put away your human wisdom, and let it not override the wisdom of God in your life and amongst you.” So, my first point is ‘Build Spiritual Maturity Through Building Christlikeness’. Let’s now look at point 2.

2) Spiritual Maturity Through Building for eternity 

Paul talks about building for eternity. Friends, you and I need to focus more and more on what we build on this earth. Let’s build more towards eternity or with eternity in mind, more than what we build for the things of this world. The things of this world will perish one day, but eternal things will never ever pass away. And in talking about building for eternity, Paul shares two main thoughts here. 

A) First of all, he says that we need to build the work of God as co-workers. 

Paul emphasizes that nobody is greater than another. Nobody is superior to someone else. We are all co-workers in Christ. Yes, people have different giftings. Some may be visible a lot, some may not be seen at all. But what everyone is building is eternally useful. Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 3:6. What does Paul say there? “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” 

So Paul is saying here that both he and Apollos were involved as co-workers. He is saying, I built by sowing  and planting the word, and by laying the foundation for the building. Apollos watered the word that I planted and he built on the foundation that I laid. But it was God who multiplied the word that was sown and watered, not any man.

It was God who placed the real foundation on the building that we set up. And it is God who will reward us and every other person for what we do for His kingdom. (Refer 1 Corinthians 3:5-11)

So, my friend, what are you building for the Kingdom of God? What are you building for eternity? Is what you’re building going to last for eternity? How are you honoring and serving God today? You know, even in small ways, we can look at how we can honor God in our life and how we can serve God, keeping eternity in mind always. 

B) Besides saying that we build as co-workers, Paul also mentions that we need to build something that will last.

Why? Because we are not building a human thing, we are building the very temple of God, where God dwells among His people. And in 1 Corinthians 3:11, Paul says that Christ is the true foundation of the church. Let’s look at that scripture now: “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Christ Jesus.”

So, once again, I want to ask you, what is the work you are building for the Kingdom of God, for eternity? What is the quality of what you are doing? Are you doing it well? Are you doing it with deep compassion, with commitment, with a great desire to honor God in your life? Because one day our work will be tested and rewarded. 

In chapter 3:12-15, Paul talks about various materials on which we can build. He mentions about building on gold, on silver, on precious stones, materials that will definitely survive better when going through the fire. He also talks about building on wood, on hay, and on straw, which as we know well, will burn up very quickly when put to the fire. So, are you building on gold, silver, and precious stones, or are you building on wood, hay and straw?

Our works will be judged one day, and God will reward us accordingly. In 1 Corinthians 3:14 this is what Paul says, “If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.” Are you building something that God can reward one day? 

Paul also tells us that we are building the temple of God in verses 16 and 17. Let’s look at what he says there: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.” So Paul is saying here that what we are building is the temple of the Lord, and it is something that is very, very sacred. Let’s therefore build with a deep sense of commitment, bringing honor and glory to God.

There’s an illustrative story about a man who was involved in the construction industry. He had done his work for his organization excellently, with a great track record. Now it was time for him to retire. So he went up to his boss and gave his retirement papers. The boss was, of course, very sad that this gentleman was no longer going to be in the company, and he told him how much they appreciated all that he had done.

Then the boss said, “Could you do one final project for me?” and the man agreed. The boss said, “There is this land and here are some specifications of a house I want built. Could you please build this house according to my specifications on the land that I will show you?”

He said, “Sure boss, no problem.” But maybe this man was a bit upset with his company over something that had happened earlier, because he thought, “Well, I’m retired, my term is over, so I will not put in the same effort I normally would give to a task.” So he did a slipshod, half-hearted job on that particular house, his final project.

Well, eventually he finished the project, closed the doors, and brought the keys to the boss. He said, “Boss, the job is done. Here are the keys to the house.” To his shock, the boss said, “I don’t need the keys. You keep the keys, because this is our way of saying thank you for your excellent service. This house is for you.” It was a reward given by the boss!

You can just imagine what that man felt. He had done a slipshod job, but now he was getting that same house as a gift. How much he would have regretted that he didn’t build it well.

Paul says, first of all, Build Spiritual Maturity by Building Christlikeness. Secondly, he says, Build Spiritual Maturity by Building for for Eternity and build a lasting work, because you are building the temple of God. Let’s now look at our final point. 

3) Thirdly, Paul says we are building on the finished work of Jesus Christ our Lord upon the cross. 

Everything we build is built on the foundation of who Christ is and what He did upon the cross when He sacrificed His life for the sins of mankind. So Paul says, we must build on the finished work of Christ, always giving glory for what God accomplished at the cross. He says that the power of God is revealed only through the cross of Jesus Christ.

Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 1:23-24. This is what Paul says: “But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” Yes, Paul says that the cross reveals the power of God. It is the pivot on which everything else in the Kingdom of God is built. We need to therefore preach the power of the cross and ‘Christ crucified’.

Paul further says that the wisdom of God is also revealed through the cross. He mentions this powerful truth in 1 Corinthians chapter 1:27-29: “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” 

So what is Paul saying here? He says that they were not saved or they did not come to know God through human wisdom. God chose those who were foolish, God chose those who were considered weak, despised, and lowly. God chose people who were not too great by worldly standards. We therefore cannot boast about our wisdom, but we can always boast about what Jesus did for us on the cross.

Sadly, human wisdom often opposes the message of the cross, because it considers the cross as something foolish. In 1 Corinthians 1:17, Paul says that “human wisdom empties the power of the cross”. Now there’s a lot of good human wisdom in the world and we can use all that is good. But human wisdom should never, ever override the wisdom of God in our lives.

Throughout the Bible, we see God using weak things for his glory. He used a rod, He used a sling, He used the jawbone of a donkey. He used lowly people like Rahab, a harlot, and a heathen girl called Ruth. He used many weak people to bring glory to His name.

Since the power of God and the wisdom of God flows from the cross, we should always build on the finished work of the cross. And finally, Paul encourages us by saying that we are empowered and guided by the work of the Holy Spirit. Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 2:9-10: “However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.’

So according to the Apostle Paul, the Holy Spirit is the one who teaches us the things of God. These cannot be received by human wisdom alone. The Holy Spirit will teach us and reveal to us the mysteries of God. So as we seek to mature and to build steps towards maturity today, let’s allow the Holy Spirit to guide and control us day by day—in fact, every day—and let’s build whatever we are building on the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Closing:

Let me close with 1 Corinthians 1:18: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” What a powerful statement! To us who are saved, the cross is the ultimate power of God. Friends, the cross is always the place to find God’s plan, God’s purpose for our lives. 

So in closing, as we talk about Building Blocks for Spiritual Maturity, let me share the three main thoughts of this sermon: Number one, Build Christlikeness. And that means getting rid of division, getting rid of disunity, getting rid of jealousy, getting rid of quarreling. Don’t allow human wisdom to control you, but be guided by the wisdom of God.

Number two, Build for Eternity. As co-workers, build something that would last, build the temple of God, build a lasting work for eternity. And thirdly, Build Upon the Finished Work of Jesus Christ. For all of God’s purposes and plans flow through the power and the wisdom that comes from the cross and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

God bless you and may these truths stay with you through this week. 

For a sermon titled 5 Foundations to Build a Blessed Family check here.

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