email : Webview : Duane Brooks - Every Day with Jesus

July 26, 2018

1 Corinthians 3:10-13

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.

New International Version (NIV)

                 Where is the one? We are looking for a hero to fix our world! In our competitive world, we are prone to compare leaders to each other. This is not new. The church at Corinth, founded by the Apostle Paul eventually learned from the gifted orator Apollos. Apparently the membership had divided on partisan lines favoring the different leaders. Some liked Paul, others Apollos, others Peter. Ultimately some cast a pox on all their houses in favor of Jesus.

                Paul used two analogies to communicate the work of building the church. Like a field, Paul planted, Apollos watered and God gave the growth. But the field always belonged to God. Second, he spoke of a building. Paul laid the foundation of Jesus Christ. Others had built on the foundation. We either build with good materials or bad. In the judgment our work will be revealed by fire (which sounds unpleasant!). Either our work will stand or fall, but we will still be saved.

                Spiritual maturity moves us beyond partisanship in church. In our polarized world, the church has a chance to model unity by focusing on Christ alone. If Jesus Christ is not enough to overcome our differences and bring us together as one, no one else ever will. I’ve noticed in my home and work that the closer we get to Christ, the closer we get to each other. Our work and our lives and our whole world belong to Jesus. What a joy to get to serve him and join him in his work.

Pray with me:

Father, help us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Forgive us for dividing and competing with each other. Let not the world dictate the church’s agenda today. Help us to follow our Leader Jesus faithfully. In his name. Amen.

This year we focus our Every Day with Jesus readings on Jesus’ story. With references to Tallowood's Read Through the Bible in 2018 daily reading plan, let's focus our undivided attention on Jesus and follow where he lead. He will not fail. Neither will we!
Joyfully,
Duane

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