Come, Let Us Build
Daily Bible Studies for the Week Starting on Sunday, January 23, 2005
This Week’s Scripture Reading
1 Corinthians 3:1-15
1Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to mature Christians. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. 2I had to feed you with milk and not with solid food, because you couldn’t handle anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, 3for you are still controlled by your own sinful desires. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your own desires? You are acting like people who don’t belong to the Lord. 4When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I prefer Apollos,” aren’t you acting like those who are not Christians?
5Who is Apollos, and who is Paul, that we should be the cause of such quarrels? Why, we’re only servants. Through us God caused you to believe. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6My job was to plant the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God, not we, who made it grow. 7The ones who do the planting or watering aren’t important, but God is important because he is the one who makes the seed grow. 8The one who plants and the one who waters work as a team with the same purpose. Yet they will be rewarded individually, according to their own hard work. 9We work together as partners who belong to God. You are God’s field, God’s building—not ours.
10Because of God’s special favor to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11For no one can lay any other foundation than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. 12Now anyone who builds on that foundation may use gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone’s work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. 14If the work survives the fire, that builder will receive a reward. 15But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builders themselves will be saved, but like someone escaping through a wall of flames.
Prayers for the Week:
Sunday |
Heavenly Father, Thank You for who You are, and for all Your blessings in my life! I thank You today for the presence of Your Holy Spirit as we worship You. Glorify Yourself in our worship, I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. |
Monday |
Heavenly Father, as Your word teaches, I pray that You will bring maturity to me and to all who claim Jesus as Savior and Lord. Fill me with Your Spirit, that I may hear Your voice and do Your will. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. |
Tuesday |
Heavenly Father, I am prone to immaturity, to division, to fall back into the ways of the world. I pray that You will fill me with Your Spirit that I may live fully and whole-heartedly for You. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. |
Wednesday |
Heavenly Father, I pray that You will grant me grace to “build” my house on the firm foundation of Jesus using only “gold, silver and jewels,” so that when I face You it will be with great joy. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. |
Thursday |
Heavenly Father, what a wonder it is that Your grace provides escape from judgment, even when I have been foolish enough to build with “wood, hay, and straw.” Forgive me and fill me anew with Your Spirit. Amen. |
Friday |
Heavenly Father, Thank You for the promise of eternal life through Jesus! I pray for a fresh filling of Your Holy Spirit that I may live that eternal life not only in the hereafter, but in the here and now. This I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen. |
Saturday |
Heavenly Father, You alone are worthy of all worship and praise. Order my life today that I may be light and salt to those around me who don’t know You. This I pray in Jesus’ name and for the sake of His Kingdom! Amen. |
Background on the Text
The Apostle Paul seems to have had something of a “love-hate” relationship with the Corinthian church. He loved them and yet sometimes became frustrated with their lack of growth and development as followers of Jesus. They loved him, but sometimes they rejected him—even alleging that he was not an apostle of Jesus at all. The conflicts that raged back and forth with Paul and the Corinthians show us that true believers don’t always agree on everything, but in the end they find ways to promote the unity of the Holy Spirit and to advance Jesus’ kingdom. In this week’s Scripture the Apostle Paul makes it clear that we owe our allegiance to no human leader, but rather to JESUS alone! He is the foundation of our faith, and all other Christian workers are simply that—workers who seek to build the Kingdom, one person at a time. While some folks want to elevate earthly leaders to the status of “saints,” the reality is Jesus alone deserves to the basis of our faith!
Monday
Observation: What does the text say?
Tuesday
Interpretation: What do these verses mean?
Wednesday
Application: How can I respond to the text’s insights and teachings?
Thursday
After reading and studying this text, reflect on the following discipleship growth points:
Encouraged and strengthened me by:
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Fallen short areas
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What will I do with these insights?
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Friday
After reading and studying this text, reflect on the following discipleship growth points:
What did God say to me this week?
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Share insights and growth points
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Changed/transformed how?
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Saturday
Reflective Thoughts