Labor Together and God Will Enable the Harvest
Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 (NASB)
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, 3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men?
5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
SUMMARY
Apostle Paul writes to Corinthians that they are still infants in Christ, not able to understand in the way more spiritually mature can. They are still fleshy in that there is jealousy and strife among them regarding their allegiance to a person rather than to Christ. Paul says that he planted and Apollos watered, but only God can cause the growth. They are all one as God’s fellow workers.
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
“Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.” (John 4:36-38)
Jesus said one who sows and one who reaps may rejoice together and that those who reap enter into the labor of others who had sown. There need not be jealousy or comparison on who is better because each part is essential, and most importantly, it is God who caused the growth. A few years ago, I invited a friend to church whom another member of church also knew. We both invited that friend to come to our church and I wanted her to come to the newcomers’ lounge while the other member wanted her to attend her Oikos. My friend and her husband were pulled every which way and ended up spending a very long, exhausting afternoon at church being introduced to so many people, being “shown-off”, to people. My friend really did like the service but from then on she only wanted to come to the service and did not want to stay for fellowship. I am afraid because of our competitiveness in trying to show-off the person we brought to church to others, the friend did not have the best impression of fellowship in the church. I realize we need to keep our focus on Jesus and humble ourselves, as co-laborers, who are reaping harvest we did not work for. Instead of seeking the approval and praises of men, which are merely the rewards of this life, we must look forward to the reward that God has in store for us.
APPLICATION
I will pray in repentance for any ounce of spirit of performance I had, wanting to prove myself as a worthy Christian. I will also pray for that church member that was competing with me for us to grow up spiritually so that we do not put ourselves ahead of Christ. I will continue to pray for the friend who did not have the best experience at our church because of jealousy and strife. I will continue to reach out to her from time to time but most importantly pray for the Holy Spirit to encounter her and not necessarily try to have her attend our church but encourage her to attend any church she feels led to. I realize I need to let it go and not make it about bringing people to “my church”, but to focus on bringing her to Christ.
PRAYER
Thank you Lord, for giving us the opportunity to rejoice in your harvest by sending us to the harvest that we did not labor for. You are the reaper, sower, and the grower of harvest of souls for Your kingdom, glory, and honor! Thanks for being patient with us with all our strife and jealousy. I pray to become good fellow workers for You, Lord, in love and in unity. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
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