Who is ______, but ministers

“Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.  Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.  For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.  According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.  For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,  each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.  If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.”1 Corinthians 3:5-14

Almost 16,000 people in Hart County do not attend a church service on any given Sunday (according to 2010 census).  This is 88% of the population, or approximately 9 out of 10 people that you work with, or see at the grocery store each week.  Though 50% would claim to have a religious affiliation/relationship, do we want to count on a relationship to Christ which does not bring His bride to His house?  We have some work to do.

As we think about how to approach this God-sized task, let us then remember to put our names, individually and corporately, above.  “Who then is ‘A.J.’, and who is ‘Rowletts Baptist Church’ but ministers. . .”  Both individually and as a group we choose each day how to minister.  How should I react to my neighbor at the grocery?  How can we expose more people to the gospel?  Any actions taken today will affect the future, and the investments made will produce rewards accordingly.  This passage of God’s word reminds us that God’s reputation is the only one which matters for eternity. 

There are two seeming contradictions in this passage that stuck out in this reading.  Verse 8 says the planter and waterer are one, but each will receive their (individual) reward.  Each person works individually, yet seeks the same goal, the spread of the gospel.  The scripture also says we are both ‘fellow workers’ and ‘God’s building’ in this process.  It is a mistake of many who believe that you can only minister to others when you have yourself fixed.  God allows us to work with Him to build the kingdom, while simultaneously still building us up also.  We are ‘planters and the harvest’, ‘vine-dressers and the fruit’, and ‘builders and a building’ all at the same time.  Christ is the solid-rock and the source of life; so “let each one take heed how he builds on it” that Hart County Christians can be strong and healthy.