Laborers Together with God
I Corinthians 3:9 says “for we are laborers together with God, you are God’s
husbandry, you are God’s building”. The apostle Paul goes on to explain that we
are supposed to be building on the foundation of Jesus Christ, and that our work
will be tested (I Corinthians 3:11-15) “for other foundation can no man lay than
that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold,
silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble. Every man’s work shall be made
manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the
fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he
has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned,
he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire”.
Lets go back to the garden of Eden, to see our original purpose, God used Adam
to name all the animals before his fall. You see that God gave man dominion over
the earth (Genesis 1:28); and even after Adam fell and gave his dominion over to
the devil, God does not change His words. Through out the Bible you will see that
God used men to fulfill His plans.
Noah was used to save mankind on this earth, because in Genesis 6:5-7 says
“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every
imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented
the Lord Yahweh that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His
heart. And the Lord Yahweh said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the
face of the earth; both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowl of the
air; for it repents Me that I have made them”.
Abram who was later called Abraham was used by God to establish a nation
(Genesis 12:1-3). Abraham also stood in the gap for Sodom and Gomorrah; and
even though they were destroyed, he bargained if fifty righteous persons could be
found, that God would not destroy it.
Moses was used by God, Moses was sent back to Egypt to deliver the Israelites
out of bondage (Exodus 1-3).
Gideon was used by God to defeat the Midianites in Judges chapter 6-7, even
though Gideon was afraid, after he heard the angel of the Lord, he put out a
fleece and tested God; then he was used of God to saved Israel with three
hundred men against a mass number of Midianites.
Saul who was later called Paul was used by God, Saul had been putting the
believers into prison and killing some of them, but as he traveled on the Damascus
road, he was converted and after he established it was Jesus Christ who was
talking to him, he asked a very important question (Acts 9:6) “and he trembling
and astonished said, Lord, what will You have me to do? And the Lord said to
him, arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do”. The
apostle Paul was later call “the apostle to the gentiles”; he revealed the mysteries
of God to us all.
We are the body of Christ (Romans 12:5-9) “so we, being many, are one body in
Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing
according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy
according the proportion of faith. Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering or he
that teaches, on teaching. Or he that exhorts on exhortation; he that gives, let him
do it with simplicity; he that rules, with diligence, he that shows mercy, with
cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation; abhor that which is evil; cling to
that which is good”. And in I Corinthians 12:18 it says “but now has God set the
members every one of them in the body, as it has pleased Him”. We are His
hands and feet (Psalms 82) says “God stands in the congregation of the mighty,
He judges among the gods. How long will you judge unjustly, and accept the
persons of the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the
afflicted and needy. Defend the poor and needy; rid them out of the hand of the
wicked. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness; all
the foundations of the earth are out of course. I have said, you are gods; and all
of you are children of the Most High. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of
the princes. Arise, O god, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all nations”.
Deuteronomy 8:18 reveals why God blesses us, it says “but you shall remember
the Lord Yahweh your God; for it is He that gives you power to get wealth, that He
may establish His covenant which He swear to your fathers, as it is this day”. We
are blessed to be a blessing.
Ephesians 2:10 says “for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good
works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them”. II Timothy 2:
21-24 teaches us how to be a vessel of honor, fit for the master’s use; it says “if a
man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel to honor, sanctified,
and fit for the master’s use, and prepared to every good work. Flee also youthful
lusts; but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord
out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they
do render strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle to all
men, apt to teach, patient”.
In John chapter 17, Jesus prayed for us, and He prayed that God would not take
us out of the world; verse 15. And that we may be one; verse 21 He says “that
they all may be one; as You Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be
one in Us, that the world may believe that You have sent Me”.
Jesus calls us to be salt and light to a dying world (Matthew 5:13-16) “you are the
salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is
therefore good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of
men. You are the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick and
it gives light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”.
After the death, burial and resurrection Jesus declared to them, “all power is given
to Me in heaven and in earth. Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father; and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with
you always, even to the end of the world” (Matthew 28:18-20).
We are ambassadors (II Corinthians 5:17-20) “therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold, all things are become
new. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ,
and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. To say, that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them; and had
committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for
Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead, be
you reconciled to God”.
Paul tells us in I Timothy 2:1-4 that because God does not want any to perish, we
should pray for mankind; it says “I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men. For kings, and
for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all
godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our
Savior”.
Jesus Himself tells us to pray for those who use and abuse us (Matthew 5:43-45)
“you have heard that it has been said, you shall love your neighbor, and hate your
enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good
to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and
persecute you. That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven;
for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just
and on the unjust”.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: January 21, 2011
I Corinthians 3:9 says “for we are laborers together with God, you are God’s
husbandry, you are God’s building”. The apostle Paul goes on to explain that we
are supposed to be building on the foundation of Jesus Christ, and that our work
will be tested (I Corinthians 3:11-15) “for other foundation can no man lay than
that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold,
silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble. Every man’s work shall be made
manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the
fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he
has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned,
he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire”.
Lets go back to the garden of Eden, to see our original purpose, God used Adam
to name all the animals before his fall. You see that God gave man dominion over
the earth (Genesis 1:28); and even after Adam fell and gave his dominion over to
the devil, God does not change His words. Through out the Bible you will see that
God used men to fulfill His plans.
Noah was used to save mankind on this earth, because in Genesis 6:5-7 says
“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every
imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented
the Lord Yahweh that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His
heart. And the Lord Yahweh said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the
face of the earth; both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowl of the
air; for it repents Me that I have made them”.
Abram who was later called Abraham was used by God to establish a nation
(Genesis 12:1-3). Abraham also stood in the gap for Sodom and Gomorrah; and
even though they were destroyed, he bargained if fifty righteous persons could be
found, that God would not destroy it.
Moses was used by God, Moses was sent back to Egypt to deliver the Israelites
out of bondage (Exodus 1-3).
Gideon was used by God to defeat the Midianites in Judges chapter 6-7, even
though Gideon was afraid, after he heard the angel of the Lord, he put out a
fleece and tested God; then he was used of God to saved Israel with three
hundred men against a mass number of Midianites.
Saul who was later called Paul was used by God, Saul had been putting the
believers into prison and killing some of them, but as he traveled on the Damascus
road, he was converted and after he established it was Jesus Christ who was
talking to him, he asked a very important question (Acts 9:6) “and he trembling
and astonished said, Lord, what will You have me to do? And the Lord said to
him, arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do”. The
apostle Paul was later call “the apostle to the gentiles”; he revealed the mysteries
of God to us all.
We are the body of Christ (Romans 12:5-9) “so we, being many, are one body in
Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing
according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy
according the proportion of faith. Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering or he
that teaches, on teaching. Or he that exhorts on exhortation; he that gives, let him
do it with simplicity; he that rules, with diligence, he that shows mercy, with
cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation; abhor that which is evil; cling to
that which is good”. And in I Corinthians 12:18 it says “but now has God set the
members every one of them in the body, as it has pleased Him”. We are His
hands and feet (Psalms 82) says “God stands in the congregation of the mighty,
He judges among the gods. How long will you judge unjustly, and accept the
persons of the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the
afflicted and needy. Defend the poor and needy; rid them out of the hand of the
wicked. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness; all
the foundations of the earth are out of course. I have said, you are gods; and all
of you are children of the Most High. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of
the princes. Arise, O god, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all nations”.
Deuteronomy 8:18 reveals why God blesses us, it says “but you shall remember
the Lord Yahweh your God; for it is He that gives you power to get wealth, that He
may establish His covenant which He swear to your fathers, as it is this day”. We
are blessed to be a blessing.
Ephesians 2:10 says “for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good
works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them”. II Timothy 2:
21-24 teaches us how to be a vessel of honor, fit for the master’s use; it says “if a
man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel to honor, sanctified,
and fit for the master’s use, and prepared to every good work. Flee also youthful
lusts; but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord
out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they
do render strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle to all
men, apt to teach, patient”.
In John chapter 17, Jesus prayed for us, and He prayed that God would not take
us out of the world; verse 15. And that we may be one; verse 21 He says “that
they all may be one; as You Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be
one in Us, that the world may believe that You have sent Me”.
Jesus calls us to be salt and light to a dying world (Matthew 5:13-16) “you are the
salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is
therefore good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of
men. You are the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick and
it gives light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”.
After the death, burial and resurrection Jesus declared to them, “all power is given
to Me in heaven and in earth. Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father; and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with
you always, even to the end of the world” (Matthew 28:18-20).
We are ambassadors (II Corinthians 5:17-20) “therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold, all things are become
new. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ,
and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. To say, that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them; and had
committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for
Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead, be
you reconciled to God”.
Paul tells us in I Timothy 2:1-4 that because God does not want any to perish, we
should pray for mankind; it says “I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men. For kings, and
for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all
godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our
Savior”.
Jesus Himself tells us to pray for those who use and abuse us (Matthew 5:43-45)
“you have heard that it has been said, you shall love your neighbor, and hate your
enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good
to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and
persecute you. That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven;
for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just
and on the unjust”.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: January 21, 2011
