#489 (25/11/21) BECOME A FOOLISH BUILDER (1 COR. 3:18-20)

This week’s devotionals are based on 1 Corinthians 3:10-23.

'Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”’ (1 Corinthians 3:18-20)

SEARCH MY HEART O LORD

We are warned ‘do not deceive yourselves’. We can deceive ourselves if we don’t take time to prayerfully lay our lives before God and allow Him to search us. Lack of self-reflection will lead to self-deception and so we must make time for this. We are warned against seeking to be ‘wise by the standards of this world’? Without careful reflection, this wisdom will seek upon us and infect the way that we think and build. The psalmist teaches us to pray,

‘Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’ (Psalm 139:23-24)

AM I A FOOLISH BUILDER?

Christians are called to be foolish builders from the perspective of this world. To seek to build ‘by the standards of this world’ is very tempting but is ‘futile’ and does not bear the true fruit of spiritual transformation. A foolish builder - one who truly seeks to build as God leads - understands that Jesus is the only Saviour who can give peace with God, eternal hope, and real life-transformation.

OVER TO YOU - PRAY AND WORSHIP OUT OF THE BIBLE

I’ve made a few comments. However, it’s more important that you engage with the text yourself. Take a moment to pray and listen to God’s voice out of today’s text.

'Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”’ (1 Corinthians 3:18-20)

I find it helpful to use the following questions which are based upon The Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13).

1. Praise - What does this text teach me about God? What can I praise Him for?

2. Petitions - What does this teach me about His will for me and others? What could I pray for from this text? This is a good time to pray for our non-believing. friends. It’s good to ask, Is the Holy Spirit leading me in any specific response?

3. Peace-making - Is the Holy Spirit convicting me of sin for which I need forgiveness? Do I need to forgive others?

4. Protection - Ask for God’s protection generally and for any specific areas of vulnerability. Am I believing lies regarding the truths in this text?

COMMUNITY GROUP NOTES AND STUDY

1. Notices

It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.

Let's be talking, planning and praying about who we could invite to our carol service.

Please feel free to use these as a digital invite for your friends.

2. Icebreaker

How has God spoken to you from the Bible this week?

2. Focus on the carol service

If you didn't watch this video last week, please do so now. (The image below is the link)

Here is the link for you to book ticket for yourself and your friends:

https://www.communitychurchputney.com/carol-service-2021

3. Recap of Sunday's message - please share in your group

On Sunday, we looked at 1 Corinthians 3:10-17

'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. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 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. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. 16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.' (1 Corinthians 3:10-17)

We are to do two things;

i) BUILD WITH CARE ON THE RIGHT FOUNDATION - JESUS IS THE ONLY FOUNDATION

When we first become a Christian, when we put our faith in Jesus, we are unshakably saved. We are justified, adopted and have the hope of glory by grace alone! However, having become a Christian, we must be careful to keep our lives built on the only true foundation.

ii) BUILD WITH CARE WITH THE RIGHT MATERIALS

We are urged to build our lives and that of others with precious materials rather than rubbish. These precious materials are love and truth. We see in 1 Corinthians 13, that all of our works are worthless unless they are motivated by love - for the good of the other.

We are told that those who build themselves and help to build others on the love and truth of Jesus will be rewarded.

Discussion questions

1. What is the only true foundation? (2:1-2; 3:10-11)

2. What is the 'gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw' that we are to build ourselves and others upon? (2:13; 13:2; 2 Tim. 3:16; Jude 1:20)

3. How will our identity as 'God's sacred temple' affect how we build our lives and the church?

4. SIV - Let's share, plan and pray about those that we are inviting to the carol service on 5th December.