“The Measure of a Ministry”
Sunday, October 16, 2011, 10:00 a.m.
Allendale Baptist Church, Allendale, MI
Pastor Jonathan DeCou
1 Corinthians 3:1-23
BIG IDEA: Be careful not to ruin the church!
“But each one should be careful how he builds.”
1 Corinthians 3:10b (NIV)
The Church is a _______: The goal is _______. (v 1-4)
________ is a mark of maturity. (v 1-2)
- ________ is mark of maturity. (v 3-4)
The Church is a _______: The goal is _______. (v 5-9a)
- There is ________ in our ________. (v 6)
- There is ________ in our ________. (v 8)
- There is ________ in our ________. (v 5, 7, 9a)
The Church is a _______: The goal is _______. (v 9b-23)
- Build ________ the right ________. (v 10, 11)
- Build ________ the right ________. (v 9, 10b, 16-17)
- Build ________ the right ________. (v 10, 18-20)
- Build ________ the right ________. (v 12)
- Build ________ the right ________. (v 12-15, 21-23)
BIG IDEA: Be careful not to ruin the church!
Read: Re-read 1 Corinthians 3:1-23 & Matthew 7:24-27.
Think: Consider the way you are helping to build the Church, and then ask yourself the following questions: What is your level of maturity? What does your spiritual diet consist of? How’s your attitude? How am you fulfilling your place in the “workforce” of God’s field, the Church? How would you describe yourself in terms of a building: a skyscraper, grass shack, bomb shelter, greenhouse, etc.? Why? What is the point of Paul’s extended metaphor in verses 10-15? How is Jesus the foundation? What or who are the building materials? How is each person’s work tested? Why?
Do: Given the clues about what makes for good “building materials,” what is one “concrete” way you could help build God’s church right where you are?
