1 Corinthians 3:14-15
If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
Work for the Lord will endure, even if we do not see immediate results. It can be discouraging when we do the Lord’s work and we do not see immediate results. We wonder if we have wasted our time, energy, or money. I like to put my resources into things that I feel are meaningful. I also really hate to redo my work. This sometimes happens when I work on the computer and something happens, the system crashes, or the internet login has expired and I lose my work. Likewise, one of the most discouraging things for me as a pastor is to preach a sermon and it does not make any difference in how people live. I feel fulfilled when my message connects to people’s hearts and they respond in appropriate ways. Paul gives an odd proverbial statement in these verses that have the intended effect of motivating the Corinthians to recognize the work of God that has been happening through Paul’s ministry and Apollos’ ministry. What really matters was not who did the ministering but how it changes people. The proof is in the pudding. If people were really being changed by the preaching of the gospel, then whoever brought this message was a worthy workman. This should quiet the ministry competition and bring renewed mission focus in the Corinthian church.
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