Reflection Resource

In this week’s passage, Paul uses three main images to describe God’s people: a field with crop growing; a building with a foundation and building materials; a temple consecrated for the presence of God.

Paul uses these images to highlight the Corinthian church’s shared dependence on God- Father, Son and Spirit. They (and the church in every age) are dependent on God for growth, stability, strength, and satisfaction. In the people’s need and God’s provision the people of the Corinthian church (and the church in every age) are united.

1. What is the problem Paul turns to address in verse 3?

2. What is the underlining cause of the factions in the Corinthian church according to verse 4?

Reflection 

Leader idolatry- an excessive loyalty to a merely human leader that detracts from our loyalty to God- is a temptation for the church in every age. It leads to jealousy and quarrelling between groups with different leaders. This can look like: mistrust and an attitude of defensiveness; an assumption that there is not enough money, volunteers or resources available and so we seek the lion’s share for our group; unfair criticism of another group; jealousy of success in numbers of another group; jealousy about volunteer mobilisation, or publicity, or financial blessing of a ‘rival’ group. It all stems from excessive loyalty to a human leader and their human vision of a ministry instead of loyalty to God. 

3. Take a minute or two for silent reflection asking the Lord to lead you to personal awareness and repentance where this leader idolatry may be a temptation for you.

4. In the image of the people as a field growing a crop from the seed of the word, what title is used for the farmers, Paul and Apollos? (Read 1 Cor 3.5-9). 

5. The farmers must sow the word and nourish its growth with water, but in what ways are both field and farmer dependent on God the Father, our Lord? (see v5-9). 

6. If Paul and Apollos are mere servants, why is leader idolatry (see v4) foolish?

7. In the image of the people as a building, what is the foundation? Read verse 10-15 of chapter 3, and consider v11 particularly. Refer back also to 1 Cor 2.1-2. You may also consider Jesus’ teaching in Matt. 7.24-27.

8. In the image of the people as a building, what are the valuable, strong, building materials? See 1 Cor 3.12-13 and use also the near context of 1 Cor chapter 2.12-13 to guide you.

9. In the image of the church as a temple, who is the object of worship present in us?

 (1 Corinthians 3.16-17). 

10. These three images: the people as God’s field, building and temple- in various ways make one simple point. We are dependent completely on God the Trinity: Father, Son and Spirit. The Father grows our faith & character from the word. The Son is the foundation we stand on. The Spirit’s words are the precious building materials that have power to make us strong. Standing on this foundation and receiving these words enable us to pass through judgement and enter eternal life. The Spirit is the divine presence that we must worship and find satisfaction in.

May we not depend on human leaders instead of our great God, for all these gifts.

Prayer directions 

Pray for human leaders. May they always point our people more to our great God than to themselves or a human vision. 

May all our various leaders build our people with the Spirit’s strong words. 

Spend some time praying about these things for St Luke’s, the church in Frankston, and our mission partners.