Laboring for the Lord: (Whose job is it anyway)?
“For when one says, ‘I am of Paul,’ and another says, ‘I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.”
First Corinthians 3:5-7
Well, it’s Labor Day Monday! I always enjoy having the day off to rest and get ready for what promises to always be a busy Fall season. But, on this day, I would invite each one of us to reevaluate whose job it really is to make a difference in the lives of others for the Kingdom of God. In the first chapter of the book of Corinthians, Paul was addressing divisions that had occurred within the church over pastoral personalities. Verse three tells us that there was jealousy and strife among the body of Christ regarding this issue.
For example, Apollos, a very Godly man, was known as a great preacher in his day, and many were attracted to his charismatic style of delivery, whereas Paul tells us in Scripture that he wasn’t a polished orator. Anyway, you get the picture. The effect? Paul says those involved in these divisions were stunting the spiritual growth of the Body, so he provides the solution: Whether preacher or planter of churches (as Paul was) or anything else we do in service to the Lord; In and of ourselves we aren’t anything; only vessels to be used of the Lord. It is therefore not about Paul or Apollos, but all glory is to be given to God who causes the growth. Stay true to God, share the gospel, and let the Holy Spirit do the work. In this we find true rest and reward!
Pastor Louie