February 12, 2014
GIVING CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Martha Canuteson
Central Truth
We are all gifted by God in our own individual ways. Whether by a particular talent, knowledge, financial blessing, or otherwise, He has given us resources to use for His glory. It sounds great, so why does it get so difficult sometimes?
Key Verse | 1 Corinthians 3:5–7
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:5-7)
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Divisions in the Church
1 But I, brothers, 1 3:1 Or brothers and sisters could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?
5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.
Dive Deeper | 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
It is hard not to sound boastful in saying so, but there are some things I am good at. I organize well, enjoy decorating and DIY projects, and feel great compassion for others. It is easy for me to contribute my talents at work or home and take the credit for a good idea or a well-done project. But the truth is, God is the one who gave me these talents. So I should be giving credit to Him in order to glorify Him through my work!
We see the same dynamic in the media and pop culture, too. Occasionally, a football player will say a quick prayer in the end zone after scoring a touchdown, or a movie star will add a "thank you" to God in an Oscar acceptance speech. But for the most part, people are praised for their many talents, and they pridefully accept the credit.
In this passage, Paul points out that although some people like the way Apollos does things, and others like Paul's way better, they are no different in the long run. Both men are following God and have, through "opportunity" given to them by the Lord, brought the gospel to many. Still, their talents are God-given. He also shares in verse 7 that, although we are the tools that do some of the manual labor, God is the one behind the scenes making everything happen.
We have so many abilities and ways to share with others. It is important to remember who blessed us with such things. And then when something does turn out well, give credit to our great and powerful God who made it happen!
Discussion Questions
1. Do you know what gifts God has blessed you with?
2. How are you using these gifts day-to-day?
3. Are you giving Him full credit for these gifts and the results that they produce?