Sermon 12th February 2023 – 6th Sunday after Epiphany Text: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 – Spiritual growth

 Sermon 12^th February 2023 – 6^th Sunday after Epiphany

Text: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 – Spiritual growth

 

It’s hard to fathom that our Grandson is turning one next week. It’s been amazing watching him develop – crawling, standing up and eating solid foods. That last one is trickier than the first 2. Crawling and standing up is something he develops when he is ready to do so. But moving from milk to solid foods is something parents experiment with when they think the child is ready. It’s a sign that their bodies are maturing.

 

Paul today uses the analogy of progressing from milk to solid foods in his message to the Corinthians about their Christian faith, in particular their spiritual growth and maturity. He says - I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food.

 

What was it that made the distinction between infants and adults in their Christian faith and maturity – the spiritual and those of the flesh? Paul is quite direct on this – As long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations?

 

The Corinthian church, much like the church of today, was a divided church. In fact the church has always faced the challenges of division. The division between East and West – Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox. Then came the division between Roman Catholic and Protestants. Then further divisions into today’s various denominations.

 

Paul had been contacted by some from Chloe’s household that there were quarrels among the church members. The argument was about – who had the better baptism. One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Peter”; still another, “I follow Christ.” And that’s where Paul points out why they are still immature in their spiritual growth. Because they had not overcome their human way of dealing with issues in their faith. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?

 

This, Paul says, is the crux of spiritual immaturity: For when one says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely human? Couldn’t this be said of today’s church? Isn’t this why our churches are declining? Because when we are acting in this way we are hindering the work of the Holy Spirit and spiritual growth and maturity. That’s Paul’s warning to the Corinthian church and every church: What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

 

So, if we are focusing on ourselves then we hinder the true work of God through his Holy Spirit. When we fail to recognize that then we remain as infants in our faith. Because we are failing to recognize the presence of Christ with us. For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building. Note who is the power – God’s servants, God’s field, God’s building. And the growth comes when we “work together”.

This is in complete contrast to “I follow Paul, I follow Apollos” God is the one directing – not “I”.

 

We have a challenging way ahead for our church. Can we continue to “work together”? Division is nothing new in the church. After all, the church is made up of flawed human beings. It goes right back to Adam and Eve who wanted their own way rather than relying on God. Satan used that inherent weakness to tempt them – did God really say? And so Satan continues today in the church targeting our weaknesses. But Paul encourages us today to put aside our human flesh and seek after God’s presence and guidance in our lives.

I don’t know what the fallout is going to be from the vote yesterday but I do know that if we do not “work together” as Paul encourages us to do then whether the vote went your way or the other way we will not grow as a divided church. The challenge is now before us. Is this MY church or is this God’s church?

Is this God’s field to be harvested or is it MY field? As Paul reminds us – we are God’s servants. Satan tempted Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit and they will be like God. We are not gods – we are not even LIKE God – we are created in God’s image to be his light and salt in the earth as we heard Jesus say last week.

 

We are created to live under God’s guidance and direction and that is what is called for now as we work together to be God’s church here in the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand. What the coming weeks, months and years have ahead of us, I don’t know. But I do know that Jesus gave his life for the church as Paul says in Ephesians: Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain  or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. This is God’s church and only God can make it grow.

So we are all asked to put our faith and trust in God and allow the Spirit of unity to work a miracle amongst us. As Paul says in Ephesians - Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

 

Let us make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. My prayer is that we can work through this – together. To be a witness to the world of unity and peace and that we are God’s servants, working together.