God's Increase

Introduction

Transitions have a tendency to challenge us. Life is filled with all kinds of transitions. Even welcome ones challenge us. The child who leaves home may be a welcome transition for the child but may challenge parents. The birth of a child may have been planned and welcomed but suddenly a household has to learn a new schedule and ways to deal with new challenges. Moving is a transition that may be welcomed but it results in numerous challenges. On and on we could list transitions that demand adjustment from us.

Park Avenue is undergoing a transition—welcomed by some and not by others, but it will be challenging for us all and for the Gaines family. The transition began over six years ago as roles began to change. The elders at that time asked the pastor to remain in a part-time capacity as the church began to look for a new congregational minister. None could predict how long it would take. With Steven and his family moving to Memphis in a couple of months, the transition will accelerate and continue. As has been announced, Steven and the part-time pastor will share the pulpit. Steven will be full-time while the other will continue in a part-time capacity. Dwight’s role will change as well as he will focus more exclusively on foreign mission work, and beginning in January 2015, Steven will be the sole full-time minister with part-time ministers as well.

The challenges of this transition are many and there are some that have not been anticipated. In an attempt to prepare us for this transition, over the next four Sunday mornings the congregation will be encouraged about what is truly important. The purpose is to reaffirm what is known to be absolutely true—changes come and with those changes we hold on to the unchanging hand of God. He is the constant in all change and we keep our focus on him as by faith we walk through the challenges associated with any change.

Corinth

God’s church in Corinth had numerous problems. Most of the problems originated from spiritual pride. There was an underlying belief that some were spiritually superior to others. This led some to assume that some spiritual gifts were better than others and that some had special insight to truth while others were left in spiritual darkness. Spiritual arrogance and smugness abounded. Paul addresses a number of specific sinful consequences of this arrogance in this letter. One of the specific sinful consequences is found in chapter one—the body of Christ is dividing over preachers. There are divisions brought about because members are aligning themselves with a preacher and believe that this preacher is better than any other. There are those who are Paul followers, Peter followers, Apollos followers, and Jesus followers. This is not to suggest that only the Jesus group is the right group. All the divisions are sinful.

Having outlined the initial problem, Paul continues through the first four chapters dealing with these divisions. This disunity continues because the Christians have distorted the truth. Paul says in the beginning of chapter 3 that the Christians think themselves to be spiritual but they are behaving in very worldly ways. What’s the proof? Divisions over preachers.

Paul uses himself and Apollos to make the point. Do not assume that by ignoring the Peter and Jesus groups that they are okay. Not at all. He is going to address the Paul and Apollos groups because these are the two preachers who have been in Corinth at one time or another. Scripture says that Apollos was a powerful and persuasive speaker. Paul says about himself that although he had been trained in one of the best schools of his day, he wasn’t much to listen to. You can almost imagine the arguments: Paul was here first and my loyalty is to him. But have you heard Apollos? That guy just has a way with words.

What does Paul write? All either can claim is to be servants. God gave each a task and each has tried to carry it out. Neither is more important or better. God used them both. Paul was given the task to plant the seed of the gospel. Paul plowed the spiritual ground and planted the seed. But Apollos watered that seed so that it could grow. But it was God who caused it to grow. The planter and the waterer are interdependent. But both worked because God had called them to work. Paul emphasizes the point in verse 9. While none of the translations depict the emphasis of the verse, God is placed in the position of emphasis. Literally the verse says “God’s we are co-workers; God’s cultivation; God’s construction, you are.” In other words, this is about God; it isn’t about the workers nor even the ones who responded. God gives the increase.

Park Avenue

The point is not lost on us. With Steven’s arrival we will have another of God’s servants here. He will have a task. Dwight, Ron, and the part-time pastor will have their tasks. Each will try to perform our service with the strength that God gives but all of us are servants. None of us can claim to be of greater significance than another. In fact in the words of Paul in verse 7 “we aren’t anything.” Paul doesn’t mean that he nor Apollos are insignificant. He means that when compared to God they are nothing. The only thing that matters is that we remain focused on the God who brings us together.

In fact, Paul goes on in 4:6 to make the point that we are not going to take pride in one man over another. We all have preferences but any preference in regard to a preacher which results in disunity is not of God. God wants his people to be united not divided. We follow Christ not a person. We unite around the cross not a person. God uses people to allow us to hear the gospel and to learn but no person can take the place of Christ. Steven’s coming will present challenges, but it will also allow us to see the power of God to use various individuals to serve so that others may come to relationship with him.

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