1 Corinthians 3:10-18

Will you pray with me?

Lord, this morning we need you.

We need your spirit to rouse our hearts and illuminate our minds.

So that we might not be filled with human wisdom derived by human means.

But that we might know the wisdom of you.

Wisdom from your word.

Wisdom that leads us to worship Christ crucified and exalted.

Lord, I ask for your help this morning as we look at your word.

You would be with us.

Your spirit would teach us.

For your glory.

We pray these things in Jesus' sake.

Amen.

A couple weeks ago it was my son Eli's birthday.

And if you've seen Eli or if you've seen our coffee table in our house.

You will know that he loves Legos.

And he received a few sets.

And it is a joy to watch him build his Chinook Lego helicopter with the double rotors and the cargo ramp that comes down in the back.

Or his police mobile command center which opens up with a built-in army locker for equipment.

And a holding cell for the robbers to be captured.

It's fun to watch him open up the bags and pull out the instructions and carefully begin to build his creations.

His Legos.

It's fun to watch him love to build something.

We build a lot of stuff in our lives, don't we?

We build relationships.

We build resumes.

We build careers.

We build families.

When our lives fall apart, we rebuild them.

How do we do that?

What does it look like for us to build well things in our lives?

Another thing we build is teams.

I remember when I was a sophomore in high school, I went to a small high school.

And we were one of those little guys that slayed the giants in western Pennsylvania and Midwest prep school lacrosse.

So we had this, I was in a class of 60 people.

We played against these behemoth schools from other cities that had 2,000 in their class.

And all boys schools, so they had even more athletes.

But my sophomore year, we were the worst team that we had been in the last 10 to 15 years of the school's history.

As I look back on it, what I saw was that we didn't do well at building a team.

We had leaders who were more interested in the party than the play.

We had too many guys who were in it for their own glory.

And if you've ever seen lacrosse, you know it's a team game.

And it doesn't go well when you try to do it all on your own.

We had far too many who were individualistically seeking for glory.

And far too many who were going through the motions.

We didn't build that team very carefully.

And it showed.

You may be wondering why I'm talking about building.

Well, our passage today is talking about the church as God's building.

Not as a structure with bricks and mortar.

God almost never describes the church as a building in that sense.

But what it is, is the building is the community of God's people.

The relationships.

The nature of what it means when God's people gather together as a church.

And interestingly, Paul doesn't just use building as a noun, but he uses it as a verb.

It's not just something we are in, but it is something that we are actively participating in.

And so he raises the question for us.

What does it look like for us to build a church well?

I can remember probably less long ago than I wish, or maybe you would be surprised how recently

some of these attitudes were true in my life.

That I was careless about how I built the church.

I worked in ministry.

I was in a parachurch organization that I loved.

And this doesn't reflect on them or their training, but it reflected on my own heart.

I went through the motions of going to church.

I would get there when I could.

I wasn't invested in it.

And I certainly wasn't thinking about building it.

I would come to church for what I could get out of it.

Relationships, teaching, a good song that rouses my heart.

I was ultimately coming to church for what it could do for me.

Not building into it.

Sometimes I would show up for small group as a leader and not be really prepared or careful.

I would chunk it into my schedule and then move on to other things.

And so my prayerfulness for my small group was lacking.

In many ways, I lacked care for the church that God had put me in.

I wonder if I'm not alone in this.

And this is what leads us to our passage this morning.

You can turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 3.

1 Corinthians 3 · chapter mention

It's on page 953.

Is that right?

953 in your pew Bible.

And as you're looking there, let me just catch us up on where we've been in the book of Corinthians so far.

Paul has just addressed the church as immature.

Needing to grow because it had fallen into a spirit of the culture around it.

Comparing themselves and competing with one another in spiritual things.

In a foolish attempt to get ahead spiritually.

These dynamics cause quarreling and jealousy and divisions in the church.

And Paul rebukes them for it.

Reminding them that the church is God's work.

And that the leaders that they have, that they had attached themselves to in this competitive spirit.

Were workers under God.

Servants of God.

And servants of the church.

Through whom God worked.

And that the church themselves were God's field.

They were the thing that God had raised up from a fallow ground.

By his gracious work in their lives.

And that any spiritual fruit that they saw in their lives.

Was not because of the human greatness of the leaders.

Nor of the church members.

But it was a result of the power of God.

This leads us to our passage.

Chapter 3 verse 9.

I'm going to go back and read verse 9.

As well as verse 10 through 17.

Which is what we'll be looking at today.

For we are God's fellow workers.

You are God's field.

God's building.

According to the grace of God given to me.

Like a skilled master builder.

I laid a foundation.

And someone else is building upon it.

Let each one take care.

How he builds upon it.

For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid.

Which is Jesus Christ.

Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw.

Each one's work will become manifest.

For the day will disclose it.

Because it will be revealed by fire.

And the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.

If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives.

He will receive a reward.

If anyone's work is burned up.

He will suffer loss.

Though he himself will be saved.

But only as through fire.

Do you not know that you are God's temple.

And that God's spirit dwells in you.

If anyone destroys God's temple.

God will destroy him.

For God's temple is holy.

And you are that temple.

God's temple.

So we look at this passage this morning.

Paul's exhortation for us is in some ways very simple.

Be careful how you build my church.

Be full of care for the church that I have built.

That you are a part of.

Don't use it.

But build it.

And he gives two reasons for that.

One is that there will be an eternal testing.

Of the value of your work in this life.

Secondly.

Because God loves the church that he dwells in.

And he calls you to do the same.

So let's look at those two things.

First of all.

We are to have care in how we build the church.

Because.

How we build the church.

Will have eternal consequences.

And eternal testing.

He starts out in verse 9.

By saying you are God's church.

You are God's building.

Right.

All of you in Corinth.

He uses this metaphor.

To discuss.

To talk about.

The type of ministry that's going on in the church.

From there.

He says you are God's building.

And then I Paul.

Was a skilled master builder.

The word there is wise.

I was a wise builder.

I was building with the wisdom that God had given me.

Which resonates all the way back.

For what we've read in the first couple of chapters.

About God's wisdom.

Versus human wisdom.

Paul was a wise builder.

And he laid a foundation.

Upon which other people were building.

Now that may seem strange to you.

Some of you may be in construction.

You probably know more about it than I do.

But back then it took a while.

To build buildings.

Particularly if you laid a foundation for them.

So someone would come in.

And lay a foundation.

But they might not be able to actually follow through.

With building the building.

So someone else would come behind them.

And then slowly build upon.

What has already been built.

The foundation gives shape to the building.

You can't build outside of the foundation.

Or it will fall down.

The foundation provides strength.

It must bear the weight.

Of the building that is built on top of it.

And the foundation flows from.

It must be in line with.

And appropriate to.

The foundation that has been laid.

So Paul says build well.

On the foundation.

Be careful how you build.

Upon the foundation.

And he says.

And there is only one foundation.

It's the foundation that's already been laid.

In Jesus Christ.

And by that.

He means two different things I think.

One is that.

God himself has laid the foundation.

For the church.

In the person and the work of Jesus Christ.

That is in fact the definition of what the church is.

It is not a social institution.

It is not a voluntary organization.

Although it is those things.

But fundamentally.

It is the group of people who are gathered.

By Jesus Christ.

Those who.

By his life.

And by his death.

And by his resurrection.

He has purchased.

He has rescued.

Out of the ravages of sin.

And the brokenness of the world.

To be his people.

Those who by faith.

Identify with.

And trust in.

This Jesus Christ.

Are then brought in.

To the church.

So Paul is saying.

God has laid the foundation already.

Anything that is built on any other foundation.

Isn't actually the church.

Whatever else it might be.

But Paul is also saying.

I laid the foundation for you.

In Corinth.

This way.

I came.

And I preached to you.

Jesus Christ.

And him crucified.

I came.

And I taught you.

The implications of this.

If you remember.

In Acts 19.

Paul spent a year and a half.

In Corinth.

Building into the church.

Teaching them.

Paul laid the foundation.

Of Jesus Christ.

And him crucified.

In the church.

So he says.

Build well on it.

Be careful.

About how you build on it.

And so he goes on.

Look with me.

In verses 12 through 15.

And he says.

As you are building it.

Think about.

What it is.

That you are doing.

What are the materials.

You are using.

And what is the manner.

That you are doing it with.

He uses these images.

Of gold.

Silver.

Precious stones.

Wood.

Hay.

Straw.

There's been lots of fun speculation.

About what those things might.

Be pointing to.

But I'll give you two things.

That I think are really clear.

From the text.

And from the context.

First of all.

It's simply saying.

There's some materials.

That when they're burned.

They won't burn up.

They won't disappear.

And there's some that will.

If you burn straw.

All you have is ashes.

If you burn gold.

There will still be gold left.

At the end.

So there's a sense of eternal.

Ness.

About.

The materials.

The building materials.

He's saying.

Make sure you're doing it.

Like that.

Make sure you're using things.

That are going to last.

I had the opportunity.

To live in.

China.

For a few years.

And.

One of the fascinating differences.

Between there and here.

Is that.

Often.

When you move into.

An apartment.

It's an empty shell.

And.

The owner.

Who's moving in.

Will.

Renovate it.

And.

As they renovate.

They put stuff in.

But there's almost.

A cultural expectation.

That this turnover.

Will happen.

Somewhat regularly.

And therefore.

The building materials.

Are meant to last.

Only for a little while.

This isn't true.

Everywhere.

And I think it's probably.

Changed.

Even since.

I lived there.

A little while ago.

But I think that.

But it was fascinating.

To see.

These materials.

Were built.

Not to last.

You guys might think about it.

It's buying Ikea.

Furniture.

Right?

It's.

It's the stuff.

That's going to last.

Five to ten years.

At most.

Paul says.

Don't build with those things.

Don't build with those.

Build with these things.

And there's also.

The second meaning.

Or significance.

Of the things.

That he pulls out.

I think.

Have to do with the fact.

That gold.

And silver.

And precious stones.

Are the materials.

That are.

Are.

Stated in multiple places.

In the Old Testament.

As the very things.

With which God built.

His temple with.

That God adorned.

His temple with.

And we'll pick up that theme.

In a little while.

And explore it more.

But Paul is saying.

Build things.

That have a beauty.

And an eternality.

About them.

Then he goes on.

And he says.

Because they'll be tested.

There really is.

A judgment.

That will come.

You might think.

Ah.

What does it matter.

How I do this.

Paul says.

Oh.

It does matter.

Because one day.

There will be a day.

The day of judgment.

Will come.

There will be accountability.

For what you do.

It will be tested.

As by fire.

And this fire.

Is not a refining fire.

That burns off the dross.

And that allows the goodness.

To come through.

Although.

In other places.

In scripture.

There is.

God is a refining fire.

Fire is certainly an image.

But here is a revealing fire.

You have two houses.

Light them on fire.

What happens?

The ones built of wood, hay, and stubble.

There's nothing left at the end.

Those that are built of the more precious and eternal metals.

They will last forever.

They will stand first.

And just as a side note.

This passage has been used by.

Some Catholic theologians.

To defend the understanding of purgatory.

That what happens between death and final judgment.

There can be this refining process.

And I hope that you will see that in fact it doesn't seem to be.

To bear the weight of the argument of the text.

That this text is about.

There will be one judgment at the end.

And what you have built on will be tested.

It's not a refining.

It's not an improving.

There's no sense of process.

It's simply an evaluation.

It's like if you live in San Francisco.

And the earthquake comes.

There's no process of saying.

Well how do we do?

And can we do it better next time?

Your house either stood or it fell down.

It's like having a house.

A beach house in Florida.

When the hurricane hits.

Either your roof was attached to the frame.

By code.

Or it wasn't.

And if it wasn't it probably blew off.

And your house is destroyed.

This is the picture that Paul is giving us here.

And he's saying love the church.

And he says.

And there will be a reward for it.

What is the reward?

Oh.

There's another fun thing.

The commentators go all over about.

What is the reward?

But you know.

Paul in 1 Timothy 2.

Says this.

What is our reward?

What is our crown and joy?

As we stand before the Lord.

Is it not you?

I think for Paul.

The reward.

For those who labor.

As builders.

In building the church.

Is to see.

Those that you've built into.

And built with.

Standing with you.

Before the throne of God.

And the community of worship.

That happens.

On that day of judgment.

Where those who.

Have been built with.

Eternal things.

Will stand.

Will be a glorious thing.

And that's Paul's great reward.

For this.

Now having said that.

Might raise the question.

Well who's being judged here?

Is this just talking about.

Christian leaders?

Is it just talking about.

The Paul and Apollos.

Well clearly.

It is talking to Christian leaders.

Because that's a key part.

Of what Paul is getting at.

In this whole section.

Is.

He's instructing the church.

Partly on how to evaluate.

Their leaders.

And how to esteem them properly.

But when you look through.

The language of this.

Do you notice how often.

Paul says each one.

Let each one.

Take care.

How he builds.

No one can build.

A foundation.

Anyone who builds.

A foundation.

Over.

Each one's work.

Over and over.

And over again.

He's saying.

This isn't just for leaders.

Although it certainly is for them.

This is for everyone.

In the church.

How are you building?

How are you building?

All right.

So practically.

What does this mean?

Interestingly.

Paul doesn't actually give us.

A lot of instruction.

On how to build.

In this passage.

Right?

It's more of an exhortation.

To just.

Be careful how you do it.

But in the context.

What do we see?

We see that Paul.

Has been preaching about.

The eternal things.

That are aligned.

With Christ crucified.

Are you pointing people.

To boast in God.

Or do you want.

To look impressive.

In their eyes.

Are you developing.

In others.

Humility.

And dependence.

Upon God.

And his spirit.

To lead.

And to teach.

Or are you making people.

Who are dependent on you.

Are you talking about.

Jesus and him crucified.

Over and over.

And over again.

Like Paul.

Who said.

I determined to know.

Nothing among you.

But Jesus Christ.

And him crucified.

When we do these things.

When we talk about.

These things.

With one another.

We are building.

Into the church.

With eternal.

Materials.

That will last.

There are temporal things.

There are other options.

Paul's been going at them.

For quite a while.

Human wisdom.

That's characterized.

By self-promotion.

A competitive spirit.

To say.

I can get ahead of you.

By showing you.

How great I am.

Dependence on.

Skill.

Of human gifting.

Of oratory.

And rhetoric.

At the core of it.

It's all a.

Look at me.

See how great I am.

See I think.

At the core of it.

Paul is saying.

There are two ways.

That we can build.

We can either.

Use the church.

For our own glory.

That is.

We come.

Only for what it.

At the end of the day.

Only for what it gives us.

And so we only come.

When it's convenient.

When it meets our needs.

When it fulfills our standards.

It means that.

We find places of ministry.

That make us look good.

And boost our ego.

It also can mean.

That there are times when.

If we are feeling.

Extremely broken.

And helpless.

And weak.

We can come to the church.

And just be.

Extremely demanding.

And in both ways.

We find ourselves.

Making it ultimately.

About me.

And we use the church.

For our good.

What Paul is saying is.

Don't use the church.

Love it.

Don't use the church.

But build it.

Follow the pattern.

Of Jesus Christ.

Who came.

Not to be served.

But to serve.

And to give his life.

A ransom for many.

Sacrificially love.

Those around you.

Serve them.

Even when you don't feel.

Gifted.

Give.

When it hurts.

To give.

Ask the Lord.

Is my heart.

Filled with a desire.

For God's glory.

Not in my own life.

But in the lives.

Of those around me.

And not in a.

Pretentious.

Haughty.

I'm going to take you.

To glorious places.

But in a broken.

Oh.

That we would together.

See.

The greatness.

Of the God.

That we serve.

Who has rescued us.

When we love.

The church like that.

When we build.

The church like that.

We become owners.

And investors.

Not consumers.

And Paul says.

And there are eternal.

Consequences for this.

Interestingly.

Not salvific ones.

Right?

You look at verse 15.

If we build poorly.

We may still be saved.

We may get through.

By the skin of our teeth.

We may get out.

With the shirt on our back.

But nothing else.

And Paul says.

That's an impoverished.

Place to be.

It is a tragic.

Place to be.

Because it has lessened.

God's glory.

And it has robbed.

God's people.

Of their enjoyment.

Of God.

Both in this life.

And their glory to God.

In the life to come.

I don't know.

If you're here this morning.

And you're exploring.

Christianity.

And you're hearing.

This whole sermon.

About the church.

You're thinking.

Okay.

I'm not even part of this.

And like.

Y'all are crazy.

So what are you doing here?

I hope you're getting.

A glimpse.

Of what it is.

That God wants to do.

And what it is.

That God.

Has designed the church.

To be.

We are not always that.

But by the grace of God.

And by the instruction.

Of his word.

We are being taught.

To increasingly be.

What God has called us to be.

Laid on the foundation.

Of the savior.

Who came and died for us.

I hope you'll see that.

This morning.

So Paul tells us.

To come and.

Build carefully.

Because there are.

These.

There will be this eternal testing.

There will be this final.

Proving.

This revealing.

Of what we've actually done.

And he says.

Build carefully.

Secondly.

He says.

Build carefully.

Because in verse 16 and 17.

Because God cares.

Because this is God's church.

And he has called his church.

To be his temple.

His dwelling place.

The place where his spirit resides.

In this world.

When you read verses.

16 and 17.

Look with me.

Paul uses these rhetorical questions.

To be stinging.

Don't you know.

That if you put your hand in the fire.

You'll get burned.

Don't you know.

That if you step out.

In front of a truck.

You're going to get hit.

Don't you know.

That you.

Are God's temple.

And that God's spirit.

Dwells within you.

Why aren't you acting like it?

Why are you quarreling.

And competing.

And fighting.

And dividing.

And promoting yourself.

Because you are God's temple.

And for those.

Pagans in Corinth.

They would have understood that.

To be the place.

Where the deity actually dwells.

On the hills.

In the temples.

In the actual structure.

But for those from a Jewish background.

There's even a deeper.

Resonance.

In this passage.

Omolotuke read earlier.

From Exodus 25.

The beginning of this idea.

God will come.

And dwell.

With his people.

He will actually.

Manifest his presence.

The omnipresent God.

Will manifest his presence.

In a particular way.

Among his people.

And so they built the tabernacle.

Having received the law.

On Mount Sinai.

They built the tabernacle.

Tabernacle.

And it traveled with them.

And then the center of it was.

The Holy of Holies.

Where God's glory.

Would show itself.

Moses would go in.

And talk to God.

As he talks to a man.

Face to face.

In this place.

When.

Hundreds and hundreds of years later.

Solomon builds his temple.

In Jerusalem.

And the kingdom is consolidated.

And at the height of its glory.

Second Chronicles 7.

Tells us.

That the glory of the Lord.

Descended upon the temple.

And shone.

In that Holy of Holies.

Behind the curtain.

Behind the wall.

Where the Ark of the Covenant.

Reminded.

The people.

Of the need for a sacrifice.

For sin.

And of the glorious grace of God.

That he would provide a lamb.

Him.

Tragically.

In the Old Testament story.

In Ezekiel 10.

The prophet.

In a.

Apocalyptic vision.

Talks about the glory of the Lord.

Departing.

From the temple.

Maybe you've seen.

Some of the recent movies.

Come out in the last 10 years.

I've watched a little bit too much.

TNT late at night.

Independence Day.

Or.

What was the one with Channing Tatum.

He was the.

Secret Service.

Anyway.

All of these are about how.

Whatever happens.

The White House gets blown up.

Right.

That's the bottom line of these movies.

The White House gets blown up.

But people are saved at the end.

But what I want you to see.

The reason why that's such an iconic picture.

For us.

Is because.

To blow up the White House.

Is to take the very gut.

Out of what America.

Is.

And it's the closest thing.

That we would have.

To understand.

How devastating.

A faithful Jew.

Would have felt.

When the glory of the Lord.

Departed from the temple.

That has defined them.

Who are we?

We are God's people.

And he dwells in our midst.

And now that God has said.

No more.

And he has withdrawn his glory.

In judgment.

Upon their unfaithfulness.

And even in Ezekiel 6.

Or Ezra 6.

When they rebuild the temple.

After return from the exile.

There's no report.

That the glory descends again.

One of my kids.

Children's Bibles.

It's fascinating.

They talk about the rebuilding of the temple.

And they talk about the old men.

Weeping.

Weeping.

Because the temple.

Did not have the glory.

Of what it once had.

And so in some ways.

The whole Old Testament.

Leaves us hanging with this question.

What will God do?

Where will God dwell?

What will God's people be like?

And Jesus comes.

And Jesus tabernacles among us.

And after his death.

And his resurrection.

The church is filled with his spirit.

And Paul says.

You are God's temple now.

Ephesians 2.

20.

Pictures.

You are God's temple.

Built together.

From the diversity of Jew and Gentile.

Brought together into one household.

Peter writes in 1 Peter 2.

About how.

You are God's building.

And Jesus Christ.

Is not only the cornerstone.

That is the stone that's laid.

From which everything else.

Finds its alignment.

But Jesus is also the capstone.

He's the one at the top of the arch.

That holds it together.

And so this house is seen to be.

From beginning to end.

To be built by Jesus.

And held together by Jesus.

You as living stones.

This is what God calls his people to be.

And when we gather together.

This is where.

We meet with God.

It is striking.

In the English.

We don't see it.

Verses 16 and 17.

You.

Plural.

Are God's temple.

In chapter 6.

It will be.

You individually are God's temple.

And the spirit dwells within you.

But here.

It's you.

Plural.

Are God's temple.

So not only does God indwell.

Each individual believer.

But God dwells with us together.

In a community.

And Paul says.

Do not destroy.

This.

Do not destroy.

What God has built.

And what God.

Loves.

There is a warning here.

If you continue.

In your factionalism.

If you.

Continue.

To promote.

A self-centered.

Using.

The church.

Perspective.

You will erode.

Its true foundation.

And you will replace it.

With something else.

And the church.

Not the church universal.

But the local church.

Will be destroyed.

By your building it poorly.

And those who are responsible.

Will be destroyed with it.

Though verse 15.

Seems to have a.

You can skate through.

Though by fire.

There is a stronger warning here.

That if you stubbornly.

And persistently.

Build.

The church.

For your own glory.

There will be grave consequences.

For you.

It is not the fruit of a heart.

That has been rescued by Jesus.

God loves his church.

Where he is ordained.

That the world would see.

Who he is.

Because that's where he dwells.

By his spirit.

I wonder this morning.

As you come in here.

What do you think about the church?

Maybe you're.

Disillusioned.

By its imperfections.

You think.

Well what do you expect?

It's only human.

Maybe you're demanding.

This church stinks.

There are so many ways.

It could be better.

Maybe you're dismissive.

Yeah the church is nice.

It's not that important.

It's an add-on.

It's an app.

In my phone.

Maybe you're disappointed.

The church hasn't been.

What I hoped it would be.

And I'm broken hearted.

Maybe you're devastated.

Maybe you've been abused.

By your church experiences.

Friends.

Paul has a different.

The church.

The church.

The church.

The church.

The church.

He says.

Devote yourself to the church.

Devote yourself in love.

Recognize that the church is not perfect.

It is not all this.

It is not going to be.

Everything.

That you might want it to be.

But even in those imperfections.

God will use it to refine you.

And if you see.

That the foundation of it.

Is Jesus Christ.

And him crucified.

He who came to rescue.

Sinful.

Broken people like us.

He who came to save us.

From our pride.

And self-promotion.

And egotism.

And our desire.

To use everything around us.

For our good.

Rather than for God's glory.

Then friends.

You will see.

The glory.

Of what God means.

When he says.

You are God's temple.

Where God's spirit dwells.

If you are.

Profess faith in Christ.

This morning.

You are.

A part of the church.

The question is not.

Whether you will build into it.

The question is.

Whether you will build it well.

With care.

Or whether you will be careless.

What does it look like?

What does it look like.

At the end of the day.

Well.

Here are a couple of things.

I just thought of.

That might be helpful.

Some practical things.

For leaders.

If you are a small group leader.

Or a Sunday school leader.

Or a worship leader.

Take your pick.

Prepare.

Pray ahead of time.

Plan.

Think about.

What it is.

That God would have you.

Bring to the group.

Make sure.

It's not just.

The next thing.

You run to.

In your schedule.

From one thing.

To another.

But see.

That you have the opportunity.

To be a part.

Of building God's temple.

In the world.

And treat it.

With the kind of respect.

And dignity.

That God wants you.

To give it.

Make room.

For it to be.

A valuable investment.

It.

But how about you.

Small group attender.

How can you go to small group.

With an attitude of.

I want to build here.

Do you pray for the other people.

In your small group.

Have you read the passage.

Ahead of time.

And thought about.

What.

You may see in it.

That you could share with others.

Are you thinking about.

How you can serve.

One another.

Outside of the meeting time.

Or is it just this slot.

That you.

Get there.

Ten minutes late.

And sneak out.

A little bit early.

Because you've got.

So much else to do.

Not everyone's in small group.

But hopefully.

And obviously.

I'm preaching to the crowd here.

How about when you come to service.

How do you prepare for it.

Do you think about going to sleep.

Well enough.

So that you can be awake.

When you're here.

Do you think about.

Reading the passage.

Following the sermon card.

So that you know.

What we're going to be.

Studying.

And talking about.

But even more than that.

Have you prayed.

Before you walked in here.

This morning.

God how can I bless.

The saints.

How can I point them.

To Jesus Christ.

And him crucified.

How can I love the people.

Who are sitting around me.

In my pew.

How can I treasure.

The gift of gathering together.

This may sound.

Just way too much.

But.

Have you ever thought about.

Just making.

Sunday about church.

Come to Sunday school.

Stay for service.

Stay for fellowship hour.

Go out for lunch.

With people afterwards.

Enjoy the opportunity.

That's built into your schedule.

To be with God's people.

And to build into his church.

Don't come here.

Just to use it.

Just to get your.

Gas tank filled up.

So you can run off.

But come here.

And be with God's people.

God loves his church.

Because he calls us.

To build it carefully.

For his glory.

And for our good.

Let's pray.

Lord.

We are.

Thankful that it is by your grace.

That you have called your church.

Church.

And.

It is in Jesus Christ.

That you have bought us.

And brought us.

Into.

Communion.

With you.

And with one another.

Lord.

I pray that you would give us.

Your heart.

Your understanding.

Lord.

Of what it is you have called us to.

To be a part of your church.

For your glory.

To be a part of your church.

Lord.

That we would build well.

Not use.

But love.

For your glory.

We pray in Jesus name.

Amen.

Amen.