Discipleship that counts for eternity
1 Corinthians 3:9b-17
9b You are God’s building.
10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.
12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
Our church’s vision is to see “more people, more like Jesus, together transforming communities”. This requires that we invest time into one another other. This is discipleship – listening, training, teaching and walking together as we follow Jesus.
As I consider how I invest in the lives of my fellow Christians, Paul has some strong recommendations for me in 1 Corinthians 3:7-10:
- Make sure that the foundations are sure. There is no point doing leadership training for someone who does not understand the grace of the gospel, or the hope of salvation. I must always start with the basics.
- Don’t skimp. The most valuable investment I can make into another person is to invest some of myself into them, my time and attention. If I give them second hand knowledge or inattentive presence, I can expect these efforts to count for nothing.
Lord Jesus, you gave me yourself, your whole self, so that I can stand on the unshakeable foundation of your salvation. Lord, help me to follow your example so that my investment into others stands for eternity. Amen.
Written by Andrew Mellor