Sunday School Lesson for July 25, 2010
Posted by nedcook | Posted in Sunday School Lessons | Posted on 25-07-2010
Tags: building, corinthians, foundation, judgment day, temple
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Review
Paul is trying to whittle away at the pride of the Corinthians—trying to help them get their eyes off men and on to God—and thus end their carnal divisions. Last week we saw that Paul and Apollos were just servants in God’s field: one planted, another watered, but GOD gave the increase. “So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase” (3:7). The church is originated and maintained not by man but by God.
Overview
In verse 9 Paul transitions from an agricultural picture to an architectural one—a picture he sticks with through verse 17. The passage is deep, powerful and very serious. He says that people need to take heed how they build on the foundation that has been laid (Jesus Christ) or risk losing everything but their own souls at the judgment seat of Christ. He goes on to say that anyone who defiles (destroys) the temple of God (the church), “him will God destroy.”
Lesson Plan
Today we are going to look at BUILDING ON THE FOUNDATION. Who are the builders? What are they building? How should they build? What materials should they use?
The Foundation
Paul says he laid the foundation (v10) and others were building on it. This corresponds to what he said earlier in verse 6: “I planted, Apollos watered.” He calls himself a wise (better: skilled) masterbuilder, but qualifies that by saying it was “according to the grace of God given unto me” (i.e. the skill was not his own but God’s gift). The Greek for “masterbuilder” is architekton, which is where we get our word architect; but commentators agree that in the language of today it would more closely correspond to “Site manager”—i.e. not someone who visualizes the finished building and then draws up a detailed plan, but someone who actually works on site and superintends the building.