118 - The Project of Gold, Silver, and Precious Stones#
118 - The Project of Gold, Silver, and Precious Stones
(JP Text Group - 整理 by 佳美)
The topic of sharing is:The Project of Gold, Silver, and Precious Stones
1 Corinthians 3:10-17
10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise you. We are your temple, set apart from this world, not this building, but those who are sitting here now, every child of yours who believes is building your project. In the future, we will receive your abundant rewards based on this project. Through your words, let us know that everything done for the Lord is not in vain. Let us be good stewards of God's various gifts. Bless every brother and sister who seeks you, we pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
Many people do not understand why they should believe in Jesus. They think believing in Jesus is too simple. They believe that believing in Jesus is just to enter the kingdom of heaven. If believing in Jesus is only for entering the kingdom of heaven, then at the moment you believe in Jesus, you are already in the kingdom of heaven. Why still gather? Why still evangelize? Why do so many things? Even many times, what you do for the Lord is not understood by others, and they may criticize and insult you. Why must we suffer such hardships?
Jesus said: "He came that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." Before God, we not only need life, which allows you to enter the kingdom of heaven, but we also have abundant life. This life refers to the abundant inheritance that God has reserved for you in the future when you are in the kingdom of heaven. Just like the Israelites entering Canaan and dividing the inheritance, in the future, you will be an inheritor in the kingdom of heaven. How is the amount of this inheritance determined? It is determined by what you willingly do for the Lord on earth; God will reward you for it.
1 Corinthians 3:8, But each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
Brothers and sisters, in the world, people may take credit for your work. They may steal the results you have achieved. But with God, what you do for the Lord, that reward no one can take away. Not even your parents, nor your children; this reward can only be received by you. God remembers every single thing you do for the Lord. We receive our reward according to our own labor. God does not say, "You go and work hard on earth." God says, "I will work with you."
1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are God’s fellow workers.
What is done on earth is not done by you alone. The Holy Spirit is with you. Each person is God’s field, each is God’s building. What are we building according to?
1 Corinthians 3:10 According to the grace of God given to me.
Then we build houses on it; the grace God gives us is gifts and grace. The amount of grace and gifts you have received, you should use these gifts to serve God, and never do what you do not have. Because you cannot do it, and instead, you bear some pressure. Whatever gifts God has given you, use those gifts to serve God, and God is working with you. What this tells us is: working together with God, there is one very important point, which is the issue of foundation.
Point One: Jesus Christ is the only foundation
What is most important when building a house? Of course, it is the foundation. If the foundation has problems, no matter how high the house is built, one day it will collapse. So the foundation is very important. If our foundation has problems, no matter how much you build on it, one day it will be lost. Our foundation is Jesus Christ. Whether in the church or preaching the gospel to others, we must not leave our foundation. That is why Paul addressed this issue in the Corinthian church.
1 Corinthians 2:2, For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Brothers and sisters, we are building the church according to God’s grace and the gifts given to us. As mentioned earlier, we build on God’s grace. The meaning of building is: each of us is like an engineer, building on the rock of Jesus Christ. According to the project you establish, God will bless you and reward you with an inheritance in the future. If your foundation is wrong, everything built afterward is in vain.
The Bible has a parable: Matthew 7:24-27
There were two men, one wise and one foolish. Why is the wise man wise? Because he built his house on the rock. What is the characteristic of a house built on the rock? It is solid. When can the solidity of the house be reflected? When problems come, when the rain falls, the waters rise, and the winds blow, it can reflect whether the project is stable.
A house without a foundation is built faster. Because there is no foundation, it does not need to dig deep. The foundation of a high-rise building is quite deep. Without a foundation, it can be built quickly. When can the problems of the house be reflected? Everyone is believing in Jesus, you are good, I am good, everyone is good, Jesus is good, everyone says it is all good. But when is the inside of our project revealed? When the wind blows and the rain falls, that is when the house can be revealed. Many people say: "You believers in Jesus are no different from non-believers. I find that those who do not believe do not have so many things they must do."
For example, when we gather, I tell everyone to pray more. They do not have to do these things, and instead, they seem to live better than us in the world. When can the differences between these two foundations be reflected? It is when the wind blows and the rain falls. In the hospital, non-believers show despair on their faces, while a believer in Jesus knows where he is going, even if he is terminally ill, he does not fear death. In sickness, there is hope, believing that God can heal him.
But a person without faith, without a foundation, can only place all hope on the doctor. This is the foundation on sand. Like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. When the rain falls, the waters rise, and the winds blow, the house collapses. When the real support collapses, that person can no longer rise.
The Bible promises us. Although we will fall like the world, God says, even if you fall seven times, I will lift you up the eighth time. This is where our hope lies. Because the foundations are different, our houses are built on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Even if there are trials and temptations, we still have hope. The solidity of the house is related to the foundation.
Where is our foundation? Jesus Christ and Him crucified. In the church, if we leave Jesus, many problems will arise. Factions and disputes will occur. At that time, the Corinthian church had such problems. Many said, "I am of Paul," and many said, "I am of Apollos," and some said, "I am of Cephas." They attacked each other.
Paul tells us: I know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. This is the foundation of our faith. If we leave this foundation, personal projects will have problems. Be that wise master builder, and build the house we are constructing on the rock of Jesus Christ. Because such a project can last forever. It tells us that the foundation has already been laid, and others are building on it.
Brothers and sisters, the foundation of Jesus Christ has already been laid; there is no need to lay another foundation because when Jesus died on the cross, He had already secured eternal life for us! This foundation is already there; now you serve, help others, and preach the gospel on top of Jesus Christ. Doing all these ministries is building the church. How to understand building a house? How to build? It is in the process of building the church that you are building your house. The building of the church is not by a single pastor or a single missionary, but by all who believe in Jesus, and everyone needs to participate together.
Because each person is a master builder, the original meaning is engineer. Each person is an engineer; what is the standard for building a project? The blueprint. No matter how smart an engineer is, he cannot build a house without a blueprint; he cannot do it. And today our blueprint has already been drawn by Jesus for us. We only need to build according to the way of Jesus Christ. Do you know what your gifts are? Use your gifts to serve one another before God, and we will have rewards within us.
Later, we will share two different projects. This tells us to be careful in building on it. That is to say, there are many who are not careful in building on it, and there will be two different projects; we will share these two projects with everyone.
1 Corinthians 3:12, If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw.
This is the first type; what is the project of gold and silver? The first type is gold: In the Bible, it refers to holiness, the glory of God. The first type of project is one that reflects the glory of God. When you go out, you carry the glory of Jesus Christ; when you serve in the church, others can see the glory of Jesus Christ. This is the "gold" project.
The second is silver: In the temple, there are three very unique things: gold, silver, and bronze. Bronze is used in the courtyard; the courtyard of the holy place is made of bronze because bronze represents judgment. In the courtyard, there is constant death of life, and in the holy place, the priests are continually offering sacrifices. The holy, unblemished lamb is killed and burned on the bronze altar, with life constantly dying in the courtyard.
What is the work of silver? It refers to the work of preaching the gospel and redeeming souls. Brothers and sisters, Jesus said: "He came into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." The work of Jesus is to save souls, to redeem the weak, and to lift these people up.
In the church, if your project is to support others, to build others up, to help others stand up from weakness, that is the silver project. When you see some brothers and sisters in the church who have fallen, and you gently encourage them to stand up, when they stand again, what you have done is like building a house before Jesus. Your house is continually being built up.
The third is precious stones: representing the work of giving love and caring for the church. To become a precious stone, it must go through the trial of fire, many problems, and even be struck to become a precious stone. The work of precious stones is extremely important. It requires you to continuously give love and continuously provide. In the process of giving, you may get hurt, just like being hammered. Brothers and sisters, remember! This is a work of God in God's eyes.
What is the project of gold, silver, and precious stones for? First, we know that there is only one palace in the world, almost entirely made of brilliant gold, which is Solomon's temple. Every wall of the temple built by Solomon is covered with gold and is very beautiful. The work of gold, silver, and precious stones is used to build palaces; we rarely use this at home. The work of gold, silver, and precious stones is small in volume; the smaller and rarer it is, the more precious it is. For example, why is a diamond of a certain carat so precious? Because it is rare.
When people get married, why do they use diamond rings to represent love? When a man gives a diamond ring to a woman, it symbolizes their love; why not give her a cloth ring? Because it is of very good quality. This is the hardest in the world. It symbolizes their steadfast love and unshakable feelings. After the house is built, there will be a cornerstone at the entrance, inscribed with "as solid as a rock."
There is no house in the world as solid as a rock, but the rock of Jesus Christ is eternal. The project you build on Jesus Christ will last forever. Such a project may be small in volume, but its value is very high.
Brothers and sisters, how much can charcoal cost? Not much, right? When twelve pieces of charcoal are condensed into one, it becomes a diamond. Its value immediately changes. Because it is small in volume but high in value, it is of very good quality and has the characteristic of long-lasting stability. The true project of gold, silver, and precious stones can stand firm before God no matter what problems arise.
Fireproof, waterproof, and corrosion-resistant. When the wind blows and the rain falls, this house will not collapse. It is not that this house is sturdier; it is because this foundation is sturdier.
Brothers and sisters, our difference from the world lies here; our house is built on the rock of Jesus Christ. Christians will also encounter some problems, but they will rise again; they have fireproof, waterproof, and corrosion-resistant qualities. That is why the Bible says: "You are the light of the world, the salt of the earth." These tell us of unchanging characteristics.
It is hard in quality. The project we build is not soft and flimsy. There was a news report a few days ago about a place where after a house was built, someone kicked the wall of the house and found that the wall was made of foam. So the person wanted to return the house; would anyone want to live in such a house? Because it is not solid. We hope the houses we live in are very solid. If your foundation is Jesus Christ, what you build on it should also be a project of gold, silver, and precious stones. Such a very solid project will last forever.
What is the difference between these two types of projects?
The second type of project is: the project of grass, wood, and stubble.
In the past, most houses were built using this type of project. The project of grass refers to: works done in the flesh, impulsively, and emotionally. The project looks very large, but there are many problems.
The project of wood: this wood refers to dead wood. No one would use wet wood to build a house; it is all dry wood. A project made of dead wood cannot supply life to others because it does not have Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters, our project must bring life to others; we cannot kill others. We must bring life to others. The project under the law in the past was a dead project. Because it is without bend, the writing on stone is unchanging and cannot bring life to people. Our project is built on Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ Himself is alive and can bring us living life.
Grass and wood have a characteristic: today they are very vigorous, but tomorrow they will be thrown into the fire. Our project must not be a project of grass. At that time, it looks very fast. It is like building a thatched house; it can be completed in half a day. Although that is also called a house, it cannot withstand fire, wind, or rain; this house is very dangerous. The project of wood is such a project. The project of grass, wood, and stubble is very different from the project of gold, silver, and precious stones.
Stubble can be simply understood as superficial work, large on the outside, but empty inside. It is like chaff. Generally speaking, in the Jewish concept, it is often used to describe the wicked. In the last days, God's fire will burn up those wicked people like chaff. Because they cannot stand before God at all. So these are two different projects. One is gold, silver, and precious stones, the other is grass, wood, and stubble.
Grass, wood, and stubble are generally not used to build palaces; they are ordinary houses. Moreover, houses made of grass, wood, and stubble are large in volume, looking very magnificent, a very large project, but without value. And the quality is very poor. They cannot be preserved for long, are flammable, easily changeable, and easily corroded. These are all flashy but impractical.
Many people pursue what is large and flashy. If you pursue what is large and outwardly splendid, it is very likely that you are pursuing the project of grass, wood, and stubble. This type of project cannot last before God; the project of grass, wood, and stubble is large in volume, light in weight, but without value. The project of gold and silver is a very small matter; the Bible tells us that if someone gives a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, he will not lose his reward.
Look at how great the reward God gives us; if you willingly give a cup of cold water to someone, God will reward you. This reward is not outside your life; it is in your daily life. Do not think that our rewards are only counted when we come to church to work for the Lord; it is in your daily life. What you do for others, what you willingly give to others, God remembers. And it is precisely these small things that God says: He values such projects greatly. Some people say: "What I do must be known by others; if others do not know what I have done, then I will not do it." Such a project is very likely to be the project of grass, wood, and stubble.
Earlier, we mentioned the project of wood.
The existence of Jesus Christ is very special; He is fully God and fully man. That is to say, He has both holiness and the component of wood. In the book of Exodus, when building the tabernacle, the wood used inside was acacia wood. Acacia wood is very hard; why did God use acacia wood to make the instruments in the tabernacle? Acacia wood symbolizes the humanity of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is a complete man; He has never separated Himself from the world. Nowadays, people strive to separate themselves from the crowd. For example, they want to become great people, famous people, or very remarkable people. Jesus was originally that; what He did is all in our lives. He saw Peter's mother-in-law was sick, and Jesus personally went to Peter's mother-in-law's bedside to lay hands and pray for her. What Jesus did is all in life; this is the humanity of Jesus Christ. When acacia wood symbolizes Jesus, if this wood is not used by God, it is of no use at all. Acacia wood is the only tree that does not draw moisture from the ground; it is the acacia wood in the wilderness of Israel. This wood survives in the wilderness where there is no water underground; what does it rely on to survive?
I have told brothers and sisters before that the temperature in Israel can reach 46°C during the day, very hot, and the thorns can catch fire by themselves. At night, it can drop to around -10°C, very cold. In nature, when the temperature difference between hot and cold occurs, small water droplets will form. The acacia tree, at the moment when the air alternates between hot and cold, absorbs moisture into its leaves and then transmits it to the roots for storage. This is acacia wood.
This symbolizes the wood of Jesus; although Jesus also has humanity, His humanity is still different from ours. We are still fleshly people who continuously draw from the earth, but what we draw is polluted and has problems. But Jesus has humanity; He does not rely on earthly drawing but on heavenly supply. When the heavenly moisture comes down, it is absorbed through the leaves and stored within itself. This is acacia wood.
When the instruments in the temple are made of acacia wood, they are covered with gold on the outside. This illustrates the dual nature of Jesus Christ as God and man. This wood itself has no value, but when it is covered with gold, it becomes very valuable. We are originally wood. What use is this wood? If this wood is not used by God, it is just a dry tree in the wilderness, without any value. Just like Peter, if he had not followed Jesus and served God, he would just be a fisherman. His life would be like that, no different from other fishermen.
Brothers and sisters, our lives are no longer the same; although we exist in the flesh, we have a fleshly life, but Jesus has wrapped you in Him. You should see the shining side of yourself. Do not always think of yourself as grass, wood, and stubble, serving God in the flesh, which has no reward. You should know that you are now a project of gold, silver, and precious stones. In the temple, when the wood is covered with gold or silver, a change occurs. Originally, this wood is not easy to preserve, but after being wrapped in these, its life is preserved for a long time.
Brothers and sisters, what we do in Christ Jesus, God will reward you. And this reward will last forever. Do people in the world do good deeds? Yes, many. Many people do more good deeds than we do. But they have no reward before God because the foundation is different. If you do good deeds and help others on any foundation other than the foundation of Jesus Christ, even if you die for others, you will have no reward before God. But you are different; your foundation is on Jesus Christ. So what you willingly give for Jesus, God will give you a great reward. God will not overlook every single thing.
Brothers and sisters, do not worry when you feel wronged in your service; do not worry! Jesus will remember your grievances; this is the project of gold, silver, and precious stones. The golden vessels in the temple are hammered out of a piece of gold; you have seen that golden lampstand, which is hammered out of a piece of gold. When gold is hammered, it does not feel good; our project is a project of gold, silver, and precious stones, and it will definitely face some temptations, trials, and attacks. But remember: such a project has a great reward before God. If you are a project of gold, silver, and precious stones, it is in small matters, in the expressions of daily life, which others may not know, but God knows.
1 Corinthians 3:12-13 tells us:
12 If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear, 13 for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
I have checked some commentaries, and most explain that this day refers to the return of Jesus Christ, when all the works done for the Lord will be revealed before God. When God judges His children, He will reward you based on what you have done for the Lord on earth. This interpretation is correct.
But I have a personal insight: Christians also receive rewards while on earth. Remember, God does not just say that you suffer on earth and then enjoy blessings in heaven. God has never promised us such a thing. Jesus said: "In this world, you will have a hundredfold, and in the kingdom, you will have eternal life." Two aspects of blessing, right?
What does it mean when we say what we do for the Lord? When your project is built up, there will definitely be trials of fire; this trial does not come from God but from people or the environment. When trials come, how is the foundation, what materials is the house made of, and the personal project will immediately be revealed. The project of grass, wood, and stubble will be left with very little after a great fire.
The house built with gold, silver, and precious stones will still look the same even after the great fire passes. When trials come, it can reveal whether the personal project is of grass, wood, and stubble, or of gold, silver, and precious stones. Brothers and sisters, I wish that what you build before God is all a project of gold, silver, and precious stones. You may be weak temporarily, but you will rise again. This is very important for us. Because these two types of projects yield two completely different results. The project of gold, silver, and precious stones is done for God; people may not know, but God knows. Such a project is not done in front of people.
Matthew 6:1, Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
This does not mean that you should do things without letting people know; that is impossible. The Bible says: "Let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing." This is impossible. Intentionally, I highlight the word "intentionally." Some people do a little good for the Lord, do a little work, and want the whole world to know, broadcasting it with a loudspeaker; such a project is the project of grass, wood, and stubble. They have already received their reward.
Jesus personally taught the Pharisees, who had a characteristic: when they prayed, they liked to stand at the street corners where the crowds were, saying, "Father in heaven, look at how devout I am; I pray three times a day and fast twice a week." They stood in the most crowded places, and people would say, "Look at how devout our priests are; they are truly our examples." What would Jesus say? If you seek the praise of men, you have already received it, and there is none left before God. His meaning is to intentionally let others see. It does not matter if you do many things that others see, but do not intentionally let others see.
Jesus said: "Take heed that you do not let your good deeds be seen by others intentionally." Intentionally letting others see is actually seeking praise from others. When people praise you, you have already received the reward of men and will not receive the reward of God. Brothers and sisters, many times our prayers and our services may not be seen by people, but God knows. What you do for the Lord, Jesus will surely double your inheritance; every servant of Jesus Christ, every believer in Jesus Christ, is a master builder, building projects before Jesus Christ.
I wish to see that when we are in the kingdom, the projects of our church brothers and sisters are all projects of gold, silver, and precious stones. Not to please people, but to do it for God. Do not care how people say; the projects of gold, silver, and precious stones are real and can benefit others. The projects of grass, wood, and stubble are false; for example, some people only work for a certain position in the church or for face. Such things are merely false, not real.
In our church, many people do not have positions, have not been appointed as deacons or group leaders, but they have been serving quietly before God; this is the project of gold, silver, and precious stones. God values such projects greatly. The projects of grass, wood, and stubble are temporary, but the projects of gold, silver, and precious stones can last forever. Temporary projects will collapse when trials come, and they cannot stand before God.
We should not make our projects into grass, wood, and stubble projects, which may be very brilliant for a short time but will collapse in an instant. Brothers and sisters, think about this: how many preachers start out with great ambition and determination to serve the Lord Jesus for a lifetime? After five years, ten years, only a few remain. When believing in Jesus, they also said they would follow Jesus for a lifetime and serve Him for a lifetime. After five years, ten years, many find themselves falling behind and disappearing; it is not that these people have vanished, but that they have drifted into the world.
Brothers and sisters, the project we have before God, in the face of the environment, in the face of problems, in the face of trials, is what reveals whether it is done for God, whether it is a temporary or permanent project. My understanding is that when fire is revealed, that day does not refer to the day of the return of Jesus Christ. That day may also refer to: when you encounter temptations, trials, and problems, can you continue to rely on the Lord and stand firm? This is the project of gold, silver, and precious stones.
The Bible has a very special person named Elijah. Elijah had great faith; he could confront 450 false prophets alone. God told him: "Elijah, go! Tell King Ahab that he has done wrong. I will not let it rain in your country for three years and six months." At that time, Elijah was full of faith; after he went, he told King Ahab: "If I do not pray, it will not rain." He believed in God very much, and indeed for three years and six months, not a drop of rain fell.
Later, when he confronted the 450 false prophets again, he prayed to God to send rain. His faith was great, right? Look at such a servant of God; he is our example of faith.
But Elijah also had weak moments. As believers, our projects cannot always be projects of gold, silver, and precious stones; they may also become projects of grass, wood, and stubble. Only when the fire appears will the projects of grass, wood, and stubble be burned away, allowing you to continue building up. Otherwise, the house will be very dangerous; if the top is bricks and halfway through it turns into grass, this house will be very dangerous. Therefore, God wants your project to be solid, allowing the environment to come, first letting the fire reveal and burn away the grass, wood, and stubble, while the projects of gold, silver, and precious stones continue to be sustained; this project is solid.
At one time, Elijah overcame 450 false prophets, and indeed the heavens sent down rain. Jezebel said: "I swear I will take Elijah's head." When Elijah saw this woman, he fell; this woman was so fierce, and she was the king's wife. He could not provoke her, so he ran away. Elijah walked up to God's mountain, becoming more and more disheartened, thinking more and more that he did not want to live anymore. Under the juniper tree, Elijah said to the Lord: "Lord, take me away; I really do not want to do this anymore."
We believe that many people who serve God will go through such a process: "Lord, take me away; I do not want to do this anymore." At this time, it is the project of grass, wood, and stubble. God said: "I do not want you to do this. Elijah, what are you doing here?" God personally came to comfort him.
Brothers and sisters, what you do before God, when you feel wronged, God will personally come to comfort you. Although the purpose of trials is to make you fall, when the chaff, grass, wood, and stubble are burned away by fire, what remains is the project of gold, silver, and precious stones. You can continue to build up; such a project is rewarded before God. It is mentioned later that each person's work will become clear because that day will reveal it. When fire is discovered, this fire will test each person's work; what is the outcome?
When some people face some temptations and trials, some completely fall, do not believe, do not serve, and do not attend gatherings anymore. Such people have fallen; it is the project of grass, wood, and stubble because it cannot withstand the hammering of time. It is mentioned later that that day, that fire is to test each person's work. When you encounter these problems, you should pray: "Lord, give me strength to stand firm." Brothers and sisters should comfort each other because such a project is precious before God; it is the project of gold, silver, and precious stones. In the future, you will know how much abundant blessing and inheritance God has reserved for you in heaven.
Verse 14: If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
When some trials, accusations from others, and grievances come upon you, if you can stand firm, God says you will have a reward. This reward is not only given to you when you reach the kingdom; God will also give it to you doubly while you are on earth. So when others take away a part of you, God will return it to you doubly.
I will give an example: The devil wanted to take everything Job had, but God gave him double blessings. This is on earth. So do not worry; what you do for the Lord, God will compensate you. People may not give you, but God will give you. And God will give you double. What is earthly has, and what is heavenly also has. If our project endures, do not worry about others' slanders and attacks; just like we talk about grace, others will constantly attack you; so what?
Many people say: "Teacher, I feel so released after hearing this; I do not care how others judge me. I only know that I was once bound, and now I have freedom and release. In the past, I always lived in pain, fearing that God would correct me, but I feel that God loves me, and that is enough."
The message Jesus brings to people is never bondage; it is to bring freedom and release. The real bondage is the law, which says you cannot do this and cannot do that. Jesus said: "I have done all this for you; come and receive it from me." Everything is no longer the same.
Verse 15: If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
This passage is talking about Christians, those who have believed in Jesus Christ; our foundation is on the rock of Jesus Christ. When what you do for the Lord is burned away, you are still saved. Some Christians may not behave well and may be bad in many aspects, but they are still saved; it just means they have no reward before God. Although they attend gatherings and help others, the purpose is different. But their work is all burned away, and that is all.
He will be saved, yet so as through fire.
Brothers and sisters, if a house of grass and wood passes through fire, what will remain? It will only leave a pile of ashes, right? After being blown away by the wind, the foundation of Jesus Christ remains, eternally unchanging. The eternal rock. May our brothers and sisters' projects stand firm in the face of various trials, comforting and encouraging each other, and being of one heart. Let our projects be projects of gold, silver, and precious stones. Before God, there will be great rewards.
Verse 16: Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
We are the temple of God; the temple of God is not this building, not this house; you are the temple of God. Each of us is the temple of the Holy Spirit; our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. So, "Does the Spirit of God dwell in you?" Is the Spirit of God the Holy Spirit? When you know today that you are the temple of God and that the Holy Spirit dwells in you, how should you live? I will once again use the temple to explain this passage. In the Old Testament, the temple was a very unique structure; the courtyard of the temple was very lively, with the constant sounds of livestock.
People were constantly praying for their sins; in short, the courtyard was very lively, and there was constant fire appearing, constantly burning. Although it was very lively and noisy outside, when you entered the Holy of Holies, there was no fire inside, but the light of God was in the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies is very quiet; this symbolizes that when we live in the world, we will see that the world is very lively and noisy.
But when you enter the Holy of Holies, it brings you rest and peace. When you truly understand that the Spirit of God dwells in you, no matter what kind of environment you encounter, your inner self is always enjoying rest. Recently, we have been talking about how important rest is for Christians. This is just like the temple; when you are in the Holy of Holies, your inner self is always quiet and at rest. Because you do not fear anything.
When you enter the Holy of Holies, it proves that when you are in the courtyard, you have already been cleansed. You can come before God; when the Spirit of God dwells in you, you need to enjoy rest before God. No matter how much impact the external environment has on you, your inner self should be calm, peaceful, and at rest. If this is the case, what you build will definitely be a project of gold, silver, and precious stones.
When a person is in the flesh, decisions made in impulsiveness usually result in projects of grass, wood, and stubble. After drinking, they regret it; when drunk, they start hitting their wives and smashing things in the house. The next day when they wake up, they say, "How sad this is; I bought all this with money!" Isn’t that regretful? That is the project of grass, wood, and stubble. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will not do these things; you will praise God loudly. You will help others willingly. Such a project will always exist before God. Therefore, what Jesus Christ built on earth is all projects of gold, silver, and precious stones.
Although there are many problems outside, Jesus is always enjoying rest inside; He completely trusts in the provision of the Father. So in the face of a great storm, Jesus is sleeping at the back of the boat. If it were us, we would be terrified. But Jesus can sleep; when He stands up, He uses the power of the Spirit within Him to say: "Be still, be quiet." Then the wind calms down. He inherently has rest and brings out rest from within Him.
Brothers and sisters, no matter what environment you encounter, first let your inner self be at rest, and then what you do will be very calm. You will handle problems using the Spirit of God, and the Holy Spirit will personally lead you on how to do it. Such a project is a project of gold, silver, and precious stones. Remember! Everyone is a builder of the church.
Verse 17: If anyone destroys the temple of God.
This means that not everyone is willing to be a builder of the church; some people particularly want to cause division in the church, just like in the Corinthian church. Some people form factions in the church, leading to great chaos, and at this time, Paul says: If anyone destroys the temple, God will destroy that person. For the temple of God is holy. Holy means it belongs to God.
Brothers and sisters, you are the temple of God; when someone wants to destroy your project, God will personally intervene. I do not want to explain what this passage means; everyone understands it when they read it. God will surely destroy that person. The original meaning is that God will ruin that person's project.
David encountered many times in his life, in the hands of many adversaries, many very wise people, but David relied solely on God. As a result, the schemes of the wise did not succeed because God was personally working in the midst of it. So do not worry; when you truly serve the Lord with one heart, God knows our hearts. If someone destroys this project, God will personally intervene to stop it.
May everyone start from now on to serve God willingly; what we build is a project of gold, silver, and precious stones. Because we belong to Christ. Thank you and praise the Lord! Everyone does not rely on ourselves; relying on our flesh is a project of grass, wood, and stubble. When we love one another with the love of Jesus, we are a project of gold, silver, and precious stones. Because Jesus always brings building, support, and rest to others.
Let us pray before God:
We give all burdens and heart issues to God. Lord Jesus, I am willing to serve you; let me know how to build a project of gold, silver, and precious stones before you.
Heavenly Father, you help each person; you love each person because we are your temple. In the last days, when people hate each other, we must love one another. We should not complain but should be hospitable to one another. We serve one another; you remember every brother and sister's cry before you and lead them. Hallelujah! Thank you!
Lord Jesus, the end of all things is near; the lawless things in this world are increasing. In the church, we must become examples for the world; we must first love one another, give out this love, and let more people know our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise you! The end of all things is near; everyone must become an example for the world because the world needs Jesus Christ so much. When we do such ministries for the Lord, when we serve, when we spread the gospel, Jesus gives us rewards, both on earth and in heaven.
We are the temple of God; we are a group of people set apart by the Lord Jesus in this world. The world lives like that, but we are willing to live by loving one another, using the various gifts God has given us to serve. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve; serving our brothers and sisters is serving Jesus. You place this love within us; I thank you.
In this week, let us love everyone around us with the love of Jesus, forgiving one another, and loving one another. Especially bless every brother and sister who seeks you, give them strength, and let them live out your love. Because the world needs God's love. Thank you and praise you! We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!