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I Corinthians 3:5-9 INTRODUCTION: Many ways of looking at the church. However, one of them is as a husbandry -- the Corinthian church did not always fit this description. Paul's letter tried to correct this.
I. God's Desire For A Garden A. A place to enjoy fruits of holiness - Romans 6:2 B. A place to experience fragrance of Christ - II Corinthians 2:15 C. A place to express the flowering of righteousness - Psalm 92:12-15 D. It's a place to exalt in the freshness of worship
II. God's Design For His Garden A. The work that needs to be done 1. Preparation -- plowing and planting 2. Germination -- life and growth 3. Cultivation -- watering and weeding B. The workers that need to be working 1. Status -- minister (vs. 5) 2. Skills -- as the Lord gave 3. Salary -- reward according to labor (vs. 8) 4. Strength -- laborers together with God (vs. 9) C. The work that God must do -- God giveth the increase (v7)
III. God's Dissatisfaction With His Garden A. Because of barrenness B. Because of bitterness -- resulting in: 1. Worker's problems a. Idle workers - Matthew 26 b. Incompatible workers- vs. 5 c. Incompetent workers v. 7 2. Watering problems 3. Weeding problems
CONCLUSION: SERMON FROM DR. LAVERNE BUTLER |