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The Wise Master Builder (Part 16)

…like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
(1 Corinthians 3:10-11)

There is nothing to build on besides Jesus Christ. This is the most important element of being a wise master builder, a proficient discipler for Christ. If we miss this, all our labors will be in vain. For Jesus is the who, the what, the how, and the why for whole of ministry. There is no other name by which men can be saved or grow in their relationship with God (Ac 4.10-12, Jn 14.6), He is the “who.” We have no other objective in ministry than to help men and women become like Him (Lk 6.40, 1 Jn 2.6). He is the “what we do.” We use His life and words as the supreme model for “the how” we disciple others (Jn 13.15). And we are compelled by His sacrifice and commands to give our lives for others (Rev 1.5, Mt 28.18-20). This is “why” we do ministry. Every part of our existence and activity is focused squarely on the person of Jesus Christ and His authority. Anything less is simply a waste of time (Phil 3.8).

The Wise Master Builder (Part 15)

But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. (Luke 5:16)

If the arduous work of transforming the inner man to be conformed to the likeness of Christ does not drive us to our knees, perhaps the example of Jesus Himself will. Ponder this for a moment: the Son of God, God Himself was compelled to pray for His followers and the Kingdom work (Mk 1.35, Lk 6.12, Lk 10.2, Jn 17). He is the Master Builder. No one is more proficient or knowledgeable in the matter of discipling men and women than He. And yet He took pains to bring the whole of His ministry to the Father in prayer. His example alone should be ample motivation for us to exercise a consistent life of prayer for those we are helping and training.

A final note on prayer. If our objective as disciples and makers of disciples is to become like Jesus, wouldn’t it stand to reason that we would study and emulate His tenacious prayer life as well? Follow the Master.

The Wise Master Builder (Part 13)

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. (1 Corinthians 3:9)

The Apostle Paul switches metaphors in verse 9. He refers to us as those who are doing the work (God’s fellow workers) and switches to those who are being worked on (God’s field or building). In other words the Master Builder is also one being worked on while he works. Those who are doing ministry for others are still in need of someone ministering to them.

This poses a dilemma for most people who are in the beginning stages of investing their lives into others. They ask, “I’m just starting to grow in Christ myself, how could I possibly help someone grow in their faith?” Great question but it should not paralyze us in our efforts to help others spiritually. One of the great secrets of Christian growth is that God does a major work in my own life when I reach out to others. As I turn to my brothers and sisters and begin to minister to them, God seems to teach me the most important and exciting lessons about walking with Jesus. So as God’s fellow workers we work as we are being worked on.

The Wise Master Builder (Part 12)

I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:6)
Is it God or me doing the work to develop a man spiritually? Yes! Well how much does He do and how much am I responsible for? All! We really don’t like these kind of answers because they are vague and ambiguous. But the truth of the matter is, we can’t answer these sovereignty/freewill questions. My friend Rusty Bean says, “It’s like a grilled cheese sandwich. Once you grill it, there’s no pulling it apart.” As much as we would like to separate God’s responsibility and ours, we must live in the tension of knowing God’s will is being accomplished and we freely participate in that will.

The Wise Master Builder (Part 11)

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. (1 Corinthians 3:9)

I helped my Dad change the transmission in a dump truck once. Really, I wasn’t very much help. I handed him tools and talked to him while he turned the wrenches. Even when it was time to lift the heavy transmission into place, I could tell my contribution was minimal. But there was more going on under the truck than mechanics. It was the bonding of father and son.

As “God’s fellow workers” it is much the same. I mean really, how do we help the creator of the universe? More than anything we are allowed to participate for the sake of relationship rather than effect. Don’t get me wrong, I believe our contribution in ministry is real but God does not need our help. He enjoys us working alongside Him in the family business. So when God asks us to get under the hood of someone’s life and help change the heart, He’s not asking us because He needs us. He’s asking us to get greasy with Him, spend time working on what He loves, to commune around the most important work in the universe, the lives of people.

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The Wise Master Builder (Part 10)

The Wise Master Builder (Part 9)

And if you give yourself to the hungry And satisfy the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness And your gloom will become like midday. (Isaiah 58:10)

Now all this talk about spiritual offspring may seem a bit overwhelming. In fact, knowing the complexities of relationships, practicing appropriate doses of grace and truth in their lives, and absorbing their wrongs may just cause one to retreat from the messy business of ministry altogether. We are tempted to adopt the mantra of “If it weren’t for people, ministry would be great” and practice the “Just me and Jesus” mentality. The problem with such a sentiment is that it is completely uncharacteristic of Jesus Himself. It sounds like a comforting prospect but in actuality Jesus didn’t model this notion nor would He endorse this lifestyle for any of His followers. He completely engaged Himself in the lives of broken people and fully expected His disciples to do the same. We may have more excuses than Moses (Ex 3.11-4.17) but the fact of the matter remains; if you want to be a follower of Jesus, you must spend your life on behalf of others (Mt 4.19, 28.18-20, Jn 13.34-35).