Photo by Cesar Carlevarino Aragon on Unsplash

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

February’s a time of year when things start pointing me to Spring. I can’t wait to see new life … buds on the trees, flowers popping up, and planting my gardens. I like to plant … so I can grow … harvest my vegetables … then have the satisfaction of saying, “Look what I did!” I can be pretty proud of my achievements when all my preparation, planting, and watering pays off. This pride can show up in other parts of life too where I might find myself saying, “Look what I did!”

Pride of this type, when it comes to God’s people, His church, and the growth of His church is what Paul addresses in much of 1st Corinthians. The Corinthians had become enamored with certain leaders, crediting them with growing the church and enriching their faith. Twice in the first three chapters of 1st Corinthians, Paul calls to account those who line up their allegiance to Apollos, himself, or other leaders by giving them credit for the church’s growth (1:11-13 and 3:4). But Paul scolds them. This pride creates divisions because it’s idolatrous – creating idols from human leaders. In the 3rd chapter, Paul responds to the Corinthian’s idolatry saying, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So, neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” (1 Corinthians 3:6-7) While God calls on His servants to work in the fields of His creation and proclaim His Word to all mankind, it isn’t the workers who bring in the harvest. It’s only by the power of the Holy Spirit that people grow from unbelief into belief. That’s God’s work, not ours.

And this is good news! It’s God who brings in the harvest! It can be frustrating to continually proclaim the truth of God’s good news – the forgiveness of sin and eternal life through Jesus Christ’s life, suffering, death, and resurrection for all who believe – especially when so many ignore it. We can think, “Well I guess I’m not worthy to spread the gospel. Jesus better find someone else.” Or worse, “What’s wrong with me?! I must not be a strong believer because nobody is coming to faith through me.” The good news? God isn’t measuring the quantity of the harvest. He’s simply measuring the faithful efforts we put into the planting and watering work we do. God is the one bringing in the harvest. Paul assures us by saying, “He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers.” (1 Corinthians 3:7b-9a) 

All God asks you and me to do is to do our part – to put in the effort through our faith-filled, faithful words and deeds which show the love of Christ to others. He’ll take care of the rest! Then, one day in His kingdom, we’ll be able to say, “Look what God did … through me!” Come to think of it, that’s how I should respond to my gardening results too … I may have planted and watered, but God gave me the seed, caused the rain and sun, and guided me in my tending and harvesting there too.

                                                                  In Christ’s Service,

                                                                  Pastor Jim