1 Corinthians 3 Lesson

For today’s lesson, we will be looking at two hypothetical cases that show us that we are not meant to face life’s challenges on our own. 

To survive and thrive in a world that is ruled by Satan, we will need the help of many along the way, and they will need help from us.

It really does take a village!

The good news is that we are not in it alone. God is always with us!

HYPOTHETICAL CASE #1 

Our first hypothetical case involves a new Christian who has recently become inspired to spread the Gospel.  

He goes out into the world and tries a few things, but none of them seem to amount to anything. 

This new Christian gets discouraged and gives up.

Is this scenario realistic?   Maybe you have experienced this type of rejection in your life as a Christian.   If you have, you are not alone.   Jesus, Himself, often experienced rejection. 

To keep from becoming discouraged, we need to remind ourselves that we are not in it alone!

Helping people find their way to Christ is a team effort.

Have you ever heard the expression, “It takes a village to raise a child?” 

The same is true in spreading the Gospel. 

Our focus passage today is:

• “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.  So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.” – 1 Corinthians 3:6-7.

Our role in sharing the Gospel is to plant and water the seeds of faith, realizing that God is the One who will provide any increase.

As we consider the above scripture, we will look at a second hypothetical example of how it takes a village to share the Gospel.

HYPOTHETICAL CASE #2 

Joe is a man of faith who teaches Bible classes at his local church. 

There is a student in his class named Christopher. 

Christopher is always in class, but Joe wonders if he is making a connection and how much Christopher is really retaining.

Joe understands his role.  He wakes up every Sunday excited to teach the Bible to Christopher and the other students in his class.  As he plants these seeds, he hopes that these children will someday grow up into mature Christians who love and serve the Lord.  

Our hypothetical Bible student Christopher goes through school and gradually stops going to church.  

His faith is not particularly important to him.  

In High School, Christopher joins the school’s football team where he meets Coach Rick.  Rick is a strong man of faith, and he does not hide it. 

Before every game and practice, he brings the team together for a prayer.  They form a circle, hold hands, and Rick leads them in prayer. 

Christopher likes the feeling that he gets whenever he is around his teammates and especially Coach Rick.

He notices how much Rick loves the players on his team and how he conducts himself.  He does not curse, nor does he allow any cursing from his players.  He takes the time to get to know everybody and is always interested in what is going on in their lives. 

Christopher looks up to Coach Rick. 

There is something special about him that Christopher respects.  Christopher hopes that someday he can be like Coach Rick.   

The seeds that Joe planted in Bible class many years ago are now being watered by Coach Rick. 

In our hypothetical example, Christopher is now all grown up and has a family of his own. 

He does not attend Church and has fallen on tough times.  To try to dull the pain Christopher begins drinking and neglecting his family.  He falls into a deep depression and is feeling like a failure. 

One day while doing some shopping, Christopher runs into an old teammate, Rob.  He had not seen Rob in many years.  Rob asks him how he is doing, and Christopher can hardly make eye contact with him.

Rob sees that Christopher is hurting and offers to buy him a cup of coffee so they can talk about old times. 

At the end of their talk, Rob invites Christopher to church with him.  Christopher accepts the invitation and goes to church that Sunday with Rob.

Christopher loves being at church with Rob! 

It reminds him of the unity he felt when he played football on Coach Rick’s team in High School. 

Christopher begins attending church regularly and reading the Bible.  As his faith grows, Christopher is baptized and begins teaching his own Bible class. 

In this hypothetical example:

1. Joe planted seeds when Christopher was a child, 
2. Coach Rick watered those seeds in High School,
3. Rob watered them again later in life.

Throughout Christopher’s life, God was working behind the scenes to bring the right people into his life at the right time.

When Christopher was ready, he made the decision to follow Jesus. 

CONCLUSION

God has a plan for each of us.  

As people come in and out of our lives, consider the possibility that it is not by accident.  

God brings people into our lives so that they can help us, and so that we can help them.  

None of us can do it alone, and none of us are meant to.  God’s plan is for us to plant seeds, and to water the seeds planted by others, and then He will provide the increase.

We are never alone, because God is always with us, always ready to help us navigate through His plan for us. 

We will conclude today’s lesson with the following scripture about the righteousness of God’s plans for us.

As we mature in our faith, God will bring the right people into our lives at exactly the right time. If we trust in His plan and do not follow the sinful ways of the world, we will be rewarded with an eternity in Heaven!

• “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11.