St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1937-11-19

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lance of every Christians being a.
worker for God.
The portions assigned for our
study present the privilege and re-.
sponyib flitys Of Christians. as fellow
workers with Christ, under the fig
nres of builders and Of seed sewers.
1. Builders of the House Il Cor.
3:l0-I5).s,
The first requisite Of a building is
a foundation and it must be strong
and true. Builders for Christ have
a sure foundation stone in Him.
l. The Foundation--Jesus Christ.
There is only definite assurance
In Pauls word concerning the fouIn-
dation. It is perfectly clear to him
that there can be no Christian faith
without Jesus Christ. Such state
nent sounds almost childish. One
might well assume that no intelli-
gent person would claim to be one
OF Gods builders, and reject his
foundation stone. But, alas, many
are they who claim to be Christians,
who profess to;be raising structure
of, Christian life and testimony. but
who have set aside the only possible
foundation on which to build. Plain
consistency and ordinary honesty
would seem to require that they an
nounce their organizations as being
social, benevolent, or political, but
certainly not Christian.
2. The Master Builder-and his
builders.
Paul was a pioneer. He declares
his ambition and calling to be ''tO
preach the gospel not where Christ
was named, Hest should build on
another. mans foundation" (Rom.
1929. Such privilege does not =.
come to all men; but let those who
thus serve learn of this wise mas
ter builder that they may lay only
one foundation-Jesus Christ
Let every man take heed how he
buiIdeth thereupon." It is a serious
matter to serve the Lord as build
er, for it is possible. to. 60 badly
astray at this point as well as in
laying the foundations. We dare not
heed1essly rush about. '''doing
things" for Cod. without giving |
thought and prayersto our work.
8. The material good and bad. ,
Whetherswes apply Pauls words to
the building of our personal spiritual
life or to the work we do in the
church they are equally serious and
urgent. 1.-THE day"-when Christ re-
turns, and we shall stand before
him to give account of the deeds
done in the fiesh-will reveal by
flaming fire whether we have been
faithful, true and diligent in preach
ing Gods Word. in prayer, in sac
rifciaT service for Christ, or have
sought to introduce into our lives
and into the churches we serve the
wood, hay and stubble''''. of unspir-
itual schemes, neglect of Gods
Word, prayerIessness.
Saved? Yes, but entering into
Gods presence as a man who has
escaped from his burning house with
nothing but his life.
IL. Sewers of the Seed gal. 6:6-
100.
The figure changes. No longer are
we builders-but rather sewers Of
seed. Would that it were all good
seed that were sown--but we see
the sowing to the flesh as well as
to the Spirit This is true
/. In our own lives. The inexora-
BILE law of sowing and reaping pre-
walls in the moral realm as truly
as it does in the physical. Men who
would never expect wheat to grow
where they have planted thistles, 4
seem to expect that they may sow
in their own lives the seeds of selfish
indulgence, of, careless neglect Of
the things ofGod, and still somehow
reap the fruit of good character and
noble living.
2. In the lives Of others. We may
be tempted to take attractive by
paths and shortcuts to win the in
terest and allegiance of men to our
selves and the church, but they will
prove to bring but corruption and
destruction. Spiritual seed will al
ways produce spiritual life.
8. Waiting for the harvest. Har-
vest must be patiently awaited. We
know it to. be so in natural things;
the same is true in the spiritual
realm. We may not even live to
see the harvest, but we may conf
IDENTIFY leave it in Gods hand. Others
may have the joy of reaping, and
will have, if we sow the good seed.
Let us not be weary in we'll
doing"