(Every Man's Work Shall Be Made Manifest)

Text:
I Corinthians 3:9-17

1)  That Paul and those sharing the gospel, indeed I would submit you and I as we share the gospel are laborers together with God in the kingdom of His dear Son (verse 9).

2)  That those who become saved are our work, they are equally and even more importantly God's husbandry or God's field, also referred to as God's building (verse 9).  Indeed that building is the very temple of God (verse 16), that temple that the very Spirit of God abides in (verse 16).  The fact that people are a Christian's real work is clear throughout Paul's writing.  Our "work" (ergon) is not thoughts and deeds but the results of our labor in God's vineyard.  Our work is people, men and women who come to Jesus Christ. 
1Cor 9:1 "Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?"

3)  As labors together with God we are to build with great care upon the foundation of Jesus Christ (verse 10).  We are to take heed, we are to preach not a Christ of our imagination, but the Christ of the Bible.  We are to with great care build the temple of God, the church of God, the field of God, taking close heed to what we teach. 

4)  Now as builders of this wonderful temple, we know that God Himself in the person of Jesus Christ intends to one day return to this temple of believers, in fact the Bible says He intends to return in "flaming fire taking vengeance on those who know not God".  Take for a moment the whole picture that Paul is trying to portray, The Great King of kings returning to His temple, in fire purging all that is unclean and leaving only that which is pure and holy.  Paul is warning against men and women making false professions of faith.  Paul is warning them, yet at the same time assuring us that they will bear their own responsibility.

5)  It is here that Paul speaks of two different building materials
        a)  wood hay and stubble, things that will be consumed when fire is put to them.
        b) gold silver and precious stones, things that only improve when fire is put to them.
Keep in mind these are possible products of the building, one type which will be destroyed, the other which will survive the fire.  Also keep in mind, not thoughts deeds or actions are our work in the context of these verses, but rather people.  Rather men and women are our work, Christ Himself is the foundation, and all work must be upon Him. 

6)  Paul warns that although it may seem we have done much to build the temple of Christ the "day" is coming when our work will be revealed by fire.  The day is fast approaching when some men's work will be burned when some who professed faith in God will be told to depart from me you worker of iniquity.  The day is coming when judgment will begin at the house of God.

7)  But what if I am the one who brought this false professor to a supposed faith in Jesus, what if I am somehow involved.  Paul is clear you will suffer loss, the loss of that one who professed to be saved yet never was, but praise the Lord, you shall still be saved, yet so as through the fire.

8)  Paul summarizes these points in verse 16 and 17.  First Paul warns of this coming destruction, of this soon coming  conflagration.  Then Paul asks the pointed question "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God?"  The question echoes on today.  Those who profess faith in Jesus; do you not know that you are the temple of God?  Those who profess faith, yet do not possess faith, know ye not that our God is a consuming fire, know ye not that judgment begins at the house of God, know ye not that you are defiling the temple of God?  Then Paul concludes with what happens if you are wood or hay or stubble (false professors) when Christ returns, he says "If any man defile the temple of God (because he is illegitimate) him shall God destroy".  Destroy your thoughts, deeds, or actions.  No my friend destroy you, in an eternity in hell should you be something less than one who is totally trusting in Jesus Christ.