The Three Little Pigs and the Bad News Bears

1 Corinthians 3

We are more than mere men (3)

    This really srtuck me. God expects us to be more than mere men and why shouldn't he? With the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit living inside of us, we should be very different, quit unusual in fact, when compared to mere men. What comes natural is not good enough. We need what comes supernaturally.

Division and Carnality go hand in hand (3-4)

Gardening with God (6-8)

    I love gardening with God. There are so many applications to make here, but one really stood out to me. I am not responsible for results. I must faithfully plant and water, but God gives increase. Once I put that seed in the ground, I can not see what is going on with it under the ground. Even once it springs forth, I can not be certain how much fruit it will bear or even if it will survive until harvest without withering away. I must simply do all I can to provide an atmosphere for germination, sprouting, and growth; the rest is between God and the individuals.

Building like the three little pigs (9-15)

    As I read this section it did make me think of the three little pigs, but instead of straw, sticks, and bricks, we have wood, hay, stubble, gold, silver, and precious stones; and instead of a big bad wolf, we have the fact that we will face God's judgment someday. But the moral is basically the same. The material you and I build out of will determine how our house stands in the end. Hey this sounds like a good children's Sunday School lesson.
    I don't know about you, but when I stand before God in judgment I do not want my life's work to go up in flames. I am aiming for a well done.

1 Corinthians 4

Faithfulness (1-2)

    I have always said that there are two kind of people God can not use, lazy and unfaithful. On the other hand a person that is willing to work hard and remain faithful will be amazed at what God can do through them.
    Years ago the church I pastored started a softball team. We were terrible, but we all had a lot of fun and a lot of people from the church came to cheer for us. We were their loveable losers. However, we did win two games that season. There were two times that the other team did not have enough players to show up. We one by forfeit. It was the Bad News Bears reward for faithfulness.

Imitate me (16)

    This is actually pretty incredible. In the midst of this passionate plea for them to grow up and exercise faithfulness. As he reminds them they are the temple of the Holy Spirit, he says imitate me. We know Paul was a man and struggled with sin like the rest of us, but to be able to say to a group of people "Act like me" implying that by doing so they will please God, wow, what a responsibility.
    Later he says "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1). Oh that I would imitate Christ so well that others could please him by imitating me.