SUNDAY, 5 JANUARY, 2025
Sunday 5 January 2025
Sermon Title: Going for Gold
Sermon Subtitle: Going for Gold (Building Strong 2025)
Matthew Wazara, MD
Exhortation:
We are starting the new year with cross-over Covenants with God. We are going to build faith, family, Church, community, each other, buildings, the poor and cooperate with anything God says.
Background:
God owns seasons (xref Exodus 12:2) and as he said that ““This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.” we are entering 2025, recognising that this is due season for many of us. In the book of Daniel (xref Daniel 2:21), we know that “He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” Faith with passion and endurance is the underpinning of our mandate e.g. Jacob wrestled with the man we know to have been Jesus, until he was blessed (xref Genesis 32:26). Through persistence, such as that modelled by the persistent widow in Luke 18, we will endure this year.
The theme for the year is BUILDING STRONG. We are learning about that, today. Sermon:
Sermon:
Anchor Scripture
1 Corinthians 3:9-11
9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
(1 Corinthians 3:9-11 NKJV)
• The basis for the anchor (and foundation of the theme scripture) is Paul being instructed by the Holy Spirit to go to Corinth.
– Ref Acts 18:1
Ministering at Corinth
After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth.
(Acts 18:1 NKJV)
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
(1 Corinthians 3:1-2 KJV)
The Church in Corinth was a church comparable – in some respects – many national churches, including the general state of the Church in Zimbabwe.
– There were similar challenges and issues there.
• Paul did not linger at Antioch.
– We should not remain in circumstances that seem to not be moving, unless instructed to remain by The Holy Spirit.
• Paul was not well-received there, and it is not unusual that we may also not be well-received.
– We should not force relationship or counsel when the season has ended.
• The Church in Corinth was a church comparable – in some respects – many national churches, including the general state of the Church in Zimbabwe.
• Paul went to Eustace’s house and established the multicultural and multiracial church in Corinth.
– The Church at Corinth was strategically and politically significant; it was also a very wealthy church.
• The Corinthian Church struggled with strife, quarrelling and divisions.
• There are developmental milestones in babies, telling us that babies were growing appropriately. This is the same for Christians’ spiritual growth.
• The Apostle Paul was disappointed that the Corinthian church had not met these spiritual milestones.
– Ref 1 Corinthians 3:1-2 KJV
