ARE YOU WORKING IN THE FIELD
TEXT: 1 COR. 3:5-7
Warren Wiersbe writes, “Paul was fond of agricultural images and often used them in his letters. “Ye are God’s husbandry” simply means, “You are God’s cultivated field, God’s garden.” In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus compared the human heart to soil and the Word of God to seed (Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23). Paul took this individual image and made it collective: the local church is a field that ought to bear fruit.
• The task of the ministry is the sowing of the seed,
• the cultivating of the soil, the watering of the plants,
• and the harvesting of the fruit.”
How did this image of the church as a “field” apply to the special problems of the Corinthians? To begin with, the emphasis must be on God and not on the laborers.
Paul and Apollos were only servants who did their assigned tasks. It was God who gave life to their efforts.
Even the faith of the believers was a gift from God (1 Cor. 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?). It is wrong to center attention on the servants. Look instead to the Lord of the harvest, the source of all blessing.

Note the emphasis in this paragraph on increase or growth. Why compare preachers or statistics? God is the source of the growth; no man can take the credit.
Furthermore, no one man can do all the necessary work. Paul planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but only God could make it grow (1 Cor. 3:6).

The passage before us is a continuation of Paul’s discussion concerning the carnal Christians. And he is trying to offer the right perspective that we are not separate in God’s garden, but we’re all in it together.

I. NOTICE THE LABOURERS OFHIS FIELD 5-6,9)
A. THIS WAS AN APPOINTED ENDEAVOR
(1 Corinthians 3:5) Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
1. NOTICE THE DIRECTION OF THE APPOINTMENT
“by whom ye believed”
2. NOTICE THE DIRECTOR OF THE APPOINTMENT
“the Lord gave to every man”
B. THIS WAS AN AGRICULTURAL ENVIORMENT
(1 Corinthians 3:6) I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1. NOTICE THE SOWING I have planted
(Luke 8:11) Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
2. NOTICE THE SUSTAINCE Apollos watered; This Involved Irrigation
(Barnes’ Notes)This figure is taken from the practice of watering a tender plant, or of watering a garden or field. This was necessary in a special manner in Eastern countries. Their fields became parched and dry from their long droughts, and it was necessary to irrigate them by artificial means. The sense here is, that Paul had labored in establishing the church at Corinth; but that Apollos had labored to increase it, and to build it, up.
Water speaks of The Spirit Of God - (John 7:38) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
The Word Of God - (Ephesians 5:26) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word; The Life Of God -
C. THIS WAS AN AGREEABLE EFFORT
(1 Corinthians 3:8-9) Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. {9} For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

1. WE ARE AGREEABLE WITH THE LABORERS
“he that planteth and he that watereth are one … we are labourers together”
Wiersbe said,.”No matter what work a person is doing for the Lord, he is still a part of the harvest. (1 Cor. 3:8)”Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one”
Paul, Apollos, and Peter were not competing with each other. Rather, each was doing his assigned task under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Even though there is diversity of ministry, there is unity of purpose; and there ought to be unity of spirit.

2. WE ARE AGREEABLE WITH THE LORD
“we are labourers together with God”
(1 Corinthians 3:5) Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
Our word minister, The original word dia-ko-noi (NT:1249) denotes “servants” in love with his “master.”
One of the great problems that the Corinthian believers had was that they were focusing on the ministers instead of the master. But…
I. NOTICE THE LABOURERS OFHIS FIELD
II. NOTICE THE LORD OFHIS FIELD (vs. 6,7,8)
A. THE INCREASE THAT THE LORD GIVES
1. THE REALITY OF TRUTH
(1 Corinthians 3:6) I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
The Phrase gave the increase - Greek word. aux-a-no, means to grow, i.e. enlarge: –grow (up)
2. THE REPEATED TRUTH
(1 Corinthians 3:7) So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
B. INVOLVEMENT THAT THE LORD HAS
1. THIS TRUTH REACHES ALL
(1 Corinthians 3:7) So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

2. THIS TRUTH REMOVES ARROGANCE
(1 Corinthians 3:7) So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
This is to be taken comparatively. They are NOTHING in comparison with God! Their agency is of no importance compared with His. It does not mean that their agency ought not to be performed; that it is not important, and indispensable in its place; but that the honor is due to God. (Barnes’ Notes)
C. THE INCENTIVE THAT THE LORD SHARES
(1 Corinthians 3:8) Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
1. There Is The Mention Of Reward
“every man shall receive his own reward”
2. There Is The Measure Of Reward
“according to his own labour”
The word “reward” mis-thon (NT:3408) denotes that which is given by contract for service rendered; an equivalent in value for services;
(Adam Clarke’s Commentary)
God does not reward his servants according to the success of their labour, because that depends on himself; but he rewards them according to the faithful labour which they bestow on his work.
I. NOTICE THE LABOURERS OFHIS FIELD
II. NOTICE THE LORD OF THIS FIELD
III. NOTICE THE LOCATION OF THIS FIELD (vs. 9)
(1 Corinthians 3:9) For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
husbandry - Greek 1091. ge-org-ion, meaning farm.
A. WE SEE THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE FIELD
(1 Corinthians 3:9) For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. You’re the work

1. He Is Referring To These Corinthian Believers
2. He Is Referring To These Carnal Believers

B. WE SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD
(1 Corinthians 3:9) For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
1. Prospect Of The Field
(Proverbs 31:16) She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
considereth - Hebrew. zaw-mam’; meaning to plan, –consider, devise, imagine, purpose, She bought the field with something in mind.
GOD HAD SOMETHING IN MIND WHEN HE BOUGHT US

No one can make the seed grow. When dealing with growth, there is only one thing that makes anything grow:
• energy
• force
• power

Growth is not caused by a man’s hands. Spiritual growth is activated by God’s energy, force, and power alone.
• The one who plants is nothing (1 Cor. 3:7).
• The one who waters is nothing (1 Cor. 3:7).
• God who gives the increase is all (1 Cor. 3:7).

Therefore, glorify and talk about God. Praise God and lift His name up, not the name of a minister.

• Whatever gifts the minister has are of God;
• and whatever planting and watering the minister did was by God’s call and strength;
• and whatever growth was experienced was due to God.
• God alone is worthy to be followed; therefore, follow God, not a minister. Respect him and care for him and highly esteem him, for he labors abundantly for your sake.
• But honor and praise and follow God.

The church is God’s field and building. The church is to bear fruit, and it is to make new additions to its structure.

A field does not exist to lie unused. It exists to bear a harvest. We must work in our field.
1. OUR DEDICATION TO GOD’S WORK! May I say that God has a big farm. His farm covers the whole earth. Among all nations and among all peoples, you can find God’s farm. Every believer on the face of this earth is the result of God’s plowing, God’s planting, and God’s producing. Secondly:
Every believer is to be a farmhand for Jesus.
2. OUR DIVERSITY IN GOD’S WORK!
A. THERE IS A UNIQUE ROLE IN WHICH GOD USES EACH BELIEVER. Now every believer is to be a farmhand for Jesus. But everybody does not do the same thing.
B. THERE IS A UNITED RELATIONSHIP IN WHICH GOD USES EACH BELIEVER. Each has their own role and responsibility, but all are working for one common cause and that is the edification and expansion of God’s farm.
3. OUR DIVIDENDS FOR GOD’S WORK! God pays those who work for Him. It would be pay enough just to be able to work for God, but we are told that God pays wages to His farmhands.
A. IT IS A PERSONAL REWARD.
B. IT IS A PARTICULAR REWARD.

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