Church

The Time to Prepare for Tomorrow Is Today

Pastor Tan Thai · Oct 29, 2016

1 Corinthians 3:9-151 Corinthians 2:1-21 Corinthians 1:121 Corinthians 1:17-251 Corinthians 1:26-311 Corinthians 3:1-41 Corinthians 3:18-201 Corinthians 3:21-221 Corinthians 4:4-51 Corinthians 10:311 Corinthians 15:40-41Luke 12:37Luke 16:10-12Luke 19:17-19Matthew 10:42Matthew 12:36-37Matthew 16:27Matthew 25:21Romans 2:62 Corinthians 5:10Ephesians 6:8Colossians 3:23-24James 3:1-122 Peter 1:11Revelation 2:7Revelation 2:23Revelation 4:10-11Daniel 12:2-3Amos 4:11

This sermon, based on 1 Corinthians 3:9-15, calls believers to build the church on the right foundation—Jesus Christ—and with quality materials. Eternal rewards or losses depend on how faithfully each person serves God today.

The sermon opens with an illustration of medieval Gothic churches, where thousands of volunteers formed a living chain to pass stones from a quarry to the construction site. This image illustrates the interdependence of believers in building God's church. The preacher emphasizes that what we do on earth today will directly affect the rewards we receive in eternity.

The first section (1 Corinthians 3:9-11) stresses building on the right foundation. Paul affirms that the church is God's building, not a human institution. The only foundation that will endure is Jesus Christ and His cross. Any ministry not built on Christ will eventually collapse. Paul also reminds readers that what matters is not how much we do, but how we do it and with what motives.

The second section (1 Corinthians 3:12-15) focuses on building with the right materials. Gold, silver, and precious stones represent sincere service, generosity, genuine worship, and prayer-saturated ministry. Wood, hay, and straw represent spiritual laziness, selfishness, and wrong motives. The fire of judgment at the judgment seat of Christ will test the quality of each person's work—not to condemn the worker, but to reveal what survives and what is lost.

The sermon uses vivid illustrations, including a wealthy woman who arrives in heaven to find only a plain house because she sent no quality materials ahead, and a parable of two siblings given equal resources to build the finest home but with opposite results. The preacher argues that the loss of reward is even more motivating than the gain of reward, because it represents a life of wasted opportunity for eternal impact.

The sermon closes with a passionate appeal rooted in Martin Luther's two-day calendar: 'Today' and 'That Day.' God will evaluate deeds, words, and motives—including faithfulness at home, in parenting, in business, and in prayer—not just official church roles. The time to build wisely, serve faithfully, and invest in the eternal is always today.