David Green's sermon 'Be Careful How You Build' explores 1 Corinthians 3, focusing on how Christians should build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. He emphasizes the unity of Paul and Apollos as ministers through whom believers came to faith, underlining that it is God who grants growth. The sermon warns against divisions within the church and the folly of adhering to human leaders over Christ. Green stresses the importance of using quality materials—symbolized by gold, silver, and precious stones—in our spiritual lives, as these works will withstand the ultimate test of judgment by fire. He critiques the reliance on church traditions or figures over scriptural foundations and highlights the dangers of shifting from the true foundation. The sermon concludes by urging believers to focus on preaching the Word and living in obedience to the Great Commission, ensuring that their contributions to the church are lasting and worthy of reward in the face of impending judgment.

Well, as I said earlier, it is good to be back and it's good to see everybody who's here this morning. Appreciate everybody's prayers and those who checked in on us while it was being sick. And I certainly, certainly look forward to being back for a while. We'll pick up where we left off in 1 Corinthians, 1 Corinthians chapter 3. For review, we'll start with verse 1.

Starting with verse one. And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I fed you with milk, not with meat, for hitherto you were not able to bear it Neither yet now are you able For your yet carnal for as there is among you envy strife divisions Are you not carnal and walk as men? For one sayeth, I am of Paul, and another I am of Apollos. Are you not carnal?

Who then is Paul? Who is Apollos? The ministers by whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered, God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase.

Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one, and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are laborers together with God, your God's husbandry, your God's building. Verse 10, We'll read on down to verse 15. This will be our text today. According to the grace of God, which is given unto me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.

Let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, Every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire. The fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which ain't hath built thereupon he shall receive a reward.

If any man's work shall be burned he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. Let's again go to the Lord in prayer. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for the day and we thank you for your blessings. Lord, as we approach unto this text, we do so with much fear and trembling. For we know that within, Within 50 years, every one of us in this room will be dead and gone.

But Lord, there is a day coming, a Judgment Day. Help us, our Father, to take this seriously. Lord, to live a life that is pleasing to you, to be careful how we build in this life. Our Father, I pray that you'll bless the preaching of your word even this day. Lord, give me unction from on high, and the preaching of your word will be in truth and received as such.

Forgive us where we failed you. For it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. What a text is laid out before us today. There is a reason why that I love sequential exposition, the preaching of books.

If you recall, Paul has reminded the church at Corinth that Paul and Apollos were ministers by whom They believed as the Lord gave to every man and he had to remind them of this because they were squabbling they were divided over men slaves of Christ The people of Corinth should have gotten it. People today should understand it. We don't build monuments to slaves. We look to the to the To the Masters we look to the ones who are getting the things done we look to God in this case. Paul and Apollos were planting, they were watering, But God is the one who gave the increase.

It makes no sense for them to divide over water boys and seed sowers, but that was what was going on in that church at Corinth. Notice how he introduces this section in verse 10. According to the grace of God which is given unto me. I mentioned it before and I'll say it again that Paul does not stoop to their level to say hey check me out I'm better than Apollos. I'm better than Cephas.

I don't understand what y'all's problem is. You know who I am. No, no. He doesn't do that, does he? Paul recognized that whatever good he did or whatever great thing happened as a result of his work was by the grace of God.

He wasn't ready, he wasn't going to get in the ring of their silly games to be pitted against Apollos or Cephas. Similarly, he wrote later in the Epistle in 1 Corinthians 15 in verse 10, In verse 10, He said, but by the grace of God I am what I am. And his grace, which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me Therefore whether it were I or they so we preach and so you believed As they were squabbling and one group said well, I'm of Apollo since someone else says well I'm a Cephas and someone else says well, I'm of Paul. He says no By the grace of God. I am what I am and And by the way, whether it were I or they, so we preach.

And so you believe, you see. And so in our text here in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, that Paul was the wise master builder Was God's doing it wasn't Paul's What he had written about planting and watering and how the God gives the increase is true in laying the foundations and building thereupon. Sometimes things get a little lost in translation but understand something that word master builder in the Greek is the word architect on from where we get our word architect in Paul's day that word carried the idea of builder as well as designer. As an apostle, Paul's specialty was foundations. Notice in Ephesians chapter 2, Ephesians chapter 2, beginning of verse 19.

Now therefore, you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth Unto an holy temple in the Lord in whom ye also are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit You see the prophets and the Apostles are the Bible writers The foundation is laid. That's why they are identified with the foundation. The biblical canon is complete. We have 66 books of the Bible. Nobody else has written any new material.

Not legitimately. Oh sure, there's things floating around out there now. The Book of Enoch, the Apocrypha, the Book of Mormon, all of that. But that's not Bible that's not inspired of God and so when when he speaks of the apostles and the prophets being foundational here, he's talking about the Bible, and it's foundational to who we are as Christians and as a church. Someone says, well I'm confused, how can Jesus be the foundation and the Bible be foundational too, when we compare Ephesians with 1 Corinthians?

There's no contradiction here. When you read the two together, what do you find? Well, let me put it to you another way. How do you know Jesus? Can you know him apart from the Bible?

You can't. You can't. And so when we say, for instance, preach the Word, as Paul told Timothy in 1st Timothy chapter 4 in verse 2, or preach Christ in 1st Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 23, it's not either or but rather one in the same. Understand though as we talk about this there are no Apostles or prophets today and so when someone comes in or or begins talking about new revelation new books New visions new dreams claiming to be an apostle or prophet were to reject that sort of thing. The foundation has been laid.

The scripture is complete. When the ink dried on the Isle of Patmos, that was it. You see. And so back into our text in 1st Corinthians chapter 3, beginning of verse 10, Begin in verse 10. This is why it's worded the way it is.

According to the grace of God, which is given unto me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, another buildeth thereon, but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon, for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. The foundation is laid. The foundation is Jesus. No new foundation can be laid. But understand something, when you inspect a building, Sometimes the foundation shifts off its foundation.

Sometimes the foundation has shifted a little or whatever. But before any building can happen, before any building project can happen, there must be a foundation. But if there's a shift there is a problem. As we think about this, I ask the question, has there been a shift? I could talk about the Catholics, I could talk about the Anglicans, I could talk about name your group, but we're Baptists, so I'm going to stick to the Baptists.

I believe the Lord's churches are Baptist churches, but let me just say this. The church at Corinth had to be reminded of the foundation, and so does Sovereign Grace Baptist Church. There is a danger among churches that we forget about the foundation. We have to be reminded of this. The foundation that was laid is Jesus Christ.

And as I look out in writings and hear preachers and all of that sort of thing, I see a danger that People have forgotten the foundation that is being spoken of here. Some want to make the foundation to be church tradition. Some want to make their own church fathers, meaning they won't believe it unless J.R. Graves or Joe Wilson or A.W. Pink have said it.

Some want to make it to be some consensus of brethren, all sorts of things. We've got to make sure that the foundation is the scripture, to make sure that the foundation is Jesus Christ. And he says be careful how you build If the foundation has been shifted the rest of the building will not be sound Knowing the foundation Paul's focus when he was with the Corinthians was Christ Look at this in first Corinthians chapter 2 in verse 2 He says this for I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. So as he was building on this foundation, he was focused on Jesus Christ. It doesn't mean that that was the only thing he preached, but this was his laser focus.

We're not in the Business of laying foundations, but we are to be sure that we're building properly And so this is the title be careful how you build be careful how you build that's what it means take heed but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon certainly Paul was important to the church at Corinth, but Paul was not the foundation of the church. The church at Corinth was the Lord's church. And the Sovereign Grace Baptist Church is the Lord's church as well. The foundation is Jesus. And so we've got to take heed how we build there on.

We've got to be careful how we build. What was true for Corinth is true for us. Let's continue reading verses 11 through 15 of chapter 3. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, Because it shall be revealed by fire and fire Shall try every man's work of what sort it is If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon he shall receive a reward if any man's work shall be burned he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire." And so judgment is coming ladies and gentlemen Judgment is coming and in the context we see that this is in the context of our behavior.

And in the context we see that this is in church capacity primarily. Now every person, whether they're in a church or not, is going to face judgment. But understand that what he's talking about here in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 has to do with church capacity. Every person is going to face judgment. But this is especially talking about church capacity.

As we dig down into this. In verse 12 he says, if any man, if any man, I believe this refers primarily to the evangelists, pastors, teachers who have built on the foundation laid by the apostles and the prophets. Go with me to Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4, this is why I brought some of this up in the last sermon that I preached from this text, but in Ephesians chapter 4 verses 11 and 12, it says, and he, meaning the resurrected Christ, gave some apostles, some prophets, and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. And so I believe that the primary meaning of every man here in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 has to do with those evangelists, pastors, teachers who are there in the church.

However, however, if you look at this text in in 1st Corinthians chapter 3. If you go down to verse 12, he says, any man. And so I believe he's here in this referring primarily to the pastors, to the evangelists, to those who he's placed in the church, to those who he's gifted to the church, but also he is referring to every believer. Every one of us that's been added to the church, and indeed not just men, masculine, but here he's referring to, I believe, every believer, every man, woman, and child who has been added to the Lord's Church has a right to be careless in how we build. Every one of us, whether we get up in the pulpit or whether we sit in the pew or whatever role we have in the Lord's Church, we need to be a careful builder.

And our works are the materials which will be judged our works are the materials which will be judged. What kind of material will argue building with? He says, now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble. Every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire. The fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

If any man's work abide which he hath built thereon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire." So when the foundation is shored, there's no need to be concerned there. You can't have a more solid foundation than Jesus. Our concern needs to be, as we go through life, that we build with the very best of materials. Gold, silver, and precious stones are quality materials represented to dedicated spiritual service to Christ and his church.

Wood-hands double. Well, that's inferior materials which have no eternal value. In verse 13, Paul refers to the day when every man's work will be evident. Our works will be tried by fire. As you read through the life of Paul, I believe we find a great example.

Paul was always living for today and that day. He was living for Jesus Christ today and for that day. He lived knowing that one day he would stand before Christ. You and I do well for that as well to live that way also. He's referring before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in his body according to That he hath done whether it be good or bad Judgment day is coming judgment day is coming folks There are churches all over this country that are that are tying.

Churches that will disband And you know why? Faulty building materials. I don't mean the physical building. We've got to remember in this country that churches aren't the building. In fact, there are churches meeting today in other countries without buildings.

In fact, if you go back in our church history far enough, you'll find that there were churches meeting in caves, They were meeting in other places all over Europe, Africa and other places. Middle East. There were many churches even in the New Testament that met in homes. A building does not make a church. When I talk about faulty building materials, I'm talking about in the, in, in, in, they're building with wood, hay, and stubble.

And they're so arrogant that they don't even know it and one of these days when judgment day comes they're going to be standing in the ashes before the Lord before the Lord. Be careful how you build. Be careful how you build. We all need to take a close look and consider what really matters in this life and what really matters in this book. I stand before you today and I can tell you there are some things that are going on in this world that really, really I've thought a lot about.

There's some things going on today on social media and in the shadows that I believe will come to light at the judgment. Folks, be careful how you build. I've been called to preach the entirety of the Word of God. And as a preacher of the Word of God, I enjoy preaching and I enjoy reading the Bible. The Bible.

When I preach or read the Bible sometimes people get a little confused about things. Sometimes people kind of throw names and that sort of thing. I've searched this book from the beginning to the ending. Just try to figure out some things There's a lot of talk online lately about a Lot of concern about the kind of Baptist that a person is it becomes the big focus on online It's a big distraction I believe especially when one person accuses another of being something that they're not. Most of the names and titles that we use in this day are relatively new.

You know, if I preach John 3.16, and I preach it in its context, somebody might call me an Armenian Baptist. If I preach Romans chapter 9 in its context, someone might call me a hyper-Calvinist. And if I go and I preach another text, someone might call me another kind of a Baptist, and if I do this, and you know, when I sit down and I study the Bible and I go to preach it, my concern is not what someone's gonna call me. Are they gonna think I'm this kind of Baptist or that kind of Baptist? My concern is to preach the Word.

I'm not concerned about what kind of Baptist somebody thinks I am. But I'll tell you this, I'll tell you this, I do find in the Word of God nothing that says to be careful about what kind of Baptist somebody thinks I am. I find here that I'm to preach the Word and also I find that there's a lot in here about slander and gossip and and division and so be careful how you build be careful how you build You want to call me this kind of Baptist or that kind of Baptist or whatever, go for it. Because in Matthew chapter 5, Matthew chapter 5, I'll tell you where I'm at with this. Verses 11 and 12, Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.

Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." He encouraged his followers and at the judgment, when you go accusing other people, name calling on social media or whatever it is, you're not only losing your reward, but you're gonna make their reward better in heaven. Be careful how you build. Be careful how you build. In Matthew chapter 28 In Matthew chapter 28 Verses 18 through 20 When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go you therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things. Whatsoever I have commanded you, law I'm with you all the way, even unto the end of the world. Amen. There are some very pugnacious and tribal preachers online who do, who will write and say things to prove that they're this one kind of Baptist and not the other kind of Baptist. And all the while, they neglect the actual commission of the church.

To the point of hours and hours of debate and name-calling and insults while the message of the gospel is neglected and churches are dying. I'll tell you why I don't get involved with that and why I don't get onto those sorts of things is because we have a short time to build. I've got a full-time job. I've got a family. In my younger day, I used to get involved with that sort of thing, but be careful how you build.

There's a reason why that he gave the church the Commission. And someday I want to hear him say, well done, thou good and faithful servant. There's nowhere that he ever says to anybody, well done, thou good and faithful historian. Well done, thou good and faithful Facebook fighter. That's all wood, hay and stubble.

Over in Nehemiah chapter 6. Nehemiah Chapter 6. There was a great project going on. Nehemiah was being bullied and picked on. Look here, Nehemiah chapter 6 and beginning of verse 1.

Now it came to pass when Sambalit and Tobiah, Gisham the Arabian and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall. There was no breach left therein, though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gate. The symbolic Gisham sent unto me saying, come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. They thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers unto them saying, I am doing a great work so that I cannot come down.

Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you? Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort. I answered them after the same manner. I can relate some to Nehemiah. I don't have the time nor the interest to answer every quarrelsome individual on social media, especially when I know that they think to do me mischief.

This goes for... This goes for debates about all sorts of things. You know, we got all sorts of things that come up. Even outside of social media too. I mean, There's some things that just don't make sense to me.

Be careful how you build. There was a man, our conference was back in June, There was a preacher we invited who declined because another preacher uses ESV at his church. No charge of heresy, just a matter of disagreement on the cover of the Bible. He said he couldn't preach with him at this conference, even though we were all using the King James, which he agrees with. Yet that same preacher, since our conference, has twice preached with Matt Stepp.

And I'll name Matt Stepp's name, because Matt Stepp is a heretic. A man who actually preaches heresy. Things like that Jesus laid down his deity on the cross. That he gets his sermons from dreams and he actually prays for the dead. These things are public and yes I've talked to both of these men privately about these things.

You see, beware how you build. Beware how you build. Without apology, I will tell you that My favorite translation is the legacy standard Bible. But I want to be clear here. I'm not going to bind anybody's conscience on this.

If you prefer the King James Bible, I'm not going to take that from you. Nor will I make it a test of fellowship if another church uses another version. Be careful how you build. I don't dislike the King James, you see. Speaking of being careful how you build, last month in December, I preached and visited.

I visited four other churches, four other churches while I was in Ohio, in Kentucky. You know something? Some of those churches are churches that Are kind of off to themselves. They don't get much fellowship with Some of the churches that were close by to them You know why? Because Sure, there's breaks and fellowship between Reformed Baptists and Landmark Baptists, but I didn't visit any Reformed Baptists.

These were all Landmark Baptists, and in this country, there's probably five or six divisions among sovereign grace landmark Baptists. Why? Why? Why are there divisions like that? Because little separate kingdoms that people want to build up here and there all across this country.

And even though, even though we pride ourselves on not having a pope, and We pride ourselves on not having a pope. And we pride ourselves on not having a... We pride ourselves on having independent churches on paper. It doesn't always work that way. Be careful how you build.

The churches of the New Testament have no example. There were differences, but yet somehow they didn't splinter off into separate groups. And when J.M. Pendleton wrote an old landmark reset, he didn't write it about fellowshipping with other Baptists. By the way, those copies that are back there, I'm the one who brought them here.

Large amount of them anyway. Be careful how you build. So how should we build? How should we build? None of us wants to get to heaven for us to stand before the Lord and see all of our works burn up.

I can guarantee you none of us wants to do that. None of us wants to stand in the ashes before the Lord. None of us. So how should we build? Over in Acts chapter 2.

Acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2 verse 42. And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers. So what did they do? They were continuing steadfastly in the Apostles Doctrine.

What is that? It's the Word of God. They were continuing steadfastly in the Word of God. How do we do that? Well, in 2 Timothy chapter 4, 2 Timothy chapter 4, beginning I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick the dead The living and the dead at his appearing in his kingdom Preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lust shall they keep to themselves teachers having itching ears they shall turn away their ears from the truth shall be turned unto fables." He then goes on to say, but watch thou in all things endure afflictions, do the work of evangelists, make full proof of thy ministry.

Well, this is done by preaching the word. It's done by continuing even when they will not endure sound doctrines. The Bible has got to be our standard. 2 Corinthians chapter 4. 4.

2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 5. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. We don't preach ourselves. We're not here to make a name for ourselves. In fact, in fact, it's all about Jesus.

It's all about Jesus. It's got to all be about Jesus. I'm not here to flex me. I'm not here to flex a name. I'm here to flex the only name that matters, and that is Jesus.

And I want his name to be saturated throughout Glenn and Brantley counties. That should be our desire. But the only way we can do that is to get his name out from these four walls. We preach not ourselves, but Jesus. As I already mentioned, we have got to be in obedience to the Great Commission.

And that starts with going. It starts with getting out and going. Over in Galatians chapter 5. Galatians chapter 5. 19-23.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witchcraft hatred variants emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envying murders drunkenness revelings and such like of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Gone. Legacy standard lists them this way. The deeds of the flesh are evident, which are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Says but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, patience, gentleness, goodness and faith, meekness, temperance.

Against such there is no law. Notice how the spirit of God places enmity, strife, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, along with Sexual immorality, idolatry, sorcery, so the deeds of the flesh. So I just say as we think about this, to be careful how you build. Examine your heart. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, or as the King James has it, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Think about this text in its context. If your understanding of building promotes self and arrogance, then you have it all wrong. As the wise master builder, which by the way no one here is but Paul put it he was saying according to the grace of God which is given unto me in other words It's not just about what you build, but how you build. We're not here to tear the church down the road down by calling them names, we're here to exalt Jesus Christ, to bring sinners to Jesus. The reality is, depending on what is going on, the Baptist Church down the road may be better off than you are on Judgment Day.

Don't let your work be burned up. Be careful how you build. I said it earlier in my prayer, it's a truth. Within 50 years, most if not all of us will be dead and gone. I tell you, Four years ago I was pretty sick with COVID and I thought I was a goner with that.

When I got pneumonia, I hadn't been so sick as what I was, what I'd been with COVID. I mean COVID was worse but pneumonia was second worse. People die from that stuff. What will it be when you stand before the Lord? If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss. But he himself shall be saved, yet so is the fire. Hey, listen to me. Our Salvation doesn't depend on our work, amen. Thank God for that, because we would have already done, messed it all up.

Our salvation rests on the finished work of Jesus Christ. But you know, I believe the Spirit gave John a glimpse of how our response would be that day. When we stand before the Lord we have some rewards. Take a look at this over in Revelation chapter 4 so we bring us to So we bring this to a close. Revelation chapter 4, verses 10 and 11.

Says the four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne and worship him that liveth forever and ever and cast their crowns before the throne saying thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honor and power for thou has created all things for thy pleasure they are and were created. Whatever we do here, those good building materials, gold, silver, precious stones, that's all for the glory of God here. And you know what? When we get to heaven, when we get to stand before the Lord and we're rewarded for those things, that will all be for the Lord too. What a blessing that will be.

What a great day that will be. So think of it this way as we bring this to a close. If we build with the wrong materials we found here and how terrible it'll be there to stand before him with nothing to show for this life but ashes. But if we please him here, we'll please him there too. Oh, let's think about that.

Consider it. Be careful how you build. May God add the blessing to the preaching of his word.