"Who then is Apollos? And who is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role. I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.” vs5-8

If we labor according to the rules of the gospel, then we have a sure reward. The rule is that Christ is all, and we are nothing but servants.

First, don’t get caught up in praising man. Vs4-5, “For when one says, ‘I am of Paul,’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos,’ are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?”

The Corinthians had the horrible idolatry of preachers, because they couldn’t see Christ clearly. When someone says, “I only listen to so and so,” he’s showing his spiritual immaturity, at best. He doesn’t realize that it is not the man but the message, and God’s made the man useful.

If we love the Message, then we’ll hear Christ wherever He’s preached: we’ll grow increasingly patient with those who have small gifts but a big heart. We are not impressed by man’s gift, as much as we want to know God through whatever instrument He chooses [1 Thess 5:12-13].

Secondly, those who plant and water are one! Vs7-8, “So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one..” We are not in competition, and I wish this message would reach Nigeria!

I’m delighted to see brothers in Kenya labor together. There is Sola5.org in South Africa, and Zambia has unity in the truth. My beloved Nigeria is fragmented and scattered! We seem to think that SOMEONE ELSE preaching Christ is a threat. It is not!

We are all after the same thing, if our heart is true, and it is the absolute glory of Christ. I will not build your kingdom, and I don’t expect you to build mine (it is rubbish and useless.) We can, however, work together to exalt the One Name, and that is the only way for unity - not my church and my ministry, but Christ, Christ, Christ.

Thirdly, there is such a thing as the carnal Christian. Vs1-3, “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?”

The carnal Christian knows Christ in the head more than in the heart. He has faith, but it is covered up with flesh. He laughs at the perishing, rather than weeping. He aspires for greatness, rather than service. He has not yet learned dependence on the Spirit, so his ministry is truth without love, truth without nuance, and truth without conviction. He is hollow, though he thinks himself deep. He preaches things that he’s learned from someone else, rather than what’s burned into his heart. He’s not yet learned to be comforted by Christ before opening his mouth. He thinks he’s great and doesn’t know that he’s small!

Brothers, we’ve all been there in some measure. If the small person would recognize their smallness, then they’d have strength! That’s how a young Spurgeon could minister to thousands: (1) He went through the deep of humiliation, so when he was saved, he could preach from the depths. (2) He recognized how small he was and didn’t try to preach what others know. He got a message from God, personally.