August 9, 2024 

Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:1-23

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:1-22; 1 Corinthians 3:1-23

What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:5-6)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Your pastor is a gift from God. It doesn’t matter if he’s your favorite or not. It doesn’t matter if his sermons aren’t the most exciting ones you’ve ever heard. What matters is that he is faithful to God as he preaches, teaches, provides pastoral care, and leads a holy life. You may attend a church that has a long history or one recently planted. Either way, a foundation was laid. That foundation is Christ and Him crucified. Your pastor’s preaching builds on that foundation. 

The irony about many in the Corinthian congregation is that they thought they were super spiritual when they were really quite immature. In the first two chapters, Paul oriented them away from themselves toward the cross of Christ. The Corinthians thought all that to be foolishness. Surely, the Christian faith can’t be about a suffering and dying Savior; it must be about signs and wonders, speaking in tongues and with great spiritual eloquence. Paul chucks all of that when he says, “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, infants in Christ” (1 Cor. 3:1).

Their spiritual immaturity manifested itself in so many ways, including their favoritism with regard to pastors. Apollos was supposedly a very talented preacher. Paul himself was trained in rhetoric. But he reminded the Corinthians that he did not come among them with lofty speech so as not to detract from Christ (1 Corinthians 2:1). Paul planted churches. Apollos watered. God gave the growth. It was all Jesus. It’s no different today. Your pastor waters. He carries out his call faithfully to give you Jesus.

The Corinthians were gifted people. There were amazing pastors who served them. But look at what a disaster Paul encountered there: pride, divisions, sexual immorality, idolatry, and the list goes on. Nevertheless, he addressed them as brothers. He took them to task with the Law for being immature and of the flesh. But he reminded them whose they are: “You are Christ’s.” So it is for you, dear Christian. Rejoice that your pastor does the same. He nourishes you with God’s living and powerful Word and the Sacraments so that you grow into Him, who is your Head, even Jesus Christ. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Help, Lord Jesus, help him nourish All our children with Your Word That in fervent love they serve You Till in heav’n their song is heard. Boundless blessings, Lord, bestow On his faithful toil below Till by grace to him be given His reward, the crown of heaven. (LSB 681:3)

-Rev. Joel Fritsche, director of Vicarage and Deaconess Internships and assistant professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

The Lutheran Confessions play a vital role in the church—both centuries ago, and today. But, do they apply to the daily life of a layperson? Pastor Andy Wright offers a resounding “yes” in his book, Faithfully Formed. He quotes, summarizes, and synthesizes key teachings from the Confessions, revealing their relevance in the daily lives of ordinary people.