1st Anniversary Celebration – Kingdom Harvest Bible Church: 21 February 2021

by | 27 February 2021

 Sermon Notes – Kingdom Harvest Bible Church

Theme: “Built On A Rock Solid Foundation”

Date: 21 February 2021

Time: 09h00 – 12h00.

Host Pastors: Pst. & Mrs Dlulisa

Sermon by: Pst Christopher Thetswe

 

Introduction

Beloved Kingdom Harvest Bible Church, God is so good! Today is your first anniversary, walking in faithfulness with Christ Jesus! We thank God for the honour of sharing this glorious day together. My humble gratitude towards Pastor Dlulisa and the wife, who honoured the will of God to plant a church during the severe attack of the pandemic! One of the speakers corrected me saying its 12 months of executing the plan of God.

Thank you, Pastor Dlulisa and your wife for trusting me with your pulpit. I am here to contribute the Word of God to the growing Church of God during the first anniversary!

Beloved Kingdom Harvest, God is the owner of this church! God is with His Church and Jesus is coming soon! His church ought to be in a state of readiness, holiness, righteousness, and faithfulness! Hallelujah!

 

Theological background on the First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians.

When Paul was in Ephesus during his third missionary journey, he became disturbed by the reports of discord in the church of Corinth. First Corinthians is a record of Paul’s initial response to these problems.

 

Time: A.D. 56 (in the year of the Lord) The Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 1:10

This key verse, I also want to dedicate it to Kingdom Harvest Bible Church, as the church is celebrating the first-year anniversary. One day Pastor Dlulisa and Mamoruti Dlulisa will be the Bishop of the Church on the basis that this key verse is applied by all members and really, the name of the Church “Kingdom Harvest” is really lived by all members. Thus, the church will grow with many branches wherever members are throughout South Africa, and globally – it will be both local and international. The scripture reads as follow: “Brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, I beg all of you to agree with each other. You should not be divided into different groups. Be completely joined together again with the same kind of thinking and the same purpose”. Every church has its mission and vision, which can only be achieved through working together, Apostle Paul was addressing factions within the Corinthian church hence he is saying:

You should not be divided into different groups. Be completely joined together again with the same kind of thinking and the same purpose.”

The theme for this message is “Built on a Rock – Solid Foundation”, I just want to inform you that the theme talks about you, that all your past is built upon “The Rock” who is the rock? Jesus Christ! The Solid Foundation! Not a weak foundation that will make you drown or perish!

 

The word built is a past tense and past participle of ‘build’. You are constructed upon a Solid Foundation which is Jesus Christ!

Sermon – Scripture Message

1 Corinthians 3: 9-17.

1Co 3:9 We are workers together for God, and you are like a farm that belongs to God. And you are a house that belongs to God.

– Church of God, even if we work as a team, we will all be rewarded individually, according to our works of faith! Let us read 1 Cor 4:5 “So don’t judge anyone now. The time for judging will be when the Lord comes. (Oh yes, he is coming to judge firstly his church conduct! Us!!) He will shine light on everything that is now hidden in darkness. He will make known the secret purposes of our hearts. Then the praise each person should get will come from God.!”

– Ephesians 6:8 “Remember that the Lord will give everyone a reward for doing good. Everyone, slave or free, will get a reward for the good things they do.”

Colossians 3:23-25 23In all the work you are given, do the best you can. Work as though you are working for the Lord, not any earthly master. 24 Remember that you will receive your reward from the Lord, who will give you what he promised His people. Yes, you are serving Christ. He is your real Master. 25Remember that anyone who does wrong will be punished for that wrong. And the Lord treats everyone the same.”

– Pastor Dlulisa, and many other servants of God (including me) we are working together as partners who belong to God and serve the Body of Christ. Thus, are services is built upon the Rock – the firm foundation, which is Jesus Christ! Hallelujah! Their ministry belongs to God, not any individual, because Jesus Christ is our employer, our Big Boss, the Chief Shepherd! See Colossians 3:24.

– 2 Co 6:1 says: “We are workers together with God. So we beg you: Don’t let the grace that you received from God be for nothing”

– Ephesians 2:20-22 says: “20You BELIEVERS (OF KINGDOM HARVEST BIBLE CHURCH) are like a building that God owns. The building was BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION that the apostles and prophets prepared. Christ Jesus Himself is the most important stone in that building. 21The whole building is joined together in Christ, and He makes it grow and become a HOLY TEMPLE in the Lord. 22And in Christ you are being BUILT together with His other people. You are being made into a place where God lives through the Spirit.”

1Co 3:10 Like an expert builder I built the foundation of that house. I used the gift that God gave me to do this. Other people are building on that foundation. But everyone should be careful how they build.

– Paul had been called by God to be an apostle and to make the gospel message to the Gentiles. Just like Pastor Dlulisa, God called him to be your pastor, who lays the foundation to be ‘Built on A Rock – Solid Foundation.’

1Co 3:11 The foundation that has already been built is Jesus Christ, and no one can build any other foundation.

Paul had established the church at Corinth on the foundation of Christ. Kingdom Harvest Bible Church is the church that is Built on A Rock – Solid Foundation. Jesus Christ. Foundation gives the structure firmness to stand against all weather

conditions! So young or old, your ministry structure needs to be built upon the Solid Foundation so that when the tests come, they all fail and you remain!

Jesus once said “the whole world, earth and sky, will be destroyed, but my words will last forever.” Jesus indeed is the Word that we are built upon, to last forever with him, we ought to hold on in all conditions! When he says, the whole world, earth and sky will be destroyed and his words will last forever’ this paint a picture of a dilapidated structure that has been destroyed to the ground yet, the only remaining evidence is the foundation! We are built upon a REAL SOLID FOUNDATION that conquered death and the power of sin over our lives Church of God!

– Apostle Paul tells us that there is no other better foundation than Jesus Christ, the Rock which when we are built on it, we will bear fruits that will last forever!

– John 15:16 Jesus says: “You did not choose me. I chose you. Kingdom Harvest Bible Church declare this words! “I AM BUILT ON A ROCK – A SOLID FOUNDATION! Jesus Christ! To bear fruits that will last, according to John 15:16! You did not choose me. I chose you. And I gave you this work: to go and produce fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name!”

– Ask God for the ministry that you are called to do while you are BUILT ON THE SOLID FOUNDATION, THE ROCK – JESUS CHRIST!

– Kingdom Harvest! The foundation of the church of all believers is Jesus Christ! The Rock!

– All true believers have the gospel message as their foundation and each one is building on that foundation. The ‘built’ structure refers to the church, you are the temple remember? A temple of the Holy Spirit with a sound teaching, hence your character should be grounded on the Kingdom Principles of God!

1Co 3:12 People can build on that foundation using gold, silver, jewels, wood, grass, or straw.

Gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw: these building materials refer to the quality of work done by the Kingdom Harvest members, and possibly also to motivate all members in all what they do in honour for our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.

– The foundation may be strong, but a variety of materials might be chosen in the building process, as verse 12 states. So, which building material are you using Beloved? Do you read the word where you feel comfortable to read yet fail to repent because the verse may not be relevant to your character or sin in your life?

– The Pastor cannot just keep preaching on blessings alone, he can also address the issues that are affecting the church, sin and all sorts of abominations.

– The building materials are divided into two basic classes – the valuable building materials, which were imperishable: gold, silver and jewels. The worthless building materials which symbolize worldly wisdom: wood, hay and straw.

1Co 3:13 But the work that each person does will be clearly seen, because the Day will make it plain. That Day will appear with fire, and the fire will test everyone’s work.

– This time of testing that is coming at the Judgement day refers to Christ’s second coming. At that time, believers will be separated form unbelievers, with believers receiving their promised reward in heaven. See 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10.

– Believers will not be judged regarding their salvation – their salvation is sure – but they will be judged to see what kind of work they have done. Everyone’s work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. “Fire” pictures a scorching test that will reveal the value of the “building”. Those made with gold, silver and jewels will stand up to this test: those thrown together with wood, hay and straw will go up in flames and be destroyed.

– Christ will evaluate each person’s contribution to the life of the church and the judgement day will reveal the sincerity of each person’s work. God will determine whether or not each person has been faithful to Jesus’ instructions. Good work will be rewarded; unfaithful or inferior work will be burned up.

– Question to you Beloved in Christ! “What building material are you using to build your calling on A Rock?

The Day : this is the when Christ will judge the merits of His servants’ work; according to 2 Corinthians 5:10 “We must ALL STAND BEFORE CHRIST TO BE JUDGED. Everyone will get what they should. They will be paid for whatever they did – good or bad – when they lived in this earthly body.” – not whether they receive forgiveness of sin. Likewise, the fire does not refer to the eternal fire of damnation (Revelation 20:10) but to the evaluation of believer’s works (see Revelation 22:12 “Listen, I am coming soon! I will bring rewards with me. I will repay everyone for what they have done.”)

1Co 3:14 If the building they put on the foundation still stands, they will get their reward.

1Co 3:15 But if their building is burned up, they will suffer loss. They will be saved, but it will be like someone escaping from a fire.

– Because the foundation is Jesus Christ, everyone who builds on that foundation will be saved. But these believers will present to God the lives that they have lived for him. Revelation 14:13 says “Then I heard a voice from heaven. It said, “Write this: From now on there are great blessings for those who belong to the Lord when they die.” The Spirit says, “Yes, that is true. They will rest from their hard work. What they have done will stay with them.”

– Some will present lives of gold, silver and jewels – lives built on the truth of the gospel and spent in sacrifice and service to God. These builders will receive a reward. These builders will be saved, but only as if they jumped out of a burning building and lost everything but their lives will be saved. They will enter heaven but will not receive the same reward as those who built well.

1Co 3:16 You should know that you yourselves are God’s temple. God’s Spirit lives in you.

– God’s children, all believers in Jesus Christ, are the temple of God. Not only that, but the Spirit of God lives in them. We are a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. While it is true that each individual is a “temple of the Holy Spirit” (6:19), Paul was teaching here about the nature of the church or Christian community.

– The Holy Spirit draws all believers together as Christ’s Body on earth; He provides the unity that should characterize the Church. Because every believer is a temple for the Holy Spirit, the believers ought not be dividing into warring factions because that destroys the temple.

1Co 3:17 If you destroy God’s temple, God will destroy you, because God’s temple is holy. You yourselves are God’s temple.

– According to Leviticus 15:31, in the Old Testament, the penalty for defiling God’s dwelling, the tabernacle or the temple – was death or separation from the nation in Numbers 19:20.

– The penalty for bringing ruin upon God’s spiritual temple – sound in His people individually and in the church collectively – is less severe.

– How might anyone attempt to destroy God’s temple? False teaching that undermines believer’s faith, rivalry that creates dissension and rips churches apart, and weak discipleship that promotes easy believism (naïve) are all problems that weaken the church.

– In 3:15, Paul wrote of the builder who, though he or she builds shoddily on the foundation, will yet be saved. This verse focuses on those who are already unsaved, set out to destroy those who are saved – such as the false teachers. God will destroy them because of their sin.

Sermon

Beloved Kingdom Harvest, the beginning of 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verses 1-3, Apostle Paul addressed the Corinthian Church as carnal and babies in Christ, however the Kingdom Harvest Bible Church will be addressed as spiritual church, led by the Spirit of God to fulfil the mission and vision of the Body of Christ. Living of solid food because it is built upon the ‘solid foundation’ according to our theme today!

The background on today’s chapter is where Apostle Paul was addressing the division in the church. The Corinthians needed to mature in their spiritual lives. They were allowing themselves to be divided into factions regarding which preacher they liked better between Paul and Apollos. These divisions in the church threatened the unity they would need to stand for the truth against false teachers and persecution.

Conclusion

While each servant has various functions, each one was a team member with the same purpose – to bring people into God’s Kingdom, similarly with us here in Pretoria, the Kingdom Harvest Bible Church. The same purpose will drive us to see the people that are brought to God’s Kingdom grow in their faith, from babies to maturity in Christ.

While each servant has various functions, each one was a team member with the same purpose – to bring people into God’s Kingdom, similarly with us here in Pretoria, the Kingdom Harvest Bible Church. The same purpose will drive us to see the people that are brought to God’s Kingdom grow in their faith, from babies to maturity in Christ.

According to Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus ended his Sermon on the Mount with the same picture Paul used here. Which says:

(Mat 7:24) “Whoever hears these teachings of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock.

(Mat 7:25) It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not fall because it was built on rock.

(Mat 7:26) “Whoever hears these teachings of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

(Mat 7:27) It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. And it fell with a loud crash.”

So Beloved in Christ, both houses can be built, but only one will stand up to the winds and storms of life. In our current era, the storm we are faced with is COVID-19. Thus, build your house on the Rock – we are living a world of harsh weather conditions and we are inevitable to all conditions and challenges of this world. Be a type of a wise church that is grounded upon the Gospel Truth! Don’t just be a fan of Jesus Christ, follow Him completely with all your heart! Obey Him, in the presence of Moruti or in his absence!

The weather conditions or the trials of life will tell us on which foundation is your life built. Choose and remain upon the Rock of Ages, the Solid Foundation – Jesus Christ!

Let us all go before the Lord and pray that God, may you continue to be my Rock, may my deeds be deeds that will stand the test of fire on the Judgement Day.

God bless you Kingdom Harvest, in Christ Jesus – Amen!

End of message!

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