The Wednesday after the Tenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on August 27, 2025 by under
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:11-17 (NKJV)
3:11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
Devotion
In the verses leading up to our lesson, St. Paul describes the Church of God as a building. In his analogy, ministers are the builders, hearers are the building, and the foundation of the building is Jesus Christ. One last element is added in the verses appointed for today: “if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire.” This last element is about the doctrine which is taught in the Church. Some ministers build with gold, silver, and precious stones—that is, with good, faithful, solid teaching. Others build with wood, hay, and straw—that is, worthless opinions of men. On the Day of Judgment, each minister’s work will be revealed, whether he built well upon the foundation, or whether he added worthless things which will not endure.
If ministers should take heed how they build, then hearers should take heed how they are built! There is only one foundation and that is Jesus Christ. If you are built upon anything else—whether it be your own righteousness or some worthless idol—you will not endure. But those who are built on the precious merits of Jesus Christ will be saved. Thus it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame” (1 Pet. 2:6).
Collect: O God, Who declarest Thine Almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Mercifully grant unto us such a measure of Thy grace, that we, running the way of Thy commandments, may obtain Thy gracious promises, and be made partakers of Thy heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
