Evergreen Church

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11

Because the Corinthians had become selfish and lost sight of their mission to make their church an effective outreach to their city, Paul instructs them with an example from the construction site. He calls his people to think long-term about the work God has called them to - to build a church that can be used by God to introduce people to Jesus and build more churches. This image would have been very helpful to his people. In their day, the construction of a large building could take decades, like the medieval cathedrals that were also built without the aid of power tools and modern machinery. Paul's imagery would also bring to mind the picture of Jesus swinging a hammer for the first thirty years of his life.

The Way part 7
First Corinthians 3:9B-15.