April 5, 2019
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, I greet and bless everyone in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blessed word that God has given for you today, is from the book of 1 Corinthians 3:6, “I planted, Apollos watered, But God gave the increase.’’
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, According to this verse Paul admits that God honoured him firstly to preach the gospel both to the Jews and to the gentiles. And to convert them to Christians. Then Paul encouraged Apollos a fellow brother in Christ to stay behind, and so he watered what Apostle Paul had planted. This means that Apollos helped the believers to grow in the Lord, whom Paul had converted and gathered them into the assembly, by daily preaching the gospel amongst them.
Apollos was a means of help to Apostle Paul in building up the church in faith and holiness. But God increased not only the number of members in the gathering but also to increase in faith and in the knowledge of God. Thus through the power of God, Apollos was able to bring forth fruit. This means that His ministry was blessed for edification. He was a means of carrying on the superstructure and of building up souls in faith and holiness and of making them fruitful in every good work. This explanation is drawn from planters or gardeners. They may put his plants into the earth and water them regularly but they cannot cause them to grow. This is a divine blessing, for all the success is from the Lord. God only causes it to spring up and grow, it is He that gives it, its increasing, spreading, fructifying, virtue and efficacy.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, to be a successful gardener, he needs good wisdom, understanding and adequate knowledge to grow his plants, and bring forth fruit in its season. The gardener should know how to procure seeds, irrigate plantation and protect the plants from pests, by using pesticides and clearing away unwanted weeds that obstruct plants from growing lush green. In the same manner, Wisdom and understanding is essential for all walks of people to grow wealthy. God expects that all should prosper in all things and be in health just as your soul prospers. One who retains wisdom obtains riches and honour and length of days. For the wise shall inherit glory.
God bless you.
Prayer :
Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day. Lord we thank You for Apostle Paul and Apollos who were instruments to spread the Gospel of Christ. We also thank you for all his writings that teach us to be holy and perfect in our life. Thank you Lord for making him a good model to us that we may imitate Christ through his teachings.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
