I Corinthians 4 (Click scripture reference for audio access)
"The Right Stuff!" • 9.23.12 •
Sunday Morning Service, Calvary Christian Fellowship
Intro.
- When Paul
established God's church in Corinth, he did so on the foundation message of
Jesus Christ and Him crucified. A spiritual revolution ensued in that wicked
city.
- This church
flourished with great spiritual gifting and wisdom. After Paul had left Corinth
to go to Ephesus, Apollos came into town and began to work within that church
as well.
- He watered
what Paul had planted and the church began to grow. Their growth reached a
plateau when they sought to reconcile the message of the cross with man's
philiosphy.
- As they
became less cross centered, they became more divided and contentious, behaving
not like Christ or Christians, but like the world around them, looking to rally
around human leaders.
- Today, we'll
listen to Paul's final attempt to reach them on this point. How are they to
think about human leaders? How should they judge them? We'll break this chapter
into 4 parts.
I. The Right Definition Of A Leader (v.1,2)
II. The Right Criteria For Judgment (v.3-7)
III. The Right Treatment In A Wicked World (v.8-13)
IV. The Right Examples To Follow (v.14-21)
Text
I. The Right Definition Of A Leader (v.1,2)
•
I Corinthians 4:1 : "Let a man so consider us, as
servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God." : Paul and the rest of the apostles were to be account as
servants and stewards. The word "consider" refers to the reality of
assessment.
-
Check the ledger, this is what they were! When everything was added up, this is
what they amounted to. The Corinthians wanted much more and the same is true
today.
-
People want their Pastors to be their referee, their cheerleader, their private
counselor, their cultural gauge, their motivational speaker and in some cases,
their final authority!
-
The Apostles performed miracles to authenticate their message, which they
proclaimed boldly by the Holy Spirit. In doing this, they faithfully dispensed
their servant's duties.
-
This word "servant" is not the usual word that Paul employs, as in a
household slave. This word refers to an "underrower."
-
He was one of the guys at the bottom of the boat, rowing away with all the
other underrowers on the ship commanded by the Lord. Paul was rowing where God
was going!
-
He was a servant and a steward. A steward was charged a household for an owner.
Much like Joseph in Genesis, the steward had charge of everything that the
household needed.
-
The word is filled with responsibility. The steward is consumed with a life
that is centered around what they have been given responsibility toward.
-
In this case, Paul was a manager over the mysteries of God! The mysteries are
the things that had been hidden away, that God was at that time, revealing to
the world through the Apostles.
-
Paul did not come up with the mysteries of God. He was not their inventor. He
was one who was called to dispense them to those of the house!
•
I Corinthians 4:2 : "Moreover it is required in stewards
that one be found faithful." : A
steward has one requirement: He must be a faithful man.
-
Reliability and trustworthiness is the one demand that must be fulfilled after
careful examination. "Will this person do this job in a way that
alleviates my concern?"
-
"Will he treat this position with the appropriate gravity?" A
householder entrusted all of the resources to this man, who in turn was
responsible to resource the various needs of the house.
-
Was the house full of food? Are all accounts up to date? Did repairs get made?
-
None of that requires a handsome, talented or dynamic man. If he was, great! But
one could not be a steward and not be entirely faithful. We put a low priority
on faithfulness. Not God!
-
Paul told Timothy to pick men that would lead, he said to pick "faithful
men." (II Tim. 2:2)
II. The Right Criteria For Judgment (v.3-7)
• I
Corinthians 4:3-5 : "But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by
you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against
myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the
time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of
darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will
come from God." : Paul literally says
"Your conclusions about me are the least of my concerns!"
-
The Corinthians were busy coming to their own conclusions about the
effectiveness of Paul's ministry. They were in effect, standing in judgment
over him.
-
If a human court or my own considerations meant anything, I might take note of
them, but human assessment, mine or yours, is of little account.
-
Knowing that he was a steward, Paul knew of no charge that would stand against
him. Yes, he was not dynamic. Yes, he was probably a little soft spoken. Yes,
he was weak in appearance.
-
But none of these were criteria for the position of a steward! There was
nothing that accused him before men!
-
Even that assessment was not how Paul was judged. It was the Lord who was to
conclude the faithful execution of Paul's life.
-
This is a great concept: I'm not justified by what I know of myself! Paul did
not spend a lot of time in introspection. God always makes our sin clear to us
by His Word and Holy Spirit.
-
We all stand before one judge, who will reward us accordingly. This has to get
into our thick heads, as we are prone to hoist our evaluations on other people!
-
Please understand that this is not referring to sin, but to service! If you see
a brother or sister in sin, you are to call it out and refer to God's Word as the
standard of righteousness.
-
However, when it comes to how a person serves, that is an individual commitment
made between each believer and God!
-
Therefore, on the basis of that understanding, don't come to a conclusion about
God's servants before the time. What time? When the Lord comes!
-
When Jesus comes, everything will be clear, Jesus will shine HIs spotlight on
both the hidden issues of darkness and the counsels of the hearts.
-
The word "darkness" comes from the word "krypt." It's a
dark and secretive place. The other word, "counsels" refers to
purpose.
-
The NLT renders this verse like this: "For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our
private motives." At that point, God will praise that which has been
done well!
-
Paul was not waiting or working for men's approval. He was working for His
approval!
•
I Corinthians 4:6,7 : "Now these
things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for
your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that
none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. For who makes you differ from
another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed
receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" : Paul and Apollos served as a teaching metaphor for the
Corinthians.
-
They needed to pare back their expectations, to look at God's ministers in the
right light!
-
"What does God's Word say about this person's role? What are they supposed
to be doing?" Where do we find that? in God's Word!
-
When we begin to look beyond what is written, we are indulging our preferences,
not giving priority to God's precepts!
-
The result is to be puffed up, inflated with pride, over one other, hoisting
our own worldly concepts onto our fellow servants!
-
To evaluate people in such a way, to place them in a group that was approved,
was to betray a feeling that they had achieved the ability to discern such
things and to bestow favor on individuals.
-
Whatever they had though, they had received. Without Jesus, what do we have?
-
The NLT has it: " For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have
that God hasn't given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as
though it were not a gift?"
-
The Corinthians were acting as ones who had the maturity and authority to sit
over a matter, considering themselves to be experts, when they were in fact
novices at best!
III. The Right Treatment In A Wicked World (v.8-13)
•
I Corinthians 4:8-10 : "You are
already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us—and
indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you! For I think that God has displayed
us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a
spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but
you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished,
but we are dishonored!" : This section is ripe with
spiritual sarcasm! Corinthians, you are already full.
-
The word refers to the satisfied blessing that all believers will experience
when Jesus comes. "Look at you guys! You already have it all! You've
already been rewarded and are acting as Kings!"
-
If that were the case, then they, the Apostles, would be reigning along with
them!
-
Paul's words are filled with sarcasm on the one hand, but the truth followed
close behind.
-
If you are living as Kings, with the respect of the world, and a disrespect for
God's servants, then something is drastically wrong with your Christianity!
-
If nobody is ever offended by your beliefs, something is wrong. If the world
finds itself agreeing with your brand of theology, then you need to reconsider
your beliefs!
-
You want to see the way that we are treated? God has put us, the apostles on
display in the world. We are paraded before their eyes, a spectacle to all who
are watching.
-
There is a tremendous picture that Paul is painting here. When a King conquered
an area, he would put on a parade. Sitting from a high place, the parade passed
before him.
-
The final part of this parade was the display of the captives that had been
taken, who were being led into the theater and subsequently put to public
humiliation and death!
-
The Corinthians were acting like the wise ones, the Kings assessing their
victory, while the Apostles were being paraded before the throng, men who were
walking dead!
-
The Apostlers were the weak fools, but the Corinthians were strong and wise
people!
-
The Corinthians, for their choice of fine wisdom and elite speakers, were
esteemed, while the very ones who labored to plant them, were dishonoured.
-
Something is wrong with our Christianity when it bears little resemblance to
these men!
•
I Corinthians 4:11-13 : "To the
present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten,
and homeless. And
we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being
persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the
world, the offscouring of all things until now." : Even at that very moment as Paul was writing, they were hungry
and thirsty. They ate was needed, but there were no sumptuous feasts for the
Apostles.
-
They were poorly clothed. The AV has the word "naked," but the word
seems to indicate clothes that were not appropriate for a soldier to wear to
battle. It was light armor wear.
-
They were beaten, greeted with violence and were never certain of where they
would stay. As an Apostle, especially at this point in history, one never knew
what the reception would be!
-
Paul was often kicked out of towns, nursing his wounds, patching his clothes
and eating something small in order that all could have a bite to eat!
-
Everywhere they went, they were insulted and when they were, they blessed in
return. When they were persecuted for the faith, they stood tall and strong.
-
Being reviled means to be insulted to your face. Defamation is false public
slander. When the world defamed them, they still called people to Christ.
-
They were considered to be the trash of the world, the offscouring of all
things.
-
The word that Paul uses here is an interesting one. The word in it's
contemporary usage referred to the dirt that had been scaped from the floor,
like that which collects behind a fixed item.
-
However, the word also spoke of a person who was thought to be worthless and
the cause of a curse at sea, such as an outbreak of disease.
-
Such a person was thrown off of the boat so as to appease the gods of the sea.
You could see that either one might have been applicable!
-
The dirt on the floor was not only worthless, but regarded as something
disgusting and fit only for removal. Or, one so offensive that they needed to
remove him in order to bring relief!
-
Either way, this was the Apostle's emotional state with regard to how he was
treated. This is how godly men and women are treated, at least in some measure,
when they are following the Lord.
IV. The Right Examples To Follow (v.14-21)
•
I Corinthians 4:14-16 : "I do not
write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you might have ten
thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ
Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me." : Paul's motive was not to shame the Corinthians. He was telling
it like it was.
-
They were haughty, living in a world of their own fabrication, judging the
Apostles based on worldly standards, but Paul was living very humbly.
-
He looked at them as beloved children. Nothing had changed. He knew that their
carnality had led them to be very self-centered. He wrote all that he has to
warn or exhort them.
-
They had many teachers come through Corinth, many who had been tutors in the
things of Christ. Paul uses a word here that refers to a legal guardian,
charged with the care of a child.
-
There could have been thousands of those, but yet, there was only one Father
and Paul was that Father, as he had born them through the gospel.
-
Paul is letting them know that as their Father, there was an intrinsic call to
honor him by following his footsteps.
-
At the same time, he was able and ready to discipline them for their foolish
standards of judgment. Because he was their spiritual Father and founder, he
begged them to imitate him.
-
The word means to mimic, to make the same motions as Paul.
-
Live in the same way that I have shown you! Follow my lead! Do as I do! Today,
most leaders are content to say, "Do as I say!" A true leader says,
"Do what I do!"
•
I Corinthians 4:17 : "For this
reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the
Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every
church." : This was the very reason that Paul sent them Timothy. He wanted them to
have a first hand reminder of how they were to live.
-
Paul could trust Timothy with the task of representing him, because Timothy was
a faithful son in the Lord. What a statement!
-
Without saying that they were unfaithful, Paul says it by saying that he needed
to send a faithful son to them to remind them of his ways in Christ!
-
They had to see what a real believer was like. They needed to see a living
reminder.
-
What a wonderful compliment to Timothy, but a daunting responsibility as well.
Timothy was a young man, who Paul trusted to act in a way that represented his
gospel.
-
Would we be ones that could be trusted in the same way? For some, that is a
dreadful thought and yet, that is the standard for each of us!
-
The Corinthians should never have needed such an example. They should have been
the examples themselves! At this place and time, there was a sad need.
-
I pray that each of you would consider whether you would be a Corinthian in
that case or a Timothy! I pray that you would desire to be a Timothy!
• I Corinthians 4:18-21 : "Now
some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if
the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the
power. For the
kingdom of God is not in word but in power. What do you want? Shall I come to
you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?" : Some that were hearing this letter were bloated with pride, not
believing that Paul was going to come. But he was going to come!
-
Even here, Paul is submitted to the Lord! He probably wanted badly to jump in
and assert himself, to prove them wrong and show them what strong leadership
was all about!
-
But instead, he would come in short order if the Lord were to will it!
-
This phrase is very difficult to understand here. The ESV renders verse 19, "I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power."
-
They were puffed up about themselves and the way in which they spoke, but their
way may have only given the appearance of power, and not the power itself!
-
The power of the Kingdom that we seek, is not found in a powerful presentation,
it's found in a powerful Savior Jesus. That message brings the true power to
change individual's lives!
-
How did they want to see him come? With a rod of discipline or in an easy
spirit? Their actions would determine his attitude toward them.
Conclusion
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