A Call To Courageous Christian Living

Subject: A Call to Courageous Christian Living

Text: I Corinthians 16:13-14, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity.”

Introduction: How do we stand up for Jesus in a generation that is not willing to stand for much? If we desire to “stand tall” for Jesus, we must stand firm in the liberty that His saving grace has provided. We must ever stand strong in His power, not in the wisdom of men. We must stand strong in the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, not allowing any additions or subtractions to the finished work of Christ. In this closing chapter of I Corinthians, When Paul says, "Quit ye like men," it is the same as telling us to be courageous. Commentator Albert Barnes says in his Notes that Paul means a man should not be "a coward, or timid, or alarmed at enemies, but is to be bold and brave." This applies to all Christians, no matter the age or gender. They must be on the lookout for any kind of false teaching. Paul also tells them to act like men, or to "be men of courage," and to be strong. He has made clear that their faith in Christ will face opposition from the culture around them. They must be resolved to remain in their faith with strength and courage. The late writer Maya Angelou was right when she said: “Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”

By the time Paul visited Corinth, it had become a thriving commercial center and was predominantly Roman in cultural orientation. Competition, patronage, consumerism, self-promotion and success shaped the attitude of the city. The attitude of the city affected the culture within the church. The problem in the Corinthian church was that some of its members were involved in sexual immorality, others consistently got drunk, and some were even justifying their sinful behavior as permissible under the gracious, loving, forgiving care of God for them and was permitted and celebrated by the culture.

Paul gives directions for courageous Christian living and encourages benevolence for the saints in Jerusalem. After years of instruction, his desire for the Corinthian Church was for them to excel in the Christian race. He promises to visit them, and even to winter with them. He then makes a series of tender personal references and so brings the great epistle to a close. First, he is concerned about the ministers who would follow him, especially Timothy. He encourages the church to receive him, help him and be a blessing to him. Then Paul encourages the church to “Stand up for Jesus.” Apostle Paul warns the Corinthian Church that Christian believers are always in danger of attack. Satan, the adversary, comes to kill, steal, and destroy. Satan has a way of attacking us on many accounts. He attacks us spiritually causing us to struggle in our relationship with God. He attacks us socially causing us to struggle in our relationships with each other. Satan attacks our finances, physical bodies and our minds in an effort to cause us to faint, to give up, to quit or to compromise. Paul knew that this church needed encouragement, especially while he was absent from them. The affects of the culture pushed many towards compromise. The Corinthian Church had been plagued by division and factions. Some claimed to follow Paul, some Apollos, others Cephas and Christ.

There were also irregularities in their worship and shameful practices during communion. There was confusion about the resurrection. Some of the Corinthian Christians were practicing open sin. In such an environment, Paul sends this wonderful exhortation for those who were faithful in Christ Jesus. The faithful Christians in the service of the Lord must not allow themselves to be shaken by the practices of those around them. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9). Paul understood that Christians sometimes become weary. They become weary because there is so much opposition; there is so much to be done; there are so many calls on their time and their money; and there is so little appreciation and gratitude shown them that they become disheartened. Paul exhorts them and us not to give up nor stand down, but to stand up and persevere. Listen to the scripture again:

“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity” (I Corinthians 16:13, 14).

If we are going to “Stand Up For Jesus”, Paul charges us to do several things: (1) be watchful, (2) be steadfast, (3) be strong and (4) be loving.