Sermon Brief
Date Written: April 25, 2014
Date Preached: April 27, 2014
Where Preached: OPBC (AM)
Sermon Details:
Series Title: A Series in 1 Corinthians
Sermon Title: Make a Choice! Embrace Who You Are!
Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 4:1-21 [NLT]
Essence of the Text: Paul wanted the Corinthian church to embrace who they were in Christ.
Essence of the Sermon: The message of Scripture calls for all believers to embrace who we are in Christ
Objective of the Sermon: We must make a choice and live as we are called. We must embrace our identity in Christ, embody a life that reflects our choices and understand that we must express our faith because the message we have is of the utmost eternal importance!
Introduction:
Today we go backwards a bit in our study of the letter Paul sent to the church in Corinth. We have learned how much Paul loved these people, and BECAUSE of his love for them he was upset over how the reports he had heard about their actions and what they were allowing to be taught…
Last week we looked at how Paul re-emphasized the critical foundation for the christian walk and it IS our foundation in Christ – His life, death, burial and resurrection… which Paul calls the message of the Cross!
The world of Paul’s day saw the message of the cross as foolishness, and when we begin to speak of Jesus dying for the sin of the world today, we find that the response is the same for us…
Most people we speak with feel in their heart that the message of the Cross is foolishness… and there are those who want to believe, want to cling to God, but cannot see the Cross as something positive or necessary and for them it is a stumbling block!
The church in Corinth was in that situation… there were teachers who had come in and had began to teach that the cross was NOT central, in fact it was not even necessary, but that they had a special spiritual knowledge they could pass on… a knowledge that would bring them closer to God!
We have learned that Paul had already told them that even tho the world may see the Gospel as foolishness…we must be willing to be ‘fools’ for God if that is what it takes… and I am sure that the teachers in Corinth were ridiculing Paul for his position… They may have even been openly calling Paul FOOLISH!
But here in this chapter, Paul wants the believers to know that he does not care what these teachers are saying… in fact he embraces the identity he has in Christ!
In v1-6 we find that through his own example Paul is calling these beleivers to EMBRACE who they ARE in Christ…don’t try to be someone you are NOT!
Embrace Who You Are In Christ – v1-5
1So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries. 2Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. 3As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. 4My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.
5So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.
In v1 Paul tells the believers in Corinth… “Hey don’t try to make into something we are NOT! Don’t try to ‘defend’ us to theses teachers! We are servants of Christ! We are doing the WORK of the Lord!
Paul wanted them to know that he made NO excuses for his stance, he openly confessed that they were SERVING God for HIS purposes… because this is what He had called them to do and he wanted to be faithful to the calling on his life!
Paul’s humility shows thru here… his focus was NOT on his authority as God’s emmisary here, but on his service to the God he professed as Savior!
Paul did not believe he should “Lord” his position over this church, as he understood God was the authority! His point here is, “…guys I am a servant, I have a calling from God… and I am going to be faithful to that calling!”
What was his calling? He describes it briefly here in v1 when he says, “…have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries...”
God had called Paul to share the message of the cross with the Gentile world (and the Jews as well, but his focus was on the Gentiles)
This ‘message of the Cross’ was a great mystery for ALL who heard it… here was a message of GOD who took the initative to become THE sacrifice for our redemption! God took the 1st step, God provided the sacrifice, God completed the act of redemption, God opened the door to salvation and eternity with Him!
Up to this point, the world had been focused on what humanity could do FOR God to gain God’s favor, but here was Paul preaching a message that God had done US a favor and had in fact done it ALL for us… this was a great mystery and God had called Paul and Apollos as His servants to explain and spread this message…
Paul understood his role in the kingdom and embraced it with a firm conviction that he was doing what God had called him to do…
People this is the attitude we must have as Christians today. We must EMBRACE who we are in Christ! Who are we? What is our calling? Scripture tells us that we are HIS witnesses and that we are called to “go therefore and make disciples…” Have you embraced WHO you are in Christ?
In v2 Paul uses the term manager… he says he has been placed in charge as a manager of God’s mysteries and that he MUST be faithful to that calling!
But I want us to understand what Paul was saying here. Paul was NOT saying that HE controlled the entryway to God! He was NOT the doorkeeper… he was NOT some spiritual security guard for God’s mysteries!
Paul saw his calling of more as a guide to show others the mystery of God and open their eyes to God’s message of the Cross!
He was NOT here to guard and protect the message of the Gospel BUT he had placed here by Jesus to guide others TO the saving Gospel of Christ!
“I am what I am!” Paul says… I am God’s servant leading others to the mystery of God’s grace and redemption!
He believed he was a guide and the good qualities of a good guide are that he had to have knowledge of what he spoke about… He had intimate knowledge of Christ!
He also had to be reliable… Paul had been faithful to EVERYTHING God had called him to do… he had been a reliable witness for Christ and so he was a good guide!
Doing the will of Jesus was Paul’s focus…not pleasing men! You know one of the most difficult obstacle and barriers a pastor has to overcome within a church is the idea that he must please everyone or be everyone’s friend!
Actually being a friend to everyone or pleasing others is NOT a qualification for a pastor! Paul emphasizes this in v3…
3As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. 4My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.
Basically what Paul was saying here was that he cared little to none about their opinion of him or about public opinion about him… he says, “…it matters VERY little…”
This meant their judgment or ridicule DID cross his mind, but did NOT allow it to cripple his ministry! He refused to allow it to change that actions and attitudes of his calling!
I have experienced a great deal of heartache as a pastor seeking to please people…seeking to achieve a good opinion about myself among the congregation, but this is NOT why I am here!
I want you ALL to know that like Paul, I love you dearly as brothers and sisters in Christ… BUT I am NOT here to be your friend OR for you to have a good opinion of me…this doesn’t mean I cannot be your friend, but what I want you to know is that being your friend or seeking your approval is NOT my focus…
I have been called here by God to be your pastor and to be a witness for Christ! I am called to see lives transformed from darkness into the light of Christ! I am here as HIS witness to teach what Christ taught…
Paul wanted them to know that he was God’s servant with a simple message of redemption and he was NOT going to apologize for his words, actions or attitude!
I want you to think about this for a moment. Is this arrogance on Paul’s part? Absolutely NOT! This is not arrogance… what Paul is revealing here is his PASSION for serving God!
I believe that this is how we ALL should be in our walk with Christ! We should be of the attitude that it does NOT matter what others think… it does NOT matter what opinions others may have or form about us!
Paul EMBRACED his calling with a passion. Paul understood the importance of being a good and faithful servant. So we need to understand what matters the MOST for us as belivers is being obedient to His calling on our lives!
What matters most is being His witness AND going into our world sharing the message of the Cross with the lost!
In v4 after Paul had stated it doesn’t matter how they judge him… he said that he was at peace with his focus… He says, “…my conscience is clear…” in other words he was doing what God had called him to do and NO ONE was qualified to judge his actions or words other than God Himself!
Then he calls the beleivers in Corinth to NOT make judgments about anyone… this was Paul’s way of focusing each beleiver on his OWN calling and to stop judging others on what they were doing! Look what he says in v5
5So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.
Our focus is to be on His calling on OUR life! To be faithful witnesses of His message to the lost! Not to sit around judging each other about what WE think…
Paul calls them to EMBRACE their identity in Christ! But in the next section Paul calls on them to EMBODY his example of service!
Embody My Example – v6-16 [summarize]
7 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?
Paul wanted the beleivers in Corinth to re-examine what they were doing. In v7-8 he reminds them to not be proud about what they know or what they have in the way of spiritual gifts… how can you brag on yourself for something God has given you?
The implication here is that somehow they had developed these spiritual giftings and had matured thru some action on their own and NOT from God’s guidance and leading! So Paul admonishes them to STOP bragging so much…
Instead of bragging Paul wants them to focus on what God wants from them. He says that those who serve God seem to be like an accident in the street everyone stops to look at and stare with horror or disdain. Look at v9 with me
9 Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor’s parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike.
Paul says that being a follower of Christ is like being a oddball in this world… you are OUT of place, you are a curiosity to be stared at and talked about!
What Paul is implying here is that they may gain some level of respect from the world BUT for the most part, beleivers are objects of ridicule and oppression…and that is how it is always going to be!
10Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, This goes back to what Paul said earlier in this letter about the message we carry… it is a message that the world believes is foolish…
11Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home. 12We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. 13We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment.
As a believer, you are promised NOTHING in this world, no earthly success, no earthly possessions, no comforts, only that you will be oppressed and opposed. You are promised His presence and that our needs would be met…
We will be ridiculed… we are to respond with blessings to those who ridicule us!
We will be lied about and rumors spread, but we are called to speak truth and lift them up with truth!
Paul says that we are basically promised to be treated like the garbage of the world AND that they should not expect anything better!
Paul paints a pretty grim picture of what it means to be a believer and follower of Christ, but in v14-16 he tries to encourage these beleivers a bit.
14I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. 15For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. 16So I urge you to imitate me.
He is assuring them that this stern letter is out of his love and care about them as fellow believers in Christ. He feels a fatherly sentiment toward these believers because it was HIM that led many of these believers to Christ! It was HE who had planted this church as he followed the calling of Christ!
He tells them that he is saying this because of his love for them… but to warn you as my beloved children. this was a love that was willing to chastise them when they were in the wrong!
He wanted them to focus on what was important and that was the message HE had brought to them, not this new message they were now hearing.
Basically what Paul is saying here is that it doesn’t matter how MANY teachers you have… you need to trust the one who loves you and I was there first… I was there at the beginning… I can be trusted! So trust that the message I brought IS truth and follow me… imitate me!
Many think that this was a bit arrogant of Paul to say… they think he was being spiritually pious about how ‘good’ he was and how ‘bad’ they were… but this was NOT the case! It had NOTHING to do with pride! It was about LOVE!
What Paul was saying was:
I am willing to be a FOOL for Christ…
I am willing to suffer for Christ…
I am willing to follow where Christ leads, regardless of the cost…
I am willing to BE obedient to Christ NO matter what others think or say, so IMITATE ME and you will be obedient to the Father!
Paul wanted them to EMBRACE who they were in Christ and Paul wanted them to see his sincerity in service to Christ and EMBODY his example, but finally we can see that Paul wanted to EXPRESS the importance of his message to them!
EXPRESS the importance of his message – v17-21 [summarize]
17 That’s why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go.
Paul wanted these believers to understand that this letter was NOT the final word but that he was going to follow up! He feared that they would simply hear his message and then continue down this path to sinful behavior…
So Paul was sending Timothy to shepherd them and to teach them! He had told them he wanted them to imitate him and he wanted someone there that KNEW what that meant!
He did not want others mis-interpreting his words and leading these beleivers in the wrong direction…so Paul was sending his MOST trusted friend and co-laborer in Christ to lead them!
Why would he send Timothy? Well in v18 he explains why…
18 Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again.
Paul believed that there were many among the believers there who thought they could override his authority as an apostle because he was NOT there with them…
Timothy was coming to them to represent Paul’s authority AND his message! Paul was NOT going to leave this to chance!
When we face situations like this we must be willing to get our hands dirty…we must be willing to step up and take the situation by the horns and make sure the right thing is taught… that the right things are shown as examples… that the right things are DONE!
Paul could not be there in person so he was doing the next best thing… sending one in whom he knew would EXPRESS truth and require these believers to live out the truth of Christ in their lives!
Paul fully intended to come and visit them and when he did he wanted them to know that he was going to deal face to face with these teachers and those who had led the body astray…
Basically what Paul is saying here is NOT… “Hey I am more spiritual that them…” What Paul is saying was, “Hey when I come, we are going to go face to face with these people and we will see if they have God’s power and favor…”
19But I will come—and soon—if the Lord lets me, and then I’ll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God’s power.
Paul had already told them he WAS God’s servant and he was unashamed in his obedience and the message he had brought… he was going to challenge these people and let God be the determining judge!
Paul was going to do this because these teachers had strayed from the truth of the message of the Cross and they had used human philosophy and human intellectual reasoning to make their argument…
It sounded good, but it was just words and Paul wanted the beleivers to understand that the Gospel was FAR MORE than mere words!
20For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.
Words were important to tell the message but the message itself was not powerful unless it had the power of God behind it… which Paul’s message of the Cross was backed by the resurrected Savior… the powerful redeemer who had died for our sins!
The philosophy these men had to offer was backed only by human tradition and words… it was EMPTY of divine power and Paul KNEW this… and he was going to reveal it to them!
Finally Paul EXPRESSES to them a choice… which do you choose? The message I brought to you AND the example I have laid out for you… OR the empty human philosophy these teachers were offering!
Brothers and sisters, we face the same thing today! The world offers us a philosopy of living as we please…seeking self gratification! YOU have a choice today… to live as Christ has called you to live OR to seek your own selfish pleasure!
To live as Christ has called you will look foolish to the world, but don’t be ashamed of serving your Savior! These believers were called to make a choice and WE are called to make a choice…
21 Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit?
He wanted them to make a choice because when he came he wanted to be prepared for whatever awaited him. He wanted them to know that he would be ready for either way…
Conclusion:
Central Truth for the believer:
YOU MUST CHOOSE TO LIVE AS CHRIST HAS CALLED YOU!
You must CHOOSE Embrace who you are in Christ… it WILL look foolish to the world around you! The message you have will not be readily rec’d and you will be ridiculed! But embrace your calling in Christ!
You must CHOOSE to Embody the example of Christ… Paul called on the believers to embody HIS example, but Paul was living a life that embodied the example of Christ! .
He had forsaken ALL and was willing to look foolish for God, to suffer for God, to endure hardship to spread the message of the Cross… are you willing to embody the example that Paul set forth?
Finally you must CHOOSE to accept and understand that the EXPRESSION of the message of the Cross is of UTMOST importance!
We cannot allow the philosophy of the world to impact the importance of what we do for Christ and the message we have to bring to the world! YOU MUST MAKE A CHOICE!
Do you choose to live as a fool for Christ? Or do you choose to live thru human philosophy so men will think better of you?
Are you willing to choose hardship in service to Christ OR are you going to seek to please yourself and fufill your own desires?
INVITATION…
