This week we continue our series called Chronos. A term which means time. We have decided to study the scriptures this year in the order they were published. It gives us a very unique insight into the early church and the struggles of a growing movement. This review of history is important because The Center’s leadership believes we are on the cuspid of a great awakening in America. An awakening that will challenge the status quo of the current Christian industrial complex. An institution more concerned with Attendance, Buildings and Cash than the Gospel, Grace and Growth of the kingdom.
This week we also continue in the book of the first Corinthians. It’s another book written by Paul around 25 years after Jesus' earthly ministry. Corinth is the original sin city. It was a transitional city and as such there was a lot of anonymity. As a Coastal town people were always coming and going. Some for vacation, most for business. The community was know for their worship of the goddess of sex. They had one of the largest temples devoted to her and the idea of fertility. You can see why when you called somebody a corinthian back then, you were saying they were living without morality. After his 1 ½ years planting the church, Paul left behind Apollos who was an amazing preacher/teacher and yet, we can see from this book the people still had questions. The immorality of the culture was so rampant that Paul had to address everything from why church potlucks should not turn into drunken frat parties and worship to the one true God like kids first birthday party at chuck e cheese restaurant.
Last Sunday, we dove head first into the book. Last week Paul encouraged us to remember God’s wants to be known and he is SENDING us to share our temples with others so they will come to know Him in a new way. Paul continues this letter by re-emphasizing this idea in Chapter four…
This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
It seems so appropriate that Paul speaks to the idea of what happens when we decide to really take our faith into the world and display it for our friends, family and co-workers. We will be judged by them. They may call you a “Holy roller” or a “Jesus Freak.” They will be quick to tell you they don’t agree with you. They will say things like, “I’m spiritual, not religious” or “I just don’t think a book put together by men could speak for God.” They will point out your failings to you and others in the unconscious hope you will stop so they don’t have to analyze their actions. They will criticize your priorities and even your intelligence. All of which keeps some people from living like Christ in the places they spend the most of their time. The way to overcome this is to remember Paul’s encouragement - “It is the Lord who judges me.” As a Christian, our only concern is how our words and deeds align with our Lord’s. PERIOD. His opinion of us is the only judgment we should be concerned with.
Paul continues…
6 Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.
Paul wants to be clear to this new church plant and its leaders. The arrogance of their actions fail the litmus test of imitating Christ. Pride has no place in the kingdom of God. It is so disgusting to Paul that he goes off one of the great sanctified sarcasm rants in all scripture. Paul is showing his frustration with the elders of this new church and putting an exclamation point on the teaching.
Take a listen…
7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! 9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. 10 We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! 11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.
The obvious mocking irony in Paul's comparison between his estimation of himself and the Corinthians' seems to some over the top. In fact, the NIV has made Paul’s mocking all the more obvious by inserting a ‘so’ in the text (which is not there in the Greek): 'We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ!' It will not be the last place Paul uses this technique.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines this use of irony, exaggeration or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices as either satire or “sarcasm.” Sarcasm is “a way of using words that are the opposite of what you mean in order to be unpleasant to somebody or to make fun of them.” Our English word “sarcasm” has its root in the Greek work sarkazein “to speak bitterly, sneer,” literally “to strip off the flesh.”
The Old Testament prophets Isaiah (44:15-17), Jermiah (10:3-5), Elijah (1 Kings 18) and others would use sarcasm.
Jesus used sarcasm (sermon on The Mount - Matt 7)
Paul used sarcasm in 1 Corinthians and in his letter to the Galatians.
But why? Why use sarcasm or satire? Sarcasm is identified as both a literary device (a technique used to help the author achieve their purpose) and a rhetorical device (the use of language that is intended to impact the audience). Paul uses it to express his anger so everyone would understand the seriousness of the matter.
He was upset that they believed they were mature enough to lead themselves in the faith. Maturity in faith requires more than a surface relationship with Jesus. It requires a deep commitment and an obedience that is refined over time. Paul is upset they think their knowledge of Jesus in their short time as believers gives them enough experience to not need his leadership.
Like a parent watching their child on a bike with training wheels struggling to go down the driveway screaming I can ride the bike, take the wheels off. Paul sees the pain ahead. He continues:
14 I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. 15 Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.
The lesson for us today comes in the truth that some of us believe we too know our God, His Son and the power of the Holy Spirit enough that we no longer need to study, gather and commune with other believers and our God. We might even be the two wheel riding young person who has ridden for years and wonders “what's the point?” After all, I know the stories, the principles and I even serve others when I have time to fit it in.
This arrogance leads to complacency which eventually leads to an ineffective witness for Christ. Just like it's not our name on the front of the church building, nor is our presence being sent to the place we inhabit most, God is calling all of us to be humble in Who’s we are.
The word “humility” derives from the Latin word “humus” meaning “earth.” Humility literally means being grounded. It means being so sure of yourself that you don't have to call undo attention to yourself. Many believe humility is a weakness or sign of insecurity but it is quite the opposite.
Being humble means knowing who you are and being obedient in your role in the world. A growing Christian life has no place for pride. A humble life is one of the best way to witness and acknowledge Jesus to the world we live in.
This week I challenge you to practice humility by practicing THE CENTER’s BELLS values.
Bless someone this week
Eat with someone this week
Listen to someone different than you this week
A key quality of humbleness is to value others and enable them to be heard. Spending time listening to others, and drawing out their feelings and values, enabling them to express themselves, is a very powerful way to start to understand this. It is important to remember that you are not trying to solve their problems, or answer them: just listen and respond to them as a fellow-human.
Learn something new about God and another
Serve someone
references: Warren Wiersbe Commentary 583-584
https://study.com/learn/lesson/sarcasm-literature-explanation-examples.html
https://www.fastcompany.com/90443798/how-to-sound-humble-but-not-weak-or-insecure
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