FOLLOW THE SERVANT
I Corinthians 4:1-13
S: Leadership
Th: Live the Difference
Pr: WE SHOULD FOLLOW THE LEADERS GOD GIVES THE CHURCH.
?: Why?
KW: Characteristics
TS: We will find in our study of I Corinthians 4:1-13, two characteristics that demonstrate why we follow the leaders God gives.
The _____ characteristic is…
I. STEWARDSHIP (1-5)
II. SENSIBILITY (6-13)
Version: ESV
RMBC 22 February 04 AM
INTRODUCTION:
Have you ever wished you had a comeback that would stick?
ILL Notebook: Comeback (lawyer and police)
There was a defense attorney who was cross-examining a police officer during a felony trial and here is how the questioning went:
Q. Officer, did you see my client fleeing the scene?
A. No sir, but I subsequently observed a person matching the description of the offender running several blocks away.
Q. Officer, who provided this description?
A. The officer who responded to the scene.
Q. A fellow officer provided the description of this so-called offender. Do you trust your fellow officers?
A. Yes sir, with my life.
Q. With your life? Let me ask you this then officer. Do you have a locker room in the police station - a room where you change your clothes in preparation for you daily duties?
A. Yes sir, we do.
Q. And do you have a locker in that room?
A. Yes sir, I do.
Q. And do you have a lock on your locker?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Now why is it, officer, if you trust your fellow officers with your life, that you find it necessary to lock your locker in a room you share with those same officers?
A. You see sir, we share the building with a court complex, and sometimes lawyers have been known to walk through that room.
With that, the courtroom erupted in laughter, and a prompt recess was called.
Once in a while, it is that touch of sarcasm that effectively makes the point.
When other methods don’t work, it is often that bit of irony that most effectively communicates.
TRANSITION:
We will find in our text today that sarcasm is a tool that Paul uses to drive his point home.
He uses it because the Corinthians have failed to have the correct perspective when it came to themselves, the leaders of the church and even God.
They had failed to live the difference.
And how about you?
1. Are you living the difference the Spirit makes in you?
The Corinthians were failing miserably in this area.
Instead of living lives characterized by dependence, they were bragging about their self-sufficiency.
Instead of depending on the Holy Spirit, they were satisfying themselves with their own wisdom.
Instead of recognizing God’s work in their lives, they exalted their own superiority.
The Corinthians were filled with self-importance, and in so doing, their thinking was distorted when it came to the leadership of the church.
And what they prove is that…
2. We can lose perspective on the leader’s role in the church.
We have noted in our previous studies that the Corinthian church was dealing with factionalism.
There seemed to be many rivaling parties, vying for superiority within the church hierarchy.
As a result, disunity was prevalent.
The problem that the Corinthians were having is that they had a distorted view on how leaders ought to be viewed.
Because a desire to dominate and jealousy over the loss of influence can easily work themselves into any given situation, the way leaders ought to work can become a point of dissension instead of unity.
As a result…
3. We can either raise them too highly or attempt to bring them down to size.
And churches have been known to do this…
We can raise one leader to the point of unblemished sainthood, while we rake the next one over in such a way that we have made him the devil’s cousin.
Neither way, of course, is realistic or biblical.
And neither is it the thrust of Paul’s writing to this church.
Paul encourages us all to have a proper perspective when it comes to our leaders.
And he calls us on to not forget this essential when it comes to the subject of leadership…
4. WE SHOULD FOLLOW THE LEADERS GOD GIVES THE CHURCH.
During last week’s study, we understood that each of the leaders that had influence in Corinth…Paul, Apollos and Peter…came from God.
And Paul said, “All are yours.”
They all belonged to the church.
And it wasn’t matter of superiority.
It was a matter of teamwork.
Today, we are asking the question, “Why?”
Why should we follow the leaders of the church?
Why was Paul even making a case for himself in this regard?
Well…
5. We will find in our study of I Corinthians 4:1-13, two characteristics that demonstrate why we follow the leaders God gives.
OUR STUDY:
I. The first characteristic is STEWARDSHIP (1-5).
(1) This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. (2) Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. (3) But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. (4) I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. (5) Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
You have heard it said to follow the leader.
Today, I want you to know that…
1. We need to follow the servants.
Paul refers to his leadership position as one of a servant.
The term for servants in this passage is really “under rowers.”
Under rowers were the slaves who rowed the huge Roman galleys.
These were ones that were under orders, taking direction from the captain.
Because they were in the deepest level of the ship, they didn’t know where the ship was going.
Nevertheless, their task was rather simple – it was to work hard, work in harmony and obey the captain.
So in application, leaders in the church should be regarded as servant-leaders.
It is their task to propel the church forward under the authority of Jesus.
Jesus that gives the orders.
Servant-leaders work together, following the orders, in order for the body to grow in the faith.
Immediately, Paul switches to another metaphor…
2. We must remember that our leaders are stewards of the good news.
The position of steward was a trusted position, for the steward managed everything for his master.
It was a position of authority, making the needed crucial decisions, in the place of the master.
ILL Return of the King
For those of you who have read or seen Tolkien’s “The Return of the King,” you will recall that Gondor had a steward that was the leader of the country. Denethor was the steward, and in principle, he was to hold this top position until the king returned. When the king returned, he would be responsible to report and account for the kingdom.
Paul saw himself as a steward, as should all leaders in the church.
For we are stewards of the mysteries of God.
These mysteries are the provisions that the household of God needs.
They are the revelation of God.
And what has God revealed?
He has revealed His plan of salvation, and though it was long hidden to human minds (and thus the mystery), it is now revealed in Christ.
Leaders are accountable to God.
They are to manage God’s household by proclaiming and explaining the Word of God.
Along with that…
3. Our leaders are required to be faithful.
This means that stewards are not responsible to please the other members of the household.
They may not always do what others want.
That does not matter.
What does matter for the steward is that the Master is pleased.
That’s all that counts.
As a steward of the gospel, I recognize that I must be absolutely faithful to what God has revealed.
I may not know or understand God’s thoughts, but I do know His words.
So it is my duty to speak His words plainly, and not be anxious whether you like what you hear or not.
And it is my duty to speak God’s words, not my own views.
This is, by the way, why I spend the majority of our teaching times doing what is called expository preaching, that is, going through a book of the Bible in its stated order.
If I spent all my time doing topical studies, then I would be controlled only by what I considered relevant or what I particularly liked.
But the truth is, all Scripture is useful for us to know…every detail.
So, in case you think I am being self-serving by talking about the nature of leadership, it is rather, what has come next in the text.
Now, even if you think I am self-serving, Paul tells me not to worry about it.
For…
4. The leader is not to be anxious about human judgment.
The church in Corinth had been passing judgment on Paul.
They were really investigating him, bringing him before the jury, so to speak.
Of course, they were their own jury, and it seems that in their desire to prove themselves superior, many of them judged Paul to be an inferior and inadequate leader.
You know what is really true?
The truth is that we can’t please everyone.
ILL Notebook: Judgment (pleasing everyone)
The story is told of a man and his grandson traveling down the road, walking and leading a donkey. They met a man who said, “How foolish for you to be walking. One of you should be riding the donkey.” So the man put his grandson on the donkey.
The next traveler they met frowned and said, “How dreadful for a strong boy to be riding while an old man walks.” So the boy climbed off the donkey and the grandfather climbed on.
The next person they met said, “I can’t believe a grown man would ride and make a little boy walk.” So the man pulled the boy up and they rode the donkey together.
That is, until they met another man who said, “I never saw anything so cruel in all my life – two human beings riding on one poor defenseless donkey!”
Down the road a ways, the met a couple of men. After they passed, one of the men turned to the other and said, “Did you ever see two fools like that – carrying a donkey?”
The fact we can’t please everyone we meet is a hard lesson for any leader.
At the same time, the Corinthians had placed themselves in a dangerous position.
You see, though Paul was a servant, he was also a steward, and thus, they were under his leadership and management.
So Paul knew that he could not fret over human judgment.
Paul feels so strongly about this that he says he cannot even trust his own judgment about himself.
For he realizes that there is a fine line between a clear conscience and a self-righteous attitude.
When we examine ourselves (and we are to do this, by the way), we must do it soberly, and recognize that we easily underestimate or overestimate our faithfulness.
ILL Notebook: Faithfulness (Moffat)
In the early 1800s, an elderly pastor in Scotland was rebuked by one of his deacons one Sunday morning before the service. “Pastor,” said the man, “something must be wrong with your preaching and your work. There’s been only one person added to the church in a whole year, and he’s just a boy.”
The minister listened, his eyes moistening and his thin hand trembling. “I feel it all,” he replied, “but God knows I’ve tried to do my duty.”
On that day, the minister’s heart was heavy as he stood before his flock. As he finished the message, he felt a strong inclination to resign. After everyone else had left, that one boy came to him and asked, “Do you think if I worked hard for an education, I could become a preacher – perhaps a missionary?” Again tears welled up in the minister’s eyes. “Ah, this heals the ache I feel,” he said. “Robert, I see the divine hand now. May God bless you, my boy. Yes, I think you will become a preacher.”
Many years later, an aged missionary returned to London from Africa. His name was spoken with reverence. Nobles invited him to their homes. He had added many souls to the church of Jesus Christ. His name was Robert Moffat, the same Robert who had spoken to that pastor that Sunday morning in the old Scottish church.
This Scottish pastor’s personal evaluation underestimated his own faithfulness.
This is why human judgment, including personal judgment, must be understood for what it is…an incomplete picture.
So when you have “roast pastor” for lunch today, recognize that you might not have all the facts!
For…
5. Our lone concern is to be what God thinks.
Our focus is to be on the Lord Jesus Christ.
And this is Paul’s determination.
He is not worried about what the Corinthians think about his ministry.
They don’t have all the facts.
In the same way, we must recognize that it is only God that knows our hearts, our intentions and our motives, and thus, it is only His judgment that counts.
In His time, God will bring all things to light, and faithfulness to His Word will be judged.
II. The second characteristic is SENSIBILITY (6-13).
(6) I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. (7) For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? (8) Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! (9) For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. (10) We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. (11) To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, (12) and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; (13) when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.
One of the things I really appreciate about Paul is that he is so sensible.
Over and over again, he demonstrates to us that he sees the big picture.
And by this example, he shows us that…
1. A leader must operate with perspective.
Servant-leaders must have a proper understanding of who they are, what they are to accomplish, and how they are to do it.
This means that servant-leaders are to be faithful, not proud.
This means that servant-leaders are to be trustworthy, not arrogant.
And there is reason for this, because pride really kills perspective.
You see…
2. Our arrogance is the enemy of reality.
And when it comes to reality, the Corinthians had clearly lost sight of it.
They had put themselves at the center of the universe and made themselves the standard of what was to be Christian practice.
But such presumption made Paul choke.
For the practice of their faith failed when it came to unity.
They were measuring according to the wrong standard as their personal preferences and prejudices dominated against the written word and Paul’s teaching.
Clearly, they needed to be rid of their pride, for it was destroying the church.
ILL Notebook: Pride (Goins example)
Doug Goins, a pastor at Peninsula Bible Church in northern California tells the story of when he was working on staff at Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center. He was only twenty-two years old, and he went to Bill Gwinn, the executive director and asked Bill to pray for him. He asked Bill to pray that he would stay humble. Do you know how he responded? He chuckled, and then asked him, “What do you have to be proud about?”
What a reminder!
You see…
3. All that we have is a matter of grace.
All is of grace.
Nothing that we possess which is of eternal value is deserved.
And consider what we do have…
…salvation
…eternal life
…God’s Presence
…His Word
…spiritual gifts
…blessing after blessing
These things did not come from our own effort.
No, their source is God Himself.
Therefore, there is no room for boasting.
Yet, this is right where the Corinthians were going.
So Paul pulls out the comebacks.
He uses sarcasm just to make absolutely sure they don’t miss the point.
And it is here that Paul teaches us that…
4. We must not get ahead of ourselves.
Paul writes…
Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings!
By heaping on this feigned praise about how great and wonderful the Corinthians are, he attacks their own view of themselves.
Sarcastically, he declares that they have it all – just like the wealthy and royal.
But then Paul shares with them that somehow, they have gotten ahead of their leaders.
You see, a tension that we find in Scripture is called the “now and the not yet.”
This means that there are some things that are now are in our possession by virtue of God’s promise, but in real time we do not yet have them.
But apparently, for the Corinthians, there was no not yet for them.
By their own confession, they had arrived.
They already had all one could want.
It is here that Paul brings them back to reality.
No, they have not arrived.
No, they are not reigning.
Instead, their assignment was to follow those who were setting the example of service.
For here Paul shows us that…
5. A leader must understand the true nature of serving the Lord.
These last few verses demonstrate the utter humiliation that we must be ready to endure for the cause of Christ.
For the way of the Christian on this earth is not the way of wealth and royalty.
It is the way of the cross.
It is like master, like servant.
Paul describes it in so many ways through this section.
He describes the way of the Christian is like a spectacle.
We are like conquered prisoners, last in the victory parade, to be shown off and killed in the arena.
We are fools in the face of the wise and distinguished.
We are weaklings in the face of the strong and powerful.
We are the sweepings of the floor, beneath the dignity of the world.
The way of the kings is in our future, but not yet.
Now, is the sensible way of humble service.
It is following the example of Christ.
APPLICATION:
Well, there is no doubt that much of what we have said today applies to the various leaders of this church, including myself, having been appointed to perform the role of “head elder” of this church body.
Now, you might think this is convenient for me talk about this and that I have come with some agenda today, but I have tried earnestly not to do that.
I have tried to stick to the gist and direction of this passage and leave my own personal agenda out.
Nevertheless, though this next statement may sound self-serving, I do believe it still is a principle that we must live.
The principle is that…
1. We need to think righteously about our leaders both past and present.
To live the difference the Spirit makes in us means that we must have thinking that is holy.
This means that we need to think righteously about our leaders, that is, in a manner that glorifies the Lord.
So when you go home today and sit down to eat “roast pastor,” remember there is a good way to do it and a poor way.
There is a holy way, and an unrighteous way.
ILL Bill Hamlen: “Well Done Pastor Lewis”
I am sure that many of you have been going through the same experience I have this week.
We have been praying for our dear brother, our pastor emeritus, Stanley Lewis, as he had the triple bypass surgery on Thursday.
And yesterday, I was listening to one of Bill Hamlen’s cds and up came this song called “Well Done Pastor Lewis.”
You may remember Bill wrote it as we celebrated Pastor Lewis’ 50th anniversary of starting his ministry at Randall.
Here are some of the words…
Well done Pastor Lewis, Well done,
you’ve shown how the race should be run
You’ve set the example, don’t turn left or right,
keep pressing on, fight the good fight
Well done Pastor Lewis, well done
Well done Pastor Lewis, well done,
why you even know how to have fun
you’ve walked that fine line between happy and sad,
not being too good, not being too bad
Well done Pastor Lewis, well done
Well done Pastor Lewis, well done,
I do believe your flock is still one
though you may fear they are scattered around,
they seem to appear when you come back to town.
Well done Pastor Lewis, well done
Well done Pastor Lewis, well done.
But I’m sure that your work’s just begun
We know that the Lord is preparing his own,
and this life is just the first stepping stone
Well done Pastor Lewis, well done
© 2002 Wm. Hamlen
Now I know for a fact that Stanley Lewis was not the perfect pastor.
In fact, during his tenure here, some told him so, and because it was not always done in a loving way, his heart was grieved.
But as we look back, we do know this.
As the “head elder” of this church, he was faithful.
So let us understand that…
2. We need to submit to leaders that demonstrate faithfulness and humility, letting them fulfill their God-given role in the body.
You see, leadership is…
…not about popularity
…not about charisma
…not about a sense of humor
…not about numbers
…not about being innovative
It is not about a lot of things that we place value on.
It is about faithfulness.
Leadership is…
…not about confidence
…not about talent and skill
…not about success
…not about winning
It is not about how many followers they have.
It is about humbly serving the Lord.
So, when a leader has those qualities, they are truly a servant-leader.
And their example is worth following and respecting as they follow Christ.
They are doing what God has called them to do.
And they are the kind that will hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
BENEDICTION: [Counselors are ]
Now may your love abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best; and may you be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Amen.
RESOURCES:
Blomberg, Craig, The NIV Application Commentary
Fee, Gordon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament
MacArthur, John, I Corinthians
Wiersbe, Warren, The Bible Exposition Commentary
Sermoncentral.com
Have I Been Faithful? Emil Boniog
Three Courts of Judgment, Alan Smith
Stewards, Dennis Lawrence
A Crisis in Ministry, Doug Goins
A True Minister, Ray C. Stedman
