Serving The Lord Jesus

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you serving the LORD?

Yes.

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers/unbelievers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that GOD, the LORD JESUS looks upon us differently from how the world looks at us. We will never receive honor from men but from GOD alone.

IV. TEXT:

1 Corinthians 4:10 (Amplified Bible)

We are [looked upon as] fools on account of Christ and for His sake, but you are [supposedly] so amazingly wise and prudent in Christ! We are weak, but you are [so very] strong! You are highly esteemed, but we are in disrepute and contempt!

V. THESIS:

Praise, worship, glorify, adore, bless, honor, acknowledge and thank You very much LORD JESUS for we are fools, weak, and despised for Your sake so that Your Presence will be wise, strong and honorable in us.

VI. TITLE:

Serving the LORD JESUS

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Apostle Paul

B. Date written: 56 A.D.

C. Place written: Ephesus

D. Purpose: To purify the church from divisions and immorality.

E. To whom written: Corinthian church

F. Main theme: Unified and pure living, in the midst of an impure world.

G. Keyword: love

VIII. MAIN BODY:

1 Corinthians 4:10 (Amplified Bible)

We are [looked upon as] fools on account of Christ and for His sake, but you are [supposedly] so amazingly wise and prudent in Christ! We are weak, but you are [so very] strong! You are highly esteemed, but we are in disrepute and contempt!

1 Corinthians 4:10 (King James Version)

We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

A. Our three qualities as servants of the LORD JESUS CHRIST

1. Fools for CHRIST's sake

2. Weak for CHRIST's sake

3. Despised for CHRIST's sake

Fools or "moros" in Greek language means "dull or stupid, shut up, heedless, blockhead, absurd"

Weak or "asthenes" in Greek language means "strengthless, feeble, impotent, sick, without strength"

Despised or "atimos" in Greek language means "unhonored or dishonored, without honor"

This is done by the LORD so we will be broken vessels and be useful in His hands. The LORD doesn't want anything standing in the way of His Glory so that all credentials, praises and worship are for Him alone.

Psalms 25:2 (Amplified Bible)

O my God, I trust, lean on, rely on, and am confident in You. Let me not be put to shame or [my hope in You] be disappointed; let not my enemies triumph over me.

ILLUSTRATION: Like Gideon, only 300 people were with him so that he can't credit it to his 300 soldiers that defeated the enemy, but only the LORD JESUS.

Judges 7:7 (Amplified Bible)

And the Lord said to Gideon, With the 300 men who lapped I will deliver you, and give the Midianites into your hand. Let all the others return every man to his home.

Judges 7:22 (Amplified Bible)

When [Gideon’s men] blew the 300 trumpets, the Lord set every [Midianite’s] sword against his comrade and against all the army, and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah by Tabbath.

1 Samuel 17:47 (Amplified Bible)

And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.

There are so many figurative battles in our lives, but we don't have to fight each one of them, let alone the LORD JESUS do it for us, because the battle is the LORD's not ours, that's why even our concern and care are casted to Him alone.

1 Peter 5:7 (Amplified Bible)

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.

1. Fools for CHRIST's sake

1 Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified Bible)

Let no person deceive himself. If anyone among you supposes that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool [let him discard his worldly discernment and recognize himself as dull, stupid, and foolish, without true learning and scholarship], that he may become [really] wise.

Hosea 9:7 (Amplified Bible)

The days of visitation and punishment have come; the days of recompense have come; Israel shall know it. The prophet is [considered] a crazed fool and the man who is inspired is [treated as if] mad or a fanatic, because of the abundance of your iniquity and because the enmity, hostility, and persecution are great.

1 Corinthians 1:28 (Amplified Bible)

And God also selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is lowborn and insignificant and branded and treated with contempt, even the things that are nothing, that He might depose and bring to nothing the things that are,