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The Church of Corinth was full of saints who were compromising with their sinful culture - a Beautiful Mess. This ancient text to this ancient culture will give us insight & correction on how we, individually and collectively - as God's Church, can grow in the purity and passion of Jesus.

Good fathers can’t sit back and allow the children they love to disobey without confronting what is false and correcting with truth. Today we are reminded of a wonderful, inescapable reality - God’s children will be disciplined by the Father.

A good earthly father teaches his children that they will be disciplined by our good Heavenly Father. 

As you’ll remember from last week, Paul refers to himself and Apollos as fellow farmers and master builders who work together by the power of God’s Spirit to grow and build God’s Church.

These men are servants of Jesus are serious about accomplishing what He has entrusted them to do - to take care the Landowner’s house until He comes back. God had entrusted them as managers (CSB)/stewards (NET, ESV) to be faithful to distribute God’s truth to the rest of God’s servants. These men have been given a trust and must prove faithful as their work WILL be judged by the Master upon His return. Paul & Apollos are a lot more concerned about what the Master thinks about how they are doing their job than what the other servants under their authority are saying.

Paul isn’t saying leaders aren’t accountable. In fact, he recognizes that he is MORE accountable than others. 

• James writes “Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.” (James 3:1 NIV)

Paul is NOT concerned about the judgment of the immature believers in Corinth, but he is ever mindful that it is the Lord who judges me. Even though he thinks his conscience is clear, he knows that Jesus will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. His true intentions are known to God.

• Our motives will be exposed as well. Maybe we are way too concerned about what people think rather than facing the Righteous Judge and Creator of all. 
• What if we started living like we were actually going to face our Creator who will uncover WHY do do WHAT we do?

The word “judgment” most often causes us to think of something negative, but this will be a time when each will receive their PRAISE from God. This same term meaning praise, commend, or approve, is sometimes mentioned in the New Testament in regards to 

• people praising other people (Rm 13:3, 2 Cor 8:18, 1 Pet 2:14) 
• people praising God (Mt 9:8, 15:31, Lk 1:64, 7:16, Eph 1:6, 12, 14; Phil 1:11, 1 Pet 1:7)
• Here it is God who will praise people, when the King says “Well done! I’m proud of you!” (Lk 19:17). That’s what Paul is looking forward to and that’s what WE can be looking forward to as well…IF…“we make it our goal to please Him”. (2 Cor 5:9).

Some say that the phrase, “Do not go beyond what is written” is referring to:

• The Old Testament Scriptures.
• Words that Paul has previously written to the Church in this letter or the previous letter (1 Cor 5:9). 
• Others offer in intriguing idea: Paul is referring to instructing children how to write, teaching them to imitate how their teachers write, not making the letters too big or too small. The church is to not go beyond what Paul and the other apostles had modeled for their students, to follow their example rather than doing their own thing.

Paul and Apollos don’t want the Corinthian Church to be puffed up, prideful followers who make it look like Paul and Apollos are competitors rather than brothers. But there were some puffed up people attempting to grab the reigns of this struggling church. 

While you can use and improve what you’ve got, most of what you’ve got is stuff you can’t boast about. 

What do you have that you did not receive? Not much.

Some of these Corinthians have been so puffed up, so arrogant, that they needed a spiritual spanking. But Paul doesn’t spank them and walk away, because a good father confronts what is false and corrects with the truth.

Paul uses imagery that people in the Roman Empire understood. The victorious army was welcomed home by crowds as the General and his troops marched at the front of the parade. The prisoners of war, chained and forced to march at the end of the victor’s parade, were mocked and spit on by the people.

Following Jesus means some will view us as the scum of the earth and garbage of the world. Following Jesus isn’t always easy not always comfortable. Following Jesus means we bless when cursed, we endure when persecuted, and we answer kindly when slandered, 

God’s approval is not always evidenced by prosperity, but by persecution. Jesus was treated unkindly and His followers can expect the same thing. In fact, this is exactly what Jesus said:

John 15:20 (NIV) Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

Many of these Corinthians weren’t facing persecution because they were living for COMFORT rather than for CHRIST, so Paul has do what what a good father does, and...

A good father confronts what is false and corrects with the truth.

In our day, Paul might have said, “You’ve had lots of baby sitters, but only one father.” Paul is their spiritual father who loves these people and longs to see them grow in Jesus. Paul is NOT a hypocritical parent of saying “Do as I say, not as I do.” He is spiritual father modeling how he expects his spiritual children to act. 

• WHO are YOU imitating and…WHO is imitating YOU? 

Timothy is faithful in the Lord, a living example walking among the Corinthian Church who would show them Paul’s way of life in Christ Jesus. Paul had modeled this lifestyle for Timothy. Timothy was modeling the lifestyle for others who would then follow his example and share with the next generation.

• Who has been faithful in the Lord to show you how to live for Jesus…and…who are YOU showing what it means to be faithful in the Lord?

Timothy’s life and lips would remind the Corinthians of Paul’s teaching & practices, the standards that every believer, everywhere, is to abide by.

God expects and empowers spiritual leaders to model godly living and hold others to the same standard. All of us whom the Father loves WILL be disciplined, because...

BIG TRUTH: A good father confronts what is false and corrects with the truth.

• How has rejecting or responding to God’s discipline impacted you?
• hope, purpose, & forgiveness?
• or doubt, discouragement, & shame?

Take some time to discuss these questions with your family, friends, or group.

1. What challenged or encouraged you most from today’s teaching? Explain your answer.
2. Read Proverbs 3:11-12. Although no one enjoys being confronted or corrected, why is God’s discipline a good thing in our lives? Why should a person be concerned if God does not discipline them?
3. Read 1 Cor 4:3-5. As you consider the day that Jesus will judge the motives of your heart, what concerns, questions, or encouraging thoughts come to your mind?
4. Read 1 Cor 4:6-7. Why should believers be humble instead of boastful? Take a moment and point out some of the gifts God has given to the other people involved in this discussion. 
5. Read 1 Cor 4:14-17. Who are your fathers or mothers in the faith, people who are “faithful in the Lord” - good examples to follow? What have you learned from their “way of life in Christ Jesus”? Why is it that so many Christians would say, “Don’t follow my example.”? What will happen if no one purposefully models what it means to love and follow Jesus?
6. How has rejecting or responding to God’s discipline impacted you - hope, purpose, & forgiveness or doubt, discouragement, & shame?
7. Share prayer needs and pray for one another. Continue to pray for our Supreme Court decision on Roe v Wade. Pray for Christians in Ukraine and Russia to carry the message of Jesus with them wherever they go.