SPRINGCREEK FELLOWSHIP
Sunday, April 23, 2023
  • Who You Say I Am
  • Sing To The King
  • Christ Is Mine Forevermore
  • Alas And Did My Saviour Bleed (Hudson)
  • 1 Corinthians 4:1–21 CSB
    A person should think of us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of the mysteries of God. In this regard, it is required that managers be found faithful. It is of little importance to me that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I don’t even judge myself. For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified by this. It is the Lord who judges me. So don’t judge anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God. 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: “Nothing beyond what is written.” The purpose is that none of you will be arrogant, favoring one person over another. For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it? You are already full! You are already rich! You have begun to reign as kings without us—and I wish you did reign, so that we could also reign with you! For I think God has displayed us, the apostles, in last place, like men condemned to die: We have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to people. We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; we labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the scum of the earth, like everyone’s garbage. I’m not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children. For you may have countless instructors in Christ, but you don’t have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. This is why I have sent Timothy to you. He is my dearly loved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you about my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church. Now some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk, but the power of those who are arrogant. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
    ​
    Last week in chapter 3, we looked at the work of the ministry. This week we begin chapter 4, where Paul gives us a picture, not of the work of ministry, but of the man who ministers!
    1 Corinthians 4:6 CSB
    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: “Nothing beyond what is written.” The purpose is that none of you will be arrogant, favoring one person over another.
    (v.6b) – gives us the purpose: “…that none of you will be arrogant, favoring one person over another.”
    If the Corinthians have a completely wrong view of Paul, Apollos and Peter, what is the correct view of the minister of the Gospel?
    THE ONLY VIEW that is correct is God’s, and He wants us know and understand how He measures or evaluates the minister of the Gospel!
    Paul gives FOUR pictures of a minister; each one representing a characteristic of a true minister of Jesus Christ.

    I. A SERVANT – Is He SUBMISSIVE? – (4:1a)

    “…think of us in this way, as servants” – ‘lower-deck-galley slave’ – Someone who is responding to higher authority and doing his job.
    Does he pull his oar? Has he submitted his will to his master? Or, is he the one giving all the orders?
    Matthew 20:25–27 CSB
    Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave;

    II. A MANAGER – Is He FAITHFUL? – (4:1b-6)

    There are three judgments in the life of the manager:

    1. Man’s judgment – (v.3a)

    2. Self-judgment – (vv.3b-4a)

    3. God’s judgment – (v.4b)

    Paul gives a threefold rebuke to the Corinthians:

    1. You are judging God’s servants at the WRONG TIME! – (v.5)

    Romans 14:10 CSB
    But you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
    2 Corinthians 5:9–11 CSB
    Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your consciences.

    2. You are judging by the WRONG STANDARD! – (v.6b)

    “…so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying: ‘Nothing beyond what is written.’”

    3. You are judging with the WRONG MOTIVE! – (v.6c)

    John 5:19–23 CSB
    Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, the Son is not able to do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son likewise does these things. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing, and he will show him greater works than these so that you will be amazed. And just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom he wants. The Father, in fact, judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, so that all people may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
    God’s servants are stewards of His truth, and the key test is: Have they been faithful to OBEY and TEACH the Word of God?

    III. A SPECTACLE – Is He HUMBLE? – (4:7-13)

    (v.9) – “…We have become a spectacle to the world.”
    At the amphitheaters of Rome and other principle cities in the Empire, the poorest and weakest prisoners were led in to fight with one another, or wild animals. They were led into the arena chained together and were referred to as, “spectacles.”
    With a touch of sarcasm, Paul presents four contrasts to humble the Corinthian believers:

    1. Kings vs. Men Condemned to Die – (vv.7-9)

    NLT – “What makes you better than anyone else?”
    A seminary student once told Howard Hendricks, “Pray that I would be nothing.” To which Hendricks replied, “You don’t have to pray, take that by faith!”
    John 3:27–30 CSB
    John responded, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of him.’ He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine is complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

    2. Wise vs. Fools – (v.10a)

    3. Strong vs. Weak – (v.10b)

    2 Corinthians 12:9 CSB
    But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

    4. Distinguished vs. Dishonored – (vv.10c-13)

    (v.13b) - “…we have become as the sum of the world, the dregs of all things”
    Those words do not seem to match the practice of many in ministry today. It is a far cry from terms such as ‘Reverend’ or ‘Your Grace.’ Nor does it agree with the prosperity doctrine.
    1 Corinthians 1:29 CSB
    so that no one may boast in his presence.
    The minister is to model the humility of Christ, not the arrogant, authoritative positions seen in the world!
    Faithful in service and humble in mind: two important characteristics of the minister of Christ. He must be willing to WORK and willing to SUFFER.
    There is another characteristic that helps to balance the others in the fourth and final picture presented to us:

    IV. A SPIRITUAL FATHER – Is He TENDER? – (4:14-21)

    Paul reminded the church of the important ministries he had performed on their behalf:

    1. Paul had FOUNDED the family in Corinth – (vv.14-15)

    2. Paul was an EXAMPLE to the family – (vv.16-17) (11:1)

    3. Paul was faithful to DISCIPLINE the family – (vv.18-21)

    A faithful parent must discipline his children. It is not enough to teach them and be an example before them; he must also punish them when they rebel and refuse to obey (in fact, he’s about to take them to the woodshed over their refusal to deal with sexual immorality (5:1ff)).
    Hebrews 12:5–11 CSB
    And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly or lose heart when you are reproved by him, for the Lord disciplines the one he loves and punishes every son he receives. Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline—which all receive—then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had human fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but he does it for our benefit, so that we can share his holiness. No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
    Warren Wiersbe – “It is not an easy thing to be a minister of Jesus Christ. As a steward, you must be faithful to your Master no matter what men may say to you or do to you. You will be treated as refuse by the people of the world. You own spiritual children may break your heart and have to be disciplined.”

    CONCLUSION:

    Submissive. Faithful. Humble. Tender. These are the Biblical marks of a minister of Jesus Christ.
    Matthew 23:8–12 CSB
    “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven. You are not to be called instructors either, because you have one Instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
    (Matthew 25:23a) – “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
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