The People of God (2)
What is the "Church" all about? • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewAs God’s people, we are characterized by humility
Notes
Transcript
Key word: Reminders
Pray
When I was in Bible College, every year we had a specific event that would get the whole school excited for weeks. We called it Physioo. Now, Physioo is a Greek term that means “puffed up.” Actually, it was just soccer. We’d divide the school into teams (usually by year or program), and then all compete to see who would emerge triumphant as that year’s winner. Our soccer tournament was named this because of the bragging rights the winning team received and carried for an entire year. And because we were a Bible school… well it made sense. :)
Bragging rights for soccer is one thing, but is Physioo - being “puffed up” - a good thing? This is what we are going to be looking at today. We are focusing on the final passage of this six week sermon series in 1 Corinthians 1-4. We’ve been studying this question “what is church?” It has been so good! Understanding how the church operates together, what our message is, and even who the pastor is I believe has opened many of us to God’s Holy Spirit. My prayer is that this series has helped you both draw closer to God, and be strengthened in your walk with Christ.
We are going to spend today understanding a part of our core identity: humility found in Jesus. And this I think has to do with all three aspects, because it characterizes who we are as God’s people, our message, and even the role of the servant-leader.
This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 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. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 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.
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. 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?
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! 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. 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. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.
There is so much we could touch on this chapter. But the main point of our discussion today is that:
As God’s people, we are characterized by humility
Humility is not easy to live in, but it is how the Spirit of God works best. Throughout this series, we have been asking this question of “What is church.” One of the big things we have seen in how Paul needed to address a lack of humility among the Corinthians. This was the cause of their problems. Today, we are looking at three reminder that lead us toward a life characterized by humility.
Remember: God is the Judge 1-5
Remember: God is the Judge 1-5
Have you ever felt like you live in a fish bowl? Or perhaps a different way to illustrate it, a glass house? Pastors often feel like this because it can feel like they are always being watched. As example -setters in the church community (not on their own) they can feel like judgement is forever being passed on them for one thing or another. It can be tiring. Maybe you’ve felt this way too. As if there’s always someone watching, someone waiting to see how you trip up and then shout it out for everyone to hear.
Paul was taking criticism and not-so-friendly fire from people in Corinth - other leaders and teachers - who in their arrogance had tried to undermine Paul’s teaching and promoting teaching contrary to Christ. Throughout both books to the Corinthians we find examples of Paul taking fire, and needing to defend his apostolic authority. Moreover, the Corinthians in their arrogance had started evaluating one teacher as better than another, and touting this teacher or that as the greater. Paul says in verses 1-5 that He is just a servant of Christ. We saw this last week: Paul, Apollos, Peter, they are all servants of the Master, Jesus Christ.
Here, Paul uses two words to describe his relationship with Christ. A servant, or someone even of a low-ranking service position, and steward. Someone entrusted with the household. Because of how close together Paul uses these words, I don’t want to make too big of a deal about it. However this does paint a picture for us of how Paul sees his role. He is Christ’s servant, accountable to Christ for how he has stewarded the mystery of grace that was entrusted to him.
This causes Paul to note that stewards must be faithful. Paul is assured and convinced that when Christ returns, everyone will give an account for how they have used the gifting and calling God has placed upon them. This is a common theme in Paul’s writing. In 2 Corinthians 5:10 we read:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Last week we examined this accountability and noted how Paul sees particularly teacher’s and leader’s work being tested by fire (although all of us are accountable to God for how we use his gifting to us). Either way, Paul is assured he will have to give an account when Jesus returns.
Christ is who Paul is accountable to! Paul says that to him it means very little to be judged by people, especially those who are arrogantly passing judgement on him in Corinth. Yet the fact that these people accused Paul of anything was enough to make him do his own self-reflection. In his self-examination, he finds nothing to be guilty of, but this is not his final standard. Christ - His master and judge is the one who will ultimately judge Paul. Paul knows this and bows to it. He recognizes God’s ability to see past outward appearance to the condition of one’s heart, and so Paul commits himself to God’s judgement ultimately.
Judgement is God’s! Often we are so quick to pass judgement on people. Maybe it’s a leader or teacher, a friend or colleague. But it is not in our job description to judge fellow servants of Christ. Christ - as the master of this house, makes the judgement calls. Fortunately for us, Christ is the completely perfect and righteous judge.
This requires us to walk in humility before God, submitted to what He wants, and quickly ready to admit when we have strayed. However, it also should give us humility toward our fellow brothers and sisters. While it is important to spur each other one to good works. And Yes, if we see explicably sinful behaviour we need to point that out lovingly, gently, and point them back to Christ. But we need to leave the judgement of a fellow Christian’s heart to God. Unless it is explicable sinful, we should not be passing judgement on another brother or sister. We need to leave judgement up to God. Have you committed your life to Jesus? Great! That means that you submit to God, and how He does things. We recognize that God gives everything, and everyone is accountable to God - not you - for how they use it and the motives of their heart. This is the first reminder of humble lives: We let God pass the judgements. Our second reminder walks right in hand with this and causes us to
Remember: Salvation is a Gift 6-7
Remember: Salvation is a Gift 6-7
Salvation, and everything that comes with it, is a gift from our Heavenly Father through the Lord Jesus Christ. We become adopted then into God’s family. The deposit, guaranteeing our inheritance in Heaven as adopted sons and daughters is the Holy Spirit. He works out the process of becoming more like Christ in our lives through His indwelling of us. All of this - Salvation, our future inheritance, spiritual gifts, is a gift from God. This means that we need to boast in God, and not in men. We’ve encountered this before, but here Paul again brings up how the Corinthians are boasting in mere men. This elevates mere humans to a status and place equal to God. This should not be done. Paul uses himself and Apollos as the example to demonstrate how the Corinthians ought to live, calling them to walk in step with Scripture, and boasting and praising our Heavenly Father.
Why does He bring up Scripture? Because the Bible clearly shows who the Saviour is. Read John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
How about Romans 5:8
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
It is God who does saving work, not mere men!
Had the Corinthians applied this truth, they would not have been living in the prideful way they were in boasting in mere humans, thereby going outside Scripture’s boundaries. The problem for the Corinthians was that they were trying to live outside of Scripture by boasting in their teachers for their salvation, thereby placing them on equal status with God. This boasting was a result of their own pride, because they were touting themselves as being able to make unwarranted distinction between God’s servants and workers. Who has the authority to do that? God, not them! This was causing major issues for this church.
This is where we see the first occurrence of this word physioo - to be puffed up. Their pride had caused divisions among them, Paul confronts the Corinthians, and asks them a very important question:
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?
We can read this and be momentarily confused? Especially in our culture today, we might read this and think “hey, I worked hard for everything I’ve got! I didn’t ask for anything, I earned it!” Congratulations. You can’t earn salvation. This is what Paul is saying: everything they have received from God is a gift! We should humbly thank God, and live everyday instep with His Word and will. Instead, they were arrogantly making distinctions between people. But as we already saw, God is the judge. The Corinthians were giving the praise for their salvation not to God, but to their favourite teacher! This was something that should NOT be done.
So, in response to the Corinthian’s arrogance Paul asks them what made them so superior to everyone else, that they could make these judgements. To boast in anything other than God is to tout human achievements. This has no place in the life of Christians who recognize that everything we have in Christ - salvation, the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts - all of it comes as a gift of God. Therefore, the Corinthians are not superior people, but rather sinners turned saints, because of God’s mercy and grace. This second reminder reminds us that salvation and everything that comes with it is a gift from God. Therefore, we praise God, not people for our salvation, and humbly testify to the world about the grace that permeates our lives. Finally, we see that the third reminder of being characterized by humility is that we:
Remember: Christ is the Example 8-13
Remember: Christ is the Example 8-13
Paul moves in verses 8-13 to show us how Christians ought to live. Here’s the thing: It’s not pretty. Yes, as Christians we look forward to ruling with Jesus forever. Yes, we look forward to being in heaven. Yes, we are sons and daughter of the king! But read John 16:33 with me:
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Some of the promises we wait for are not realized here. However, the Corinthians were acting like they had already arrived. Mimicking popular thought of the day, they are acting like they have already begun to reign. To be sure, when Jesus returns we will share in the inheritance of the eternal kingdom. But not yet! Here, as Paul illustrates throughout verses 9-13, we suffer! Look at what Paul describes himself and the other Apostles: He says they are like men sentenced to death. In this culture that could paint the picture of being slaughtered in the coliseum. They are weak, without honour, poor, without shelter, reviled, persecuted, slandered. This is what life is like for an apostle, and here’s the kicker: this is the lot of all Christians. But the Corinthians aren’t living like this. Paul sarcastically says that while they are weak, the Corinthians are strong. While they are poor, the Corinthians are rich But look at Phil 1:29 with me.
For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,
We need to realize that although we look forward to an eternity with Christ, in which we are God’s children and part of the kingdom - ruling and reigning with Christ, here we are foreigners. And unfortunately, the world is not fond of foreigners. On top of this, we have a message so contrary to the way the world does things that we are bound to run into difficulties, trials, and hardships as a result of our faith in Jesus. Paul says he and the other apostles are fools for Christ. Meanwhile, the Corinthians are “wise.” This harkens back to the wisdom of God vs. the wisdom of the world contrast we’ve encountered before. The message of Jesus Christ is foolishness to the world! So we should expect friction between us and the world. Christ was our example in this - crucified by Jews and Romans who could not understand. The God we serve chose to be humbled, to come and humbly die for our sins! Can we expect anything less than the lot of Christ? Should we expect a cushy life? The Corinthians started living like they have already made it - acting high and mighty. This is not humility, and it is certainly not true to the gospel accounts of Jesus’ life. This is why we need to remember Christ is the example. Was His life on earth easy? No, so why would ours be? When Jesus was here, did He show up as a powerful reigning king, or a humble servant? Christ washed his disciples feet! So we should not expect anything less than suffering on this earth as well. Christ is our example, and we need to be carefully to remain in humility. When persecuted, we endure. When reviled, we bless, when we are treated like the absolute scum of this world, we treat others with dignity and kindness. This is part of what it means to forgive, even as we have been forgiven. This is our testimony! The Corinthians missed this in their pride. But Paul is saying “Hey, follow our example, as we follow Christ.” That’s the model, insofar as they are following the model Christ laid down, so the Corinthians should imitate him. We must follow Christ’s example and walk in humility, even as He did.
Conclusion
Conclusion
We’ve looked at today how:
As God’s people, we are characterized by humility
We also looked at three reminders of this, how:
Remember: God is Judge
Remember: Salvation is a Gift
Remember: Christ is Our Example.
At the end of this series, where are we left today? We’ve looked at how we are empowered and united in Christ. How Christ is the power of the gospel. How the Holy Spirit does transforming work in people’s hearts. How the church is God’s accomplishment. And finally how we are characterized by humility. Where does this leave us?
The common theme here in these four chapters is the wisdom of the world - characterized by pride and human understanding, vs. God’s wisdom, characterized by Christ’s salvation work, which calls for humility and utterly confuses human understanding and can only ring true for us through the work of the Holy Spirit. So then my question becomes, how do these 4 chapters of Scripture challenge you?
If you do not know Jesus here today, I think you know the challenge. Is committing your life to Jesus an easy choice? No. It is worth it? Without question. God is our just judge, and He knows the hearts of every person here. If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, I implore you come humbly to Jesus. Only through Him can you be saved, and stand before God as righteous. If you try to do it on your own, that’s just pride talking, and it won’t work. Drop your pride, and let Jesus be your Lord. It’s a hard decision, but if you feel the Holy Spirit pushing you in this direction today, that means He is showing you the truth, and that truth can set you free.
If you know Jesus here today, you have a choice: You can leave here, thank me for the sermon, and go about your week unchanged. Or, you can choose to implement what Paul says here in your life. I can promise you the Holy Spirit is speaking to you about a way in which He wants to use His words here in 1 Corinthians.
Maybe you have a root of pride God needs to deal with. Ok, then it’s time you let Him deal with it. and spend some time in focused prayer.
Maybe you need to realize that you are empowered through God Spirit to testify! Go and testify!
Maybe God is impressing upon you the realization that you need to cut others slack. Let the Holy Spirit blow you away with the reality of grace!
Maybe you have been stirred to realize that you need to be more involved in your church family. Ask God to show you how He wants you to use your gifts.
We’re making space now for you to humbly come before our loving God, and understand what He is saying. I’d like to invite anyone who is in need of prayer, I’d be happy to pray with you. Let these next few minutes be a sacred space in which you and God have a conversation about how He loves you, and wants to work in your life. If you are struggling to hear Him, that’s ok. Ask God to show you what He’s saying in a way you will be able to understand. Be patient for His response, even if it doesn’t happen right here and now. My prayer is that, as we leave church today, we would leave changed - transformed even more into the image of Jesus Christ.