West Loop Church UBF

1 Corinthians 4:1-21
Key Verse: 4:1

“So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.”

Everyone dreams of becoming a leader. We desire to be a leader in something. That's because God made us to be leaders. Today let’s learn what it means to be a great leader in 3 ways:

1. Who he is (1-7).
2. How he lives (8-13).
3. What he does (14-21).

1st, who is a truly great leader? (1-7) Usually, people think that a leader is someone who is highly exalted, elevated, or elite. But what does Paul say? Look at verse 1. “So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.” Paul was not saying, "Hey, you better you listen to me. I am a servant of God" But what Paul was saying is that Christian leader is mainly a servant. Paul already said this earlier in 3:5. “What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe.” To Paul, a leader is not an elevated, exalted, or elite person, but a servant. Why is a true leader a servant? Well man always has a wrong, worldly view of leadership, even after becoming a Christian, like the Christians in Corinth, who elevated their leaders.

In the Old Testament, God’s chosen people Israel during the time of the prophet Samuel around 1000 B.C. longed for a king to lead them. 1 Sam. 8:6-7 says, that they wanted a king because they didn't want God as their leader and King, just like the people of the world. Similarly, the Corinthian Christians had a wrong view of leadership. So, they form a community, a group, or a club based on the leader they choose and preferred. Paul was not at all flattered that they chose and preferred him as their leader. Instead, he was very angry, and rebuked them in 1:12,13, saying, “One of you says, ‘I follow Paul’; another, ‘I follow Apollos’; another, ‘I follow Cephas’ (who is Peter); still another, ‘I follow Christ.’ Is Christ divided?”

Why do Christians in church follow a Christian leader, which then causes divisions? It’s because they fail to see the ultimate leader and the head of the church, which is Jesus Christ. (Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22). When people see Jesus as the head of the church, they praise God for everything. They praise God for Paul, they praise God for Apollos, they praise for Cephas. When people see Jesus as the head of the church, they praise God when Paul is preaching, living a sacrificial life, and when many are accepting Jesus. And they praise God when Apollos is preaching and only have a few disciples and a small congregation. But when people see a man as the head of the church, then trouble begins. When they think the leader of the church is good, they boast about him; if they are upset with him, they blame him for everything. They’ll elevate him, or eliminate him; marvel at him, or marginalize him! When they like him, they form a community and separate themselves from others and despise others. But when they’re upset with him, they leave and join a different group or church with a different leader. This is what happened in the church at Corinth; they are divided between their top leaders Paul, Apollos, or Cephas. That’s why Paul stressed that a Christian leader is a servant, not a highly exalted person whom they should side with, or boast about.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus taught his disciples about leadership by telling them the difference between worldly leadership with Christian leadership. In Mark 10:42-45 he said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." There are many sermons on Jesus saving us at the cost of his life have come from these verses, especially Mark 10:45. But Jesus said this to show that worldly leadership involves bossing over others, while Christian leadership serves others at the cost and sacrifice of the leader. Thus, our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated how to be a great leader when he gave his very life in order to love and serve us wretched sinners! Sadly, Christian leaders throughout history have led like worldly rulers who exercise their authority over others in church. Then it becomes unclear whether Christ or the leader is the head of the church, or whether the words of the Bible, or the leader’s words are the final authority.

Let's look at verse 1 again. So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.” Here Paul also describes the main task of the servant leader. It’s NOT mainly to lead the church. Rather, Paul said that the Christian leader is one who has been “entrusted with the secret things of God.” The English Standard Version says, “the mysteries of God.” What are “the mysteries of God” or “the secret things of God”? Why is called mysteries or secret?  What Paul is saying is that a Christian leader’s main work is not to play church politics, but to reveal “Christ and him crucified (2:2). From the time sin came to this world, God has been working using many of his servants to reveal his salvation plan. Everything that is written in the bible leads to Jesus. In all of history “Christ and him crucified” is the focal point and the most important key to all of God’s secrets and mysteries, which is to save us from eternal condemnation in hell. This can only happen through “preach(ing) the gospel” (1:17). This is only heard from “the message of the cross” (1:18). This is why Paul’s main point in all of his Bible teaching is to “preach Christ crucified” (1:23). Because a Christian leader has been entrusted with such a great task, he must be faithful to this trust with all his heart, all the days of his life. Read verse 2. “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” A truly great Christian leader is not distracted by the things of this world, but is faithful to what God had graciously entrusted to him. If you are a Christian, have you proved yourself faithful to the trust that God entrusted to you? Is the message of the cross your heart’s delight? Is Christ crucified most precious to you? Do you have “the mysteries of God” and “the secret things of God” in the center of your heart? Or is something else?

Read verse 3. “I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed I do not even judge myself.” Paul was not very popular. He didn't want to. He refused to do what others expected and wanted him to do, which was to use human wisdom (1:17), and eloquence, and rhetorical persuasion to “show off” in his preaching and Bible teaching (2:1,4). They were especially bothered and upset that Paul preached “Christ crucified” (1:23) again and again, because it seemed quite impractical and very foolish to them. Paul knew very well that people were judging him and criticizing him behind his back. So he said, “I care very little if I am judged by you…” Paul said this because he knew who he was, and whose He was. Thus, what others said about him never fazed him. We learn here that we should not allow other people’s judgments and criticisms to affect our self worth. If we do, it means that we value what people think of us more than what God thinks of us, and we need to repent. A Christian leader is a servant of God, not a servant of men(Galatians 1:10)

Read verses 4,5. “My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.” Paul said, “My conscience is clear.” There is surely no greater joy and delight in life than to have a clear conscience before God and man. Our conscience becomes dirty when we do dirty things in dirty places secretly in the darkness (4b). Then we lose our joy and our inner strength. America as a nation is losing her joy and strength, because our conscience as a nation is becoming more and more defiled. We call good “evil,” and we call evil “good.” Let's pray that God may have mercy on us for destroying our collective conscience as a nation! These verses also teach us that “it is (only) the Lord who judges.” But when we reject God as our Judge, we judge and condemn others.

Read verses 6,7. “Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, ‘Do not go beyond what is written.’ Then you will not take pride in one man over against another. 7For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” Paul said, “I have applied these things to myself.” Often when we read the Bible, we apply it to others. When someone read “love your neighbor” in the Bible he began to judge others as selfish, because they didn’t love their neighbor. He’s like a Pharisee who applies the Bible to others, not himself. When he reads the Bible he sees other’s sins, which others should repent of. So, he himself has nothing to repent of. His problem is that he went “beyond what is written” in the Bible (6). Similarly, the Corinthian Christians took pride in one Christian leader against another Christian leader, because through Bible study and God’s blessing they became very proud. They took “pride in one man” over another (6), and boasted about the leaders they liked (3:21), and criticized those they didn’t like. They didn’t see the holy God and their dirty sins. They didn't repent and “boast in the Lord” (1:31). Instead, they saw themselves and others in the church, and compared and competed and complained and criticized. They failed to SEE how much they have received from God (7). In this 1st part, we learn who a truly great leader is. He is not a boss, but a servant (1a). He does not play politics in church, but he is one who has been “entrusted with the secret things of God” (1b).

2nd, how does a truly great leader live? (8-13) Paul begins with stinging irony and sarcasm. He wasn’t a “nice guy,” which some people think Christians should be. In verse 8, he said, “Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings—and that without us! How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you!” Perhaps many Christians today believe in this. Many Christians think that when you become a Christian, you will live a problem-free life: no more family problem, no more health problem, no more financial problem. No suffering what so ever. That's prosperity gospel. What Paul is saying in verse 8 is not easy to understand. So I will attempt to explain what this means by learning 2 phrases in theology:

1. Futurist eschatology
2. Realized or inaugurated eschatology

“Eschatology” means “last things” or “final events.”

“Futurist” refers to the future (such as glorification),

"Realized” or “inaugurated” refers to the present (such as justification).

 Paul was rebuking the Christians in Corinth for their “over-realized eschatology”. In verse 8 the word "already" was repeated twice. Because they claimed they already have all they want, they already have the victory, but yet they had all kinds of obvious problems and moral failures in the church!

Yes, it is true that in Christ we have all we want. We are “kings” for we are heirs and co-heirs with Christ. But in another sense, the full realization of these blessings won’t happen until the future when Jesus comes again, then there will be no more pain, no crying or pain. Jesus said to the disciples, to the leaders, who would be preaching the gospel to the world, he said, "In this world you will have trouble"(John 16:33). While we are still on the earth in our physical aging bodies, we will experience what everyone will experience. But while on earth, God gives peace and he gives Jesus who will be with us to the end.

Romans 8:18 says that, the things that we experience on earth, is not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us in the final days. So what the Corinth Christians claim they already have, that's not it. that's something else. Because the glory that will be revealed in us is something way beyond us. Something that's beyond our imagination. It's out of this world. It's  glorious.

So we will have all we want, but not yet. We will be kings, but not yet.

In the book of Hebrews chapter 11, tells us of God's servants who chose to live differently. Moses chose to live as a slave than the prince of Egypt, because he knew that there is a great reward, something that is far greater than what Egypt can offer. Abraham chose to live in tents because he was looking forward to a place whose architect and builder is Almighty God.

The problem with the Christians in Corinth was that they were not living a Christian life. Where is the cross? Jesus says we are to take up our cross daily.

In contrast to their imbalance, Paul gives his own example of how his life as a Christian is. Look at verses 9 and 10. “For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. 10We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!” Using a common illustration that they easily understood, Paul says that he’s like the worst condemned criminal who is being publicly humiliated in the Roman coliseum for thousands of people to laugh at, and be entertained, as he is killed and eaten alive by lions. Then in verses 11-13, he tells us his Christian life in graphic detail. Let’s read verses 11-13. “11To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.”

In brief, Paul’s daily life bears all the marks of the sufferings of Christ, because he loves Jesus (10a). Surely, this is our failure as Christians who live in the comfort of the West, rather than in the poverty of the East. Some poor Christians have to struggle about whether or not they will eat daily. But some of us Christians we struggle about what we should wear to church. we want new clothes not because don't clothes but to keep up with the trend, a new car or a new computer because the one we have is old and no longer like them, or whether or not we should get a better and bigger tv than everyone else.  We learn that Paul’s life was filled with real hunger, thirst, poverty, mistreatment, being homeless, doing manual jobs, being cursed, persecuted, slandered, and regarded as the worst scum of the earth. And the only reason Paul chose to live this way was because of Jesus and the living hope in his heart. Let’s seriously pray and think about the details of our daily life as a Christian. What do we think about when we wake up in the morning or go to bed at night? What do we struggle about? Is it Jesus’ cross, or our wounded pride? Is it our desire for honor and recognition by others? Is it just to live a comfortable life on the earth? In the 1st part, we learn that a truly great leader is a servant. In this 2nd part, we learn that a truly great leader lives a life of endless suffering because he loves Jesus.

3rd, what does a truly great leader do? (14-21) Read verse 14. “I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children.” Paul wrote this to them because they said they were good Christians who already had everything, while their Christian life was more of a joke, with their factions, divisions, jealousy, grudges, gossips, etc. Read verses 15,16. “15Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me.” Since it was through Paul preaching Christ crucified that God revealed the gospel to them, Paul was like their spiritual father. When Paul said, “I urge you to imitate me,” he wasn’t proud or making himself the standard, but he was indicating to them that their belief and their behavior as Christians did not match.

Read verse 17. “For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.” The reason Paul is sending Timothy is not to teach them the Bible again but to “remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus.” Through Timothy, Paul wanted to show them how a Christian lives, not just what a Christian believes. Finally, in verses 18-21, Paul was specifically targeting some arrogant Christian leaders who apparently were a source of trouble in the church (18,19). They likely criticized Paul, and caused divisions amongst themselves. He offered them a challenge to see if they just talked big, or if their Christian lives had the power of the Holy Spirit (19,20). Paul was so humble that he even gave them a choice as to how they would like him to approach them. In verse 21 he asked them, “What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?” In brief, a truly great Christian leader not only lives a life of suffering for Jesus, but he also encourages others to live a consistent life following after the cross of Christ.

In this study, we learn 1) who a great leader is, 2) how a great leader lives, and 3) what a great leader does.

1. A leader is not a boss, but a humble servant; he is not a church politician but one who reveals the mysteries of God in the gospel of Christ crucified. Read verse 1.
2. A leader doesn’t live an easy life, but a life consistent with the cross and the suffering of Christ.
3. A leader always encourages others to live a life consistent with the cross and the suffering of Christ.