For the past two weeks, we’ve unpacked Paul’s frustrations with the Corinthians. They’re selfish. They’ve adopted a Jesus-plus-the-world attitude toward the Christian life. It’s played out in how they’re using church leaders to fight with each other.
Grab your Bible and open up to 1 Corinthians 4. We’re not going to do an extensive study of the chapter today. We’re just going to read it for now.
1So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries. 2Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. 3As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. 4My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. 5So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due. 6Dear brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself to illustrate what I’ve been saying. If you pay attention to what I have quoted from the Scriptures, you won’t be proud of one of your leaders at the expense of another. 7For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift? 8You think you already have everything you need. You think you are already rich. You have begun to reign in God’s kingdom without us! I wish you really were reigning already, for then we would be reigning with you. 9Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor’s parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike. 10Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed. 11Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home. 12We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. 13We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment. 14I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. 15For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. 16So I urge you to imitate me. 17That’s why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go. 18Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again. 19But I will come—and soon—if the Lord lets me, and then I’ll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God’s power. 20For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. 21Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit?
Could you feel Paul’s frustration in the passage?
Paul is fed up with how the Corinthians are living. They’re bragging about their favorite leaders. They’re acting like they’re wiser than everyone else. They’re causing division.
Chapter 4 wraps up Paul’s argument against the Corinthians’ behavior toward their leaders.
This week, we’re going to see how Paul’s words speak to some of the deepest issues in the Corinthian church and how those same issues also exist in us.
to truly live the life Jesus has called us to. It’s completely counter-cultural. It’s risky. It’s in tension with the life the world tells us to lead. Things like consumerism, celebrity, and self-centered power contradict the Jesus-and-others-centered way of living.
This chapter challenges us to be counter-cultural but to do so while remembering God’s love. Paul isn’t messing around—he’s calling out some serious issues in the church. We’re going to talk about each of them. But before we do, let’s begin by remembering the most important thing about us.
Any rebuke, correction, or discipline from God about the way we’re living comes from someone who deeply loves us.
That will never change.
Spend the next five minutes reminding yourself that God loves you by identifying a moment in your life when you knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that God loved you. Sit with God for a while and thank him for loving you.
Hold on to those memories as well as the gospel story this week.
And remember that you are loved.
When did God’s love become real and personal to you? What happened?
Text your response to the above prompting questions to your group and/or share it as a comment below
The day God’s love became real and personal to me was during my junior year of highschool. I was very stressed and very confused in life. I just had a lot going on personally and felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. I remember saw that I was stressed out and having a hard time so he prayed for me. During the prayer I told God everything I was going through all the things I felt stressed about. I remember after that prayer and after all the tears I felt like a weight was lifted off of me. The next day I woke up with a lot of peace and that was the first time I experienced his love.
I became a Christian in high school. And God’s love became most real and personal to me when I was in college. I was really growing in my faith during this season. I would go on “dates” with God and spend time reading and journaling. I remember truly feeling His presence when I went to the Urbana conference. Although my faith also was tested during this season of life, I felt as God was with me whenever I went. It was Him and me against the world. I felt His love, provision, and protection.
A time when God’s love became real and personal to me was when I struggled with my self esteem and identity in high school. I lacked confidence in my academic abilities, my own talents and skills as well as felt like I had a sense of belonging and did not fit in. However, God erased all of these doubts and insecurities by providing me with a loving and caring community at school and at church. Through these people, God revealed his unconditional love and care to me and assured that I was never alone like I thought I was. I am forever grateful to be blessed with amazing sisters in Christ and meaningful experiences through the boundless love and grace of our Father.