Making Sense of 1st Corinthians CH4
It’s perfectly understandable that everyone thinks they’ve got the Gospel all figured out. “I went to Sunday School. VBS. Watched Davey & Goliath Cartoons. I’ve had the Bible explained to me by a tomato and a cucumber. What else is there?” It’s like a kindergartener who has mastered the ability to count to ten—now they’re ready to apply advanced calculus and win an argument with God. Makes sense. I got ten fingers and ten toes, what more is there to understand? How complicated can the Gospel be? The answer’s always “Jesus,” right? What’s so hard to understand about the Son of Man who is also the Son of God—100% man and 100% God—who is one God in three persons but not three gods in one person. It’s all so simple. It’s like the new math. You just have to remember to carry the three and divide by one. Duh!
We’re all like Little Johnny starting his second day of school. “I just don’t see the point. I already know my ABCs and I can take a nap at home. What do I need school for?”
I had a conversation like this with Angel just before he started the third grade. He didn’t see the point in going back to school. He was like, “What are they going to teach me that I don’t already know?”
Third grade.
Here’s the thing. You can’t learn anything you think you already know. If you think you know everything, you can’t learn anything.
As we pick up St Paul’s letter to the Corinthians in chapter four, this is pretty much what he’s going to be dealing with. They thought they had the Gospel all figured out. Thought they had this Jesus thing down.
Chapter four, verse one:
This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 1 CO 4:1
Paul says he’s a servant of Jesus. A slave who’s trusted to run the house while the master is away. The mysteries of God, the way God has been planning on saving the world all along but was hidden to the Old Testament people until Jesus came here Himself. He’s talking about the Gospel.
Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 1 Co 4:2
Jesus had parables that dealt with this specifically in Luke 12 and Matthew 24.
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. 1 Co 4:3
Paul doesn’t really care what they think of his teaching, he’s not too worried about what he thinks of it himself, either. We’re talking about God’s Word here. Little Johnny doesn’t get to grade his own papers. And it doesn’t really matter what a kindergarten class thinks about an astrophysicist’s doctoral dissertation on applied mathematics. When it comes to preaching the Gospel and teaching the mysteries of God—God’s is the only opinion that matters.
For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 1 Co 4:4
Paul isn’t saying that he’s sinless. He tells us in other places that he considers himself the chief of sinners. He’s saying that as far as he knows, his teaching about Jesus has been spot on, but it’s not really up to him. It’s God who gets the final word.
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. 1 Co 4:5
To all those people in the church who were treating preaching like a competition. Giving out trophies for the funniest sermon, the one that made the little girls cry, the best storyteller. The preacher who punches you in the gut the hardest—Paul might be in the running for that one. He’s saying, “how about if we don’t worry about all that and let Jesus hand out the prizes when He comes back.”
Verse six: 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.
Remember, Paul’s been talking about how the church was so divided. Some identified themselves as followers of Paul, others followed Apollos, others followed Peter. They were proud of their little groups. Treating the leaders in the church like rival High School Sportsball teams. Just wait until Sunday, the Paulites are going to crush the Apollotans at being humble—we’re going to destroy you with the love of the LORD! Because whatever it was they were disagreeing on, they were sure they were on the right side of it. Kinda like how we treat people in other denominations or political parties on social media. But that’s okay because we’re right. Right?
So Paul had talked about how he had planted and Apollos had watered but it was God who actually made anything come of it. God is the one who gives life. Then he changed the metaphor from planting to building a Temple—he told them all of them together were the church, and the church is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. You, NewChurch, are also the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
Now he’s going to change the metaphor again. This time it’s the idea of children going to school. They need to be disciplined—which is what being a disciple means.
This still has to do with the way they were so full of themselves and pitting one teacher against the other. It still has to do with humility and unity.
Notice he says “to learn by not going beyond what is written.”
Throughout Paul’s letters, he says something like “it is written...,” and he always goes on to quote the Bible. To not go beyond what is written means to not go beyond what has been revealed to us in God’s Word.
Sometimes preachers and teachers get carried away and overexplain the mysteries of God. They get off the narrow path of what God has told us and start wandering around in speculations and make all kinds of attempts to clear up what God has deliberately left fuzzy. If you ever think a teacher or preacher at NewChurch is “going beyond what is written,” let me know. It’s very important that we stick to what God has revealed. Paul says this is to make sure that no one gets puffed up and proud about what they’re teaching.
Of course, you can’t do that if you’re not familiar with what God has revealed.
But sometimes when Christians first learn about certain doctrines of grace, some of the more complicated ideas—well, some people have recommended they’re locked in a cage for a few years until they calm down a little. Sometimes newbie theologians can do more harm than good when they walk around biting people with their clever new doctrinal fangs. I’m not recommending an actual cage—at least I don’t think I am. I’m talking about humility.
Verse 7:
For who sees anything different in you? 1 CO 4:7
Um. That’s putting it too nice. “What’s so special about you?” is what he’s actually saying. “What makes you think you’re so special?”
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?
Like the nine-year-old son of a martial arts master who puts on his dad’s black belt—thinking that’s going to make an impression on the school bully at recess. Not going to end well.
Don’t strut around like there’s something special about you. Like you have it all figured out.
I’m going to keep saying this until it starts to sink in: The life of a Christian is supposed to be a constant laying down your life for other people. Following Jesus is following Him to a cross.
Have you ever had to do a trust fall? This is my favorite. The idea is that you learn to trust people by closing your eyes and falling—preferably backward—while your friends catch you.
Living out the Gospel is a trust fall. Except we’re not trusting each other to catch us—Christians might catch you and they might let you fall on your butt just for a laugh. You never know. But to live out the Gospel, we’re supposed to trust fall anyway. Like Jesus did. We’re not trusting people, we’re trusting God. Life is a trust fall. We lay down our lives for others, trusting that God will catch us and make something beautiful out of it.
When we fight and argue and try to prove that we’re right. When we attack people who we think are wrong. When we feed the angry monster of cultural division and political escalation—that’s the opposite of laying down our lives. That’s not a trust fall, that’s trying to push other people down. It’s not the Gospel. The Corinthians were very proud of their opinions, too.
Verse 8, Paul’s about to put his sarcasm in hyperdrive:
Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! 1 CO 4:8
You’re so impressive. You, with all your super spiritual gifts. We’re really impressed over here, I’ll tell you what! You got it all together! Living like kings!
And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you!
They didn’t seem to understand that everyone who follows Jesus, goes to a cross before they follow Him to a throne. In this world, you’re going to have trouble. Your story doesn’t get a happy ending until Jesus comes back. Paul is going to use himself as an example of what it looks like to follow Jesus:
For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, (the first shall be last, remember?) like men sentenced to death, (Jesus was sentenced to death) because we (too) have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. (The New Testament often gives us this glimpse of the angels of heaven watching the plans of God play out in the world)
Now the sarcasm is going nuclear: We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. (You got Jesus all figured out, why don’t you teach me!) We are weak, but you are strong. (He doesn’t mean this as a compliment) You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. (By the world’s standards, at least in their own eyes.) To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands.
You get the sense that the Corinthians shopped at the Galleria and the Apostle Paul was like the homeless guy they tried to not make eye contact with. During Paul’s very glamorous ministry he was either writing letters from prison or working as a day laborer repairing tents. I think the Corinthians were having a hard time respecting an ex-con who worked with his hands.
But Paul says this is the way of Jesus: When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. (Jesus humbled Himself. Though He was God, He emptied Himself of all His divine rights while He was on earth. Paul is doing the same, he says the apostles who are carrying the message of Jesus to the world...) We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.
How low can you go? Geeze. Scum of the earth. Who wants to be a Christian? Raise your hand!
Verse 14:
I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 1 CO 4:14
He’s been kinda harsh. He’s going to tone it down for a moment and let them know he’s not trying to shame them. He loves them and like a father who loves his children, he’s trying to steer them in the right direction. A father who doesn’t discipline his kids has given up on them. He might as well throw them out in the street and admit he hates them. It’s the same with God, our heavenly Father is going to discipline us, correct us, tell us things that we don’t want to hear, do what it takes to get our attention so we’ll start acting like the people He called us to be.
Verse 15:
For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. 1 CO 4:15
The metaphor here might be lost on us. In their day, wealthy people would have servants. The word for “guide” here is “Paidagoge.” A servant whose job was to protect the children, make sure they went to school, tutor them, and teach them. So, in other words, you’re going to have a lot of teachers but you only have one father. The father’s job is to make the “paidagoges” do their job. Paul says he’s like their father in Christ.
For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 1 CO 4:15
When he says “Gospel,” he means the message of Jesus—life, death, resurrection—but not just information about Jesus. He means when the message of Jesus is proclaimed to a person and they actually believe. Paul preached the Gospel and they believed in Jesus and they were saved. Now it’s time they start acting like it.
Like if you rescue a puppy and bring it into your home, that puppy needs to learn how to be an inside dog or it might find itself on the street again. Or at least find itself living in a kennel most of the time.
Sorry, I changed the metaphor from a child to a dog. Okay, it’s like you were raised by wolves and then a human family adopts you and brings you into their home with their other children. You’re going to have to learn to stop howling at the moon and biting people to get what you want.
Verse 16:
I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 1 CO 4:16
Not many preachers would have the nerve to say that. “Look, cretins, just act like me! That’s all you need to know if you want to be like Jesus. Long grey beard is optional. For women.”
But he’s just going with the father metaphor. That’s how we learn as children, we imitate. Paul uses this opportunity to explain why he sent a young minister named Timothy, someone he considers to be his son in the faith.
That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. 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 of these arrogant people but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.
1CO 4:17
This is another way that Paul is like the Lord. For the Corinthians, he’s coming soon. Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, he’ll be there sooner than later. Better get ready! He’s gonna find out if those arrogant Corinthians can back up their big talk. They think they’re so wise and spiritual. The kingdom of God isn’t just a bunch of hot air and empty words—it’s power.
Last verse of chapter four:
What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness? [1 Corinthians 4:6–21]
So, it’s up to you. We can do this the hard way or the easy way. I can show up with the rod of discipline, or we can have a nice visit and worship God together. Maybe dig a little deeper into the mysteries of Christ and get beyond this milk and baby food diet you’re on.
We should probably hear that last line as the people of God who are waiting for Jesus to come back down here. What do we want? Do we want Him to come back with the rod of discipline? Or with love in a spirit of gentleness? Keep puffing yourself up and trying to be right about everything, see how that works out.
Next week we’ll dive into chapter five and get a taste of how messed up this church actually was. Prepare for freaky.
For now, let’s wrap up today by digging into the mysteries of the Gospel a little.
The Gospel always points to the cross. The way God saved the world. Through humility and laying down His life to rescue you. It’s not the Gospel until you realize it’s for you.
Jesus died so your pride, your arrogance, your delusion that you can be your own god on your own terms—He died so you could be forgiven of all that. He invites you to follow Him. And if you do, you’re going to follow Him to a cross. You’re going to have to lay down your life, too. Probably not on a literal cross, and certainly not for the salvation of anyone else or yourself. Jesus already did that for you. But you’re going to have to lay down your life by loving people. That’s what love means. To lay down your life. Humility. Stop trying to prove you’re right. Stop trying to prove you know everything. Stop taking sides and stirring up division. Stop biting people. It’s all so childish. These are the house rules, people. Love one another.
That’s what we’re supposed to spend every day doing until Jesus comes back down here.
And He is coming back. You want to know how I know?
Because He didn’t stay dead. This is the 5th Sunday in Easter. Jesus rose from the grave with the promise that you’re going to do the same. You’re going to die and then you’re going to come back from the dead. Resurrection. On the Last Day. When Christ returns in glory.
That’s the Gospel. And everything in our life is supposed to point to it. Jesus laid down His life for you, so you lay down your life for others. You’ll get it back. God promises. The Gospel is a trust fall. AMEN.