June 30, 2023 | Be On Mission
Fools for Christ
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4(NIV)
1 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
6 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, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. 7 For 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?
8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! 9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. 10 We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! 11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.
14 I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. 15 Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent 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.
18 Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?
Devotional
The name Apollos continues to come up in our study of the Corinthian Christians. Apollos was an Egyptian from Alexandria, one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire. As the gospel of Christ was spreading, he became “a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord.” (Acts 18:24-25a). Apollos arrived in Ephesus shortly after Paul departed the first time. There, he “taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately” (Acts 18:25b-26).
The following verses in Acts 18 say that Apollos wanted to go to the region of Achaia, where the city of Corinth was located. When he did so, “he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah” (Acts 18:27b-28). Apollos was building on the foundation laid by Paul. The problem is that some of the Corinthian Christians were saying “I follow Paul” while others were saying “I follow Apollos” (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4). Paul just wanted them to say, “I follow Jesus.”
Paul kept addressing this popularity contest between him and Apollos, saying to them, “Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other” (1 Corinthians 4:6). Compared to the grandness of Christ, the credentials of people like Paul and Apollos are highlighted: condemned to die, a spectacle, fools for Christ, weak, dishonored, hungry and thirsty, in rags, brutally treated, homeless, cursed, persecuted, slandered, the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world (see 1 Corinthians 4:9-13). The message is clear: Jesus is your only source of wisdom and hope.
Do you have your pastors on a pedestal? Do you have a tendency to exalt your church leaders or class teachers beyond what is due them? We are called to honor those in authority over us. We are challenged to listen to them. Paul even said to the Corinthian Christians, “Therefore I urge you to imitate me” (1 Corinthians 4:16). It is one thing to imitate our Christian leaders, it is another thing to exalt them. Only Christ is worthy of our worship.
Poem
Two Ways Of Learning
1 Corinthians 4:21
My Daddy once told me a wisdom deep, true
“There’s two ways of learning, two ways to train you.
The first, to hear wisdom and quickly obey
The other, experience, learned oft’ when you stray.”
I recall the blessed story about two loved sons
One said, “Dad, I’ll do it.” but left task undone
The other, “No way!”, but then later obeyed
Which one did the will of the Father that day?
Will we chose not to listen, experience pain
As we wander down pathways which promise false gain?
Or will the Spirit’s callings, all spoken in love
Keep us humbly obedien’t, spare us from God’s rod?
Let me ask, “Which is better? Which teacher you choose?
The one who reins in or the one who lets loose?
The rod and staff guiding along pilgrim way?
Or defiance’s task master, perils to pay?
My Daddy once told me a wisdom deep, true
“There’s two ways of learning, two ways to train you.
The first, to hear wisdom and quickly obey
The other, experience, learned oft’ when you stray.”
