Paul the apprentice (Acts 11:25-26)

So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

Acts 11:25-26

A plumber from Peterborough - who was expelled from school at age 15 - is this year’s winner of the Apprentice. In his final interview, Joseph Valente was asked why he should be Lord Sugar’s business partner. He replied, “What you see, is what you get. I’ve got experience... I’m driven, passionate, hardworking.” Those of you who watched the finale will know that Joseph was shrewdly quoting the title of Lord Sugar’s book (entitled, “What you see is what you get”), identifying himself with the business magnate’s humble beginnings. (Lord Sugar, too, left school as a teenager.)

Still, it did remind me of how even the Apostle Paul began his ministry as a humble apprentice. Yes, Paul did have a miraculous call and conversion on the road to Damascus - struck blind, meeting the risen Lord Jesus, preaching powerfully in the synagogues in Acts Chapter 9. But then he disappears off to Tarsus, his hometown, never to be seen again until Chapter 11 when an enterprising pastor named Barnabas took the initiative of seeking Paul out (verse 25) and bringing him back to lead a new church plant in Antioch.

Barnabas was the guy the apostles knew and trusted. In verse 22, Barnabas is the official representative sent from Jerusalem to check things out in Antioch. (The last time they did something like that was back in Chapter 8 where two of the apostles, Peter and John were sent from Jerusalem to assess the situation in Samaria). And in verse 24, Luke goes out of his way to describe Barnabas as “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.” On the other hand, no one knew Paul. But for some reason - we don’t know why - Barnabas decided he needed to bring in the new guy. Maybe it was part of his encouraging nature (Acts 4:36 tells us his name Barnabas means “Son of Encouragement”). Maybe he was humble enough to ask for help. But whatever it was, Barnabas took a chance and travelled all the way to Tarsus to brought Paul back as his partner and apprentice.

Again, most of us assume (or at least I did for the longest time) that a powerful figure like Paul was always in the forefront of ministry, leading the team and setting the pace. Didn’t Jesus say of Paul that “he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and children of Israel”? (Acts 9:15) Wasn’t his preaching so persuasive that he “confounded the Jews” (Acts 9:22)? And yet, at the end of that same chapter, we meet none other than Barnabas introducing Paul to the leaders in Jerusalem HQ. Why? Verse 26 tells us, “And they were afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.” You see, it was Barnabas who stuck his neck out for Paul before the brothers and said, “Listen to what this guy has to say.”

Barnabas is doing the same thing here in Chapter 11. I once heard Mark Dever say, “We should advance trust the same way we advance credit.” He was talking about what it meant for older ministers to entrust responsibility to younger leaders. It’s an investment. There will always be an element of risk. But we advance trust the same way we advance credit - not expecting an immediate return on our investment.

In the case of Barnabas, that investment began all the way back in Chapter 9. When everyone was afraid of Paul, when no one would dare to speak to Paul, Barnabas was the one guy who stood up for Paul. He does the same thing here in Chapter 11. If you were hiring a new pastor, you want a guy like Barnabas. He’s the right age. Everyone loves him. (With a nickname like “Son of Encouragement”, who wouldn’t?) He is “full of the Holy Spirit and faith” (11:24). And yet, the first thing Barnabas does is in his role as the senior pastor is appoint a guy - whom either the church in Antioch had never heard about (or if they did, they would have heard really, really bad things: “That guy used to persecuted Christians!”) - to be their associate minister.

Of course, when we read in verse 26, “For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people,” we immediately see the investment paying off. Paul was, after all, a gifted scholar, preacher, theologian and apologist. We might be tempted to think, therefore, that Paul was in his element. He would immediately be recognised for his gifts and come into his own. Today, someone like Paul would go off and start his own church and develop his experience elsewhere.

But that isn’t the case with Barnabas and Paul. Read on the following chapters - 12, 13, 14 and 15 - where Luke, the author, keeps referring to them as “Barnabas and Paul.” That is, Barnabas is always named first in the partnership. In Chapter 13, for instance, Barnabas is first in the leadership roster at Antioch (and Paul is referred to at the very end of the list - number 5, in fact). Even the Holy Spirit says, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 11:2) In a rather odd situation recorded in Chapter 14, the people of Lystra mistake Paul as the Greek god Hermes after he miraculously heals a crippled man. Even so, they call Barnabas Zeus, the chief of the gods, and the priest of Zeus comes out to offer sacrifices to them (Acts 14:11, 12).

The point is, Barnabas was still the first of equals. And Paul was still the apprentice. It could be that Barnabas was just more well-known and possibly, much older than Paul, and hence, more respected. Furthermore, these same chapters record the sermons that Paul gave, not Barnabas. Paul was clearly the one used by God to preach the message of Jesus to the Gentile world. Undoubtedly, Paul was the gifted one. Having said all that, Paul was the apprentice and Barnabas was his mentor, at least for this season of ministry.

There are so many points of application from these verses. Barnabas’ humility in bringing in Paul to help him out and Paul’s humility in serving under Barnabas’ leadership. Barnabas’ wisdom in investing so early in a young preacher right at the beginning of his ministry and Paul’s wisdom in taking those initial years out to prepare for ministry in Tarsus.

But the one thing I take away from this is their relationship. Barnabas stuck his neck out for Paul way back in Damascus and he never stopped looking out for him. He was more than a nice guy, a spiritual guy or an encouraging guy. Barnabas was intentionally gracious and loving and encouraging towards Paul. It was an intentional relationship. An intentional investment in one person. And we see the same pattern in Paul’s ministry approach in his later years when he takes Timothy under his wing. This is a much more laborious way of raising leaders compared to, say, running a course and awarding a qualification. It takes much longer. And it is painful. But unlike Lord Sugar, our investment is not money that we deposit into someone’s bank account, but our time, our lives and the gospel which we pour into someone else who is willing to do the same.

Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Philippians 2:17-18

Renewal (Exodus 34)

Written in stone

The LORD said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain.”

So Moses chiselled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the LORD had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands.

Exodus 34:1-4

Moses, the prophet of God, the friend of God, who speaks face to face to God, is reduced to the photocopy boy of God. “Chisel out two stone tablets,” God says to Moses, “like the first ones,” in verse 1, and again in verse 4.

I can almost imagine this as the opening scene of a Xerox advertisement. Moses turns around and says to God, “Would you like that double-sided in A4 colour?”

But verse 1 tells us that Moses isn’t making additional copies of the Ten Commandments, but replacements. “Write on them the words that were on the first tablets,” God says, “which you broke”. The originals have been destroyed. New papers have to be drawn up. And these have to be exact copies of the first ones.

The tablets are a contract God that has drawn up with his people: a covenant, as verse 10 calls it. In it God’s promises that (1) He will give the nation of Israel a land to make their home in and call their own, (2) He will bless them as his people, and (3) He will be their God. There are two copies because there are two parties involved in this contract - God and Israel.

But Israel had broken its side of the agreement. By making a idol of God in the shape of a golden calf and bowing down to worship this idol, the people of God had broken the first two commandments: There were to have no other gods; They were forbidden from worshipping idols - The two big ones. In a fit of rage, Moses had smashed the first tablets containing the Ten Commandments. The agreement was off. The covenant had been broken.

But Chapter 34 is about renewal. The renewal of God’s promises. The renewal of God’s love.

The glory of God’s name

Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

Exodus 34:5-7

In Chapter 33, Moses asks God for proof that God has forgiven Israel of its sin of idolatry. It was a bold thing to do. “Now show me your glory,” Moses said to God. Moses was asking for proof of God’s power. Proof of God’s promise.

But God says he will show Moses proof of his goodness.

And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence.”

Exodus 33:19

Here in Chapter 34 we see the fulfilment of that promise. As Moses stands before God on his holy mountain, holding the two tablets of the Testimony, God comes in a cloud and stands there with Moses, proclaiming his name.

Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

Exodus 34:5-7

The LORD is God’s personal, holy and divine name. It is written in capitals (“The LORD”) as opposed to verse 9, where Moses says, “O Lord”. The early bible scholars who copied out the Old Testament scriptures by hand considered God’s name so holy that in order to avoid misusing God’s name, they would say, “Lord” (‘Adonay, which means “My master”, or even, “Mr Boss!”) out loud when reading the bible, instead of God’s personal name (YHWH in Hebrew). Often in the bible, to call on God’s name is ask for God’s help in times of serious trouble. The LORD is God’s salvation name.

God is compassionate and gracious - two characteristics which are similar at first glance, but emphasise two distinct truths about God’s generosity. God is compassionate in responding to those in need and trouble. He is the God of the fatherless, the widow and the poor. Grace, on the other hand, is shown to those who do not deserve God’s love.

God is slow to anger. It means he is patient with us. He does not treat us as our sins deserve. One translation has the description “longsuffering”. God waits for us to turn from our sin.

God’s love and faithfulness is abounding. It overflows. The pair of words can also be translated “grace” and “truth” (chesed w’emeth) - the same pair of words we find ascribed to Jesus in the opening verses of John’s gospel which describe the Word which came from the Father “full of grace and truth”. Together they mean that God is always, always loving; always, He is always, always true to his word.

God maintains love to thousands, forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. It is saying that any sin, and every sin - whether wickedness (the evil in our hearts), rebellion (crossing the line with God; turning against God) and sin (which at the heart of it is making ourselves to be God) - any sin and every sin is in view of God’s forgiveness. At the heart of God’s forgiveness is his love (some translations have “mercy”). At Rock Fellowship, we talked about whether it was easier or harder to forgive someone we truly love. Some of us said that if we loved someone we should at least be inclined to forgive him or her. But we also recognised how painful and difficult it would be to forgive someone especially when the sin they committed is personal, hateful and deeply hurtful. That is the situation with God. He loves us enough to forgive our sin. He loves us enough to be deeply hurt by our sin. Forgiveness is costly for a loving God.

Finally, God will not leave the guilty unpunished. “He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.” God is holy and just. His holiness means he cannot tolerate sin. His justice means he must punish sin and wrongdoing.

So God is personal, compassionate, gracious, loving, patient, faithful, merciful and just. That is God’s name. That is God’s character revealed in his name.

But there is one more important attribute of God we see in the following verses. God is a jealous God.

Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. “O Lord, if I have found favour in your eyes,” he said, “then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.”

Then the LORD said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the LORD, will do for you. Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you. Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles.  Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Exodus 34:8-14

The heart of the issue is worship. Israel must be careful not to worship any other god but the God of the covenant; the God who saved them from slavery; the God who spoke to them his words from his holy mountain. This is exclusive worship. Israel would be tempted to worship God alongside the gods of the nations. Israel would be tempted to worship God following the ways of the nations. But God says: Exclusive worship means worshipping God and God alone.

Exclusive worship also means God’s way of worship. And his way alone.

Holy Days

“Do not make cast idols.

“Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in that month you came out of Egypt. “The first offspring of every womb belongs to me, including all the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock. Redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem all your firstborn sons. “No one is to appear before me empty-handed. “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the ploughing season and harvest you must rest.

“Celebrate the Feast of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year. Three times a year all your men are to appear before the Sovereign LORD, the God of Israel. I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your territory, and no one will covet your land when you go up three times each year to appear before the LORD your God.

“Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast, and do not let any of the sacrifice from the Passover Feast remain until morning. “Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God. “Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.”
Exodus 34:17-26

This bit should look familiar. Every single point, every law and command, every feast and festival has been covered before, somewhere between Exodus Chapters 20 to 23, when God spoke the Ten Commandments to Israel and gave the contents of the Book of the Covenant to Moses. Why then is it repeated here?

It’s a renewal of the contract. The repetition of the same laws highlight the fact that these are the same terms; it is the same agreement; it is the same contract. And nothing has changed. (Well, except maybe for one exception in verse 17, where God says, “No cast idols” - obviously referring to the cast golden calf in Chapter 32. It is as if God pencilled in this extra bit just to remind the Israelites - “Don’t you do that again!”)

Still, it is worth noticing again that these regulations have to do specifically with prescribed times and divinely-authorised forms of worship. There are to be three main holy days - holidays, if you like - marked in the Jewish calendar when the people of God are to appear before him offering sacrifices and celebrating his appointed feasts.

The first is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, or Passover, commemorating the night of their rescue from Egypt (see Exodus 12). It is held in the first month of the new year - so this was sort of like their version of Lunar New Year. Everyone would gather before God - this would later happen at the temple in Jerusalem - similar to how everyone in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia would rush home for the reunion dinner.

The second holiday is called the Feast of Weeks and this marked the beginning of harvest. It was celebrated seven weeks after Passover, or fifty days later, hence its other name, Pentecost. During this festival, farmers would bring in the first cut of their crops - the first fruits - and offer them to God.

The third holiday is here called the Feast of Ingathering, also called the Feast of Tabernacles, or the Festival of Booths. To remember their time journeying through the desert when the whole nation lived in tents and moved from place to place, this festival was marked by the construction of wooden huts which the people of God would celebrate their meal together under, and perhaps even sleep in. But here in Exodus 34, this festival marks the autumn season when the last of the harvest would be brought in. The people of God would give thanks to God for all that he had blessed them with that year.

In a way, this last festival might have some relevance to us at the Chinese Church, who are planning a big celebration to mark the Mid-Autumn Festival in just a couple of weeks. How best can we honour God with an event like that? By eating mooncakes to the glory of God? By inviting our friends and entertaining them with skits and performances? By decorating the church with colourful lanterns?

Why not mark the coming celebration with thankfulness; by recognising how much God has blessed us individually as Christians, and corporately as the people of God? It is not wrong to celebrate. It is not wrong to have food. Indeed, here God commands his people to do both. And yet, what is unique to the feasts and festivals commanded in the book of Exodus - compared to say Idil-fitri or Deepavali, or even our Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival - is this: the exclusive worship of the LORD God alone. He alone deserves all the glory, all the thanks and all the recognition for all that he has blessed us with.

Will this be obvious to our friends when they visit us at the celebration in two weeks time? Will it be obvious to our Christians brothers and sisters? That what we are doing is worshipping God and worshipping him exclusively according to his word?

And at the heart of Exodus 34 is God’s covenantal word defining God’s covenantal worship. We must never forget that. Right after God says, “Worship me in this way,” God says to Moses, “Write this down these words.”

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.

Exodus 34:27-28

It is the perfect ending. God re-establishes his covenant with Israel. The Ten Commandments are reinstated. The agreement is signed and sealed.

But the story doesn’t end just yet.

The veil over our hearts

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai.

When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the LORD’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.

Exodus 34:29-35

Bible experts tell us that the Hebrew word “qaran” here translated as “radiant” - that is Moses’ face had a radioactive glow after his exposure to God’s glory - was once thought to mean “horn”. The word is apparently very rare in the Old Testament (and occurs mostly in this passage only). But for some time it was said that Moses grew horns from his encounter with God (This was even translated as such in the Latin Vulgate). In some churches, you can actually find statues and paintings of Moses with horns on his head!

Today, it’s been established by scholars that the word refers to some sort of a glow (One big reason is the corresponding New Testament passage we will look at in a moment). Moses, having spent so much time alone with God on the mountain, walks down with the two tablets of stone in his hands, but unknown to him, his face is “radiant”. Aaron and the Israelites see this and they are freaked out. Because of this, Moses had to put a covering on his head. It could have been a dish-cloth, or he maybe he had a ninja thing going. But the point is, he covered his face when he was down the mountain speaking God’s word to the Israelites, and when he was up the mountain talking to God, the passage says, he “removed the veil”.

What’s going on here?

Moses is speaking God’s message to the people, but they recoil in fear. They see the effect of God’s presence on Moses and to them it is strange, weird and fearful. So Moses has to cover his face. But when he meets God, he takes off the covering.

The bible says this is a picture of our hearts when we hear the word of God. Something stops us from getting the full picture. Something blinds us from seeing God’s glory.

Paul writes the following words in his second letter to the church of Corinth:

We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
2 Corinthians 3:13-16

Notice that Paul says (twice) that “to this day” a veil remains over our hearts. This is something that happens today. Yet, he is obviously referring to past events we just read about Moses and the renewal of the law in Exodus 34. The apostle Paul is saying that Exodus 34 is a picture of what goes on every time we open our bibles and yet miss the glory of God. He is saying that it is possibly to hear the words of the bible and come away completely clueless!

Who is Paul talking about? Some suggest he is talking about Jews - the same way the original hearers in Moses’ day could not bear to see the full glory of God as they heard the word of God being read.

But a few verses later, Paul clarifies that this phenomenon of blindness is not restricted simply to hearers of the Old Testament. Rather, Paul is describing anyone and everyone who hears the gospel but turns away from Jesus Christ.

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:4-6

Unbelievers cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. He doesn’t say that they refuse to see the glory. He doesn’t say that they haven’t had the opportunity to see this glory. Paul writes “they cannot see”. The god of this age (talking about Satan) has blinded their minds. Such that they see but they cannot see.

And what it takes to remove this blindness is nothing less than a miracle of God. A miracle so spectacular, it rivals the first miracle of creation itself, “Let there be light!” Only God can do this. And what God does is make his light shine in our hearts “to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God”.

Notice the last few words: “in the face of Christ”. What you and I need to see in Jesus. God lifts the veil such that we hear the gospel; we read these words and what we see is this: we see the face of Jesus Christ.

Do you see him? When you hear these words - do you see Jesus? That’s the whole point of this book, isn’t it? It is God speaking his glory into our hearts, revealing the fullness of his grace and his truth in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Do you see him?

Make the book live to me, O Lord,
Show me Yourself within Your Word,
Show me my sin,
And show me my Saviour,
And make the book live to me.

(Alistair Begg)

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord

Open the eyes of my heart

I want to see You

I want to see You

(Michael W. Smith, “Open the eyes of my heart”)

Do everything in love (1 Corinthians 16:12-24)

Behind-the-scenes

Reading today’s passage is like watching the movie credits. The movie has ended; people are getting up. Everyone is going home. No one stays back for the movie credits. Well, maybe if it’s a Jackie Chan movie and there are those cool shots of Jackie doing crazy stunts that went wrong. Even so, you are not looking at the credits; not at those names scrolling up in the background. Who wants to read a list of names that goes on and on?

Today’s passage is like that. Who would read this? It is just a list of names that goes on and on.

But the credits remind us that a lot work happens behind the scenes. This week, our brother Sid is getting married. And he can tell you: The work that goes on behind the scenes; it is hard work. It is important work: Months of planning, lots of preparation and lots of good friends that go into making that one wedding day possible.

Today Paul wants to draw our attention to the people who make church possible. You don’t always notice them. But there are lots of them. And they work tirelessly, faithfully in the background. Paul introduces us to three of these ministries today. (1) There is the academic (verse 12); (2) the band of brothers (verses 17-18); and (3) an encouraging couple (verse 19). Three ministries that help make church possible; that help make mission effective; that help make worship worthwhile.

The all-star academic

Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.

1 Corinthians 16:12

What is wrong this guy? Just reading verse 12: Apollos sounds like someone who doesn’t want to come to church. Paul wants him to come, his friends keep sending him messages on Facebook, but he doesn’t keeps giving excuses. Actually, that’s not the whole story. For the real story on Apollos, we need to turn to the book of Acts. Because there we see a different Apollos. There we see Apollos, the all-star academic.

Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervour and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue.
Acts 18:24-25

Here is a guy who graduated from the top bible college with top marks in Hebrew and Old Testament Theology. This guy was smart! “He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.” But more than that, this guy had guts! Verse 25 says that Apollos preached in the synagogue. Today, that would be equivalent to going to a mosque, on a Friday afternoon after the prayers, in the middle of Baghdad; opening up your bible and going, “Let me tell you about Jesus.”

Apollos was looking for trouble. He was fearless. In the synagogue he was taking on theologians, rabbis and scholars. And he was arguing from their scriptures – from their Old Testament – to prove that Jesus really was the Christ.

Now if Apollos is this maverick; he is this hot shot evangelist... so why does verse 12 imply that he wasn’t really all that fearless. In fact, verse 12 literally says Apollos did not want to go to Corinth “at all” (“pantos”). He resolutely refused to step foot into Corinth.

This is all the more surprising considering Corinth was pretty much like Cambridge two thousand years ago. It a city was full of thinkers, debaters and philosophers. In Corinth, a guy Apollos would be respected. In Corinth, a guy like Apollos would be revered for his intelligence, his wit and his boldness.

Paul wanted him to go. And we know from Chapter 1, the church wanted him to go. In fact, there is every indication that the church wanted someone like Apollos to be their pastor. But Apollos said No.

The perfect pastor

Let me put it another way: Many of you know we are looking for a pastor to serve at the Chinese Church. People want a pastor who can preach. People want a pastor who is good with kids; who has a degree; who has experience.

Now imagine we found the perfect pastor – someone smart, loving, experienced, humble. Imagine he was the perfect guy – the Cantonese congregation loves him; the Mandarin congregation respects him; the English congregation thinks this guy is cool!

Imagine this perfect candidate wrote back saying, “No. I don’t want to be your pastor. I don’t want to be anywhere near your church.” If that happened, some of us would say, “How rude!” Yong soi!” And that may very well be the case. But at some point, some of us may ask, “What is wrong with us? What is the reason why this perfect pastor doesn’t want to serve in our church?”

Apollos was the perfect pastor for the CCCC  – the Corinthian City Christian Church. And the reason why he refused to serve there was because of their pride.

You see, the Corinthian Church is possibly the most gifted and the most spiritual church in all of the New Testament. But it is also the most sinful. Again and again, Paul deals with horrible situations in this gifted yet proud church. They were proud because of their gifts. They were sinful yet boastful about their sins. They were rich and looked down on the poor.

And this church in Corinth wanted a pastor like Apollos - not that there is anything wrong with wanting a good pastor, or even a gifted pastor – but they wanted a pastor like Apollos because they were saying of themselves, “We are smart, we are gifted; so we deserve a pastor who is as smart and as gifted as us.”

What kind of pastor are we looking for here in the Chinese Church? The bible is warning us to check our motives. Because what we want from our leaders; what we demand from our pastors – sometimes says more about us, than about our leaders.

The bible tells us what God requires of his servants. They must be faithful. They must love Jesus. They must preach this book. If you are curious, the two passages that spell this out are 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. There is nothing in there about university degrees or charismatic personalities. The bible is clear that elders and pastors (the two are one and the same) are to be faithful men, leading faithful lives, preaching the bible faithfully.

The thing we need to see about Apollos is that he wasn’t just smart. He was faithful. We see this in Acts where it says that Apollos “taught about Jesus accurately”. What does accurately mean? It means everything he said about Jesus 100% correct. That’s accurate. He scored 100% in his Theology paper.

But in the very next verse we read:

When Priscilla and Aquila heard his, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
Acts 18:26

Where it says “adequately” – they explained to Apollos adequately – the word is actually the exact same word as before in verse 25. It is “accurately”. They explained Jesus more accurately to Apollos.

Hold on! How to get more accurate, than accurate? How do you score higher that 100%?

We get a clue at the end of verse 25, “(Apollos) knew only the baptism of John”. John’s baptism is the turning away from sin in order to repent, or turn, to God. John recognised that Jesus came to bring God’s kingdom. That meant judgement on sin was round the corner. All this was true. All this was accurate.

But all this was not complete. Jesus came to take our sin upon himself. Jesus took God’s punishment that we deserved for our sins, upon himself when he died on the cross. Apollos did not know that. He did not know about the cross. Everything he said up to this point was correct. It just wasn’t complete. Without the cross, we will not get a complete picture of who Jesus is and what he came to do. Without the cross, the bible can be read accurately, it can be taught academically, but it won’t be preached faithfully. Not without the cross.

Being academic does not mean long bible studies and big words. It just means you leave out the cross. You haven’t understood the point of God’s message. The whole point of Rock Fellowship each week, when we meet to read the bible and hear God’s word, whether it is Old Testament or New Testament; whether it is Exodus or 1 Corinthians is to answer this question: How does this help me understand why Jesus died on the cross?

The cross changed Apollos from an all-star academic to a faithful preacher of the gospel. Together with Paul, he planted the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 3:6). Together with Paul, he recognised the church in Corinth needed not another big personality as their pastor. They needed the gospel. They need to hear about the cross of Jesus Christ.

The band of brothers

You know the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, brothers to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in their work, and labours at it. I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaiacus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.

1 Corinthians 16:15-18

Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus are Heng Tai. They are the bros. When you need help, they are there. When you need a lift to Rock, they’ll pick you up in their sports cars. When you are down, they come over with pizza and watch football with you. These are the guys your count on. They are reliable, dependable and faithful.

And Paul says twice - in verses 16 and 18 – these guys deserve respect. Such men deserve recognition. Why? Because often we don’t respect them. Often they don’t get recognised. They work tirelessly in the background. They keep serving without any expectation of reward. They are the Backstreet Boys – or, as I like to call them, the Backside Boys.

They are taken for granted. And Paul says they deserve more than that.

Do you know when I wrote this sermon? 11pm last night in a pub. (Was I drunk? Yes, on a can of Coke.)

I was in the pub with WM, D, J and Sid on his night out with the guys, the week before his big wedding day. Sid was out with his Heng Tai. (What do Christian guys do on stag nights? They drink coke, eat Monster Munch snacks and talk about the sermon.) Let me ask you: When it’s your turn to get married, who is going to take you out on your guys/girl’s night out? Do you have brothers or sisters like these – with whom you can share your happiest moments in life? With whom, you can share your struggles and tough times? You might have 200 friends on Facebook (some of us have more), but who are your real friends? These guys – Stephanas, Fortunatus and Archaicus – Paul mentions just these few; these three made a big difference in his life and ministry. They were dependable friends. They were trustworthy friends. They were his brothers in Christ.

Now there is a special reason why Paul writes about these three brothers. And it isn’t because he hangs out with them every weekend to play Soul Calibre 3 on Playstation. These three brothers were responsible for the letter of 1 Corinthians.

Back in Chapter 1, Paul who is away in Ephesus, hears about the situation in the church in Corinth through these brothers. They bring him the news about the problems and conflict going on back home. And now in Chapter 16, we see that Paul has written this letter of 1 Corinthians as a response and it is the brothers who are entrusted with carrying this letter all the way back to the church. The reason for this is very clear in verse 18, “For they refreshed my spirit and yours also.” Paul is saying: these men have made an impact on my life and yours. And even though, some of you have a big problem with me; some of you have a big problem with what I am saying in this letter; these brothers – Stephanas, Fortunatus and Archaicus – are there to bridge the gap. You know them and love them. I know them and I love them.

Here is an important reason why such brothers are so valuable in the church. It isn’t just because they are the ones who set up the chairs every week. It is because they display the integrity of the gospel. Even those who are offended by what they stand for cannot deny their love and service in Jesus.

Men: Don’t try to be Jerks for Jesus. In the name of passionate service for God it is easy for us guys to get carried away. Instead of being more like Jesus, we act more like jerks. We start bossing people around. We tell people off. We act tough. But all in the name of ministry. That isn’t ministry. And these aren’t these guys.

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Verse 13, where it says “be men of courage”; it literally says, “Act like men.” And many men hear verse 13 like a call to war. Yeah, I be on my guard! Yeah, I’ll stand my ground! I will be a man – courageous and strong! That’s me all right.

They don’t hear verse 14. Do everything in love. Stephanas, Fortunatus and Archaicus are men – real men, who stand up for Paul and live out the gospel. But they have “devoted themselves to the service of the saints” (Verse 15). Meaning: they live to serve others.

Are you like these guys? Do you “refresh the spirits” of the people around you? Meaning: in your service, is it in love? Or do you just rub people the wrong way – all in the name of serving Jesus?

Every week, after Rock Fellowship, I get back and watch the Apprentice. It is very engaging. Some of the most talented, business-savvy individuals in competition with one another for a once-in-a-lifetime business deal with Lord Sugar. And each time I watch it, I am reminded how tempting it is to serve Jesus the way these young executives try to serve Lord Sugar. On the Apprentice, you don’t have friends. On the Apprentice, you use your friends to get ahead.

It reminds me of what Jesus said to his disciples:

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:25-28

Jesus came not to be served. He came to serve us. That is how we see his greatness. God became a servant in humility and submission. The Son of Man gave his life. In the same way, those who serve Jesus – the word service (diakonia) is where we get the word, ministry – will serve their brothers and sisters in love and commitment.

And Paul says in this passage, these brothers and sisters – these servants – deserve recognition and respect.

The enterprising couple

The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings, Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets in their house.

1 Corinthians 16:19

Aquila and Priscilla are, I think, the most godliest, exemplary, mission-minded married couple in the New Testament. They are mentioned 7 times in the bible; in Acts, Romans, Ephesians, 1 Corinthians and 2 Timothy.

Who are they? They weren’t missionaries. They weren’t preachers. They were not employed by the church. Instead, they ran a business making tents. It was a very successful business because they were able to afford houses in big cities like Rome, Ephesus and Corinth. That’s like having a condo in Hong Kong, a house in London and a villa in France. If you have three houses in three big cities, you are loaded!

And here in verse 19, we see what they used these houses for. Bible study. “The church that meets in their house,” Paul says, they say Hi. In each of these homes (there may be more, but these three at least we know of in the bible) Aquila and Priscilla said to the church, “Use this house as a place of fellowship, worship and ministry.” In other words, they had Rock Fellowship there every week. Or when J comes back on holiday from seminary, M will open her house to host a barbeque. Or when Q is leaving for HK, W invites all the youth to bake cakes and has a big farewell celebration.

My point is: all this is ministry. This is mission. Opening your homes and inviting people to come into your lives.

Now what’s the big deal? Look with me back at Acts 18. Do you remember Apollos, the academic? Well it says there in verse 26 that Aquila and Priscilla heard Apollos preaching. It must have been impressive – like listening to Mark Driscoll; full of passion and energy. Loads of scripture. But it was obvious also to them, that Apollos, as impressive as he was, didn’t yet know of the cross (Acts 18:25).

So what did they do? Did they rebuke him publicly? “You think you’re such a hot shot? Well, you don’t really know the full story about Jesus do you? You only know the baptism of John!” No. They didn’t do anything of the sort. Instead, we read:

When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

Acts 18:26

They invited Apollos home. They said to him, “Come over for tea and some jammie dodgers, and we would like to tell you more about what happened to Jesus when he died and rose again.” They used their home as a place of ministry. They didn’t bring Apollos to a church to hear a sermon (in fact, they were in the synagogue already). Instead, they invited Apollos to their house and witnessed to him there. And the result? The ancient equivalent of Billy Graham. Apollos continued to be a powerful witness for Jesus. Except now he was able to preach the gospel more faithfully and powerfully. Thanks to this married couple and their commitment to the gospel, and their generosity to others.

Could you use your home to serve Jesus? It is wonderful when you invite your friends over on Sunday to join us at the Chinese Church. But how about having them over to watch Wimbledon? How about hosting a VISA course in your apartment?

Hebrews 13 reminds us as Christians: “Do not forget to entertain strangers for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:12). The point is not that angels will turn up on your doorstep one day (though the author was thinking of Abraham when he welcomed God himself without knowing it at first). The point is: You don’t know. You don’t know how God will use that simple act of love and generosity to bring about a great deal of good and blessing. You could be witnessing to the next Apollos. He might be the next John Piper. She might be the next Helen Roseveare.

Aquila and Priscilla didn’t have to leave their jobs. They didn’t have to leave home. Instead, they used their jobs and they used their homes to serve Jesus. Paul says this is what ministry looks like.

No other name

Paul is giving credit where credit is due. He isn’t alone in ministry. Together with Apollos; together with Stephanas, Fortunatus and Archaicus (Or Steffi, Tuna and Archie); and together with Aquila and Priscilla – they all serve one Lord and one God: Jesus. As far as they are concerned, Jesus is the only name that matters in the end.

If anyone does not love the Lord—a curse be on him. Come, O Lord!

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.

My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.

1 Corinthians 16:22-24

It is all about Jesus. If you don’t love Jesus, then it doesn’t matter how big a success you are: You are an enemy of God and his judgement still stands against you. But if you love Jesus, you will serve him and want to see his name glorified and praised.

Father,

Help me to do everything in love.

In love for Jesus, who loved me

In love for my brothers and sisters,
the church for whom Jesus gave his life.

That in all things, Jesus will be glorified and made much of.

In His wonderful name I pray,

Amen

Christian giving (1 Corinthians 16:1-11)

Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do.

1 Corinthians 16:1

Money can a touchy subject. Especially when we are talking about your money. On Sundays, we collect an offering and pass small bags down the aisle for Christians to put money in. But imagine if instead we placed a big transparent plastic box right in front and said to everyone, Put your money in here, where everyone can see. We want our giving to be personal. We want it to be anonymous.

In today’s passage we consider the subject of Christian giving. What does it mean for Christians to give money. 1 Corinthians 16 gives two clear guidelines: (1) We give to help God’s people; and (2) We give to support God’s work.

For the Christian, these are the two main, if not, only reasons for giving to the church. For the Christian leader, these are the two main, if not, only reasons for spending money given to the church. God’s people and God’s work.

But before we get to the why, verse 2 talks about the how. How should a collection be taken in the church?

On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

1 Corinthians 16:2

The apostle Paul says we should set it aside and save it up.

This happens on Sundays, “the first day of the every week”. In part, he is talking about when we come together as the church. That is why we take up the offering. But notice that Paul talks about setting aside money not simply on Sunday, but on every Sunday of every week, adding the words, “in keeping with your income.” That is quite important, because the some translations have “as he may prosper”. It is telling us to look back at these past seven days and ask the question, “How has God provided for me this week?” Not this past month or year, but just this past week. Answering that question helps you answer the next question, “How much should I give?”

Some of us might not give because of student loans. Some of us have mortgages or bills to pay on that new car. The new iPod is coming out in September or there’s that holiday trip to Hong Kong over the summer.

Paul says look back just at this past week. And give according to how much God has blessed you this week. Set it aside.

Next, Paul says save it up. The big idea is to give regularly, and the reason for this is very interesting. “So that,” says Paul at the end of verse 2, “no collections will have to be made.” You make a collection every week so that there won’t be a need for a big collection at the end when I arrive.

Christian giving is regular giving. It’s not a big campaign held once a year, with emotional appeals to worthy causes and a touching video featuring the stars of Harry Potter. Paul says the collection is to be made each week and entrusted to the church.

Notice that Paul does not use the word “tithe”. Christians are not called to “tithe” their money. The word means to give a tenth of your income. Jesus uses the term three times in the gospels (Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42, and Luke 18:12) to describe not Christian giving but Pharisees who give a tenth of their possessions, money, even their spices (for us Chinese, that include your oyster sauce, five-spice powder and curry paste) to God as their tithe. Jesus condemns them for being proud of their giving, calculative in their tithing, yet hard in their hearts towards God.

The word used here in 1 Corinthians 16 is not “tithe”, but “collection” (verses 1 and 2). Not that it is wrong to call it the “offering” as we do here in the Chinese Church, but collection emphasises the responsibility of the church. As a Christian you present your offering of money, but you entrust that money to the church who collects this money.

I realise that some have a big problem with that. Why should I give through the church? In fact, some of you may even be thinking: How can I trust the church to handle my money?

That is precisely Paul’s concern in verse 3.

Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.

1 Corinthians 16:3-4

Paul is concerned with integrity. In sending this money, but also, integrity in receiving this money.

He is saying that it isn’t enough to write a cheque. You need to send people with this money. Send men whom you trust - your best guys.- and I will write a letter introducing these guys to the church in Jerusalem. In other words, Paul wants to establish a relationship between the Christians in Corinth and in Jerusalem. He wants them to shake hands, spend time in Jerusalem, meet the Christians there. Then go back to Corinth and tell the church about how the money was used, but also how the Christians there are doing.

You see when we send money to missionaries or to poor churches in China, we should not post the cheque and then wait for them to write back saying how grateful they are and to give an account on how they spent the money. Paul says that is not Christian giving. We should write to them; we should visit them and present the money ourselves. Because he wants us to be interested in their welfare, not just their bank accounts.

But there is another reason Paul writes these letters of recommendation; moreover offering to go with them himself. Because there needs to be integrity in receiving this money. He says in verse 3, this is your money sent with your people. This is your gift (verse 3).

Money raised for Christian aid must come from Christian believers. It is shameful to go to the streets, shake cans and ask non-Christians to give their money; then to use that money to plant churches, print bibles and run programmes. It shames us as Christians and it brings shame to God’s name.

Paul wants integrity in their giving. Such that if need be, he will go with them himself to Jerusalem to present this gift (or charis, which can also be translated grace).

After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you—for I will be going through Macedonia. Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.

1 Corinthians 16:5-7

Paul is outlining his travel plans. He just said he might accompany them to Jerusalem with their gift (at the end of verse 4). So pulls out his diary, jots down his itinerary and plans his destinations leading up to this visit to Corinth. Notice how Paul says “Perhaps I will stay with you awhile” (verse 6), “I hope to spend some time with you” (verse 7), and “if the Lord permits.”

The apostle Paul makes plans. But plans may change. Plans may or may not work out, depending on circumstance, depending on God’s will.

It is good and godly to make plans for your summer. Work part-time at Yim Wah restaurant. Go on holiday with your family. Study at university next year. In fact, I would say, it is wise. You should plan to spend your time responsibly and gainfully. Do you want to be a lawyer in 5 years? Plan to study, to get your degree and work in a law firm to gain experience. Fail to plan and you plan to fail.

Paul plans to be in Corinth, so he plans how he will get there. Through Macedonia and then to Corinth in the winter.

But plans do change. And Paul is ready to change his plans to reflect his true priorities. That is verse 8.

But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.

1 Corinthians 16:8-9

His priority is God’s work. The gospel - that’s number one. A great door has opened in Ephesus, and through this door comes great opportunity and great opposition.

We know from Acts 19 that Paul spent every day for two years teaching the bible in a school hall, such that everyone in that entire region of Asia heard the gospel. It was a great opportunity for God’s word to be heard; for Jesus to be proclaimed.

Yet we also know from the bible, that Ephesus was where Paul faced his fiercest opposition. And Acts 19 tell us, it involved money. There was a huge trade in Ephesus involving the manufacturing of idols, but thanks to Paul’s preaching that said “man-made gods are no gods at all”, they started to lose their income. This led to a riot and revolt in the city centre led by the craftsmen and silversmiths. Paul and his preaching was bad for business.

Paul knows with every opportunity from God comes opposition from men. He plans to stay in Ephesus. His priority is not comfort; it’s not safety, it is the gospel.

Now what does all this have to do with Christian giving? It is this: In putting God’s work first as his priority, Paul puts his own rights and needs second. Not once in sixteen chapters of this letter, does Paul ask for money for himself.

It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t deserve to be paid. In Chapter 9, Paul writes:

In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

1 Corinthians 9:14

Pastors should receive their living from preaching the gospel. It is right that we support our pastors with money and an income. This is a command from God himself.

Yet at the same time, we need to understand that we do not pay our pastors a salary. They are not employees of the church. Rather, we support them as workers of the gospel, freeing them to focus on the preaching of the gospel. This is our privilege as the church and their right as servants of God.

Yet for Paul, he sets aside his rights in order to offer the gospel free of charge.

What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.

1 Corinthians 9:18

This is a hard act to follow, but an important principle to grasp, especially for full-time workers of the gospel. Paul is willing to set aside his rights in receiving an income to make the gospel free of charge. It meant, at times, holding a secular job - Paul made tents. It meant putting the gospel first, before his other own plans and before his other priorities. So much so, that Paul would call this his boast and reward. Preaching the gospel is not a profession, it is a privilege given by God. There may be seasons in our lives that God may bring this home in a big way on your ministry and in our churches.

Yet for the Corinthian church, such a situation spoke only of their shame. They looked down on Paul; in part, because he refused to accept money. Corinth was very much like Cambridge today. It was a city that gave prominence to oratory, flair, philosophy and debate. The better the debator, the more elequent the orator; then the greater the respect he commanded, the greater the financial success he enjoyed. This was not Paul. He wasn’t paid. He wasn’t impressive. He wasn’t respected.

And neither were his friends.

When Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. No one, then, should treat him with contempt. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.

1 Corinthians 16:10-11

It is almost sad and a little bit scary to read how Paul expected Timothy to be treated at Corinth. See that he has “nothing to fear”. No one should “treat him with contempt”. What was he afraid the church would do to Timothy? And why would he have to write such words asking them to send Timothy on his way “in peace” so that he would return safely back to Paul? It almost sounds like Paul was sending Timothy off to war in Afganistan!

In Chapter 4, we know that Paul sent Timothy, “as a son whom he loves, who is faithful in the Lord”. Here in verse 10, Paul writes of Timothy, “he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am”. Paul is sending someone with the same heart for God and shares the same commitment to the gospel.

And because of this, Paul knows Timothy will receive the same opposition to the gospel in Corinth. So why send Timothy if Paul knows this?

Because Christian giving isn’t just about money. It is the giving in sacrifice for the sake of the gospel. What Paul has been urging the Corinthians to do with their money, he does with his own treasured son in the faith, Timothy. The Corinthians are still Paul’s brothers and sisters in Christ, and he wants to remind them of the gospel. Even though they have messed up again and again, Paul doesn’t give up on them, because God doesn’t give up on them. God continues to show grace to his church in his Son, Jesus.

The point of today’s passage is not about giving money, but rather, faithfulness. Faithfulness with our lives and faithfulness with our money. It is a faithfulness that come from recognising the faithfulness of God in continuing to show us grace even when we do not deserve it, by sending his Son to die for us on the cross.

In a second letter to this church, Paul would later write to the Corinthians:

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

2 Corinthians 8:9

Christian giving is for God’s people, entrusted through God’s church, for the growth of God’s work in the gospel. That’s quite a mouthful. Summarising it another way, Christian giving is simply a response to Jesus on the cross. Through he was rich, for our sakes he became poor. He humbled himself and gave his life for us. We respond to his gift of grace in repentance, in trust and in the worship of our whole lives, lived for Jesus.

When leaders look like losers (1 Corinthians 4)

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.
1 Corinthians 4:9

“Well I think it is an absolutely magnificent achievement. I mean, to win the Ashes is one thing, but to win in Australia, and actually to do so, so comprehensively, is something the whole country can be proud of.”

Prime Minister David Cameron was glowing with praise for the English cricket team’s victory at the final Ashes Test in Sydney. In an interview with the BBC this morning, he added, “It made you very proud to be English.”

In case you’re like me, and you’re not at all familiar with cricket, Wikipedia explains that the Ashes is “a… cricket series played between England and Australia. It is the most celebrated rivalry in international cricket.” In other words, it’s a really big deal.

The BBC website has “Ashes triumph” splashed across its front page, alongside video clips, photos of the players in action, together with blow-by-blow news accounts of the “thrashing of Australia”.

Conversely, the headlines look very different in the land down under. “Awful Aussies” reads the report by the Sydney’s Herald Sun. The Daily Telegraph’s review has “Aussie BBQ: Cooked in our own backyard” with a reader’s poll rating the current Australian team “the worst to lose a… series on home soil.”

Peter Roebuck of the Sydney Morning Herald writes, "Despair has descended upon Australian cricket. Embarrassment has become an acquaintance. Humiliation has introduced itself. Calamity has piled upon calamity."

Winning is infectious. When you’re backing the winning team, you feel like a winner yourself. In the same interview, David Cameron contrasts the difficulties faced in the past year with the remarkable feeling of waking up to the news of the England team’s victory. That’s an amazing – and a true – sentiment. A major accomplishment of just a few individuals can so affect the attitude of an entire nation.

Yet the same can be said of losing. The shame and humiliation of defeat is echoed throughout Australia’s news channels and print media. There is disappointment, even hostile anger, as well as deep resentment expressed by fans towards the players and officials.

So much passion. So much emotion. Over a game of cricket!

But it isn’t just a game. As far as the die-hard Ashes fan is concerned, the two teams assembled on that pitch represent two nations locked in battle; Australia versus England in a war with the pride and honour of their countrymen at stake. The victors are crowned with praise and their feats recorded for all time in the history books. The losers hide their faces in shame and utter humiliation.

Shame and humiliation is the theme of the verse taken from 1 Corinthians 4. Yet notice: it is God who has caused this shame to be put on display. Furthermore, it is the shame of God’s servants: that of Paul and the apostles.

Paul writes…

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.
1 Corinthians 4:9

The Corinthian church was looking for winners. But when they looked at Paul, all they saw was a big-time loser. They wanted a leader who looked the part – wise, learned, articulate, charismatic and gifted. Yet Paul goes on to describe himself as foolish and weak (verse 10), hungry and homeless (verse 11), cursed and oppressed (verse 12). He even sums up his position calling himself the scumbag and rubbish of the world (verse 13)!

But the amazing thing is that Paul says all this is God’s doing. God “exhibited” the apostles and made them a “spectacle” for the entire universe to see – “to the world, to angels and to men” (verse 9). Near the end of the chapter, Paul will go on to urge the Corinthians to imitate him (verse 16)!

So today, as we look at 1 Corinthians 4, I invite you to be a fool. (Or if you like, an Australian!) To hang your heads in shame and take upon yourself the weight of scorn. For the world is looking for leaders who are winners. But the gospel calls for sinners in need of a Saviour.

Jesus Christ came in meekness and humility and died on the cross in shame. That in itself ought to transform our perception of greatness for the cross is the greatest display of God’s glory. Through his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus conquered death (1 Corinthian 15:54), defeated sin (Romans 6:10), triumphed over evil (Colossians 2:15) and displayed the supreme righteousness of God to justify sinners by grace through faith (Romans 3:24-26). The highest degree of God’s love, grace, power, glory and righteousness is seen through the humble, submissive, sacrificial, obedient, determined, violent death of his Son on the cross!

Few see it that way. They look at the cross and all they see is foolishness. Shame. Weakness. Failure. I can almost understand why Muslims find the cross so insulting towards God. It is! How can Christians confess to worship Almighty God yet claim that this man who was tortured by Romans guards, hung naked on the cross, jeered and spit on by the crowds and suffocated to death is the very same Creator and Sustainer of the universe?

Yet that is the claim of the bible (Colossian 1:15-20). And the question we should be asking God is: why do it this way? Why does God choose the cross: a symbol of shame, weakness, oppression and pain to display the supreme weight of his glory and highest degree of his grace?

I think the apostle Paul would have answered with the words of 1 Corinthians Chapter 1, verse 29:

So that no one may boast before him.
1 Corinthians 1:29

The Corinthian Christians had much to boast about. There is every indication in this letter that this was a truly gifted church – or, if you like – a truly charismatic church. Here was a church blessed with visible and varied signs of God’s grace. Right at the beginning of the letter, Paul thanks God for enriching the Corinthian church with all manner of gifts – particularly gifts of speech and knowledge (1:5). He goes so far as to say, “Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift (charismati) as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed” (1:7).

There is nothing wrong with the gifts. Paul thanks God for the gifts as evidences of God’s grace. But the Corinthians saw things differently. They boasted in the gifts for they were boasting in themselves. But they did not boast in God. That is the charge in Chapter 4 verse 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?
1 Corinthians 4:7

I think this verse helps summarise the problems that Paul was addressing in Chapter 4. Paul poses three questions to the church in Corinth that deal with three important issues that still challenge the church today: (1) assessment, (2) acknowledgment and (3) attitude.

1. Assessment

First: assessment. Literally the first question reads: “For who distinguishes you?” Diakrinei which means to discern a difference or to make a distinction, has overtones of making a judgement call (anakrino = “to examine”; krino = “to judge”). Judgement is a major theme running through the entire chapter. The church in Corinth was making judgements about Paul – whether he was a worthy leader compared to the philosophers and orators of their day; compared to other apostles like Peter and Apollos; compared to themselves even.

Some in the church were branding themselves into camps and splitting themselves into factions. So there was Camp Paul, Camp Apollos, Camp Cephas and even Camp Christ (1:12). Often this becomes an illustration not to be too enamoured with big Christian personalities. Downloading podcasts by Mark Driscoll, reading books by John Piper or attending a big conference by Francis Chan.

While I do agree that Paul does put each in his place in light of God’s supreme role in redemption (“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” – 3:6) and hence we should not make too much of any one person or ministry, I also marvel at Paul’s ability to incorporate all these blessings to paint the bigger picture of God’s plan and purpose.

So let no one boast in men.
For all things are yours,
whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas
or the world or life or death or the present or the future—
all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
1 Corinthians 3:21

Paul doesn’t just say “None of these belong to you – you didn’t earn it, you don’t deserve it! You might have listened to every John Piper sermon, but John Piper’s never heard of you!”

Instead he says everything is yours. Paul, Apollos, Cephas – all these people you take pride in and are so taken by. But there so, so much more! Life and death; the present the future - All are yours!

But here’s the kicker. You are Christ’s. This is not a promise to everyone. It is God’s inheritance for all who are in Christ – for all who belong to Jesus.

And Christ is God’s! Christians learn submission from a Saviour who submits himself to his heavenly Father. It’s talking again about the cross. In other words, all these blessings come through the obedience of Christ to his Father displayed through the cross. Jesus paid for your salvation, but also all the blessings the come through salvation – eternal life, fellowship with God, the renewed heavens and earth, the resurrected body, the indwelling of the Spirit, the growing work of sanctification in our daily walk with God – all through his death on the cross.

Now what issue is Paul dealing with again? The beginning of verse 21: Let no one boast in men.

I can understand why leaders may lovingly warn Christians of the dangers of mindlessly following personalities – that they shouldn’t compare their own pastor to Don Carson or Rick Warren. But the approach of minimising one blessing of God to maximise another can only do so much.

I say this because you don’t need to have big personalities for these big problems to surface even in a small church. The issue isn’t the giftedness of the leader or the overpowering personality of bible teacher. I doubt Paul was having a punch-up with Apollos or Peter over this.

The heart of the issue was the assessment of the individual Christians and wider church. They invested these individuals with the regard and misplaced honour they didn’t ask for or desire. Furthermore, the followers were in conflict with one another, not the leaders themselves. Even in a small church, as long as there’s more than one person in a visible role of leadership – let me assure you, this will happen. You don’t need to be charismatic, or preach like John Piper or tell jokes like Mark Driscoll. If you’re in a bible study group and two of you take turns to lead – you might be the best of pals, the closest of friends – yet others are going to compare and contrast you to one another.

That’s the heart of the issue. Assessing one person in relation to another. The Corinthians did this with their leaders. They did this with themselves.

For who makes you different from anyone else?
1 Corinthians 4:7a

When I first read this, I thought it sounded like Paul was saying, “You guys are all the same, and no-one should discriminate against one another.”

But when I looked back at the chapter as a whole, I found that the basis of this sentiment was completely off. That’s because Paul does frame his whole argument in terms of judgement – the judgement of the Lord Jesus Christ. What he is warning against is instead pre-judgement. That is, making a judgement that belongs to Jesus alone. Or making a judgement before the proper time of God’s judgement – a pre-judgement. To be clear: this doesn’t mean that God won’t judge our sins. Rather, it affirms the reality that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead. Also, it doesn’t mean that we’re not guilty. God will expose all the motives of hearts and all will be laid bare.

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 Corinthians 4:5

Now this is a very different approach to an anti-discrimination social message which says no-one has the right to judge because we’re essentially all the same. We’re all not perfect, some might say, or we’re all equally well-meaning, others will say. Either way, you don’t judge me; I won’t judge you. The basic premise being: judgement itself is bad and discriminatory.

That isn’t what Paul is saying. There is a judgement because there is a Judge of the universe. Jesus will expose the deepest motives and all hidden thoughts and agendas. And all of it will come under his judgement.

This is why Paul can pronounce clear judgement and condemnation upon sin in the very next chapter. He criticizes the entire church for not exercising their responsibility of judging sin in the midst of God’s people.

Yet at the same time, Paul can claim...

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 Corinthians 4:3

Is the apostle displaying double-mindedness? With others he is ready to pronounce condemnation but Paul himself is off-limits?

I struggled with this quite a bit this week as this passage made me realise just how fickle my own values are. I make judgements on all sorts of things every moment of each day. What to do with my money, how to approach my work in the office, how to spend my free time. And it’s not even stuff as abstract as these. It includes things like what to have for lunch, whether to watch this or that TV show, or read my bible or surf the internet. From the big to the small decisions, we all have internal measures to help guide us in our decision-making process. For me, so much of it is based on what is familiar, what is convenient, which is cheapest, which is the fastest, what is the most profitable...

And yet when I see Paul deciding how to lead his life and ministry there is just one clear purpose, one single passion in his heart and on his mind – the revealed will of God through Jesus Christ.

Paul has one standard. It is the gospel. As a servant of God his job is to stay faithful and true to the gospel.

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 trustworthy.
1 Corinthians 4:1

By “mysteries of God”, Paul is referring to gospel revealed to him by the Spirit and through God’s wisdom in Jesus Christ (2:7, 1:30). It is faithfulness and trustworthiness to this message that Paul will required of as a servant of God and steward of the gospel.

The judgement that Paul speaks about here is therefore, God’s assessment of his servants. The Corinthians have taken it upon themselves to do something that only God ought to do. To judge and assess the servants of God – the apostles, in general and Paul in particular – by comparing them to the popular standards of the day. So, in this letter, we find them criticising his unsophisticated manner of speech (2:1). Paul simply wasn’t confident or bold (2:3); not like their debaters and philosophers (1:20).

Yet Paul submits himself to the one Judge alone – Jesus Christ, his master and lord. And this judgement is unique. It is an assessment of the faithfulness of the minister of the gospel. Notice at the end of verse 5 that it involves receiving “commendation from God”. Meaning: the outcome of this judgement may include rebuke should the servant prove unfaithful, but it also includes reward if the servant has been trustworthy.

Paul is therefore not merely refuting the judgement of the Corinthians over his authority as an apostle and ability as God’s servant. He is even refusing to accept acclaim from man. He rejects both condemnation and commendation from man. His true reward comes from God alone.

Should Paul fall short, it will be against the measure of the gospel. His job is to proclaim the gospel in its fullness with all integrity and faithfulness.

For Christians, Jesus has taken all punishment for sin upon the cross. Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). The judgement spoken of here is unique to Christians especially entrusted with proclaiming the gospel. It is vitally important that ministers take seriously the call to faithfulness and integrity with regards to the message of Christ. This passage, together with the illustration of the building work that is tested by fire on the final Day, is directed particularly at church leaders. How will you build? And using what materials? The foundation must be Jesus Christ (3:11).

Like Paul, leaders will always be challenged and tempted to redefine their roles and responsibilities according to the performance indicators of the world. Through accomplishment. Through acclaim. Through regard and popularity. Ministry success. Numbers. Skills and talents.

All are good. And all are godly. And all are certainly useful. But the worker of the gospel will be assessed not by the world nor by worldly standards. A day will come when Christ will call us to account for our faithfulness. Have we been trustworthy as stewards of the mysteries of God?

For Paul and for all who labour in serving the God of the bible, the words we ought to long to hear from our Master on that last day is, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:23)

2. Acknowledgement

Secondly, it is acknowledgement. Paul challenges the Corinthians – and us – with the following question.

What do you have that you did not receive?
1 Corinthians 4:7b

And then Paul goes on to list an extraordinary array of blessings – riches, wisdom and honour! Yet, the irony is: these very blessings have blinded the Corinthians to their pride and ingratitude.

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!

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ.
We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honour, but we in disrepute.
1 Corinthians 4:8,10

One of the grandest days to be in Cambridge is graduation day. Held each year the end of June, proud parents gather at the Senate House where sons and daughters receive their degrees in all pomp and splendour. It really is quite a sight. Students dress up in formal wear and black college gowns, like a scene out of a Harry Potter movie, then process from their colleges down the streets up to this building located right in the centre of town. Inside, the master of a college sits in the middle of the hall as students approach one-by-one to kneel before him as the degree is conferred in Latin.

For me, the real action takes place just after – outside on the small patch in front of the Senate House. Hundreds of excited new graduates buzzing about congratulating one another, friends gathered to say their final goodbyes and making plans to meet up over summer, the photos with mum and dad with the hood up, the hood down, facing sideways, facing front, Great St Mary’s church in the background, next to the giant green cup... etc.

Each time I’m there, I like to just take a brief scan round the lawn – a quick look at everyone’s faces. There is joy. Lots of laughter. And pride. Oh, so much wonderful pride and love from the parents, especially. “My son, he made it!” “That’s my girl with a PhD!”

But ever so often I catch a glimpse of disappointment. An unhappy parent. A disgruntled aunt. But what really breaks my heart is seeing it in a student. Seeing pride. Not the kind that finds joy in another’s success. The kind that distances oneself from another’s circumstance.

Three or four years in Cambridge can change you. Suddenly, you’re ashamed your dad’s a taxi driver. “Why does Mum have to fuss over me, can’t she see I’m all grown up already? This is just soooo embarrassing!”

Paul says:

Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich!
Without us you have become kings!

Paul was responsible for planting the church in Corinth. He was their father through the gospel (4:15). But now the church had turned its back on its founding pastor. From their perspective, they were simply advancing in wisdom and insight. From Paul’s point of view, these young Christians were being forgetful, ungrateful and resentful.

Yet the issue isn’t so much ingratitude as it is impatience. Already, he says, you have all you want. Already, you’ve made it! Remembering that the previous issue was pre-judgement, that is, judging before the appointed time. So here, the Corinthians have jumped the gun yet again in their expectation of blessings before the coming age.

Almost all English translations (eg. NIV and ESV) translate the phrase “without us you have become kings” – emphasizing the change in status. But the sentence could just as rightly be rendered, “You have begun to rule” (ebasiluesate). Taken together, these blessings constitute the anticipated fulfilment of the coming Kingdom of God – riches and rule, wisdom and honour.

I remember my pastor back in Singapore saying that the biggest difference between expectation and reality is disappointment. When someone lives with unreal expectations and is suddenly confronted with stark reality – the bigger his or her expectations, the bigger the disappointment he or she faces in life.

As Christians this side of the cross, we live in an overlap between two ages – the beginning of one and the end of another.

It is the beginning of God’s reign. John the Baptist announced the coming of Jesus as the Messiah, proclaiming “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” It is just round the corner. Jesus begins his ministry in Luke’s gospel by reading the words of Isaiah the prophet, “He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour,” saying, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:18,21). Because of God’s power displayed at the cross and resurrection of Jesus, Paul himself writes that Christians are seated with Christ “at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority” (Ephesians 1:21). This new beginning is the breaking in of a new age of blessing and renewal under the reign of Christ establishing the rule of God.

Yet at the same time, the bible speaks candidly of the end of this age. These are the “last days” (Acts 2:17; see also the “last hour” in 1 John 2:18). It is an age marked by both salvation and suffering; triumph and trials. Jesus says, “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved (Matthew 10:21-22)”. Do you hear these words? He who stands firm will be saved. Salvation is framed not simply as deliverance from suffering, but perseverance through suffering and faithfulness in spite of suffering.

The bible holds a tension between the already and the not yet. And the cord that holds these two truths together is hope. Many equate hope with wishful thinking. Yet hope, for Paul, is grounded in the certain theological and historical truth of Christ’s justifying work on the cross and borne out of endurance, patience and perseverance. Hope enables Christians to long for Christ’s appearing, yet rejoice in the face of suffering through the ministering work of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:1-5

Christians who do not learn to hope well get disappointed often and devastated easily. Paul says “hope does not put us to shame (ESV)”. The NIV says this “hope does not disappoint us”. It doesn’t let us down.

Such is the case with the prosperity gospel, which really isn’t a gospel at all. It simply isn’t good news. It promises wealth, health and happiness, which are fantastic and fabulous; but fails to recognise their fulfilment as future blessings of the coming age while at the very same time, ignores the reality of suffering in this age. The prosperity gospel lets us down. It produces wimpy Christians who know nothing of enduring faith and sovereign grace (Romans 5:1, 21).

But, worst of all? The prosperity gospel denies God where it denies suffering. Chapter 4 verse 9 makes absolutely no sense to the gospel of wealth and health and happiness alone.

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.
1 Corinthians 4:9

Paul doesn’t just describe suffering. He gives a reason for it. “For I think,” Paul says, that God did this. God means for our hardship and humility to be put up on display for all to see.

To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted (knocked about) and homeless, and we labour, working with our own hands.
1 Corinthians 4:11-12

This is ongoing, continual and ever-present suffering. “To the present hour,” Paul writes, we encounter all these hardships – hunger, poverty, abuse, homelessness. The Corinthians on the other hand are living the good life. Or are they?

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ.
We are weak, but you are strong.
You are held in honour, but we in disrepute.
1 Corinthians 4:10

Does this mean Christians should feel guilty if they are well-off? That believers should shun blessing? The opposite of the prosperity gospel is the equally misguided poverty gospel that says the true Christian life is the miserable life; the only godly life is a poor life. But poverty theology is just another form of false pride. It glories not in the sufferings of the cross but in its own self-pity. Poverty theology preaches the cross as tragedy but not as treasure.

No, Paul isn’t advocating another form of poverty theology. Far from it. He even expresses a longing that all promises of God’s kingdom had already reached its fulfilment in terms of spiritual and material blessing.

And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you!
1 Corinthians 4:8b

The misapplication of these verses can be easily avoided by clearly identifying who Paul is talking about. Who are the “we” described here? Who is Paul identifying with?

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
1 Corinthians 4:1

I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers...
1 Corinthians 4:6

For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all...
1 Corinthians 4:9

Paul is obviously talking about the apostles – the leaders of the church. As leaders, God has so ordained their lives and ministry that they not only display faithfulness in preaching Christ, but also integrity in identifying with Christ in their response to suffering.

And we labour, 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.
1 Corinthians 4:12-13

For Paul and the apostles, suffering is the very context for their service. They bless a world which responds with curses. As they are oppressed they patiently endure. Words of insult are exchanged with words of kindness. “We entreat,” says Paul, meaning he is pleading with his hearers to turn to God in repentance.

Yet the insults in this case are not coming from the world. They are coming from within the church. Hence the labour he talks about at the beginning of verse 12 is the work he is doing in service of the church with his “own hands”. It is an indication of Paul’s decision to support his own gospel ministry, though it benefits these Christian believers, refusing support from the church though he deserves it. He expands on this later in Chapter 9.

Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.
1 Corinthians 9:12

His goal and final reward is the gospel. And he willing sets aside other treasures so that the true treasure of God’s salvation can be seen for what it is: valuable, precious and yet, free. This is the bible’s theology of grace. Unlike prosperity theology, grace is able to celebrate in God’s blessing even in want. Unlike poverty theology, grace speaks of God’s abundant and overflowing blessing that comes through the cross. Grace means we do not deserve God’s mercy and goodness, yet he lavishes his forgiveness and love on sinners at the great cost of his Son.

The apostles are demonstrating grace. Faced with suffering and rejection, they respond in love with patience. This is what makes the gospel good news. Christians are saved purely through God’s grace in freely giving us his Son, Jesus on the cross.

Yet we must not miss how grace is most powerfully displayed. Paul wants the Corinthians to acknowledge the blessing of God. “What did you have that you did not receive?” he asks. Everything is from God. Your health, your wealth, your gifts, your intellect, your loved ones, your very life comes from God. “For in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). The Corinthians had forgotten God’s goodness and grace. Instead the very grace-gifts of God have become the very reason for their pride and jealousy.

I want you to think about this for while: how would you deal with such persons? Let’s be honest: Here in Cambridge, everyone has amazing gifts. From the students to their professors; to the humble street performers, many of whom put professional entertainers to shame with their talents.

One approach is to cut them down to size. Show them that they aren’t really as smart as they think they are. Give the proud student a really tough problem to solve during supervision and watch him squirm. Challenge the professor in front of the entire class and tear down his methodology. Make them eat humble pie.

Another approach might be to impress them with your own gifts and talents. Show them that you’re on the same team; that if we worked together we would achieve so much more. The MBA programme starts one week earlier than all the others, to let their students bond and get to know one another. That’s because these leaders of industry have come to Cambridge not simply to gain knowledge, but to form partnerships and make business contacts that will affect the rest of their careers.

Cut them down. Or build them up. Yet Paul doesn’t use either of these strategies. He wants these Christians to acknowledge God’s blessing in their lives. And the way he does this is by acknowledging God’s goodness in his suffering. Do you see that?

Paul is saying that we need to see God’s hand in all things – in good things as well as bad things. That is because God’s purpose in plenty or in want, in comfort as well as suffering – is one and the same. It is to display the supreme glory of his grace through Jesus Christ.

And while we still live in a world that only values blessing; that only acknowledges wealth; that only treasure comfort and security, often times the clearest way to display the glory of God’s grace is not through blessing, wealth or comfort, but in the midst of suffering, poverty and death. Because Christians who continue to speak of the good God in the face of evils done against them, who rejoice in the hope of eternal life as they stare at the prospect of harm and death – these are the Christians the world sits up and takes notice of. These are the believers who stand out as different from the world. These are the disciples of Jesus Christ who take up their cross daily to follow the footsteps of their Saviour.

These are the apostles. Who lead this church to recognise the hand of God, to acknowledge the goodness of God in all blessings he bestows upon the church, and all sufferings of Christ he grants for us as Christians to participate in (Philippians 1:29), all to display supreme glory of God in his grace through Jesus Christ.

What would it take for you to recognise God’s hand in your life? It is tempting to just recount those moments we were happiest and most joyful; to list the most extravagant and lavish gifts we have been blessed with. Here the bible challenges to look at the most difficult moments we’ve encountered. Paul is giving us the license and the courage to dig up painful memories and take a hard look at even the things we are most ashamed of – maybe these things are not past but present realities – and look to God for his grace to deal with them, to stay faithful in the midst of them, even to speak God’s blessing through the gospel into them.

Could it be that God is calling you minister to others in your weakness? That’s the amazing thing about the gospel: it actually puts the weak in the position to help the strong. Paul has become a fool for Christ and here he writes to address the wise. In fact, that’s the very position he needs to be in, in order to be effective in his ministry.

We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.
1 Corinthians 4:13

There is no indication that things will change. “God has put us in this situation, and he has kept us here,” Paul is saying. To the world, they are seen as rubbish, drop-outs, failures and has-beens. Yet, how does God see them? Faithful. That is what God is looking for and calling us to be. To be faithful and trustworthy in speaking the gospel and living the gospel no matter the circumstances.

To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labour, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat.
1 Corinthians 4:11-12

3. Attitude

Thirdly, Paul addresses their attitude.

If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
1 Corinthians 4:7c

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.
1 Corinthians 4:18-19

The Corinthians were being arrogant (some versions have “puffed up”) and this attitude was strongly reflected in their “talk” which Paul says is indicative of certain “arrogant people”. Yet what Paul will deal with is not their “talk” but their “power”.

For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.
1 Corinthians 4:20

All talk and no power – it makes it sound like these arrogant individuals are making boastful yet empty claims. They have no real authority or ability to back these claims up. But what are these arrogant people claiming to do? And what is the power that Paul says they lack?

There is no need to guess the answers to these questions as we have encountered the unique pairings of “talk” and “power” before; on several occasions in the previous chapters. The “talk” of these arrogant people translates the Greek word “logos”, elsewhere rendered as “speech” or “word”.

And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech (logos) and my message were not in plausible words(logois) of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:3-5

Paul has previously expanded on the dangers of trusting in wise-sounding words – in eloquent wisdom and impressive oratory – as the basis of our faith in God and our judgement over the things of God. The true wisdom of God appears foolish to the wise of the world. This is not an accident. God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. God chose the weak to shame the strong. Why? So that no-one can boast in themselves before God (1 Corinthians 1:27-29). Here in Chapter 4, the proud “words” of certain arrogant individuals in Corinth are likely to be accusations against Paul himself. They seek to challenge his authority as an apostle. But Paul recognises their empty boasts not simply as a personal insult, but a dangerous influence that threatens to undermine the foundation of the Corinthians’ faith in God’s salvation.

According to Paul, the kingdom of God is really about “power”. I wonder what you would substitute in place of that word “power”. God’s kingdom isn’t about talk, it is really about... Well, what word comes to mind?

I think most of us would naturally think of the word “action”. After all, that is what we are looking for in our leaders – Not simply individuals who make big promises, but those who deliver real results. Actions speak louder than words, we usually say. Conversely, we hate hypocrites – those who say one thing, yet do another. We want honesty, consistency, authenticity – in our government, in our banks, in our newspapers and in our law-courts.

And yes, it is right to expect the same level of authenticity of our leaders in the church. Paul can write to the believers, “I urge you then, be imitators of me” (1 Corinthians 4:16). Not just his doctrine, but even his life displays the integrity of what he teaches.

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.
1 Corinthians 4:17

His life mirrors his teaching. It sounds like an ideal but this is merely the same faithfulness that Paul says is required of all servants of the gospel (4:1-2). These “ways in Christ” – which are interestingly plural (ways) – meaning both his life and doctrine are the same things he teaches “everywhere in every church”. This is consistency and transparency in preaching and living the gospel.

Yet, having said all this, I do not think this is what Paul means by the word “power”. The Kingdom of God, says Paul, does not consist in talk but in power. That power is not something that Paul did. Instead Paul is pointing to something that God has done. This is God’s power to save. The key verse is found in 1 Corinthians 1:18.

For the word (logos) of the cross is folly to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18

Look carefully at what Paul says here. What is the power of God? It is the power to save – yes. But what is this power? It is the word of the cross. This word which looks foolish “to those who are perishing”. But this same word, which to the Christian who has been saved (and is being saved), “is the power of God.” The message of cross is displays the supreme power of God.

You see, the contrast is not so much between word and power. It is between man and God. Man’s logos is to boast in himself. Man’s power is self-sufficiency. God’s word and God’s power is the cross. It is the shame, the suffering and the death of Jesus Christ. The crucifixion of Jesus displays the wisdom of God and the power of God.

Notice, it is the power of God “to those who are being saved”. This is a matter of life and death. The cross isn’t just a point of view. It is the difference between everlasting life with God and eternal damnation under the judgement of God.

I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children.
1 Corinthians 4:14

This is the whole reason why Paul addresses their attitude of pride and arrogance. Not to shame but to warn. They think they are merely judging Paul in his weakness. Paul says they are foolishly standing in judgement over the cross. Still the apostle will address their improper attitude not by demanding accountability, but by expressing affection. He loves them and appeals to the Corinthians as a father does his own children.

For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers.
For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
1 Corinthians 4:15

This bit of the letter is intensely personal. No longer “we” and the “apostles” but “I” – “I write these things”(4:14), “I became your father”(4:15), “I urge you”(4:16) and “I will come to you soon” (4:19).

Few of us reading this letter will feel the full force of Paul’s argument, if you have never had someone in your life who cares deeply for your well-being, your conduct and your faith, as Paul did for these Corinthians. The arrogance of these believers didn’t merely offend him as a Christian leader. Their actions broke his heart as a father who had brought them to faith in Christ and nurtured them in the gospel. Still he appeals to them, even sending Timothy, his “beloved and faithful child in the Lord” to remind them of Christ, while he makes plans for his own personal visit to Corinth (4:19).

But as I said earlier, unless you have had a similar experience of accountability as well as affection in the gospel, we will miss the tension in these words. And I suspect you will find Paul’s closing words all the more deeply offensive.

What do you wish?
Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?
1 Corinthians 4:21

Paul ends on the rather unsavoury note of discipline. It is a threat of discipline, but a real threat nonetheless – as evidenced in the next two chapters dealing with sin and the responsibility of the entire community in judging sin within the church. This is important to note as church discipline is an activity of the whole gathering (1 Corinthians 5:4-5) – not just the leaders themselves. In those instances of sin, Paul does condemn the sinner, yet reserves even harsher condemnation on the church for failing to exercise discipline over that sin.

Still what we must not miss in these strong words is Paul display of affection. He would rather deal with the Corinthians in “a spirit of gentleness”. But he will not spare the “rod” either. Both are expressions of his love for the believers. Both show that Paul cares for this church.

The Wall Street Journal recently published an article entitled “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior.” In it author Amy Chua contrasts the different parenting practices of Asian and Western families while reflecting on her own personal challenges raising her two daughters in the modern Western world. She writes,

Chinese parents can order their kids to get straight As. Western parents can only ask their kids to try their best. Chinese parents can say, "You're lazy. All your classmates are getting ahead of you." By contrast, Western parents have to struggle with their own conflicted feelings about achievement, and try to persuade themselves that they're not disappointed about how their kids turned out.
Amy Chua, “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior”, Wall Street Journal, 8 January 2011

The article doesn’t denigrate Western parents, but sets out to clarify the sincere intentions of Chinese parents seeking the very best for and from their kids.

The apostle Paul is seeking the very best for and from the church. He is their father in the gospel and he cares for their conduct in the faith. Out of all the churches in the New Testament, the church in Corinth is possibly the most gifted and talented. 1 Corinthians 12 to 14 are the chapters we often turn to learn about spiritual gifts and their place in the church and life of the Christian. Yet out of the all the churches in the New Testament, the church in Corinth was the one which possibly caused Paul the most grief and anguish. These Christians were a source of pain and anguish to Paul because of their pride and sinfulness. But also because of the apostle’s sincere love for them. He never gave up on them.

Instead right at the beginning of the letter Paul writes,

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge – even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you – so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is faithful, by whom you were called into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:4-9

These gifts were causing the Corinthians to puff themselves up. Yet Paul thanks God for the gifts. They are given as visible signs of God’s grace for the good of the church.

But more importantly, Paul reminds them that even though the Corinthians have proved faithless in using these gifts, God is still faithful to sustain them to very end.

The Corinthians might be messed up but God has not given up. And neither does Paul.