For the last week we spoke a bit about the work of the pastors and elders, this week we are going further with that, and deeper as Paul gives an explanation of who the elders and pastors are. There is a lot of ways you can look at elders. I have heard them described as friendly, awkward, intense, conservative, easy to talk to. But is this the only way we should think about them? Or is there more to it then the eye can see? If so, how should you regard them?
He answers the question in verse 1 “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.”
You should regard them as servants of Christ – he does not use the word slave here. The word servant here is used more in the sense of a government context. As an official, or guard, or officer. These men are representatives of the king. Servants of the king. And they are stewards of the mysteries of God. The mysteries of God as witnessed in the baptism this morning! The fullness of the gospel. A steward is one who the master entrusts his household affairs to. Here God has entrusted them with the “mysteries of God.”
What are these mysteries? They are things that were hidden but have now been revealed in and through the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. They have been entrusted to faithfully care for, guard, and share the mystery of God that is now revealed. In other words, the gospel.
When you are looking for someone to steward your home, you are looking for someone that is faithful. Especially if you are putting them in charge of all your house – finances, children, everything. You want them to be faithful. Trustworthy. And that is exactly what Paul says in verse 2, “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”
Theme: The church and her leaders
- The leaders work for God (v. 1-5)
- The leaders life points to the cross (v. 6-13)
- The leaders function as loving father (14-21)
The Leaders work for God
If they are servants of Christ, and entrusted with the mysteries of the gospel, they first and foremost working for Christ. Most people care far more about what their boss thinks about them then the people. Imagine a manager in a large company only listened to the people under him and did not care at all what his boss thought. The employees under him wanted more time off, and he gave it. the employees didn’t like the whole idea of having to show up on time and do the work faithfully. The Manager wanted to be liked so he didn’t say too much. He was everyone’s favorite manager. But what do you think his boss will do? Well first talk to him, and tell him you don’t work for them, you work for me first. I am the one that gave you this position that put in in this place because I trusted you to do the work faithfully.
This is the picture that we get here. Paul says, “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.” It is a very small thing what the church thinks of Paul first and foremost. What matters is, “is he pleasing the commanding officer?” The Church is the household of God, and these leaders have been entrusted with its care. It is so tempting to first want to be loved by the church and secondly to be faithful to Christ. Trust me I know. We need to be reminded of our task. We cannot even judge himself. Ultimately it is not the steward that writes his own performance review. The boss writes the performance review. Paul does not write his own performance review; it is his master which will judge the work that he has done. Paul adds though that he is not aware of anything against him, but it does not matter if he is aware or not. He is not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Jesus is the ultimate master of the household, and that is comforting for church, and leaders.
Because, here is the conclusion, “Therefore do not pronounce judgement 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” we judge by what we see. We see the outward. We judge by speaking style, by numbers, by the way the person comes across. But God judges by what cannot be seen. Its so easy to cast judgement on a certain pastor or elder according to what you see outwardly. But God is the one that will enlighten the things now hidden.
There are leaders that don’t look like much. Are not very impressive. Don’t have great speaking abilities, who will be shown to faithful stewards, and will receive their commendation: “Well done good and faithful servant”. There are those who from our perspective did great things for the kingdom. Were loved by all – but at the end of the day it will be shown that they had been doing it for their own gain. That the heart was never in it. On the day the lord Comes all things will be revealed. And each one will deceive his commendation or praise.
This has both a message for the church and the leaders.
- For the leaders:
- Know that God judges according to the heart.
- Aim to please the Lord your master, and be a faithful steward of the mysteries entrusted to you . You have been entrusted with the gospel – to share it with people. do that faithfully. These people belong to him. Do it with gentleness and patience. Just like the steward of the home is not the owner – so you are not the owner.
- For the Church
- Be careful when you judge you leaders. Especially when it comes to personality or speech, or outward appearances. It could be that the least favorite elder receives the most praise from God.
- Remember the leaders don’t work to please you they are there to please the Lord. They have been entrusted to serve you with the Gospel. Nothing more nothing less.
Having said this, it does not mean that they do not also work for your benefit.
The leaders life points to the cross(v. 6-13)
“for I have applied all these thing to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against the other.” Paul wants to make clear to that they are judging the leaders according to human standards, and this is puffing them up – rather then humbling them. If you judge a church according to your pastor - how dynamic he is - then you will be puffed up. Don’t look to the pastor – consider his message and the one that he points to.
This was the problem with the Corinthians – they thought they were better then all. They had it all. All the best pastors. They were wealthy. Outwardly, according to worldly standards they look like a success. But they had lost sight of the Gospel. They looked to the people, and not to what they preached. What was written. They forgot that they were like anyone else. They had received everything. And yet they were boasting as if it was not all of grace. Grace always leads to humility. If it does not it is not grace. This is the point Paul is trying to make when he says, “For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
Why are you boasting? What reason do you have? That is his challenge to the church! What reason do you have to say look at us!? Rather than say look at HIM! Paul challenges them by comparing his own life, and the life of his fellow workers with the life of the Corinthians in verse 8-13. His words here are just dripping with sarcasm. Look at what you are saying? You have all you want. You have become rich! You have become kings without us! You claim to be so wise. You claim to be held in honor. You claim to be strong. That is the opposite of what we experience when we follow Christ! Remember the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing!
Paul reinforces his self-description of "fool" for Christ (4:10) with ancient Greek theater imagery. You see Greek theater language abound in this passage. Most notable is: "spectacle (v.9)" (theatron); "be imitators (v.16)" (mimetai — the verbal form of the mime); and "fool (v. 10)" (moros, or "moron") — a low class actor in the mime. Through theater imagery, Paul weaves together what lies at the heart of gospel ministry! What lies at the heart of following Christ? It is to be the fool of the world.
Paul was fully aware that 'all the world's a stage” and satirically depicted himself in the role of the fool, at the bottom rung of the social ladder. It is precisely the nobodies, those who are weak and have no standing, whom God has chosen. While the cross does not exclude the somebodies of the world, it calls all people to find common ground, not in their self-righteousness, but in their unrighteousness. That they might in Christ become righteous.
Approaching the cross does not lead to a sense of confidence and poise, but a sense of humility and shattered pride. For this reason, Paul called himself and his (apostolic) community "fools for Christ" in contrast to the Corinthians who were "so wise in Christ!" (1 Corinthians 4:10). Paul contrasts those who view themselves and their world through the cross with those who view themselves and their world through honor and self-justification (4:10b). He confronts people who feel they have already arrived and who look down upon those who haven't achieved their perceived level of superiority.
This is not about Paul if so he would have stood up for himself. But it is about Christ. The one who he is following. That is why he says, “When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become and are still, like the scum of the earth, the refuse of all things.” This is how the gospel conquers. This is how it overcomes. By overcoming evil with good. By the turning of the other cheek. For Christ’s sake. He is worthy.
So, when persecuted you endure, when slandered you entreat. This what it means to follow Jesus as Peter says, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” This is not suffering for suffering’s sake this is suffering for Christ sake. This is suffering for the sake of others.
The leaders function as loving father (14-21)
The leader is not just a servant of Christ, who follows Christ – he also loves the house over which God has made him a steward. The steward in an ancient Greco Roman home would often function as the father or guardian for the children growing up in that home. This is Paul’s attitude toward the church. He says, “I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children.” You can see how what he said above could easily make someone ashamed for treating them like this.
The Corinthians were competing for status. Paul does not wish simply to remove all status, but to redefine what counts as status in terms of glorying in the cross, glorying in the Lord, and perceiving “slavery as salvation,” i.e., the honor of being accounted worthy to suffer hardships in the service of their Lord.
They were his beloved children. Strangers and even grandparents can afford to be more relaxed about “training”; but parents have to suffer the outbursts from children which require discipline. A parent enjoys loving discipline no more than the child.
He loves this church. And he reminds them of that when he says, “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.” These guides in ancient times would be paid slaves for protection, guidance, and general supervision of behavior to or from school, or on occasions when a parent was absent. All these people might correct you, says Paul,, but we do it because we love you! There are many teachers but few pastors.
It was because of love that he was able to suffer in the way that he did for the sake of the church. What will a father not do for his beloved children. Will not a father love his son or daughter even though they have turned their back and revile him. can a good father ever really stop loving his son?
When he offered them the gospel and they came to repentance and faith in Christ, he was the one that natured them. When they came to faith it was his preaching that gave birth to their faith, and in that sense, he became a spiritual father to them. Not just in what he said, but in his very life! And they seemed to have forgotten all about it. He was not a professional. He was a pastor. He was giving his life for the church. They were his children. And he calls them to walk in his footsteps as any good father will do. An advisor will just give you advice, a father will lead by example.
And so he calls them to be imitators of Him. That is quiet a statement. Would you suffer as Paul did for a messed-up church like Corinthians? Elders if you ever lose patience, look to Paul’s examples. Will this child who was baptized today grow up in a church where the elders and pastors might say to others imitate me? Is Christ alive in us.
Being a leader is not about teaching only it is about example – an example of one crucified with Christ. You will notice he wants to remind them not just of his reaching, but also his ways. The teaching is meant to lead to a different way of life. A life different then the worlds. So he sends another one of his children to them. “Timothy, my beloved and faithful (there we have the idea of faithful stewardship) child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.” This is the same message to every church. And his ways echo what he teaches.
Paul at the end is not worried about talk, persuasive talk any person can do. But the gospel is life changing. That is the power of the gospel. It means nothing that you think the language of a sermon is beautiful. Even though it should be. The question is does the preaching change you! That is what Paul is getting at! He says he is coming to them soon and going to figure out not the talk of these arrogant men, but their Power. The word here for arrogant basically means puffed with air. full of hot air. But the kingdom of god is not just about blowing hot air but about substance!
For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. The kingdom of God. This is the reign of Christ that he is talking about. The reign of Christ is not ineffective. It is not about talk. And doctrine. It is manifest in a kingdom lifestyle. It is about a life that manifests the reality of God-in-Christ and his sovereign deeds. Those proud people are nothing but talk. Just blowing empty air. But Paul says he doesn’t want words he wants to see the life! Are they functioning as servants of Christ in their life. Are they living the way of the cross! Are they living according to the wisdom and power of God? The emphasis lies on effectiveness in life as against mere rhetoric. Does your life look effectively different? That is the power of the gospel.
What would Paul find if he was to visit here, beloved? Would he have to come with the rod of discipline, or with love in a Spirit of gentleness! The Corinthians would well understand the question: In which of these two ways am I to come as father? Paul is eager to say that he does not wish for any confrontation, but if some persist in ignoring the entire argument of 1:10–4:21, they will have made a choice which will leave Paul with no choice. As a sensitive pastor, he is reluctant to bring matters to a head, but resolved to do so if there proves to be no other way forward.
Dear church what would Paul see here? Would he see a church, arrogant? Self-sufficient? Buying into the world strategies. Or do we judge our leaders by the kingdom’s standards – as men who represent God and as stewards of the mystery of the Gospel. Do we look for worldly power, or is the power of the cross made visible in the church through a cruciform lifestyle? Is it just words that you hear every Sunday or do these words have a dramatic effect on your life? Let’s talk about it. Let’s pray for it.
Amen.