The Fundamentals of Ministry

Introduction

Background

We’ve gone through some fundamentals of the Christian life. In chapter 2 we talked about the fundamentals of the Gospel message. In chapter 3 we talked about the fundamentals of the church. The reason that Paul is going back over these fundamentals is because the people in the Corinthian church are divided over who is the greatest. Their major concern is who is more important, rather than how they can be more like Christ.

But, just like in every conflict, there is typically one united party that is causing all of the drama. In chapter 4, Paul is going to talk about people who believe that they have power and status.

Context

So, the context of chapter 4 is based on The Fundamentals of Ministry. Paul is going to use himself and Apollos to illustrate what it means to be a minister of the gospel of God. And, in this chapter, we are going to see three things that we all need to be, and three things that the church needs in order to thrive.

I. We Need Faithful Ministers

There isn’t any way around it, the Christian life requires that we be faithful. It requires that we discipline ourselves into living Godly lifestyles.

Unfortunately, we think that everything is easy and convenient…that, at the push of a button, we should be awarded anything we want.

Think about our society…

We have amazon prime with two day delivery…we have more options for drive-thru restaurants than we even want to eat at…we don’t want to cook our meals, we want the instant mashed potatoes and the 5-minute rice…we don’t want to wait and save up for what we want, we’d rather just put it on credit, so we can get it now, and pay for it later.

But in the Christian life…there is no easy button. There is just discipline and faithfulness to God…and the truth is, that God doesn’t require any more than that from us. The only thing that He asks us to do is to be obedient, to be faithful. And what you’ll begin to see is that your life will never be defined by how much you have or how quickly you got it, it will only be defined by your faithfulness to the things of God.

Look where Paul begins in v. 1

A Minister’s Role

1 Corinthians 4:1 NKJV

Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Look there at “servants of Christ” - This literally translates as “under-rowers”.

Now, this isn’t a popular thought today, but the imagery is that there is a commander on the boat, and His name is Jesus, and we are the slaves in the galley taking orders and rowing the ship. We are the “under-rowers”.

Dealing with Division

Alright, the section we are in is a section that is dealing with the divisions in the church. The division is rooted in this attitude that some are greater than others, and that some ought to be esteemed higher than others.

What Paul is doing here is bringing everyone back down to level playing field. He says, “We are nothing but slaves of Jesus Christ, rowing the ship under His command.”

That’s why he says, there at the beginning, “let a man so consider us.” This is so different from how they are being considered now…Paul is trying to level the playing field.

Servants and Stewards of What?

Now notice this…Paul says that we are servants and stewards of “Christ”, and the “mysteries of God.”

The mysteries of God are the gospel and how God is going to bring the entire world to a close. We know this…that at the end of times, there will be the antichrist, risen to power from the revived Roman empire, he will betray Israel, and Jesus Christ will come back and judge the entire world.

We have that knowledge in our possession, and that is our greatest responsibility.

From that truth, the truth that Jesus Christ is our living hope, that for most this world is full of misery, that for others there are great riches and pleasures here on earth…that there is coming a day where Jesus will judge both the living and the dead. That there will be a time when the world ends up in the depths of Hell or in the presence of God.

That is the message that we are called to be faithful stewards of.

So, the minister’s role is to be a servant of Christ and steward of the mysteries of God.

A Minister’s Requirement

1 Corinthians 4:2 NKJV

Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

That word “moreover” is the transition to say, “Since we are servants and stewards of Christ and His mysteries, it is required that we be found faithful”

So, that is our requirement, that we be faithful in the things of God.

Now, think of it, at the very core of human society, we expect people to be faithful. When we give the bank teller our check, or when Friday rolls around and we have direct deposit, we expect that our money will be there…and we expect it faithfully.

When we enter into a marriage with another, we expect fidelity, we expect good financial management, we expect help with the kids, we expect provision to be handled, and so forth.

When we send our children to school, we expect that the teacher they are under shows up prepared, ready to teach, faithfully guiding our children to the truth.

Really, you could just fill in the blank…at the end of the day, we expect people to do their job and to do it with integrity.

Well, the same is true in your spiritual life. God expects you to do your job and to do it faithfully and without compromise.

Well, what is our job?

Now, you might be getting ready to ask a loaded question, one that’s too broad for this message…you might be thinking, “What is the job of a Christian?”

If I wanted to tie it in to v. 1, I’d just repeat myself…I would just simply say, “Your job is to be a good steward of Christ and His mysteries.”

But, so that you might understand and have something to accomplish from this lesson, I would rather say, “Do what you already know is right, and then God will give you your next assignment.”

If you know it’s right to witness, and there are lost people at your job, then witness to them. If you know it’s right to begin studying God’s word, then start studying God’s word. If you know it’s right to get under some other teachers here through Sunday School or discipleship training…then do that.

Whatever you already know is right, begin there and then God will give you more assignments.

For those of you that are more mature…I’d give the same advice, but then I’d say, “and just keep being faithful.”

Hey, I know this…if you are out on a job site, and you have a guy that’s good at building but never shows up…and then you have a guy that’s honest and hardworking, that’s always there, always on time, and always has a good attitude…it really doesn’t matter if he’s that good or not, he’ll always have a job. Why? Because you can count on him.

Now, in the area of faithfulness to ministry, there’s our role as a steward, there is our requirement to be faithful…and finally there’s…

A Minister’s Judge

You know that in some ways I am accountable to you, and that you are accountable to me…but ultimately, no one here on earth is the judge. What you’ll see so many times is people worrying about what other people think…they’ll live a double life just to live the right kind of life in front of the right kind of people.

But with God there won’t be any kind of double-life. When we stand before Him, we will stand before Him with everything exposed, and He will be the final judge of our stewardship and our faithfulness.

1 Corinthians 4:3–4 NKJV

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.

Man cannot be judge

In v. 3, Paul is using himself as the example. He just says what we all know to be true, “criticize me if you want, I am a servant of God, not a servant of man.”

Look there at the phrase translated, “human court”. It is literally, “the day of man.”

When we understand the “day of the Lord”, we need to understand that’s the day where Jesus judges the living and the dead. Well, in “the day of man”, that is the day that man judges. But Paul says, it is a “very small thing (lit. insignificant) that I am judged on the day of man.”

Self cannot be judge

He say at the end of v. 3 and into v. 4, “I don’t even judge myself”.

Do you know why Paul won’t assess his own work? Because there is fine line between self-righteousness and honest Christian living, and we’re just not that good at recognizing it in our own lives.

Jesus says, Matthew 7:3-5

Matthew 7:3–5 NKJV

And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Why did Jesus say this? because He knows that we can hardly distinguish between Spirit led and self-led.

So, Paul says, “I don’t let man or myself cast judgement.”

The Lord is my judge

He says at the end of v. 4, “He who judges me is the Lord.”

Read with me now v. 5 and 6

1 Corinthians 4:5–6 NKJV

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God. Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.

Paul says two things here…

First, in v. 5 he says, “you are judging at the wrong time.”

2 Timothy 4:1 NKJV

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:

Judgement is going to come on the day of the Lord and Paul says judge nothing before the time.

Here’s the truth…I won’t know how I’ve performed until the day of judgement.

I get encouragement all the time from this church, other pastors…but I won’t know until the day of the Lord. Because then, there won’t be any motive or any sin hidden from His sight.

I am afraid, that so many who have gone before me, handling the Word of God, are going to be ashamed when they stand before God because they are going to learn that they lived their whole lives for themselves…that they never gave God the glory.

Paul says that God is going to bring all things to light, and that our praise, if there is any to receive, is going to come from God.

The second thing he says is in v. 6, “You are judging by the wrong standard and for the wrong reasons.”

He says, “that you may learn not to think beyond what is written.”

You know what this is? These people were being so ridiculous, that they were creating an unrealistic standard for godliness…aka, they were legalists. They were formulating in their own minds what was appropriate and considered to be faithfulness…yet Paul says, “do not think beyond what is written.”

As in, don’t add to the word of God your own standards.

Their standard and their judgement for faithful ministry was so severe that Paul didn’t pass the test.

Then Paul writes, “so none of you may be puffed up.”

Their attitude wasn’t love, but it was pride..it was to be puffed up. It was to claim some kind of reputation…and that is the wrong motive.

A faithful minister is a good steward of God’s mysteries, they are faithful in everything that they do, and they only have one Judge, and His name is Jesus.

II. We Need Humble Ministers

If you want to be humble, recognize the minister’s source

The Minister’s Source

1 Corinthians 4:7 NKJV

For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

God gives everyone a gift by His grace:

Here are the gifts from Romans 12:

Prophesying, serving, teaching, encouragement, giving, leading (admin), and mercy.

In 1 Cor 12:

Wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, and the speaking and interpreting of tongues.

And in Eph 4, Paul says that God gives these offices as gifts to the church:

apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers.

Here is Paul’s point, “ya’ll are so busy boasting about your gifts, that you’ve ignored the Giver.”

That’s where the whole issue lies…that we forget who gives us what we got.

It’s something that we received, freely from God, not something we earned, and we don’t have any reason to boast about it. If we want to be humble minister’s, we need to recognize the source.

If you want to remain a humble minister, understand the minister’s downfall

The Minister’s Downfall

1 Corinthians 4:8 NKJV

You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us—and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you!

Paul is graphically explaining their pride. These Corinthians are behaving as if they have already been crowned in Heaven. In other words, they are acting like they are made perfect, and that their standard is the only standard to live by.

He makes the contrast “without us” saying that they consider themselves to be greater than the apostles.

The second half of v. 8 indicates that Paul wishes they were actually glorified, because if they were then Paul would also be with Jesus in glory.

To be a humble minister, recognize the source, understand the downfall, and then look forward to glory.

The Minister’s Glory

1 Corinthians 4:9 NKJV

For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

Paul is getting ready to do a little comparing and contrasting. The key word in this text is that word, “spectacle”.

The word spectacle is the Greek word theatron (thay-a-tron) and it’s where we get the English word “theatre”.

The imagery is that the apostles are condemned to death, and they are God’s feature film on what it means when Jesus says “the first shall be last and the last first.”

Look at how Paul compares the people in Corinth to the apostles in verse 0…

1 Corinthians 4:10 NKJV

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!

I think Paul is proving his point. They are apostles, and they are humble servants of the mysteries of God, and they are counted as fools, weak, and dishonored.

The people of Corinth in their pride consider themselves wise, strong, and distinguished.

Paul continues with his description

1 Corinthians 4:11–13 NKJV

To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.

The Corinthians held onto their worldly status for their glory, but Paul says that he and the apostles are God’s feature film on success in the Kingdom of God. That they are foolish, weak, dishonored, hungry and thirsty, poorly clothed, beaten, homeless, laborers, reviled, persecuted, defamed, and made as filth.

What is your assessment of your own success? Is it biblical success? Or do you base your success on what the world says is success?

Let me put it another way…

Is your goal to be admired, or is your goal to honor Christ?

Because the Bible says that the things of God are foolishness to the world. It says that God chooses foolish things for glory…the Bible says that God uses the weak to confound the strong.

If have any other status in your life other than being bought by the blood of Jesus, it’s pride and it’s of the world.

Philippians 3:5–8 NKJV

circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

Glory for the minister of Jesus Christ is found in faithfulness of service and in the humility of the heart.

So, we need faithful ministers, we need humble ministers…finally…

III. We need Gentle Ministers

A Minister’s Affection

1 Corinthians 4:14–15 NKJV

I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

A good father acts out of love…and that’s what Paul is doing.

There are some people who think that love means just sweeping everything under the rug and living life as it comes…the real definition of love is to show affection by giving truth and discipline where there is none.

Imagine I didn’t want to hurt my kids feelings, so I just let them eat cake and ice cream for every meal. It might be fun in the beginning, but one day they’ll resent me because I didn’t make them eat with a healthy balance.

Paul, because he loves them, isn’t just going to let them do whatever they want, but is going to sit them down, and tell them what they need to hear. He’s not going to be rude, but he’s going to be direct, truthful, loving, and that’s what people need.

A Minister’s Example

1 Corinthians 4:16–17 NKJV

Therefore I urge you, imitate me. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.

A faithful, humble, and gentle minister won’t be bossy, but they’ll be the example. Paul says he wants them to imitate him, and so, while he is unavailable, he is sending Timothy, someone he has trained, to teach them until Paul can arrive.

There’s the popular saying for parent’s when a kid asks them why they have to do something…

“because I said so.”

but unfortunately, there’s another saying that kids recite to their parents and it might just be the scariest 5 words you can hear from your kids…

“I’ll be just like you.”

Whatever you want others to be like, if you’re faithful and humble, you will show them by how you live.

A Minister’s Discipline

1 Corinthians 4:18–21 NKJV

Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

There are apparently some people in the church that are doing too much talking. But Paul says, “when I come, I’ll find out who’s all talk and who has the power from God.”

For, “the kingdom of God is not about the words you use, but in the power that you live by.” Paul is prepared to separate and discipline these people by examining their fruit, not just by listening to them talk a big game.

Finally, Paul has already written them one letter and they haven’t listened. Now this church is getting puffed up, saying that Paul is just all talk…but he asks this question, “do you want me to come with a rod? Or do you want me to come in gentleness?”

His message is this, “If you want me to come in gentleness, then there are some things that you need to get in order before I arrive.”

Paul, in chapters 5-6 and will talk about church discipline, and he is going to be very blunt in the sins they are committing.

Conclusion

In ministry…in the work of the church, we need people who are faithful, humble, and gentle. There is a proper way to serve in the Kingdom of God, and there is a proper attitude that comes with it.

To attempt to function in a church without faithfulness, humility, and gentleness will leave that church dry and powerless.