“The care of a godly Father”

In third John and verse 4 John reminds us, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” It delighted John to hear that those whom he had led to Christ were walking with Jesus. After all Jesus is the way the truth and the life and so we desperately need to follow Him. All other roads or paths lead to an eternity away from the Lord.

I am thankful today to have had the opportunity to grow up in a Christian home. I know that not everyone has had this experience. I am thankful today that my parents saw the importance of talking to me about Jesus and helping me at a very early age to know what it meant to know Christ and then follow Him. My mom once said Matt, “I would rather have you half around the world in another country following Jesus and speaking about Him then living right next door to you and you not following Jesus.” It gave my parents great joy to know that my sister and brother and I were walking in the truth of Christ.

My siblings and I also had great examples to follow in our church. I am tremendously in debt to a faithful youth pastor who not only taught me about following Jesus, but also lived as a faithful example, and showed us students through his own life how to follow Jesus. My point is that we all need great godly examples and spiritual fathers to guide us and show us who Jesus is and how to faithfully follow Him.

Today I want to help us see through the warning of Paul that there was a godly leader who truly loved his flock or spiritual children and cared enough to warn them to straighten up and follow Christ. We see this example with many earthly fathers don’t we? Fathers should deeply care for their children, so they do their best to give them godly advise and instruction to live by. Scripture shows us this.

Proverbs 23:22 ESV

22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

Proverbs 1:8 ESV

8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching,

Proverbs 4:1–2 ESV

1 Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, 2 for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.

It is important to see here that last week we saw how Paul’s words were rather sharp and sarcastic. This may have been extremely difficult to hear, but these words were needed to help cut to the heart of the matter for these arrogant believers who had forgotten the importance of being unified in Christ. Today’s message now turns the corner as we see that Paul’s words were very personal and caring. Paul spoke the truth in love and therefore we see that these verses point to a father and child relationship between Paul and the church in Corinth. Let me share with us today 3 spiritual truths from a wise and loving spiritual father.

1. The Warning from Paul is necessary and shows us his care for the church.

1 Corinthians 4:14–15 ESV

14 I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 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.

As Paul writes to these believers in Corinth he is saying here that he does not want the Corinthians to experience shame as a result of the attitudes that they had shown. No good and loving father should desire to shame his children. Rather Paul is warning them or admonishing them as a kind and loving father would do with his own children. One of the primary jobs of a father with his children is to bring them up in the instruction of the Lord and this is exactly what we see that Paul had in mind.

Ephesians 6:4 ESV

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

The word admonish here means literally to put in mind with the purpose of warning or correcting someone. This helps us to see that Paul wanted them to know that something was clearly wrong and it needed to be corrected and made right. The Corinthians attitude needed to change from arrogance and pride and being divided to a spirit of humility. So, he is writing to lovingly point out their wrong beliefs and behavior. Sometimes correction and change are needed church. One of the ways that we are to help with this is always point others to the word of God so that we can see truth from error and what we should do to live for Christ and also what we must leave behind and forsake. Here is how Paul explained this to Timothy.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

In verse 15 Paul takes time to mention that there was a difference between a guide or tutor and a father.

The reason that Paul says that he became their spiritual father is because he was given the opportunity by God to share the gospel with them and therefore is not replacing their relationship with God who was their true Father, but sees himself as an earthly spiritual leader and father to help point them to imitate Christ. As the Corinthians spiritual father we see that at some point Paul took the time to share the good news with these people. We can begin to see why Paul deeply cared for his children and and took the time to admonish them.

More than anything Paul wants these believers to imitate him so that they might imitate Christ. Church, as your pastor more than anything I want you to follow Jesus. I love hearing when you are able to help others know Jesus and then you invite them to church and they begin to serve and follow Christ. What an awesome thing that this truly is.

Paul wanted these Corinthians to see a clear reflection of Christ in his own life so that they might understand what genuine godly behavior looked like. More than anything Paul wanted these believers to live in a manner that was worthy of Christ and not continue to be divided and angry.

Since, Paul was the one who explained the gospel to them and helped them to come to Christ than Paul was their spiritual father.

But why does Paul take time to say this? Well clearly here Paul is trying to help these Corinthians see his authority over them and his right to give them instruction, admonishment and even warning. It was their job to now see this and pay attention to the warning by being doers of the word. In the Roman world, the authority of the father was not to be challenged so this would have become crystal clear in their minds.

The guide or tutor here that Paul mentions helps us to see that in ancient times and in the Greek culture this was someone who was a trusted slave to whom the father entrusted his sons or children with. The tutor helped the sons with their lessons and was an important person in the life of these children just like many teachers are for us, but he was not the father. Paul was their spiritual father and his warning was given in love to help them grow up and follow Jesus.

2. The Reminder and example from Paul shows his care for the church.

1 Corinthians 4:16–20 ESV

16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 17 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. 18 Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19 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. 20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.

Paul gives his life as an example. Follow the lives of godly leaders so that ultimately we will follow Christ. I think it is important here to keep in mind that many of these Corinthians had just come out of paganism and a highly immoral culture. This new Christian life was a constant learning for so many of them. This is exactly why they needed a godly example and spiritual father to guide them to Christ. We also need to remember that the New Testament at this time had not yet been completed, so these new believers did not have any written guidelines to look too and read to show them how to conduct their new life in Christ. Paul urged them to follow him in verse 16, but again ultimately he was pointing them to Christ.

To help these new believers follow Christ Paul gave these believers a great gift in that of Timothy who was a faithful minister to guide them and help them follow Jesus. Timothy was someone whom Paul trusted and had led to the Lord while he was in Lystra on his first missionary journey. The point here is that Timothy would serve well to these believers who had wondered away from the Lord. To listen to Timothy and have him as their guide would be much like having Paul there himself. Timothy’s instruction would be no different from what Paul taught in all his churches.

But what did Paul mean by reminding them of his ways in Christ? What was the specific imitation that Paul is referring to here? The pattern of not judging himself or not taking pride in any human leaders as we saw in the first 7 verses of chapter 4. Paul also would have in mind giving your life for Christ and suffering for Him. Ultimately Paul was pointing to his entire life in Christ. Hey believers, have a love for Jesus. Live your lives in obedience to Christ and have a hatred for sin.

Paul also takes time to address the main problem in verse 18. He cannot sweep this under the carpet as if this was not a big deal or that it was not destroying the health of the church. Paul says plainly that you are arrogant. Sometimes spiritual leaders need to confront people about their sinful attitudes and actions. It seems as if these ringleaders that were in opposition to Paul were telling the church that Paul would not come back to visit the church. This church had a serious problem with pride and selfishness. When strong godly leadership is not in place, many believers slipped back into their old ways of thinking and behaving.

This is why Paul took time to assure them that if the Lord wills that he would come and check up on them. If the Lord does allow Paul to go to Corinth, then he planned to expose these arrogant leaders and to see what sort of power they really did have. Paul could not let this prideful and arrogant attitude to continue on. He as a loving father must discipline their ungodly actions. As a loving spiritual father Paul cared too much not to discipline them. Just like God disciplines those whom He loves.

Proverbs 3:12 ESV

12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

These Corinthians thought they had good arguments for their case if Paul showed up, but Paul cared nothing about their words. He didn’t care about the outside, but the inside. God’s people should reflect God’s kingdom which is God’s rule and glory. This kingdom does not consist in words but in power because God almighty is a powerful and a mighty God.

My point here church is that faith that does not result in right living may have many words behind it and even know all the right things to say, but it will have no power. Do your words back up how you are truly living? Are you living for Christ? Or are you living for yourself? Ask yourself this morning who is Lord of my life?

Matthew 7:21–23 ESV

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

3. The Question from Paul shows his care for the church.

1 Corinthians 4:21 ESV

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

There are of course times where we will teach through discipline. This of course is not what Paul desires to do.

Notice here that this is a rhetorical question. Of course these believers want Paul to come to them with love and a gentle spirit. What would you want if this was you???

Would you want correction or mercy? Would you want discipline or to be shown a spirit of gentleness? If the Corinthians refused to listen and take Paul’s warning seriously, he would not hesitate to come to them with a whip or with a rod. We are reminded of this in Proverbs of how a parent might use a rod to discipline their disobedient child.

Proverbs 22:15 ESV

15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

As wise and loving parents we ultimately discipline our children because we love them and care for them. Yes, there are times where we discipline them in love so they don’t continue to make foolish choices and Proverbs reminds us of this. This is exactly what Paul is doing here. Paul of course prefers to come as a gentle and loving father and not as a disciplinarian. Paul did not want to shame them, but there may come times where he would warn them and discipline them if that was what was necessary. This was a mark of a wonderful and godly spiritual father. Paul more than anything dealt severally with their pride. He wanted them to know that they could not continue to walk in this arrogant way. In dealing with this wayward group of people that he loved so dearly we see the spiritual care of a godly father.

Conclusion: Sometimes instruction, warnings, and discipline are for our own good. Obeying our god given leaders may not always be pleasant, but it will be for our good and for the glory of God. Yes, there may come times where we are called to repent and turn from sin in a gentle and firm way. Yes, we may be called to get out of our comfort zone and go and serve others. Yes, there may come times where it will be hard to follow, and we may even be ridiculed and made fun of, but don’t despise the Lord’s instruction and direction.

Wise children will always listen when their Heavenly Father speaks, and wise children will also learn and listen to those whom God speaks through. Those whom God has put over us to guide us and faithfully lead us will always point us to Christ and His Words, they should never lead us astray or to follow in any other path. Paul the faithful servant and spiritual father reminds us in chapter 11 of these words.

1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV

1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

(Close in Prayer)