Who Do You Imitate?

I. Servants of God

When we come to chapter 4, Paul is once again trying to pull the church in Corinth back to unity. He closed chapter 3 by saying,

“So then, no more boasting about men!”

Now Paul says that each of the apostles is a servant of God!

1 Corinthians 4:1–2 NIV84

1 So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

1 Corinthians 4:1-

In the NIV there is a word translated “entrusted with” In the NASB that same word is translated, “steward.” Now Paul is going to explain that each of the apostles should be considered to be “stewards” of God’s secret things.

In verse 2, we read that those who are “entrusted” have to be proven “faithful.” They have to be proven faithful by the one who has entrusted them with the message!

1 Corinthians 4:3 NIV84

3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.

1 Corinthians 4:

A. Clear conscience

1 Corinthians 4:

1 Corinthians 4:4 NIV84

4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.

One of the interesting things in this passage is that Paul says just because his conscience is clear does not mean he’s innocent.

1 Corinthians 4:4

1 Corinthians 4:5 NIV84

5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

1 Corinthians 4:4–5 NIV84

4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

Man can lie to one’s self.

B. Clear conscience does not mean innocent!

C. It’s the Lord who judges!

Paul cautions all of us to not judge others because God is the ultimate judge!

D. When God judges He judges their heart!

E. When God judges, His servants will receive praise from their God!

F. Paul applied this idea to his situation with Apollos.

1 Corinthians 4:6-

1 Corinthians 4:6–7 NIV84

6 Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not take pride in one man over against another. 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?

II. Fools for Christ

1 Corinthians 4:8–10 NIV84

8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings—and that without us! How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you! 9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. 10 We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!

1 Corinthians 4:8-

When we begin this section, it seems a bit strange and difficult to understand.

Paul begins with a sarcastic statement.

A. “You already have what you want! Already you have become rich”

Paul goes on to sarcastically say:

B. “You have already become kings—and without us!”

Paul sarcastically says they had already become “kings.” And they did this without needing Paul or Apollos.

When you come to verse 9 Paul uses the imagery that those living in the time would have understood.

C. Roman Procession

When Paul called himself and other apostles “a spectacle unto the world” (), he was using an image familiar to people in the Roman Empire. The government kept the people pacified by presenting entertainments in the different cities. The amphitheaters would be filled with citizens, eager to see men compete in the games and prisoners fight with the beasts. (In fact, the Greek word translated spectacle gives us our English word “theater.”) The Colosseum at Rome became the center for these “entertainments.”

When the “main events” were ended, then the poorest and weakest prisoners were brought in to fight with the beasts. Nobody expected too much from their performance.

When the “main events” were ended, then the poorest and weakest prisoners were brought in to fight with the beasts. Nobody expected too much from their performance.

What a picture of the Apostles of Jesus Christ! But it forms the background for a series of contrasts that Paul presents for the purpose of trying to humble the Corinthians.

What a picture of the Apostles of Jesus Christ! But it forms the background for a series of contrasts that Paul presents for the purpose of trying to humble the Corinthians.

III. Foolishness or Wisdom?

1 Corinthians 4:10–13 NIV84

10 We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! 11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

A. Fools for Christ

Paul says he (and the other apostles) are fools according to man’s understanding. Yet, the Corinthians considered themselves to be so wise!

B. Weak for Christ

Likewise, Paul says he and the apostles are weak for Christ, while the Corinthians considered themselves to be strong!

C. Dishonored for Christ

The apostles were dishonored while the Corinthians were honoring themselves.

1. Hungry and thirsty

2. Living in rags

3. Brutally treated

4. Homeless

5. Hard working

D. Yet they endure

IV. Follow Paul’s Example

1 Corinthians 4:14–17 NIV84

14 I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. 15 Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

1 Corinthians 4:14-21

A. Not shaming—warning!

Paul says he is warning them because they are not living the way God wanted them to live. They were living in their own strength!

QUESTION: Whose strength are you living in?

B. Imitate those who poor into your life! Imitate those who are “godly!”

Paul wanted the Corinthian believers keep from being led astray. Thus, he says “imitate me.”

In fact, Paul wants to help them remain true to Jesus. So he says he’s going to send Timothy to them.

Paul was sending Timothy because, “He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.” ()

V. Warning Against Arrogance

1 Corinthians 4:18–21 NIV84

18 Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

1 Corinthians 4:18-21

A. Arrogance

1. Because Paul wasn’t around.

2. False security!

B. The kingdom of God is power!

1. God’s kingdom is not about talk!

2. God’s kingdom is about your walk

3. Our walk should show God’s power in us!

SO WHAT?

Think about how you life! How do you live for the Lord Jesus?

God calls us to live in His power!

God calls us to live as His Servants!

God calls us to live as fools for Jesus!

God calls us to be an imitator of Jesus!