Sermon Tone Analysis

1 Corinthians 4:6-13

Intro

Have you ever known someone who was truly humble?

Now how about someone conceited?

We are drawn to those who are humble and often avoid others who conceited.

Why is this?

The humble person puts other before themselves, they serve others, they find joy in seeing others succeed and do well in life.

A conceited person is opposite of this.

They always put what they want first and others second.

They are looking to get served and believe they deserve to be.

They find joy in their own accomplishments and often look to discredit and put others work down.

A humble person is life giving, they are like a cup of crystal clear ice water on a warm summer day.

While, those who are conceited are like a cup of lukewarm coffee that’s been sitting around for too long; bitter, and unpleasant to the senses.

We find many examples of humility in God’s Word.

Just to name a few:

When Abraham was prayer to the Lord on behalf of Sodom he said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.”

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When Jacob was afraid that Esau was about to kill him, he prayed, “I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant,” ().

When God commanded Moses to go before Pharaoh and demand let the Israelites go, Moses replied, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt??” ().

In a similar way Gideon responded to God’s call to deliver His people from Midian: “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel?

Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”

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Or consider John the Baptist, he could not conceive of his baptizing Christ.

“I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” ().

When Abraham was interceding to the Lord on behalf of Sodom he said, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes” (Gen.

18:27).

When Jacob was afraid that Esau was about to attack him, he prayed, “I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which Thou hast shown to Thy servant” (Gen.

32:10).

When God commanded Moses to go before Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites, Moses replied, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” (Ex.

3:11).

In a similar way Gideon responded to God’s call to deliver His people from Midian: “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel?

Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house” (Judg.

6:15).

John the Baptist could not conceive of his baptizing Christ.

“I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” (Matt.

3:14).

The previous day John had told the crowds, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.

It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie” (John 1:26–27).

Even self-confident Peter, after witnessing the miracle of the great catch of fish, “fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!’ ” (Luke 5:8).

Paul served the Lord “with all humility” (Acts 20:19), acknowledging that “we are [not] adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God” (2 Cor.

3:5) and considering himself to be “the very least of all saints” (Eph.

3:8).

God’s choice people have always been humble.

In His incarnation Jesus Christ Himself gave the greatest example of humility.

Paul speaks of Him as the One who, “although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil.

2:6–8).

Jesus even spoke of Himself as “gentle and humble in heart” (Matt.

11:29).

The Corinthian Christians, however, had not learned that virtue—not from the Old Testament saints or from Paul or even from the Lord Himself.

Paul confronts the problem by contrasting the sin of their own conceit with the example of the apostles’ humility

The previous day John had speaking to the crowds and said, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

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Even Peter who was so sure of himself at times, after seeing the miracle of the great catch of fish falls down at Jesus’ knees and in says, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

In we read that Paul served the Lord “with all humility”

In Paul acknowledges that, “[we are not] sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” ().

Paul considered himself to be, “ the very least of all the saints” ().

What is the recurring theme we see in all of these verses?

God’s choose people have always been humble.

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ was the true embodimnet of humilty.

He was the Paul speaks of Him as the One who, “although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” ().

Jesus even spoke of Himself as “gentle and humble in heart” ().

Paul speaks of Him as the One who, “...though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

().

Jesus even spoke of Himself as “gentle and lowly in heart” ().

The Corinthian Christians, however, had not learned this virtue—not from the Old Testament saints or from Paul or even from the Lord Himself.

Paul confronts the problem by contrasting the sin of the Corinthians conceit (which the dictionary defines as: “excessive appreciation of one’s own worth or virtue,” with the example of the apostles’ humility

Let’s begin now by look at the Corinthian's Conceit in 1 Corinthians 4:6-8

The Corinthians’ Conceit

1 Corinthians 4:

The Corinthians we a proud people.

They enjoyed boasting in their accomplishments, especially their wisdom and their human leaders.

Remember back to where Paul calls them out for their party mentality.

Like a great physician Paul is wise in his diagnosis of the Corinthians.

They were sick with pride.

Which the only cure was to acknowledge all that was theres in Christ.

In other words, take a big pill of humility.

God had blessed the Corinthians with godly leaders who were humble servants.

Instead of rejoicing in that fact and seeking to be imitators they, became puffed up, and prideful.

The church in Corinth was proud.

For the last two chapters we have witnessed Paul over and over again, in whatever way he can, teach the Corinthians not to exalt human wisdom and human leaders.

He knew that this was at the core of their divisions.

In verse 6 when Paul writes, these things, he’s refering to the figures of farmers, builders, and servant-stewards he’s given in chapter 3 and the beginning of chapter 4

He’s saying that he has applied these illustrations to himself and Apollos

Why?

To begin tot each them not to exalt themselves, either.

vs6b..”that you..become arrgoant.

Paul and Apollos have been great examples of true ministers.

humble servants and stewards.

Servants of the Lord are faithful and meek.

They posses the ability to be stewards and trustworthy.

And they are submissive to Christ.

Disciples of Christ are not proud or arrogant.

But Paul rightly sees in the Corinthian Church a deep vain of pride and arrogance.

Paul warns them not to go beyond what is written.

This is meant to address their respect towrds leaders and how they honor rthem.

Godly respect turns into ungodly exaltation when we exceed what is written.

When loving gratitude and loyalty are corruped with pride and conceit, division begins to rise in God’s church.

God desires and intends for unity within his church.

But if this is not what the body is seeking, Satan finds an easay foothole and stirs up division.

God’s Word calls belivers to have a godly respect for leaders.

The Corinthians had gone far past the line.

So far that it was dividing the church.

The leaders should have caused the people to rejoyce in God’s provision and exalt Him.

Instead for they became a fountian of pride in them.

These factions or divions gave the Corinthians the ability to become arrogant and puffed up in favor agaisnt each other.

Arrogant litterally meants to puff up, inflate, blow up.

This word is used metaphrically to indicate pride.

A closely realted sin is basting.

Pride leads directly to bragging.