Leaders and Followers (Part 2)

Picture #1: Stewards (4:1-6)

Picture #2: Servants (4:7-13)

Picture #3: Fathers (4:14-21)

Introduction

An Exegetical Summary of 1 Corinthians 1–9 4:15

‘Father’ here is used to mean one who has guided another into faith

Paul loves to use the picture of being a spiritual parent

I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. (Philemon 10, ESV)

my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! (Galatians 4:19, ESV)

A. Spiritual parents love their children sacrificially (v. 14)

He calls them his “beloved children”

Slide: But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. (1 Thessalonians 2:7–8, ESV)

Paul never missed an opportunity to tell his spiritual children that he loved them. Both literally and metaphorically, we would do well to learn from him.

On August 16, 1987, Northwest Airlines flight 225 crashed just after taking off from the Detroit airport, killing 155 people. One survived: a four-year-old from Tempe, Arizona, named Cecelia.

News accounts say when rescuers found Cecelia they did not believe she had been on the plane. Investigators first assumed Cecelia had been a passenger in one of the cars on the highway onto which the airliner crashed. But when the passenger register for the flight was checked, there was Cecelia's name.

Cecelia survived because, even as the plane was falling, Cecelia's mother, Paula Chican, unbuckled her own seat belt, got down on her knees in front of her daughter, wrapped her arms and body around Cecelia, and then would not let her go.

Nothing could separate that child from her parent's love—neither tragedy nor disaster, neither the fall nor the flames that followed, neither height nor depth, neither life nor death.

Such is the love of our Savior for us. He left heaven, lowered himself to us, and covered us with the sacrifice of his own body to save us.

Being a spiritual parent means you’re in for the long haul

In the animal world, snakes have zero maternal instinct. The lay their eggs and they are gone. They don’t spend any time raising their ugly little snake babies. These kids are on their own.

Every parents' dream for their child—having your kids finally move out of the house (at least that's one dream, anyway)—seems to be in peril. A recent survey (2016) by Pew revealed that the number one living arrangement for 18-34-year-olds is living with their parents. The parent's house outranked living with a married or cohabitating partner. This is the first time in more than 100 years that living in the basement is more popular than living with your husband or wife. Pew believes this is because Millennials are putting off getting married until later in life. Young men are the worst culprits in this trend: they have a higher likelihood of moving back home than young women. Fatherhood and motherhood—they've always been tough roles, but now they might be getting even harder—or at least a lot longer.

Being a spiritual parent ......

B. Spiritual parents discipline their children (v. 14-16, 21)

Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them. (Proverbs 13:24, NLT)

Brooklyn 99 Season 1 episode

Jake Peralta arrests the police commissioner’s son, but pressured to let him go

The Captain wonders how much the commissioner must hate his son

They had plenty (“myriad”) of guides (παιδαγωγός) but not many fathers (πατήρ). The implication is that the father is more important than the guide.

The exaggerated image of ten thousand παιδαγωγός is a gentle slam since they are to be distinguished from teachers. They were trustworthy slaves charged by members of the upper class with the duty of supervising the life and morals of their boys (see N. Young 1987 ) - The slave led the child to the schoolhouse and back home and vas assigned the duty of protecting him and keeping him out of trouble. He was caricatured for his severity as a stern taskmaster. In pictures on Greek vases, he frequently has a stick in his hand, and in Greek lays he was often portrayed as harsh and stupid, He was a comic type recognizable by his rod (Betz 1979:17) (Garland, 145-146)

Paul does not say who these ill-equipped care-takers are but most likely they are the heads of the various factions which had formed in Corinth.

He draws a sharp contrast between the spirit of a zillion harsh paidagogos standing over a child with rods and a loving father gently admonishing his own child.

1. Gentle correction (v. 14-16)

He uses the words “admonish” (v. 14) and “urge” (v. 16)

“Admonish” (νουθετέω)

to counsel about avoidance or cessation of an improper course of conduct, admonish, warn, instruct

 William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 679.

This warning includes making clear the dangerous consequences of what will happen if no change is made

 Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 436.

For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:11–12, ESV)

2. Strong rebuke (v. 21)

Paul uses the word arrogant twice in verses 18-19. Paul is deeply concerned with their pride and their smug attitude that he would not come and back up his words.

By invoking fatherly terminology, but was indicating his voice should have greater weight than some of the other teachers to whom the Corinthians had been listening.

C. Spiritual parents are examples to their children (v. 16-17)

Paul urged them to imitate him.

“My husband compliments every meal I make regardless of its merit. “Thanks Mummy, this looks/tastes delicious.” Miss 4 has begun copying him saying “Wow, thanks Mummy. This is delicious!” before she has even tried her meal. She then takes a big mouthful and realizes she doesn’t actually like it and tries to subtly spit it back onto her plate. So cute and funny.” ~Kate from Peaceful Parents, Confident Kids

Imitate

μιμητής: The vb. means imitate, emulate, follow after, with the acc. of the person or thing; i.e., it represents the imitation of an example Horst Robert Balz and Gerhard Schneider, Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1990–), 428.

It can also mean “forger” or refer to an actor who plays another character

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1, ESV)

To make such a challenge, one does not have to be perfect. Paul wanted them to imitate his values, his opinion of the world and its values, the exclusive centrality of the cross in everything they said and did.

In case they had any questions about what they were supposed to mimic, Paul says he sent Timothy to remind them of Pauls “ways” (v. 17). Timothy was going to help make the connection between doctrine and real life. This is essentials for leaders! We must make the connection between creed and conduct, between the cross and everyday living.

Conclusion

Some of us today know nothing about what it means to be a spiritual parent

Paraphrasing Tim Keller, Stephen Um says:

1 Corinthians—The Word of the Cross The Ideal Authority (Where Do We Find the Kind of Authority for Which We Long?)

It is a paradoxical kingliness of Jesus who was majestic and meek, holy and humble, bold and sweet, brave and meek, lamblike and lionhearted, courageous and compassionate, all at the same time. But it is only paradoxical to the world. It is real royalty to humanity. In Jesus Christ one sees the combination of infinite power and complete vulnerability, unbounded justice yet unending mercy, transcendent highness and exquisite accessibility and nearness. It’s mighty and powerful, yet perfectly under control. The attraction is deep. It’s lordliness. It’s a loyalty. It’s a kingliness that everyone longs to have.19 This is the kind of person to whom we are attracted. Somebody that is not afraid to speak difficult truths into our lives because he or she ultimately love us. Moreover, they do it in such a gentle, sweet, meek, loving, and compassionate way. And the only way anyone will be able to have this paradoxical authority is to be able to look at the ideal authority—the authority of grace. Not forfeiting authority, but being able to see an individual who is actually harder on sin and the Law, but at the same time is far more extravagant in his expression of grace than offering mere tolerance. This is the picture of a paradoxical combination of the ideal authority that the believer has in Jesus. The Christian does not need to be timid or coercive because he has the gentleness and the sweetness of the Spirit of love that shows what it means to speak the truth in love.

Benediction: Now the God of Peace who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep in the blood of an eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus. May He equip you with everything good in order to do His will, doing in us what pleases Him. Glory is His into the ages and the ages. Amen.

Study Questions

What implication being a “spiritual parent” is most powerful to you? Why?

What role does “admonition” (v. 14) play in your life? Do you have a spiritual parent in your life who can warn or challenge you? If so, whom? If not, why not!?

In 4:16, Paul says to “imitate me.” Is this statement arrogant? Why or why not? Would it be arrogant for us today to say this? Why or why not? How should this statement affect our actions?

Paul gets firm with the arrogant members of the Corinthian church who are questioning his authority. What does he mean by saying, “the kingdom of God is not in word but in power” (4:20)?

What is the Spirit of God saying to you? What is he calling you to do based on what we’ve studied in the scriptures this week?