Fools for Christ 1 Corinthians 4 1 21

‘Fools for Christ’ - 1 Corinthians 4: 1 -21 “Paul has the dubious distinction among the earliest Christians of irritating everyone at some point. ” Richards and O’Brien

‘Fools for Christ’ - 1 Corinthians 4: 1 -21 4 Themes • • Judging motives of the heart (vv. 1 -5) You received it from God (vv. 6 -8) Fools for Christ (vv. 9 -13) Imitate Paul (vv. 14 -21)

(1) Judging Motives of the Heart (vv. 1 -5) ‘Servants of Christ… entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed… those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. ’ (vv. 1, 2)

(1) Judging Motives of the Heart (vv. 1 -5) “We are not called to be successful… We are called to be faithful. ”

(1) Judging Motives of the Heart (vv. 1 -5) ‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ’ (Matt. 7: 1) ‘Judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. ’ (v. 5, 6)

(2) You Received it from God (6 -8) ‘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? ’ (v. 7)

(2) You Received it from God (6 -8) ‘Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights. ’ (Jas 1: 17) ‘What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God. ’ (1 Cor. 2: 12)

(2) You Received it from God (6 -8) ‘Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign. ’ (v. 8)

(3) Fools for Christ (9 -13) ‘God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. ’ (v. 9)

(3) Fools for Christ (9 -13) ‘The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. ’ (1 Cor. 1: 25)

(3) Fools for Christ (9 -13)

(3) Fools for Christ (9 -13) “We want a God without wrath who took a man without sin into a kingdom without justice through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross. ” Reinhold Niebuhr

(3) Fools for Christ (9 -13) ‘For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day. ’ (1 Cor. 15: 3, 4)

(3) Fools for Christ (9 -13) “The fundamental problem of mankind is sin, and we are powerless to save ourselves. The good news is that God loves us and makes a way for us by paying our penalty himself on the cross. Jesus proved that he is the Author of Life by rising from death…

(3) Fools for Christ (9 -13) “We who repent and follow Jesus demonstrate our faith in him and his salvation, and God begins a transforming work in us… Our ultimate restoration will come to miraculous fruition when we are remade, unbroken, to live with him, and love him for eternity. ” Nabeel Qureshi

(3) Fools for Christ (9 -13) “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose. ” Jim Elliot

(3) Fools for Christ (9 -13) ‘I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. ’ (Acts 20: 24)

(4) Imitate Paul (14 -21) ‘of my way of life in Christ Jesus…’ (v. 17) ‘We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. ’ (vv. 12, 13)

(4) Imitate Paul (14 -21) Progression of discipleship • • • Not Curious (not hungry for Jesus) Curious (hungry for Jesus) Believer (being fed) Disciple (feeding themselves) Disciple Maker (feeding others) Life-long Servant (maturity over time) DISICIPLE MAKING STAGES HELPING OTHERS ON THE JOURNEY

(4) Imitate Paul (14 -21) ‘The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. ’ 2 Tim. 2: 2

(4) Imitate Paul (14 -21) ‘Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. ’ 1 Cor. 11: 1

(4) Imitate Paul (14 -21) ‘For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. ’ (v. 20)

‘Fools for Christ’ - 1 Corinthians 4: 1 -21 • Stop judging the motives of others • Recognise that everything is received from God • Become ‘fools for Christ’ in spreading the gospel • Imitate Paul’s example in how to live