How God Uses Ministers

WEBVTT 1 00:00:11.070 --> 00:00:14.189 First Corinthians Chapter Four. If you happen to have one of these, I 2 00:00:15.070 --> 00:00:20.910 happen to have a large print version, both from the back part on my 3 00:00:21.070 --> 00:00:33.460 page, is one three. Three. Paul has been talking to us about 4 00:00:33.500 --> 00:00:38.609 a lot of misunderstandings that were in the church and Corinth and remain among us 5 00:00:38.689 --> 00:00:44.329 today, misunderstandings, particularly about who the ministers of the word are, what 6 00:00:44.450 --> 00:00:48.170 their job is, what they do, and he begins now to give us 7 00:00:48.170 --> 00:00:53.880 a positive description of what that is, of the Ministry of Christ among us, 8 00:00:54.280 --> 00:00:59.200 that through the through these men. Let's attend to that now, and 9 00:00:59.280 --> 00:01:03.159 that's the God would bless us. As we understand First Corinthians chapter four. 10 00:01:04.629 --> 00:01:11.030 This is how one should regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the 11 00:01:11.069 --> 00:01:15.590 mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found 12 00:01:15.590 --> 00:01:19.219 faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be 13 00:01:19.260 --> 00:01:23.140 judged by you or any human court. In fact, I do not even 14 00:01:23.180 --> 00:01:29.260 judge myself, for I am not aware of anything against myself, but I 15 00:01:29.620 --> 00:01:34.650 am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore, 16 00:01:34.730 --> 00:01:38.530 do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes who will bring 17 00:01:38.650 --> 00:01:42.609 to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the 18 00:01:42.730 --> 00:01:49.680 heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. I have applied 19 00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:53.040 all these things to myself and a police for your benefit, brothers, that 20 00:01:53.159 --> 00:01:57.000 you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none 21 00:01:57.000 --> 00:02:00.950 of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another, for who 22 00:02:01.069 --> 00:02:05.870 sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? 23 00:02:06.390 --> 00:02:08.710 If then, you received it, why do you boast as if you 24 00:02:08.830 --> 00:02:14.509 did not receive it? Already? You have all you want already. You 25 00:02:14.590 --> 00:02:19.219 have become rich without us, you have become kings, and would and would 26 00:02:19.300 --> 00:02:23.219 that you did reign, that we might share the rule with you, for 27 00:02:23.340 --> 00:02:27.539 I think that God has exhibited us apostles as, last of all, like 28 00:02:27.780 --> 00:02:31.449 men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, 29 00:02:31.770 --> 00:02:37.289 to angels and to men. We Are Fools, for Christ's sake, but 30 00:02:37.409 --> 00:02:39.889 you are wise. In Christ, we are weak, but you are strong. 31 00:02:40.569 --> 00:02:45.080 You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present 32 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:49.319 hour, we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, 33 00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:53.199 and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we 34 00:02:53.319 --> 00:02:57.719 bless. When persecuted, we endure, when slandered, we entreat. We 35 00:02:57.840 --> 00:03:00.789 have become, I'm and are still like, the scum of the world, 36 00:03:00.389 --> 00:03:06.389 the refuse of all things. I do not like these things to make you 37 00:03:06.509 --> 00:03:10.750 ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children, for though You have 38 00:03:10.949 --> 00:03:15.699 countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for I became 39 00:03:15.819 --> 00:03:21.300 your father in Christ Jesus, through the Gospel. I urge you, then, 40 00:03:21.419 --> 00:03:25.379 be imitators of me. That is why I sent I sent you, 41 00:03:25.500 --> 00:03:30.490 Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of 42 00:03:30.569 --> 00:03:35.689 my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. Some 43 00:03:35.969 --> 00:03:38.289 are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you, but I will 44 00:03:38.370 --> 00:03:43.360 come to you soon, if the Lord Wills, and I will find out 45 00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:47.360 not the talk of these arrogant people, but their power, for the Kingdom 46 00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:52.960 of God does not consistent talk, but in power. What do you wish? 47 00:03:53.479 --> 00:03:55.750 Shall I come to you with a rod or with love, in a 48 00:03:55.830 --> 00:04:20.180 spirit of gentleness, then maybe seated? So I'm going to give you three 49 00:04:20.660 --> 00:04:26.089 a little scenarios to make a point and see if you can guess what the 50 00:04:26.170 --> 00:04:31.810 point is. The number one I have you ever bought something that you thought 51 00:04:31.970 --> 00:04:38.639 was nice but then fell apart much more quickly than you desired? Maybe it 52 00:04:38.759 --> 00:04:46.600 was a toy or a house car by us? Number One, I imagine 53 00:04:46.680 --> 00:04:51.120 you are at Bookman's and you see an old banner of truth commentary. It 54 00:04:51.199 --> 00:04:56.829 looks really cool, but you will get it some other day, only to 55 00:04:56.910 --> 00:05:00.230 find out the next time you go back it's not there, and it also 56 00:05:00.269 --> 00:05:04.509 turns out it's out of print and super expensive and you lost opportunity while it 57 00:05:04.589 --> 00:05:10.740 waited on the shelf. Number three, have you ever picked up a glass 58 00:05:10.740 --> 00:05:14.339 of water and swallowed it really fast, only to find out it was clear 59 00:05:14.500 --> 00:05:21.329 soda and been really surprised and maybe spit it out? Let's similar in all 60 00:05:21.370 --> 00:05:28.410 of these examples. The similar thing is that you're expecting one thing and you 61 00:05:28.529 --> 00:05:32.810 get another, whether positive or negative. The point is that it's important and 62 00:05:32.970 --> 00:05:39.160 very helpful to know how things really are, to know what things really are. 63 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:45.240 And in Corinth the problem wasn't that they misunderstood soda, but they misunderstood 64 00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:49.430 stewards and servants. They are misunderstood what the Ministry of the word was and 65 00:05:49.589 --> 00:05:55.709 because they misunderstood that, because they they thought of it wrong, their conception 66 00:05:55.829 --> 00:06:00.509 of it was wrong. It was causing problems, it was causing missed opportunities, 67 00:06:00.550 --> 00:06:03.459 it was causing boastfulness, divisions, all kinds of other things. And 68 00:06:03.579 --> 00:06:11.100 so Paul speaks to them the very pastoral, very strong sometimes words, sometimes 69 00:06:11.180 --> 00:06:16.660 with deep and dark irony, sometimes with strong admonishments, sometimes with pleading, 70 00:06:17.610 --> 00:06:23.050 sometimes with teaching, and he tells them this, what he says in verse 71 00:06:23.209 --> 00:06:30.170 one. This is how one should regard us as servants of Christ and stewards 72 00:06:30.290 --> 00:06:38.439 of the mysteries of God. Through the Apostle Paul, Jesus is instructing us. 73 00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:43.920 Jesus is teaching us how we are supposed to think about his ministers. 74 00:06:43.959 --> 00:06:48.310 He wants us to understand that ministry so that we might benefit from the gifts 75 00:06:48.310 --> 00:06:51.550 of Christ's to it Christ to us, and so that we might not neglect 76 00:06:51.589 --> 00:06:59.029 them or or pass them by. What do we learn? What does Jesus 77 00:06:59.149 --> 00:07:03.459 teach us through this apostle, about the Apostolic Ministry and the Ministry that is 78 00:07:03.500 --> 00:07:09.339 founded upon that, and through men like Timothy and Sosthenes and the Pauls, 79 00:07:11.379 --> 00:07:14.899 the Paul begins with this, and I think it's perhaps the most important thing 80 00:07:15.060 --> 00:07:20.889 that he says that the ministers of Christ are not men unto themselves. They're 81 00:07:20.930 --> 00:07:28.689 not little islands of celebrity, of status, of learning, of power, 82 00:07:29.490 --> 00:07:35.160 of influence, charm, of doctrine, whatever. True, ministers of Christ 83 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:44.279 are always connected with Christ. Their work is his work. When we receive 84 00:07:44.470 --> 00:07:48.350 gifts from them, we are receiving gifts from Christ. That is their job. 85 00:07:48.629 --> 00:07:54.149 That's what happens. That's how it works. It's not because they control 86 00:07:54.430 --> 00:07:58.939 the Lord, as though if a man who has called a minister does something, 87 00:07:59.100 --> 00:08:01.779 then the Lord is sort of forced, you know, with his hands 88 00:08:01.860 --> 00:08:05.379 tied behind his back, to now act. No, he, the minister, 89 00:08:05.500 --> 00:08:09.420 does not control the Lord, but the Lord controls him. He, 90 00:08:09.019 --> 00:08:15.889 the minister, is the Lord's servant. The Lord is a Master Over Them 91 00:08:16.250 --> 00:08:20.050 A. Paul Talks about this in the book of Ephesians, if you would 92 00:08:20.050 --> 00:08:33.720 turn with me there, in Ephesians chapter four, if Thesians chapter four, 93 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:39.279 verse eleven, it talks about Christ's first it talks about Christ's ascension, and 94 00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:43.429 then is pouring out gifts on the church. And here's what Paul says there. 95 00:08:43.470 --> 00:08:48.990 He says and he that is Christ gave the apostles, the prophets, 96 00:08:50.269 --> 00:08:54.149 the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work 97 00:08:54.389 --> 00:09:00.059 of Ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ, until we 98 00:09:00.139 --> 00:09:03.460 all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son 99 00:09:03.580 --> 00:09:07.860 of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature, of 100 00:09:07.980 --> 00:09:11.490 the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children tossed to 101 00:09:11.690 --> 00:09:16.850 and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by 102 00:09:16.929 --> 00:09:22.090 human cunning, by craftiness and deceitful schemes. Rather speaking the truth and love. 103 00:09:22.289 --> 00:09:26.240 We are to grow up in every way and to him who is the 104 00:09:26.360 --> 00:09:30.559 head into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by 105 00:09:30.600 --> 00:09:33.840 every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, 106 00:09:33.960 --> 00:09:41.070 makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. So you 107 00:09:41.149 --> 00:09:45.750 see what he says. He says that when the Lord Jesus, Christ ascended, 108 00:09:45.950 --> 00:09:52.029 he poured out these gifts, these offices and people who fill those offices, 109 00:09:52.070 --> 00:09:56.299 a path that apostles, apostles, prophets of vangelist shepherds and teachers and 110 00:09:56.580 --> 00:10:03.659 through this Ministry that Christ exercises. The body is built up. It even 111 00:10:03.779 --> 00:10:09.250 builds up itself in a sense, because those who belong to the body are 112 00:10:09.370 --> 00:10:13.090 part of that work. But of course, as the body builds up itself, 113 00:10:13.169 --> 00:10:16.450 it's being built up in its connection to the head. But it's not 114 00:10:16.610 --> 00:10:22.240 this headless body sort of assembling itself out there in the wilderness somewhere. It 115 00:10:22.440 --> 00:10:26.240 is a body that is connected to cry, ministered to Christ, being built 116 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:33.720 up in him as he works in us. So this is what Paul says 117 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:39.070 in effusions for and the some of the particular people that he has in mind 118 00:10:39.230 --> 00:10:46.590 come out in First Corinthians, for Sosphanes, who has mentioned at the beginning 119 00:10:46.629 --> 00:10:52.500 of the book Paul, and Timothy and Apollos, these men, in other 120 00:10:52.539 --> 00:10:54.860 words, they don't just pop up out of nowhere and start teaching the things 121 00:10:54.899 --> 00:10:58.980 of God. Know, they are called by God to be servants of God, 122 00:11:00.580 --> 00:11:05.610 as ministers of grace. Now, one way Paul helps us to understand 123 00:11:05.690 --> 00:11:11.929 that are through these two words to a servants and stewards. Right. That's 124 00:11:11.009 --> 00:11:18.879 how he wants us to understand. The Word Servants Emphasizes Paul's being under authority, 125 00:11:20.600 --> 00:11:24.000 Paul's not the master of the House. He is a servant of the 126 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:28.679 House. A servant is one who receives orders, one who is told what 127 00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:33.029 to do. A servant may be very great, may be very important, 128 00:11:33.149 --> 00:11:39.230 but he is always, always, a servant to do as the master calls 129 00:11:39.269 --> 00:11:46.419 him. The word steward emphasize the emphasizes the particular kind of service that this 130 00:11:46.620 --> 00:11:54.259 servant gives. What does a steward do? A steward is one who distributes 131 00:11:54.379 --> 00:11:58.820 the resources of the master of the House, according to the masters will. 132 00:11:58.940 --> 00:12:05.690 Here steward is called to be stewards of the mysteries and amazing thing that he 133 00:12:05.769 --> 00:12:11.769 says, of the mysteries of God. These mysteries, as Paul talks about 134 00:12:11.769 --> 00:12:15.649 it throughout the New Testament, are things that were once hidden but now have 135 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:18.879 been revealed. So what are we talking about? We're talking about God's plan 136 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:26.039 for uniting Jews and gentiles together, for God's plan of showering His grace throughout 137 00:12:26.039 --> 00:12:31.070 all of the world, of God's plan of sending his own son to die 138 00:12:31.269 --> 00:12:37.230 on a cross to forgive us our sins and unite us all under him. 139 00:12:37.990 --> 00:12:41.389 These are the things that Paul is going to reveal and has been revealing. 140 00:12:41.629 --> 00:12:46.019 These are the things that Paul has been talking about, this Gospel, this 141 00:12:46.220 --> 00:12:52.259 good news that is preached to us, these are the resources that Paul is 142 00:12:52.460 --> 00:12:56.779 in charge of distributing. That's what a stuard does. The resources of Christ 143 00:12:58.179 --> 00:13:03.450 are sometimes material, a cup of water, a pair of clothes, of 144 00:13:03.529 --> 00:13:07.490 roof over the head given in Christ name. This is part of Christ's ministry 145 00:13:07.129 --> 00:13:13.679 in the world to us. But of course, the he also gives to 146 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:20.399 US spiritual gifts, the forgiveness of sins, hope in the resurrection and in 147 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:28.389 Heaven, faith that can move mountains and many other things. These are the 148 00:13:28.549 --> 00:13:35.470 resources, this is the treasury on that God has and that the resources and 149 00:13:35.710 --> 00:13:39.750 things that are stewarded to us by his servants. That, you might ask, 150 00:13:41.269 --> 00:13:45.340 how can a mere man, a sinful man nevertheless, do things like 151 00:13:45.500 --> 00:13:52.379 that to distribute the gifts of grace of God? Answer is that it's not 152 00:13:52.700 --> 00:13:56.970 in the power or in the righteousness of the individual by which he is used, 153 00:13:58.330 --> 00:14:01.370 but by the grace of God, which is an amazing thing to think 154 00:14:01.409 --> 00:14:05.210 about. Not only do we receive the gifts of grace, but even the 155 00:14:05.370 --> 00:14:11.320 means by which we receive those things are gracious means that God takes sinners like 156 00:14:11.480 --> 00:14:18.519 us, people that are broken, struggling jars of clay, as Paul calls 157 00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:24.669 himself, and God uses that kind of vessel to distribute his gifts. In 158 00:14:24.830 --> 00:14:28.549 any emphasizes the point that this ministry that they are bringing, this Ministry of 159 00:14:28.629 --> 00:14:31.950 these gifts that God is pouring out to us, are gifts that we've not 160 00:14:33.149 --> 00:14:39.179 earned, but their gifts of his love, his loving grace. Paul is 161 00:14:39.340 --> 00:14:43.259 not the one in charge. Paul is a sinful man like you and me. 162 00:14:46.539 --> 00:14:50.379 He gives these things because he is under the control and the calling of 163 00:14:50.620 --> 00:14:56.769 our most gracious God. It is because he has been given God's power and 164 00:14:56.889 --> 00:15:03.649 authority and resources to do these things. So this is what Paul is after. 165 00:15:05.289 --> 00:15:11.399 This is how we must frame our minds and thinking about the Apostolic Ministry 166 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:16.279 and the Ministry of the word. That continues on after that. What is 167 00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:20.679 the minister? A minister is a servant, a minister is a steward. 168 00:15:20.909 --> 00:15:24.350 So if you want to understand what a minister does, you don't start with 169 00:15:24.549 --> 00:15:31.029 his work, but you start with his relationship to his master. And I'll 170 00:15:31.070 --> 00:15:35.860 say to myself and to those of you here who may want to be ministers, 171 00:15:35.539 --> 00:15:41.539 you must also start with your relationship to Christ it is from there that 172 00:15:41.659 --> 00:15:46.500 you can rightly think about and rightly apply and do the work that he has 173 00:15:46.580 --> 00:15:50.330 called you to do. You must receive from him so that you may give 174 00:15:52.090 --> 00:16:00.250 to others. So what are the applications of this? There are many, 175 00:16:00.490 --> 00:16:06.159 and Paul brings out many in this chapter and we'll just touch on a few 176 00:16:06.840 --> 00:16:12.080 and I trust that you will continue to think about these things and consider other 177 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:18.509 ways in which this applies to our life. One way that this applies is 178 00:16:18.549 --> 00:16:22.990 it reminds us that be because the work of the minister is from the Lord. 179 00:16:23.029 --> 00:16:30.029 Ultimately, Paul looks to the Lord First and last as his judge. 180 00:16:30.429 --> 00:16:36.980 Paul is not a people pleaser, and we get that very strongly from versus 181 00:16:37.460 --> 00:16:41.860 three through five. We read this again. He says, but with me 182 00:16:42.059 --> 00:16:47.809 it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or any 183 00:16:47.889 --> 00:16:53.490 human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. Will come 184 00:16:53.529 --> 00:16:56.929 back to that in a moment. I'll finish reading, for I am not 185 00:16:56.090 --> 00:17:00.720 aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is 186 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:06.440 the Lord who judges me. Therefore, do not pronounce judgment before the time 187 00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:10.480 before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in 188 00:17:10.519 --> 00:17:15.039 darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive 189 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:19.390 this commendation or his commendation from God. So Paul's doing a couple things in 190 00:17:19.430 --> 00:17:25.390 these verses. One, he is testifying to the Corinthians that he is essentially 191 00:17:26.069 --> 00:17:30.740 blameless, or basically blameless in his activity toward them. He's saying, look 192 00:17:30.740 --> 00:17:34.900 at my life, there's nothing that I'm doing that is been wrong. I 193 00:17:36.019 --> 00:17:41.019 have been faithful in my service to you. He's defending himself against false accusations 194 00:17:41.180 --> 00:17:45.450 of other people saying, Oh, Paul's in it for this or Paul's in 195 00:17:45.490 --> 00:17:48.730 it for that. He's saying, I'm not, I'm not. So that's 196 00:17:48.809 --> 00:17:53.049 one thing that he's doing, is he's encouraging and reminding the Corinthians of his 197 00:17:53.130 --> 00:17:59.440 character and of his integrity. But he also does a couple of other things. 198 00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:03.839 When he it confesses that there are things that are hidden and deep, 199 00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:08.559 maybe things even in himself, that he is not aware of. When Paul 200 00:18:08.599 --> 00:18:12.190 says that he is he is blameless or, as he says in verse four, 201 00:18:12.269 --> 00:18:17.029 I am not aware of anything against myself. It doesn't mean that he 202 00:18:17.430 --> 00:18:22.190 says I'm completely perfect and everything I do he says I'm not aware of anything 203 00:18:22.269 --> 00:18:27.019 that I'm doing wrong. But it's the Lord who discloses things. The Lord 204 00:18:27.180 --> 00:18:32.180 knows my heart even better than I know. It is what he says, 205 00:18:32.700 --> 00:18:37.019 and in that he's teaching us about his ministry. He's teaching us that he 206 00:18:37.099 --> 00:18:41.970 doesn't go around waiting for everybody else to tell him that he's okay before he's 207 00:18:41.009 --> 00:18:45.890 at before he acts, and even though he wants and does live a life 208 00:18:45.930 --> 00:18:51.450 of integrity before the people in such a way that he even says imitate me, 209 00:18:52.289 --> 00:18:56.480 at the same time he does not trust his own judgment to justify him 210 00:18:56.480 --> 00:19:02.559 before the Lord, and some of us need them this reminder in our own 211 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:08.440 lives. Some of you are wrongly try to judge yourself, to take the 212 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:12.750 Lord's work on the Day of judgment out of his hands and put it in 213 00:19:12.869 --> 00:19:18.109 yours. You decide whether or not you have done well enough to stand before 214 00:19:18.109 --> 00:19:23.539 the Lord Youth, and you may, you may release yourself or you may 215 00:19:23.619 --> 00:19:30.019 accuse yourself. Either way, that's not your job. The Lord doesn't say 216 00:19:30.859 --> 00:19:34.740 judge yourselves as I will judge you on the day of judgments and on that 217 00:19:36.019 --> 00:19:40.250 basis decide how you will act. Know, the Lord says, put your 218 00:19:40.369 --> 00:19:45.369 faith in me and I will save you and judge your life based on that, 219 00:19:45.329 --> 00:19:48.650 on what I have done for you, on my justification for you. 220 00:19:49.650 --> 00:19:56.480 We are called to trust God's judgment over us more than our judgment, even 221 00:19:56.640 --> 00:20:02.920 over ourselves, and Paul does that and exemplifies that here. It reminds us 222 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:07.349 that, before all things, he sees himself as walking in the eyes of 223 00:20:07.470 --> 00:20:11.589 the Lord, and this helps us remember also what these ministers, what ministers 224 00:20:11.630 --> 00:20:15.710 today, are called to do. They're not called to run around and check 225 00:20:15.750 --> 00:20:21.579 the wind on everything, check the temperature on everything before they act. There 226 00:20:21.740 --> 00:20:27.779 called to walk before the Lord faithfully, truthfully, with integrity and let the 227 00:20:27.900 --> 00:20:37.289 Lords will be done, whatever the Lord's will is. Here's a second implication 228 00:20:37.490 --> 00:20:45.170 of Paul's servant ship and Stewardship. He is called to take that and apply 229 00:20:45.369 --> 00:20:52.880 that through the word and to tea each both by word and deed he receives. 230 00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:59.200 What he receives is not a big old pile of money. Right, 231 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:03.309 the Lord does use money to supply and care for his people, but ultimately 232 00:21:03.710 --> 00:21:11.349 ministers are receive these spiritual gifts, spiritual gifts that come through the word. 233 00:21:11.589 --> 00:21:17.109 The Ministry of the Church that is led by the apostles we remember in the 234 00:21:17.150 --> 00:21:22.779 Great Commission is one of going, of Baptizing, of teaching. They were 235 00:21:22.980 --> 00:21:27.859 to teach and we are to learn, and that teaching was done in words 236 00:21:27.940 --> 00:21:33.609 and deeds. That's how these things are distributed. In other words, we 237 00:21:33.730 --> 00:21:40.329 don't come to receive the Ministry of Grace simply by knowing about it, but 238 00:21:40.450 --> 00:21:44.650 by learning it, by hearing it, by being in the presence of the 239 00:21:44.769 --> 00:21:51.160 word, by see hearing the word and seeing it applied and poor and acted 240 00:21:51.319 --> 00:21:56.680 out in a way in the lives of the people. Paul talks about this 241 00:21:56.839 --> 00:22:00.519 self. He talks about the things that he has learned. He says he 242 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:04.950 has applied these things to himself that we may learn not to go beyond what 243 00:22:06.109 --> 00:22:11.430 is written. That is in verse six. Later, in verse fourteen, 244 00:22:11.589 --> 00:22:15.259 he's or fifteen, he says, for though you have countless guides in Christ, 245 00:22:15.339 --> 00:22:19.900 you do not have many fathers. For I became a father in Christ 246 00:22:19.940 --> 00:22:25.539 Jesus, for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. I 247 00:22:25.700 --> 00:22:30.369 arge you then be imitators of me. I've noticed what how he continues this, 248 00:22:30.529 --> 00:22:33.849 what he adds to this in verse seventeen. That is why I sent 249 00:22:34.089 --> 00:22:38.170 you, Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind 250 00:22:38.250 --> 00:22:44.480 you of my ways in Christ as I teach them everywhere in the church. 251 00:22:45.960 --> 00:22:52.960 You see how Paul, Paul is talking about these various aspects and various ways 252 00:22:52.000 --> 00:23:00.630 in which this teaching ministry comes number three. Another thing we learn about ministers 253 00:23:00.750 --> 00:23:08.390 that they sometimes suffer lack. They want things, material things. The Corinthians 254 00:23:08.430 --> 00:23:12.460 were doing well in many ways they were had attained the things that many of 255 00:23:12.539 --> 00:23:18.220 them were after. Paul talks about this in verse eight and following. He 256 00:23:18.380 --> 00:23:22.220 says, you have all you want. And remember what were the Corinthians wanting? 257 00:23:22.980 --> 00:23:27.730 They were wanting safety, they were wanting wealth, they were wanting influence. 258 00:23:29.250 --> 00:23:34.170 He says some ways you've got it. You have become rich without us 259 00:23:34.250 --> 00:23:41.009 or without us, you have become kings. Paul could mean here that like, 260 00:23:41.210 --> 00:23:42.960 without our help, you have become kings, but I think it's more 261 00:23:44.039 --> 00:23:48.039 likely that he means not with us, like this is something that they have 262 00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:53.240 attained while the apostles were suffering. You have become kings, you become rich. 263 00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:57.430 Would you that reign so that we may rule share the rule with you. 264 00:24:00.150 --> 00:24:03.670 And then he talks about his work and the work of other apostles. 265 00:24:03.750 --> 00:24:07.829 He says that they are like men sentenced to death, have become a spectacle 266 00:24:07.950 --> 00:24:11.859 to the world, to angels and the Men Fools, for Christ's sake, 267 00:24:11.980 --> 00:24:17.099 and he goes on. Is this something, though, that Paul was trying 268 00:24:17.140 --> 00:24:19.500 to get out of? Is this something that Paul was afraid of, was 269 00:24:19.660 --> 00:24:25.130 trying to avoid? Of course Paul didn't want to be beaten. In some 270 00:24:25.329 --> 00:24:29.609 ways, Paul didn't want to suffer. In some ways he asked the Lord, 271 00:24:29.730 --> 00:24:33.730 in at least one case we have in scriptures, to remove his his 272 00:24:33.890 --> 00:24:40.759 suffering and struggles. But at the same time we know that Paul understands his 273 00:24:41.079 --> 00:24:49.720 calling is above the things in this world. Paul will later say that ministers 274 00:24:49.799 --> 00:24:55.589 deserve to be paid, but the minister's hope is not in wealth, it's 275 00:24:55.630 --> 00:25:00.470 not in power, it's not in riches, because he is a servant. 276 00:25:00.069 --> 00:25:04.789 He must be willing to do whatever whatever, even if people think differently, 277 00:25:04.869 --> 00:25:08.900 even if that means suffering. And this is of course, true for all 278 00:25:08.940 --> 00:25:14.140 of us, isn't it? The Lord doesn't just call his ministers to give 279 00:25:14.180 --> 00:25:18.059 up everything for the sake of the Kingdom of God. He calls all of 280 00:25:18.180 --> 00:25:22.609 us to do that, to be willing to sacrifice anything in this world if 281 00:25:22.650 --> 00:25:26.890 it's for the sake of receiving the kingdom Jesus. Even goes so far as 282 00:25:26.930 --> 00:25:33.970 to talk about families, mothers, brothers, Father's, sisters, and wealth 283 00:25:33.089 --> 00:25:41.759 as well, and job security and reputation and friends. Why? Because there's 284 00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:48.079 nothing more valuable than the Kingdom of God that we receive in Christ Jesus, 285 00:25:48.119 --> 00:25:52.549 Our Lord. That's why Paul says imitate me, because it's a good thing 286 00:25:52.589 --> 00:25:57.509 to imitate. If somebody came to you and said, I just found this 287 00:25:57.710 --> 00:26:02.589 really amazing deal on this this land, if you buy it now, it's 288 00:26:02.589 --> 00:26:06.380 going to be worth tons of money in the future, imitate me buy it, 289 00:26:07.380 --> 00:26:08.619 and you would do well to do so. If they were right. 290 00:26:10.539 --> 00:26:12.380 Well, Paul is, of course right when he tells us the Gospel, 291 00:26:14.019 --> 00:26:18.849 when he says cling to Christ, hold fast to Christ, know him above 292 00:26:18.890 --> 00:26:27.450 all things and you will be saved. And lastly, number four, the 293 00:26:27.650 --> 00:26:34.319 fourth implication about the ministry and light of this, stewardship and service, ministers 294 00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:40.200 ought to be people who are full of love for the people they serve. 295 00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:47.269 Why? Because Christ loves the people he calls them to serve. There his 296 00:26:47.470 --> 00:26:52.990 sheep, they're his lands. You are God's precious lambs. He loves you, 297 00:26:53.150 --> 00:26:56.670 he cares for you, he guards you, he protects you, and 298 00:26:56.829 --> 00:27:06.539 he desires to do that through his ministers. Ministers are called to watch over 299 00:27:06.700 --> 00:27:11.819 the sheep, to love them, as Peter is told by Christ, and 300 00:27:11.059 --> 00:27:18.250 love means knowing them, means knowing their needs applying the word. This is 301 00:27:18.329 --> 00:27:23.849 why myself and the elders and even you among each other in a way. 302 00:27:23.970 --> 00:27:29.730 We spend time with each other, we get to know each other so that 303 00:27:29.809 --> 00:27:33.640 we can minister to each other, help and support and walk together with one 304 00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:37.680 another in Christ so that we can apply the word of God at the right 305 00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:44.630 time and the right ways. This love that comes, the love that we 306 00:27:44.710 --> 00:27:51.109 have for Christ fault, flows forth in the feeding of Christ sheep with the 307 00:27:51.190 --> 00:27:56.109 word. So these are different implications that come to us. I'm through this 308 00:27:56.269 --> 00:28:03.299 passage as we think about as we think about this service ship and the stewardship 309 00:28:03.420 --> 00:28:07.740 that is tied up with the ministry, and we see that love that Paul 310 00:28:07.779 --> 00:28:11.579 has for these people. He's not afraid to say hard things to them in 311 00:28:11.859 --> 00:28:15.130 love. Right, we get this a specially at the end. He's saying, 312 00:28:15.130 --> 00:28:19.289 I'm your spiritual father, you're my children. I love you. He 313 00:28:19.410 --> 00:28:22.490 says. Some of you are arrogant, and I say this to you as 314 00:28:22.569 --> 00:28:27.160 your dad. You need to stop being this way. This is not right. 315 00:28:29.880 --> 00:28:32.759 He says, I will come to you soon again, if the Lord 316 00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:37.960 Wills, always in light of what God wills. And he says, what 317 00:28:37.079 --> 00:28:41.950 do you want? Do you want me to come with a rod or with 318 00:28:42.069 --> 00:28:48.349 the spirit of gentleness? He talks to them, and sometimes hard ways and 319 00:28:48.509 --> 00:28:53.470 sometimes soft ways, not because he's trying to manipulate them or twist their arms, 320 00:28:55.109 --> 00:28:59.299 but because he loves them and he's doing that faithful work that that shepherds 321 00:28:59.380 --> 00:29:06.180 do. Well, how does all of this perhaps apply to us? Very 322 00:29:06.220 --> 00:29:11.369 quickly, here a few things. One, we certain certainly shouldn't be elevating 323 00:29:11.769 --> 00:29:18.930 this or that servant of God to the status of God. We follow Christ. 324 00:29:19.690 --> 00:29:25.599 We receive things from his servants gravely, but ultimately our relationship was with 325 00:29:25.720 --> 00:29:30.359 him. They were doing this in Corinth. They were pitt pitting one against 326 00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:33.799 another, and in that they were being puffed up and boasting as Paul says, 327 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:38.029 pauses. Why do you boast everything that you have given, been given, 328 00:29:38.150 --> 00:29:44.509 you have received? You have nothing to boast him. A second thing 329 00:29:44.549 --> 00:29:48.509 we learn from the Apostolic Ministry, This word and deed ministry, is to 330 00:29:48.630 --> 00:29:52.900 not go beyond what is written. A third thing we learn is that we 331 00:29:52.980 --> 00:29:56.619 are not to depend on ourselves, but on the Lord for all things. 332 00:29:57.740 --> 00:30:03.420 A fourth thing we learn is about the ways and the work of the ministers 333 00:30:03.660 --> 00:30:07.769 of Christ, and in some ways this is a duty list for those who 334 00:30:07.769 --> 00:30:11.529 are called to the ministry. There is an expression here, a reminder of 335 00:30:11.609 --> 00:30:18.170 WHO, of who ministers are supposed to be, what their job description is, 336 00:30:18.490 --> 00:30:22.599 what my job description is, which also means that it is a petition 337 00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:29.319 list or a prayer list for you to pray for me, to pray for 338 00:30:29.400 --> 00:30:34.000 your elders, your deacons, for other ministers of Christ, and to ask 339 00:30:34.039 --> 00:30:38.549 the Lord to build them up in these things, to remind them of these 340 00:30:38.630 --> 00:30:44.430 things, to give them his gifts that they might give it to others, 341 00:30:45.750 --> 00:30:49.539 to give them time to understand and reflect and spend time in the word, 342 00:30:51.539 --> 00:30:56.019 to give them insight and knowledge of their people, to give them strength and 343 00:30:56.259 --> 00:31:02.259 fortitude and courage against the things of this world and even the accusations of their 344 00:31:02.339 --> 00:31:07.289 own heart, that they might boldly minister and Christ name and Christ name alone, 345 00:31:07.410 --> 00:31:12.690 to fill them up with love and zeal and passion for the law us 346 00:31:14.170 --> 00:31:18.089 and for the sheep that are being brought into the Church of Christ. This 347 00:31:18.289 --> 00:31:22.599 is your prayer list, even it is as it is mine, and the 348 00:31:22.680 --> 00:31:27.279 duties that God has called me and others too, and I'll finish with this. 349 00:31:27.400 --> 00:31:32.910 It's also a prayer list thanks. As I mentioned earlier, this is 350 00:31:33.150 --> 00:31:37.750 God's Ministry of Grace to us. This is these are his gifts to us. 351 00:31:38.190 --> 00:31:42.630 Isn't it amazing that each and every one of us here who are have 352 00:31:42.789 --> 00:31:49.859 been brought into the body of Christ, are just weak vessels, jars of 353 00:31:51.059 --> 00:31:56.140 clay, and yet filled with the very holy spirit of God for the building 354 00:31:56.180 --> 00:32:02.849 up of the body, to be participants in the Ministry of God to the 355 00:32:04.089 --> 00:32:08.529 world and and to us as well? When we consider the Ministry of God 356 00:32:08.809 --> 00:32:14.849 and His grace, these gifts that he pours out on us through the Work 357 00:32:14.930 --> 00:32:19.839 Accomplished for us in Christ, we ought to raise our hands and raise our 358 00:32:19.839 --> 00:32:23.799 voices and give thanks to God for all that he is doing in us and 359 00:32:23.960 --> 00:32:29.119 continues to do. If we were left to ourselves, we'd constantly be hitting 360 00:32:29.160 --> 00:32:32.349 that autodestruct button, wouldn't we? Week after week, go over and over 361 00:32:32.390 --> 00:32:38.390 again five, four, three two? But the Lord preserves us even from 362 00:32:38.390 --> 00:32:44.539 the gates of hell. He preserves us against the devil, he preserves us 363 00:32:44.859 --> 00:32:50.220 against ourselves and our own flesh. The Lord keeps us and holds us together, 364 00:32:50.259 --> 00:32:53.779 leads us to streams of living water, walks us through the Valley of 365 00:32:53.819 --> 00:32:58.769 the shadow of death, and we can trust him for all that. We 366 00:32:58.849 --> 00:33:02.529 ought to thank him for all that and praise him for all that, as 367 00:33:02.609 --> 00:33:07.170 hard as things were in corinth. And will consider more things in the coming 368 00:33:07.289 --> 00:33:10.890 chapters. I hope you'll you'll be here with me for that. Go back 369 00:33:10.970 --> 00:33:15.839 to the beginning, to chapter one, and we're reminded of the work of 370 00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:20.799 the Ministry of the word. That has already happened among them. I'll finish 371 00:33:20.920 --> 00:33:23.880 with this just a few verses in chapter one, versus fourth through nine. 372 00:33:25.400 --> 00:33:29.990 This is Paul's heart, and let this be our heart as well. Paul 373 00:33:30.109 --> 00:33:32.829 says, I give thanks to my God always for you, because of the 374 00:33:32.869 --> 00:33:39.750 grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way. 375 00:33:39.990 --> 00:33:44.660 You were enriched in him and all speech and knowledge, even as the 376 00:33:44.779 --> 00:33:49.900 testimony about Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in 377 00:33:50.019 --> 00:33:53.660 any gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who 378 00:33:53.660 --> 00:33:59.369 will sustain you to the end, guiltless. In the day of our Lord 379 00:33:59.410 --> 00:34:04.730 Jesus Christ, God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship 380 00:34:04.769 --> 00:34:08.809 of a son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, let's pray