{"id":16890,"date":"2021-08-03T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-04T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/1corinthians-4_1-8-copy\/"},"modified":"2021-07-27T15:05:32","modified_gmt":"2021-07-27T22:05:32","slug":"1corinthians-4_9-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/1corinthians-4_9-21\/","title":{"rendered":"You Need a Spiritual Family to Grow Spiritually"},"content":{"rendered":"

1 Corinthians 4:9-21 \u00a0Click here for Bible Verses<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is 1 Corinthians 4:9-21.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

1 Corinthians 4:9-13 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n9\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0For 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.
\n10\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!
\n11\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.
\n12\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
\n13\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 9-13: Ironically, while the Paul groupies and Apollos groupies were using their alleged connection to Paul and Apollos to boast about themselves to others, Paul and his fellow apostles were themselves suffering a great deal for the gospel \u2013 going hungry and thirsty (v11), being treated brutally (v11), working tirelessly (v12) and often being insulted (v13) and persecuted (v12).\u00a0 It\u2019s as if on one hand you have Paul and his fellow apostles who are the real deal, serving Christ and suffering for it, while at the same time there are a bunch of apostle wannabees who are more focused on making a name for themselves, talking about themselves a lot and doing a lot less for the kingdom.\u00a0 In some ways Paul is showing how different these groupies actually are from Paul, Apollos and other apostles.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0 Church planting is not easy.\u00a0 Paul compares being an apostle (a church planter) to being condemned to die in an arena (v9)!\u00a0 It includes living a life where you bless those who curse you, endure through persecution and struggle, and where you answer kindly when slandered (v10-13).\u00a0 I praise God for the brave men and women who went before me to plant the wonderful churches in Vancouver, Taipei and Toronto that I’ve gotten to be a part of.\u00a0 And being a church planter now myself, I can say that church planting is the toughest job I’ve ever done, but it’s also the most joyful and the most rewarding.\u00a0 The only things that give me more joy are being a husband to my wife Sharleen and a dad to my sons.\u00a0 But church planting is certainly not for the faint of heart.<\/p>\n

1 Corinthians 4:14-16 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n14\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children.
\n15\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Even 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.
\n16\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
\n<\/em>
\nOn verses 14-16:\u00a0 Here Paul reaffirms his special relationship with the church in Corinth.\u00a0 Though the Corinthian Christians had many guardians, that is, leaders (presumably including pastors and teachers) who watched over them, Paul\u2019s relationship was extraordinary in that he was the one who started the church and who led many of them to faith in Christ in the first place.\u00a0 In this way, he was a spiritual father to many in the church in Corinth. \u00a0Not forgetting his role and special relationship with the church in Corinth, Paul urges them to imitate him.
\nWhat can we learn from this?<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Don\u2019t take for granted the people God uses to lead you spiritually.<\/strong>\u00a0 Those special individuals are not idols to be worshiped, but they are gifts from God to be cherished and to praise God for.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. Being a church planter is a lot like being a parent.\u00a0 That’s why Paul, who planted the church in Corinth, says, “though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Jesus Christ I became your father through the gospel.\u00a0 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.” (v15-16)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. We all need Pauls in our lives, Christian leaders who can speak into our lives and \u00a0model for us what it looks like to follow Jesus in our generation and culture. \u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        1 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV)<\/strong>
        \n17\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0For 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.<\/em><\/p>\n

        On verse 17:\u00a0 Since Paul could not at the time be with the Corinthians personally, Paul decides to send his disciple and spiritual son Timothy to encourage the church in Corinth and to remind them of how Paul lived.<\/p>\n

        To me it\u2019s a reminder that not only do we need someone like Paul, but\u00a0we all also need Timothy\u2019s in our lives, people whom we’re investing in, leading and raising up spiritually (v17)<\/strong>, who can carry on the work of the kingdom in ways that we can\u2019t personally.<\/p>\n

        1 Corinthians 4:18-21 (NIV)<\/strong>
        \n18\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.
        \n19\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0But 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.
        \n20\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
        \n21\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?<\/em><\/p>\n

        On verses 18-21:\u00a0 While Paul was away from the church in Corinth, a number of people who loved to talk and who loved to be recognized as leaders had risen up in Paul\u2019s absence.\u00a0 Paul tells the church in Corinth that he will be coming back to them soon, God willing, and can then see for himself if all the talking of these so-called leaders really amounted to anything real or of substance.\u00a0 Paul is essentially warning the church that they better shape up or get ready to be rebuked when Paul gets there.<\/p>\n

        It goes to show that\u00a0following Jesus is never an individual pursuit.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0It’s always done in community, in relationship to people whom you can call spiritual fathers and mothers, spiritual sons and daughters, and spiritual brothers and sisters.<\/strong>\u00a0 That’s why you need to be well connected to a church family – not just by name, but in real life by attending regularly, joining a small group, and serving with your talents.\u00a0 You can talk on your own all you want, but the real power is in your connection with God and your connection with other believers.<\/p>\n

        Thank You Heavenly Father, for the people You have used in my life to lead me spiritually \u2013 the ones who planted the churches I got to be part of, who preached God\u2019s Word to me, who prayed for me, who led me to Christ, and who built me up in my faith.\u00a0 I realize that those special individuals are not idols to be worshiped, but they are gifts from You that I cherish and praise You for.\u00a0 Thank You for making me to grow in a spiritual family.\u00a0 Since the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power, I pray that I would wear Jesus well for others and be used by You to reproduce a new generation of excellent, humble leaders for Your kingdom.\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

        Today\u2019s passage is 1 Corinthians 4:9-21.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

        1 Corinthians 4:9-13 (NIV)
        \n9\u00a0\u00a0For 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.
        \n10\u00a0\u00a0We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!
        \n11\u00a0\u00a0To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.
        \n12\u00a0\u00a0We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
        \n13\u00a0\u00a0when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.<\/p>\n

        On verses 9-13: Ironically, while the Paul groupies and Apollos groupies were using their alleged connection to Paul and Apollos to boast about themselves to others, Paul and his fellow apostles were themselves suffering a great deal for the gospel \u2013 going hungry and thirsty (v11), being treated brutally (v11), working tirelessly (v12) and often being insulted (v13) and persecuted (v12).\u00a0 It\u2019s as if on one hand you have Paul and his fellow apostles who are the real deal, serving Christ and suffering for it, while at the same time there are a bunch of apostle wannabees who are more focused on making a name for themselves, talking about themselves a lot and doing a lot less for the kingdom.\u00a0 In some ways Paul is showing how different these groupies actually are from Paul, Apollos and other apostles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16892,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16890","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16890","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16890"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16890\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16891,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16890\/revisions\/16891"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16892"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16890"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16890"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16890"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}