1) Introduction…

a) Scripture intro

i) Turn to 1 Cor 4:1-5

ii) Brings together two items from proceeding arguments

(1) Apostles as servants (3:5-9)

(2) The coming judgment (3:13-15)

(3) Makes explicit what one might have only suspected up till now

(a) Corinthians were passing judgment on the apostle

(4) This passage shows us how the servant model relates to their treatment of him (not his treatment of them, their treatment of him)

2) Propositional statement

a) Corinthian’s misunderstanding of the gospel, the church, and role of their teachers has been dealt with

b) But at the heart of all this there is something deeper

i) Their attitude toward Paul

ii) Against Paul

iii) Rejecting more than his teaching, they are rejecting his authority

iv) Their attitude is one of judging and “investigating”

v) Paul sees the application of verse 2 as forbidding such activity

c) Christ is the judge of a Christian leader’s ministry, therefore the church must trust her leaders, submitting to their authority as both eagerly wait for the return of the Lord

3) Supporting arguments that they were passing judgment on his ministry

a) Critiquing Paul’s preaching- not with the wisdom of logos (1:17)

i) Dwight Moody was preaching when someone passed a note to him through the usher. It had only one word: "Fool." Moody looked at it and said, "I've often received notes that weren't signed. This is the first time I've received a note that someone forgot to write, but signed."

b) Tension over his presence with them in weakness (2:3)

c) His former preaching as being “milk” for spiritual babes (3:2)

d) His insistence that he was among them as a wise master builder (3:10)

4) Because Christ will judge the ministry of Christian leaders, churches are not “judge” or constantly “examine” their leaders

a) They were to regard Paul and the Apollos as “servants” just described previously

b) Although he belongs to them (since he is Christ’s servant for them), he is not accountable to them

i) “The metaphor changes from diakonio (3:5-9) emphasizing the servant nature of their task under God, to that of a household servant. The first word hyperatas (servants of Christ) is a more general term, but often refers to one who has the duties of administering the affairs of another (somewhat like Joseph). That this was Paul’s intent is verified by the second word, oikonomos, which denotes a steward often a slave who has been who has been “entrusted with” managing a household. Thus apostles are to regarded as “servants of Christ” reemphasizing their humble position and their belonging to Christ alone; at the same time they are “stewards of the mysteries of God” emphasizing both their trusted position and the accountability to God” – Gordon Fee

(1) bring back ticket story to emphasize the significance of one word

c) His account is given to Christ, not to the congregation

i) This accountability is reason for pastors willingly and eagerly shepherd their churches- 1 Pe 5:1-5

ii) But the application of this truth to the congregation is submission to their authority- Heb 13:17

(1) A young pastor of a little church complained to the "Prince of Preachers," Charles H. Spurgeon, about the smallness of his church and its few members. Spurgeon asked him, "How many members do you have?" "Fifty," replied the young pastor. "Ah," exclaimed Spurgeon, "that is more than you will want to account for on the Day of Judgment."

(2) Submission- “the heart of one who wants to serve and make others a success. His or her goal is to make the pastor’s job a joy through their supportive response, a not a grief through contention and suspicion”

d) Theocracy not democracy(“committee of the whole”)

(1) “The church today has fallen prey to the heresy of democracy. For many laymen, women, and elders, the essence of their Christian leadership is hamstrung by a democratic impulse which makes him the errand boy of the congregation.”- R.J. Rushdooney

(2) Theocracy is “government of a state or group by immediate divine guidance or by officials who regarded as divinely guided” -Webster

ii) Submission is an expression of love which requires faith and trust

5) Because Christ will judge the ministry of Christian leaders, the church must consider her leaders trustworthy

a) What trusting leadership means

i) Worldly view- We often want see trustworthiness by experience- “Often “show me” attitude-“you’ve got to earn trust”

ii) Trust is rooted in more of the God who gives than of the leaders he has given

(1) Leaders are a gift from God- Eph 4

(2) Biblical view of authority vs. worldly view

(a) Worldly view of authority

(i) Most leadership is inept, corrupt, and restrictive

1. A father, who attended church with his little boy, found fault with everything in the service. As he walked home, he criticized the minister, the sermon, the choir, and everything in general. The boy, who had noticed what his father put in the offering plate, said, "Well, Dad, what can you expect for a quarter?"

(ii) The hero is the one who rebels (police, irs, government, umpires)

1. Westerns, Top Gun, and others

(iii) As authority expands, freedom contracts

1. This comes from a wrong definition of freedom. Freedom rightly defined is “not the right to do what you want, but the power to do what you ought to do”

a. “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love to serve one another.” -Gal 5:13

(b) Biblical view of authority

(i) Leads to true freedom. Freedom is a subset of biblical authority

(ii) Appointed by God 1Thess 5:12

1. “to present”

a. covering not smothering

2. “to build” 2 Cor 10:8, 13:10

a. direction not restriction

b. supportive- doesn’t just tell you what to do

3. “to protect and refresh” Isaiah 32:1-5

a. a people who are growing (not quenched) maturing and developing their own discernment, able to reproduce

iii) Trust is voluntary and from the heart

(1) It is not out of fear

(2) Results in a sense of safety, not intimidation

b) What trusting in leadership does not mean

i) Not blind obedience

(1) “Submission is an attitude and absolute. Obedience is an action and relative. In most instances submission expressed itself through obedience. But God alone can receive unqualified obedience.”

(2) The congregation is responsible for the teachings they hear Galations

ii) Not dependence, we are only dependent on Jesus

iii) Not natural- Eph 5:18-21 leads into instruction on authority

(1) Must be filled with the Spirit

(a) The Spirit enables

(b) The Spirit is part of our inheritance in the Gospel

6) Because Christ will judge the ministry of Christian leaders, both the church and her leaders must eagerly wait for Christ’s return, being faithful stewards of the gospel

a) What is required of a steward is faithfulness and only the master of the house can determine that

b) Their opinion of him doesn’t matter, even his own evaluation of his ministry doesn’t matter

c) What matters is the return of Christ, who will judge both Paul and the Corinthians

i) When Jesus comes on the scene he changes everything!

ii) He taught that the servant cannot teach his master

d) Recover a sense of satisfaction in being faithful

i) On the final day each will receive his praise (not condemnation)

e) Biblical waiting is not passive but active

i) “Together we are coming under the loving lordship of Jesus Christ, and being joined to a community of imperfect people who are learning to live a new life in a new way.”