Today we are going to continue in our study of
the book of 1 Corinthians. We are in chapter
4, looking at verses 6 through verse 17. Verse
6 through 17. I'd like to speak about the Apostles'
fatherly warning against spiritual pride. Hear
now the word of the Lord. Now these things, brethren,
I have figuratively transferred to myself and
Apollos for your sakes. You may learn in us not
to think beyond what is written, that none of
you may be puffed up on behalf of one against
the other. For who makes you differ from another?
And what do you have that you did not receive?
Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you
boast as if you had not received it? You are
already full. You are already rich. You have
reigned as kings without us. And indeed, I could
wish you did reign, and that we also might reign
with you. For I think that God has displayed
us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death,
for we have been made a spectacle to the world,
both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's
sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak,
but you are strong. You are distinguished, but
we are dishonored. To the present hour, we both
hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed
and beaten and homeless. And we labor, working
with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless.
Being persecuted, we endure. Being defamed, we
entreat. We have been made as the filth of the
world, the offscouring of all things until now.
I do not write these things to shame you, but
as my beloved children, I warn you. For though
you might have 10 ,000 instructors in Christ,
yet you do not have many fathers. For in Christ
Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
Therefore I urge you, imitate me. For this reason
I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved
and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind
you of my ways in Christ as I teach everywhere
in every church. Father, we come before you today
and ask for your blessing on this word. I pray
that you would maintain your word, Lord, by the
power of the Spirit. I pray that you would give
me a voice that's clear and that can speak forth
your word today in clarity, in boldness, but
in faithfulness, Lord. Please open up our eyes
to this wonderful word as we consider it today.
We ask for the unction and the power of the Holy
Spirit. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. The word
of God is the best rule by which to judge concerning
men. Judging rightly concerning men and not judging
more highly of them than is fit is one way to
prevent quarrels and contentions in the church.
Pride commonly lies at the bottom of these quarrels.
With these words from Matthew Henry, we come
today to the apostles' strong words about the
heart of the situation in Corinth. The preceding
chapters were building up to this moment of truth
when Paul switches from speaking figuratively
and indirectly about Christian ministers to blunt
commands, to rhetorical questions, and giving
strong warnings. But note that all of this comes
from a very fatherly heart warning his children.
Warnings are a tool of discipling that Paul used,
along with teaching, illustrating, exhorting,
and encouraging. Paul tells the Ephesian elders
in Acts chapter 20, he says, Therefore watch
and remember that for three years I did not cease
to warn everyone night and day with tears. And
surely the problem of pride, that of being puffed
up on behalf of one against the other, is a big
problem. It is a corrosive sin that destroys
congregations, and it fosters envy and strife
and divisions, as he wrote in chapter 3, verse
3. By pride comes nothing but strife, says Solomon
in Proverbs 13, verse 10. And when things are
going well, then the temptation to pride comes.
Now this can happen in any church that is prospering,
or if a minister becomes renowned, or is granted
a measure of fame. But this temptation especially
comes when ministers become celebrities. Attempting
to groom a flashy or performative media presence
or branding themselves in a certain way, shifting
focus from substance to persona. This can happen
by being men -pleasers, but also by saying or
writing outlandish or outrageous statements or
social media posts designed to just get attention
and Create media clicks. Now, at the same time,
we do greatly appreciate the works of renowned,
faithful, and even famous ministers, but that's
different than being a celebrity. Early Christianity
spread through ordinary believers, traveling
apostles and preachers, and the faithful meeting
of churches in the towns and the villages throughout
the empire. with local elders, not through rock
star evangelists with entourages. The apostles
had influence, but how? Through suffering, through
preaching, and through teaching, and not in polished
images. And in our passage today, Paul warns
the Corinthians about their wrong understanding,
and he gives them a sound corrective, warning
them not to think. that the ministers of Christ
beyond what is written and not to be puffed up
on behalf of a particular one against another.
For our first point, we want to consider verse
6, that ministers should be evaluated by scriptural
standards. Now these things, brethren, I have
figuratively transferred to myself and to Apollos
for your sakes, that you may learn in us not
to think beyond what is written, that none of
you may be puffed up on behalf. of one against
the other. With these beginning words, Paul shifts
from speaking of ministers in general to speaking
directly of himself and Apollos. Peter, although
mentioned earlier as Cephas, is not in view right
here in this place. It seems like that Paul and
Apollos were the main ministers to the Corinthian
church in the prior time. He says that he's driving
this point home with direct application to himself
and to Apollos so that they, as the congregation,
might learn. It is one thing to speak hypothetically
and in generalities, but able teachers and preachers
must be able to drive a point home to their audience,
to the needs or the blessings of the time and
in their place, to the ones to whom they have
been entrusted. Now we see this happening also
at other times in the scriptures, sometimes in
prophetic speech. For example, when David sins
by committing adultery with Bathsheba and then
he murders her husband after she got pregnant
by him, Nathan the prophet comes to him and he
tells him a story. He gives him a parable about
a rich man who had many sheep and about a poor
man who had one sheep. And the rich man went
and took the one sheep away from the poor man.
And thus made him impoverished him because of
it. And David responds with anger at the rich
man. And then Nathan looks at him. And these
words that are so direct. You are the man. You
have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword.
You have taken his wife to be your wife. And
have killed him with the sword of the people
of Ammon. But remember also that while Paul is
speaking directly, he is also writing as a father.
And we'll see this in verse 15. Sometimes, fathers,
we need to speak directly about things as they
are. Yes, we need to use grace in our speech,
but we need to speak forthrightly and directly
to God. our children or to the situation. And
Paul is doing this here to his children in the
faith. He continues that you may learn in us
not to think beyond what is written. The Corinthians
needed to learn how to think about their ministers
and the apostles. Rather than elevating them
or some of them to celebrity status and then
creating factions around them, they are to learn
to think not To think not beyond what is written.
In this, Paul is writing about the entire Old
Testament, which shows the authority of the Old
Testament as the whole counsel of God. There
is much about faithful ministry and the sin of
pride written, and to this Paul appeals. Do not
think about us beyond what is written. Now in
this, Paul may well have had in mind the words
of the prophet Jeremiah, who said, Thus says
the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom.
Let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor
let the rich man glory in his riches. But let
him who glories, glory in this, that he understands
and knows me. that I am the Lord, exercising
loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness
in the earth. For in these I delight, says the
Lord. This is from Jeremiah 9, verse 23 and 24.
And there are many other passages that we could
turn to. that paul could have been referring
to but we will suffice with this now the apostles
are a living demonstration of these words they
view the old testament as scripture they quoted
extensively they are obedient to it not being
prideful or puffed up in the demonstration of
the holy spirit's power in them and in this there's
a synergy and a unity between the apostles and
the prophets The apostles and the prophets. And
you'll see these words put together a number
of times in the New Testament describing the
foundation of the church as the apostles and
the prophets with Jesus as the chief cornerstone.
For example, Ephesians 2 verse 20. Christ's church
has been built. on the foundation of the apostles
and prophets, Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone.
The lesson is that the Corinthians were puffed
up. They were proud of man's wisdom and of themselves
being learned in it. And so they envied one another
and they strove together. But it should not be
so. Ministers must be evaluated and thought about
in biblical terms. In biblical terms and not
according to the world's wisdom. Do not think
of them beyond what is written, so that none
of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against
the other. Then our second point is where he
gives three questions. These three questions
expose the folly of pride. It says, for who makes
you differ from one another? And what do you
have that you did not receive? Now, if you did
indeed receive it, why? Do you boast as if you
have not received it? These three questions get
to the heart of this matter, and they are probing,
they are searching questions designed to bring
humility to men, to bring humility to men and
women before God. This is a devastating rebuke
to pride, to factionalism. and to self -glory,
especially among those who boast in gifts, in
status, or as leaders. This verse is a summary
of what the Old Testament teaches about us, that
which is written. These basic questions, who,
what, why, they drive us back to our sovereign
God. and His divine and free blessings from Him
that are given freely, which is His sovereign
grace. Our life and all distinctions, all our
abilities, the blessings, the gifts, our rank
and station in life, all are given from Him as
a gift. We'll look at the first question, who?
Who makes you differ from one another? Is this
something that you all decided to be different
and decided to excel in one way or another and
you set yourselves apart? Who makes you differ
from one another? Now over in 1 Corinthians 12,
Paul is going to list a large amount of differing
gifts that people have and how they are indeed
valuable. He also does this in Romans chapter
12. He speaks, one person has this gift, another
one this, and another one this. And he goes through
and gives a whole list of gifts. But why is it
that people have different gifts? Why are they
different? Why are each one of you unique? From
all of the others. You have certain abilities.
You have certain gifts. But then it goes beyond
that. We have no control about the color of our
skin. Or how our hair is. Or physical features.
We have all been given different gifts. Some
are developed more than others. Some less. Some
more. Who gave them to us? He asks. Who makes
you differ from one another? Now the obvious
answer. is that God did. We go back to Genesis
chapter 1 and verse 1. In the beginning, God.
In the beginning, God. God is their Elohim. He
is the one true supreme God. God said, God made,
God created, and God blessed. We see this in
Genesis 1 and 2. God saw that it was good. God
the creator through Jesus Christ by the Holy
Spirit formed and fashioned each one of us in
such a way that we are unique and we are different
and yet we are all created in the image of God
and then he has dispersed gifts among us. 1 Corinthians
12 verse 11 but one in the same spirit works
all these things distributing to each one individually
as you would like. No, as he wills. God and his
sovereignty determines these things about us.
Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 7 and verse 7.
Each one has his own gift from God, one in this
manner and another in that. Let's take this question
a little bit further. Who caused you to be born
when you had nothing to do with your birth? And
why were you not born a hundred years ago or
five hundred or a thousand or back even before
the flood? Or why were you not born as a slave?
Or maybe one of those really low caste people
that all the other people of the nation look
down on and despise. Did you decide when and
where to be born so that you could enjoy the
wonderful blessings that you experience? No.
We know that it is God. The answer here is that
God made us in this way. And he made us to differ
one from another. David's prayer in the assembly
gives us a great sense of this back in 1 Chronicles
28, verse 1. This is when David had assembled
at Jerusalem all the leaders of Israel and he
testified that God had instructed him to choose
Solomon to be the next king. And also, then he
gave Solomon the plans for the temple that he
would build for the worship of God. He presents...
Solomon with gold and with gifts, and then all
of the leaders follow suit, and they offer gold
and silver and bronze and iron and precious stones
to the Lord for the king to use. But then David
prays this prayer in 1 Chronicles chapter 29
and verse 10. Therefore David blessed the Lord
before all the assembly, and David said, Blessed
are you, Lord God of Israel, our Father, forever
and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness. the
power and the glory, the victory and the majesty,
for all that is in heaven and in earth is yours.
Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted
as head over all. Both riches and honor come
from you, and you reign over all, and in your
hand is power and might, and in your hand it
is to make great and to give strength to all.
Now therefore, our God, we thank you and praise
your glorious name. But who am I and who are
my people that we should be able to offer so
willingly as this? For all things come from you
and of your own will. We have given you and of
your own we have given you. For we are aliens
and pilgrims before you as were our fathers.
Our days on earth are as a shadow and without
hope. O Lord our God, all this abundance that
we have prepared to build you a house for your
holy name is from your hand and all is your own.
Then the apostle moves on and says, What? What
do you have that you did not? So who made you
different from one another? Who gave you all
the unique characteristics and gifts that you
have? It is God who distributed them. But next,
what do you have then that you did not receive?
A man can receive nothing unless it has been
given to him from heaven. Jesus told Nicodemus
in John chapter 3 and verse 27. There remains
no ground for our glorying. Calvin writes, because
it is by the grace of God that we are that we
are. Your life, your health, your bodily design
and strength with the abilities that you have,
you received that. The fact that you can choose
and will to do good is even because God enabled
you to do it. Philippians 2 verse 13, for it
is God who works in you both to will and to do
for his good pleasure. God has given to us mercy
and life and resurrection life and salvation
and eternal life. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has re -blessed
us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly
places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him
before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy and without blame before Him in love.
What do we have that we didn't receive from the
good and fatherly hand of God? You received life
from your parents, but who caused the spark of
life at conception? And who created your parents?
For you formed my inward parts, David says in
Psalm 139. You covered me in my mother's womb.
Now God works through people. We readily grant
that. We do not deny secondary causes. But it
is nonetheless that God grants the abilities,
the gifts, and the means that work for all of
life. And he gives them to us and we receive
them from his hand. We have received education
from others. We were taught by others what is
dangerous and what is not, what math is or what
good grammar is and all sorts of other things.
We're even taught what to eat and what is not
good, what might be fatal to eat. We have received
from others so much in our life, in all of life.
We've received from others how to create shelter
and how to live safely. Who gave you the ability
to eat food? And it breaks apart into various
nutrients and feeds your body. And how did you
even receive a body like that? Why isn't your
body like an animal or a bird or a worm or a
monkey or a parasite? You might even be a good
working craftsman. Did you create the raw material?
No, you received it. Did you develop the mental
capacity and ability to think and make your mind
different than that of a sloth? What do you have
that you did not receive? Now you might say,
I work hard for what I receive. I labor diligently
and I earn money by the sweat of my brow. But
where did you receive the strength to work hard,
to labor? And a body with two ears and arms and
two arms and two legs and two feet and two hands
with eight fingers and two thumbs, but you only
have one head and one nose. What do you have
that you did not receive in a well -designed
body that God created? You received it. You didn't
design it. And so even the true wisdom that the
Corinthians had cannot be acclaimed as their
achievement. For true wisdom, that is righteousness,
holiness, and redemption, is a gift of God in
Christ Jesus. Paul wrote to them in chapter 1,
verse 30 and 31. He says, But of him, You are
in Christ Jesus. Of him. You are in Christ Jesus.
Who became for us. Wisdom from God. And righteousness
and sanctification. And redemption. That as it
is written. Let him who glories. Glory in the
Lord. This should cause us to break forth in
praise. For God. Who is so good. Who has given
to us. So. And then Paul continues with the next
question. So excuse me. If you received it, then
why do you boast as if you have not received
it? Why do you boast? As if you have not received
it. And so Paul drives this all home and he asks
the why question. Why are you so proud, so self
-sufficient, so filled with your own arrogance
and self -righteousness? You're not autonomous.
You're not a self -made man or woman who created
everything about you. But oh, how the deceitfulness
of the heart ensnares us and we boast as if we
have done it all. Why do you boast? Deuteronomy
chapter 8. God gives a warning to the children
of Israel just before they enter into the promised
land. Moses recounts the history of the Exodus,
reminds them of what God had done for them and
what God's commandments are. He promises that
God will bring them into a good land. It's a
land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs
and wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees
and pomegranates and a land of olive oil and
honey in which they will eat bread without scarcity
and they will lack nothing. A land whose stones
are iron and out of whose hills they would be
able to dig copper. But then he says, Beware
that you do not forget the Lord your God by not
keeping his commandments, his judgments, and
his statutes which I commanded you this day.
Lest when you are eaten and are full and you
build beautiful houses and you dwell in them
and your herds and your flocks multiply and your
silver and gold are multiplied and all that you
have is multiplied. When your heart is lifted
up. And you forget the Lord your God. Who brought
you out of the land of Egypt. He again then describes.
All that God led them through. And the great
and terrible wilderness. And the fiery serpents
and scorpions. And the land where there was no
water. And God provided water for them. He says
that he might humble you. And he might test you
to do you good in the end. Beware lest you say
in your heart. My power. And the might of my
hand. has gained me this wealth. Beware, he says.
When we understand the sovereignty of God and
how we have nothing that we did not receive from
God, both directly and through others, then how
can we boast in ourselves? Why, O Corinthian
believers, did you boast as if you had not received
it? And why do we boast of our own self -sufficiency?
By the grace of God. We are what we are and no
room is left for taking pride in ourselves. This
is the point that Paul presses on them in verse
8. He continues then and goes into a rebuke.
A rebuke of their pride and their self -conceit
in verses 8 and 10. He says, You are already
full. You are already rich. You have reigned
as kings without us. And indeed, I wish you did
reign. We also might reign with you. Paul goes
on to deride their view of themselves. He launches
into three ironic, even sarcastic statements.
Because we know that they were not really full.
They were not really rich. And they were not
really reigning with Christ in the sense of which
they thought they were. And yet he says, this
as this though is what they were thinking we
are already full we're already rich we are reigning
as kings barnes says it is generally agreed that
this is spoken in irony and that it is an indignant
sarcasm uttered against the false and self -confidence
teachers in corinth The design is to contrast
them with the apostles, to show how self -confident
and vain the false teachers were and how laborious
and self -denying the apostles were, and to show
to them how little claim they had to authority
in the church and the real claim which the apostles
had from their self -denials and labors. He continues
in verse 10 saying, we are fools for Christ's
sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak,
but you are strong. You are distinguished, but
we are dishonored. Having shown how they think,
they have left the poor apostles far behind in
their own advanced wisdom and knowledge. He states
that he wishes. That they did actually enjoy
the happiness and blessedness as they thought
they were experiencing. That indeed they would
be full, rich, and as princes needing nothing
so that he could partake in the joy. But that
time is not yet. And he contrasts their circumstances
and shows them that they are puffing up. Or that
their puffery is wrong. It is misguided and misunderstanding.
And so he rebukes them. But then he goes into
the contrast, the contrast of the suffering apostles
in verses 9 to 13. And this one is just a moving
declaration of what these men of God went through
and how they proclaimed the gospel in spite of
it. He says, For I think that God has displayed
us, the apostles, last as men condemned to death.
For we have been made a spectacle to the world,
both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's
sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak,
but you are strong. You are distinguished, but
we are dishonored. To the present hour, we both
hunger and thirst. We are poorly clothed and
beaten and homeless. And we labor, working with
our own hands. Being reviled, we bless. Being
persecuted, we endure. Being defamed, We entreat.
We have been made as the filth of the world,
the offscouring of all things until now. Now
he shows here how that the apostles are as a
spectacle, someone to be derided, to be laughed
at and watched with scorn or even with hatred.
The word spectacle to the world relates to the
spectacles of the Colosseum, much like the martyrs
or others who were condemned to death would.
come and the crowds around would shout with glee
as the lions would come out or the wild beasts
or or the gladiators would turn on them and would
slaughter them sometimes by the tens sometimes
by the fifties or even larger amounts they were
a spectacle to the world the eyes around all
looking at them and see he says that that he
thinks that god has displayed them the apostles
as a spectacle. He then goes into the great contrast.
These apostles, they were last in the world's
eyes. They were considered fools. They were weak.
They were dishonored. They were hungry, thirsty.
They were poor, clothed in rags. They were beaten.
They were homeless. They were slandered. Whereas
the Corinthians were wise, strong, distinguished,
and self -satisfied. Now, there is a time, When
Christians can be considered wise, strong, and
distinguished. When the work of God is so mighty
in a land that the culture changes. But that
was not the case with them. While that is a possibility,
this is not the case. In Corinth, they had a
misguided understanding. The daily realities
of apostolic life were laboring hard. They were
working with their own hands even while in far
off cities, preaching the gospels and building
Christ's church. They didn't live off of the
people they served. Rather, they worked hard
so that they would not be chargeable to any.
They were often reviled. But these apostles and
ministers, These laborers for the sake of Christ
who endured such a hostility and persecution.
Now these were those of whom the world was not
worthy. These are the ones who overcame the great
dragon, that serpent of old. And how did they
overcome? By the blood of the Lamb and by the
word of their testimony. And they did not love
their lives. To the death. As the last phrases
of the hymn. The son of God goes forth to war.
They climbed the steep ascent of heaven. Through
peril, toil and pain. Oh God to us may grace
be given. To follow in their train. To walk in
such a way. With that dedication. With that stability
and firmness of character. to bless those who
persecute and to be faithful. Then he moves on
after giving this great contrast and he switches
his tone some in verse 14. He begins, I do not
write these things to shame you, but as my beloved
children, I warn you. For though you might have
10 ,000 instructors in Christ, yet you do not
have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I have
begotten you through the gospel. Therefore, I
urge you, imitate me. For this reason, I have
sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful
son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways
in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.
With this change in tone, Paul speaks as a venerable
father to beloved children. He does not write
this to shame them. He might have had the right
to do so, but he didn't do it. He says, I do
not write this to shame you. He's not humiliating
them or belittling them and make them cower before
them because he loves them. He doesn't deride
them or cast them off or walk away from them
and says, forget you guys. I'm done with you
in the way that you are. No, he loves them. He
reaches out toward them. Nor does he come at
them with scorching fire. In some ways, he would
have had the right to do that. But no, he did
not. Why not? Because he's a loving father. He
has the gravitas, but also love. And they are
his beloved children. And fathers do hard things
for their children, as also do mothers. He loves
them. But as their father, he warns them. Beware
of this problem. Deal with it. Make it right.
Change your ways. Embrace Jesus Christ and him
crucified. Secondly, he shows the need for fathers
then in the church. There are many who are able
teachers. They are able to clearly set forth
the scriptures and tie them together and show
great mysteries and explain wonderful truths
and draw lines and connect things and speak of
great types and shadows and all sorts of things
and it's wonderful and we are edified by it.
But Paul says, although there are 10 ,000 instructors
and he is not blaming the instructors, but he
said, you don't have many fathers. You don't
have many fathers. Here's where honor your father
and mother takes on a whole additional layer
because Paul is asking for them to heed him,
even to imitate him because he is their father
in. The faith. He has in Christ Jesus. Begotten
them through the gospel. Having just gathered
as churches this past week. For our spring presbytery.
I am very grateful to be around older men. who
have ministered faithfully for many years and
be considered and revered as fathers. It is a
blessing to talk to them, to hear their wisdom,
to hear how they work through situations or problems
and are able to speak into the life of the church
today. Paul then goes on and he urges them not
only to regard him as a father, but to imitate
him. This is written a number of times. For it
is a principle that faithful apostles and ministers
are to be followed and to be imitated as they
follow Christ. Christian leaders are to be examples.
1 Corinthians 11, verse 1, he brings it again.
Imitate me just as I also imitate Christ. Or
Philippians 3, verse 17. Brethren, join in following
my example and note those who walk so as you
have us for a pattern. And 1 Thessalonians 1,
verse 6. You became followers of us and of the
Lord, having received the word in much affliction
with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became
examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.
And finally, in 1 Peter 5, verse 3, elders are
not to be lords over those entrusted to them,
but they are to lead as examples to God's people,
to the flock. And then he goes on to say, For
this reason, because I want you to imitate me,
I want you to hear me. I'm speaking to you as
a father. I sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved
and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind
you of my ways in Christ. He will be a fresh
reminder to speak to you of my ways as I teach
everywhere in every church. This is the apostles
direct and clear summary in one sense leading
up to this all the way from the very beginning.
Giving them this strong rebuke and asking for
their consideration of this matter. He's going
to move on then in dealing with church discipline
in the next section. Which rather than beginning
in chapter 5 verse 1 I think it actually begins
in verse 18 of chapter 4. And so, Lord willing,
we'll look at that next Sunday. Let's look here
at just a few final applications. Now, a gifted
communicator can exposit Scripture to thousands,
sometimes who wouldn't otherwise hear it. There
have been famous preachers who have drawn massive
crowds without modern celebrity machinery, and
their work did indeed produce lasting fruit.
The difference, though, lies... in how their
influence is stewarded. Accountability, local
and doctrine -centered versus platform -driven
and image -managed. Not every visible minister
is a celebrity in the toxic sense. Faithful teaching
with significant influence and reach, sometimes
speaking to thousands, is different than being
a celebrity who cultivates a fan base, has the
merchandise to go with it, and a lifestyle that
screams success. The New Testament does indeed
recognize distinguished and esteemed elders and
teachers. 1 Thessalonians 5 says, We urge you,
brethren, to recognize those who labor among
you and are over you in the Lord and admonish
you, and to esteem them very highly in love for
their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
And so I want to give this as an application
that sometimes There are faithful ministers of
Christ where God providentially brings a large
amount of people who listen to their teaching.
And it's good. I'm not speaking against that.
But there still needs to be local church with
accountability, faithfulness before Christ, serving
him, and to do it without being puffed up and
all of the puffery types of things that are so
common. around us they're understood to be those
who've embraced faithfulness and sober responsibility
and are not seeking stardom secondly i'd like
to point out again the insidiousness of pride
the spirit even so -called spiritual pride is
an ever -present temptation we see it sometimes
and then we see them fall and then we might see
a fall from somebody who's famous Somebody who
allowed the pride to build up in their heart
and then they fell through cultivating or harboring
secret sin in their life and then it all of a
sudden becomes exposed. But the pride comes first
in most cases. Now, this pride can even be a
wrong pride about good things. Have you also
seen that? We can have pride in our correct interpretation
of doctrine or pride because of how God is using
us or is prospering our life of our congregation
or prospering our congregation. We can even have
pride over... How we understand God's sovereignty
and the doctrines of grace. And instead of being
completely humbled by the God who shows us undeserved
mercy. We are proud that we are so humble. We
are proud in that way. And we look down on others
who don't see it just in the way that we do.
Pride is insidiousness. So how can we help this?
How can we hope? to stop any vestiges of pride
in us. Well, the antidote to pride is humble
gratitude and thanksgiving to God with acknowledgement
of his wonders and our unworthiness. That's an
antidote to pride. Psalm 149 verse 4. For the
Lord takes pleasure in his people. He will beautify
the humble with salvation. So don't you go claiming
salvation is because of you. No. God does it.
And he beautifies the humble with salvation.
We desire to see God work. in a mighty way. We
desire for God to revive our hearts and to bring
renewal and revival and reformation to our land,
to pity the nations, O our God, to constrain
the earth to come, to send thy victorious word
abroad and bring the strangers home. But we do
this with gratitude, with prayer, with thanksgiving,
with humility before the God who disposes all.
And then we thank him. And as we live a life
of thankfulness and humility before him, that
strikes at the very root of pride. Let us then
close with the words from the high and lofty
God who inhabits eternity in Isaiah 57 and verse
15. For thus says the high and the lofty one
who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy, I
dwell. In the high and holy place. With him.
Who has a contrite. And humble spirit. To revive
the spirit of the humble. And to revive the heart.
Of the contrite ones. May it be so. Amongst us
all. Let's pray.