Servants, Stewards, or Superstars.

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: 1 Corinthians 4

 

1 Corinthians 4:1-2

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. ² Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

(ESV)

 

The media does an excellent job of promoting superstars in movies, television, and sports. They highlight the lavish houses and cars they own, and their extravagant travel. This creats in many a desire to obtain superstar status. Preachers with a strong media presence can attain a superstar status with many following them placing them on a pedestal of worship. The Church in Corinth had placed Paul, Apollos, and Peter on such pedestals of worship, causing divisions in the Church (1 Corinthians 1:11-13, 3:1-4). In 1 Corinthians 4, Paul tells the Corinthians not to regard the apostles as superstars but instead as servants of Christ and stewards of the Gospel, removing them from any pedestal of worship.

 

The heart’s desire of Paul is that he be regarded as a servant of Christ and a steward of the mysteries of God who is found faithful (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). Paul considers it a small thing to be judged by the Corinthians or a human court, and does not even judge himself (1 Corinthians 4:3). Paul is unaware of anything against himself but it is not this that acquits him for it is the Lord who judges him (1 Corinthians 4:4). Paul then tells the Corinthians not to pronounce judgment before the time when the Lord will judge (1 Corinthians 4:5; Revelation 20:11-15).

 

Paul and Apollos apply the application of regarding ministry as servanthood and stewardship of the things of God for the benefit of the Corinthians. This is done so they are not puffed up with pride thinking they are special but also servants of God and stewards of the things of God (1 Corinthians 4:6). The Corinthians have not received anything different than anyone else who has confessed their faith in Jesus as their savior and therefore have no reason to boast as if they did not receive God’s grace but something special based on their efforts (1 Corinthians 4:7; Ephesians 2:8-9).

 

By God’s grace, the Corinthians have already received all they should want and have already become rich and have become kings. However, Paul wishes they would reign as kings so he can share in their rule (1 Corinthians 4:8). Paul then flips the table on the Corinthians who have placed Paul, Apollos, and Cephas on a pedestal by stating he views the ministry of apostles as last of all. Paul views apostles as fools for Christ’s sake, as weak, as people held in disrepute (1 Corinthians 4:9-10). The apostles are in hunger, thirsty, poorly dressed, buffeted about, and homeless (1 Corinthians 4:11). The apostles work with their own hands, bless when reviled, endure when persecuted, and entreat when slandered. The apostles are like the scum of the earth, the refuse of all things (1 Corinthians 4:12-13).

 

Paul is not writing this to disgrace the Corinthians but instead to admonish them as beloved children (1 Corinthians 4:14). The Corinthians have countless guides in Christ but few fathers with Paul viewing himself as their father in Christ through the Gospel, urging the Corinthians to imitate him (1 Corinthians 4:15-16). Paul has sent Timothy to remind the Corinthians of Paul’s ways in Christ as he teaches wherever he goes (1 Corinthians 4:17). Some of the believers in Corinth are arrogant, thinking Paul is not coming to them, but Paul does intend to come soon, not to hear what they have to say but to discover the power behind them (1 Corinthians 4:18-19). This is because the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power (1 Corinthians 4:20). Paul concludes this section by asking the Corinthians if he should come to them with a rod of correction or in a spirit of love and gentleness (1 Corinthians 4:21).

 

The Church in Corinth was divided because the members were finding their identity in the person under whose ministry, they came to accept Jesus as their Savior (1 Corinthians 1:10-17, 3:1-23). The Corinthians assigned superstar status to various ministers in the Church, causing divisions between members saved under the different ministries of leaders in the Church. To bring unity to the Church, Paul teaches the Corinthians the ministry of Apostles in 1 Corinthians 4, a ministry as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God, the Gospel (1 Corinthians 4:1). The religious leaders of the time of Christ were the scribes and Pharisees sitting on Moses’ seat (Matthew 23:2). The scribes and Pharisees had stewardship of the things of God and should have served as servants of God but instead wanted attention brought upon them (Matthew 23:4-6). The scribes and Pharisees wanted people to view them as superstars for God, but Paul, a Pharisee wanted nothing to do with this and wanted the Corinthians to view him as a servant and steward of the things of God.

 

Ministers of the Gospel today have the benefit of mass media and social media making it possible for ministers to have their teaching available to people all over the world. There is no longer a limit to this global access for large Churches, but it is available to any Church, large or small. While the ability to reach out with the Gospel to anyone in the world is a powerful tool, it is also a two-edged sword that can lead to ministers viewing themselves as superstars with a global outreach. Paul, a Pharisee who experienced a dramatic conversion (Acts 9:1-18) could have given in to the temptation to be viewed as a superstar but instead was satisfied to be viewed as a servant of Christ entrusted as a steward of the mysteries of God (1 Corinthians 4:1).

 

The Mystery of God entrusted to Paul was the truth that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and a man without sin who died, was buried, and resurrected to forgive the sins of humanity. My prayer is that ministers of the Gospel would use the tools of media to broaden the spread of the Gospels, not to become superstars but instead to be more effective servants of Christ in spreading the Gospel. Using the tool of this blog, I want to reach out to anyone reading this post who has not prayed to receive Jesus as his or her savior. If that is you, please take a moment to pray with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God challenge and bless everyone reading this post.