February 10, 2008 – “HOW WOULD GOD DESCRIBE
YOU?”
TEXT: I Corinthians 4:1-5
I.
(v.1) BE FAITHFUL BECAUSE OF WHO YOU ARE
(I Corinthians 4:1) “So then, men ought to regard us as servants
of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.”
(Philippians 1:1) “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ
Jesus.”
(I Corinthians 4:1) “So then, men ought to regard us as servants
of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.”
(Matthew 20:28) “…the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
(Philippians 3:4b-7) “If anyone
else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:
circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of
Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal,
persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But
whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.”
(Galatians 2:20) “I have been crucified with Christ and I no
longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by
faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
(John Maxwell) “Servant hood
is not difficult to define; it is only difficult to achieve.”
(Colossians 3:23-24) “Whatever you
do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since
you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is
the Lord Christ you are serving.”
(Timothy Keller, pastor of
Redeemer Presbyterian Church) “Pastors often hear, ‘I
work my fingers to the bone in this church, and what thanks do I get?’ His
response, ‘Servant hood begins where gratitude and applause ends.’”
(Deuteronomy 10:12) “And
now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your
God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul.”
(Psalm 2:11) “Serve
the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.”
(Matthew 5:16) “In the
same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds
and praise your Father in heaven.”
(Colossians 1:25-27) “I
have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the
word of God in its fullness – the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages
and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to
make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is
Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
(“A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes, does various unessential things, and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened ‘from the outside.’”
(II Corinthians 5:20)
“We are therefore Christ’s
ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on
Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
II.
(v.2) BE FAITHFUL BECAUSE GOD IS DEPENDING UPON
YOU
(I Corinthians 4:2) “Now it is required that those who have been
given a trust must prove faithful.”
(Daniel 3:17-18) “If
we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us
from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not,
we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve
your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
(Hebrews 3:5) “Moses was faithful as a servant in all
God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future.”
(Hebrews 3:6) “But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s
house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which
we boast.”
(I Corinthians 4:7) “For who makes you different
from anyone else? What do you
have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as
though you did not?”
The world asks, ‘What does a man own?’ Christ asks, ‘How does he use it?’”
(Matthew 25:26) “His master replied, ‘You
wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather
where I have not scattered seed?’”
(Jerome) “Woe to the
man who receives a talent and ties it in a napkin.”
(I Peter 4:10) “Each one should use whatever gift he has
received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various
forms.”
(Ephesians 5:15) “Be
very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”
(Martin Luther) “I have so much to do today
that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”
(I Corinthians 4:2) “Now it is required that those who have
been given a trust must prove faithful.”
(Romans 1:16) “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it
is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the
Jew, then for the Gentile.”
III. (vs.3-5) BE FAITHFUL, FOR IT IS GOD’S OPINION THAT COUNTS
(I Corinthians 4:3) “I
care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not
even judge myself.”
(Proverbs 3:5-6) “Trust
in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all
your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
(I Corinthians 4:4) “My
conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who
judges me.”
(Romans 14:12) “So then, each of us will give an account of
himself to God.”
(I Corinthians 4:5) “Therefore
judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will
bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s
hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.”
(Ephesians 5:8-10) “For
you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of
light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and
truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.”
(I Corinthians 3:10b&13)
“But each one should be careful
how he builds. His work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will
bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the
quality of each man’s work.”
(Luke 12:2-3) “There
is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be
made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and
what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from
the roofs.”
(Oswald Chambers) “There is always one fact more in every life of which we know nothing, therefore Jesus says, ‘Judge not.’”
(I Thessalonians 2:4) “On the contrary, we speak as men approved
by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but
God, who tests our hearts”
(I Corinthians 4:5c) “At
that time each will receive his praise from God.”
(Matthew 25:23) “His
master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful
with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your
master’s happiness!’”