Sermon Notes: "Seeing 2020" based on 1 Corinthians 4:6-7
Introduction:
Today’s message is entitled “Seeing 2020”.
I can’t take credit for the title, because I heard someone else say
it. We know that physically seeing 20/20
means we have good vision. In other
words, we can see without the help of glasses or contacts. As we move into a new year, what might God be
asking us to see personally and as a church?
Just as the New Year is a great time to look back and look forward,
those will be my two points this morning.
Looking Back (vs. 6)
·
I have applied
these things…
o Servants of Christ (Paul & Apollos)-leaders of
the church
§ Servants of others
§ Set aside by God
o Faithful with what is given
§ Gospel-Christ died for sinners-saved by grace alone,
faith alone, Christ alone. Jesus is our substitute.
§ Pastor Brad last week-sealed by the Spirit (salvation),
fellowship with the Holy Spirit, filled by Holy Spirit. The Spirit is speaking
and guides us. Comparison, Competition, Conceit.
o Judgement
§ Evaluate the pastors-how they are as a speaker? is
that true? Accountable to God first to teach Word of God.
§ God knows our motives and our desires. God knows you-It shouldn’t scare you but be a
blessing.
·
Learn from us
meaning of saying, “Do not go beyond what is written”
o instructing
the Corinthians not to transgress the exhortations found in and constructed
from the Scriptures to boast exclusively in the Lord (not in human leaders)[1]
·
Pride in one
over another
o The Greek word for pride literally means “to puff up”
o In Corinth, it was Paul and Apollos. Today, it could be Brad, JL, or Jared, pastor
so and so in Moundridge, Newton, Wichita.
It could be John MacArthur, Beth Moore, Matt Chandler, you fill in the
blank.
§ Preferences (style) are different than pride (self-centered
worship)
o make
self-centered comparisons between their teachers[2]
Looking Forward (vs. 7)
·
Who makes you
different?
o
Did you catch what
Paul did there?
§ Paul intentionally uses the word “who” not “what”
§ In our culture, the focus is often on what makes us
different. We try to make ourselves
stand out at work, socially (friends, family, others), online.
§ for
you have nothing of yourself that you did not receive from God.”[3]
o
Different
§ Look around.
There are many different personalities and different gifts represented
in this room. And that is a good thing
because God has created it that way. Here are a few verses to remind us of
this:
·
Psalm 139:14-I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful
are your works; my soul knows it very well.
·
1 Corinthians
12:4-7,11-Now there are varieties
of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who
empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common
good. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions
to each one individually as he wills.
·
Ephesians 2:10-For we are his workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand, that we should walk in them.
§ But
humility is the only acceptable posture of a person in relation to the God who
gives a wide variety of gifts (v. 7a) on the basis of grace (v. 7b) and
therefore alone is deserving of praise (v. 7c; cf. 1:4–9).[4]
·
What do you have
that you did not receive?
o
Indeed pride, the desire to be different
and to boast of what wisdom one has come to possess, seems to Paul to lie at
the root of all of the church’s present difficulties.[5]
o
The greatest gifts they (and we) have are
given by God through Jesus by Holy Spirit. A few are mentioned a few chapters
earlier in 1 Corinthians 1:30- And because
of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God,
righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
·
Why do you
boast?
o
Remember the Corinthians
have struggled with boasting in their own wisdom and strength as was common
among believers and unbelievers in Corinth. Paul addresses this boasting and
pride by asking a simple question that gets to the heart and motive.
o
John Calvin said “No room is left for
taking pride in ourselves, when it is by God’s grace we are what we are.”[6]
Response: How has God uniquely created you to impact His Kingdom for His glory? Reflect and Pray about 1-2 words the Holy Spirit will empower and equip you in 2020.
·
Personally-Pray
& Proclaim
·
Corporately-Thankful
for the gifts of others and giving God the glory that is His alone.
[1] Ciampa, R. E., & Rosner, B. S.
(2010). The First Letter to
the Corinthians (p. 176). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.:
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
[2]
Davis, J. A. (1995). 1-2 Corinthians. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, pp. 967–968). Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.
[3] Ciampa, R. E., & Rosner, B. S.
(2010). The First Letter to
the Corinthians (p. 177). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.:
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
[4]
Lowery, D. K. (1985). 1 Corinthians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck
(Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary:
An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 513). Wheaton, IL: Victor
Books.
[5]
Davis, J. A. (1995). 1-2 Corinthians. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 968). Grand Rapids,
MI: Baker Book House.
[6] Ciampa, R. E., & Rosner, B. S.
(2010). The First Letter to
the Corinthians (p. 178). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.:
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Comments
Post a Comment