1 Corinthians 4:9-13
For I think that God has
exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we
have become a spectacle to the world, 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 held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and
thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working
with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when
slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the
world, the refuse of all things.
Paul presents himself as an example
of one of the servants of the Lord. He does this to demonstrate the need for
Christian service to be a willing service. Apostles were God’s exhibits of Christian service. Paul calls
the apostles as those presented by God as the last of all! He is thinking of the Roman triumphal procession in
which captured enemy soldiers were paraded through the streets before being
publicly executed. Therefore, it is willing service because it is not for the faint-hearted.
Christian service is for those who
will do anything and everything that the Master who ransomed them by His own
blood commands. Even if this means death! After all, the price paid for us is
so high. How can we not be willing to pay whatever the cost may be?
He uses a military conquests
illustration, which we ought to consider again:
“For
I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced
to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to
men.”
After the great victory in war, the
captives of war were paraded by the Romans general to show the power of the
empire. Paul put himself and his fellow faithful apostles in this category of
captives of war! Those captured were exposed to the gladiators in the
amphitheater where they would either be devoured by lions or they would fight
it out to death. The apostles have become
public spectacle to the world, to angels and to men! The shame could
not get worse. They were sacrificed to die.
Serving God and the Lord Jesus
Christ in the world means living according to principles, standards and values
that are so different from those the world that they appear foolish. This is
why he says, “We
are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ.” This is because usually serving Christ means becoming fools before the
eyes of the flesh. Christian servants are more often weak and suffering
dishonor. Servants of Christ have to contend with being hungry and thirsty,
poorly clothed and buffeted, homeless, laboring and working with own hands,
being reviled, suffering persecution, slander, becoming the scum and the refuse
of the world in all things!
Christian ministry
is a hard work, yet honourable for it is to serve in the Sovereign King of
kings. Yet it is full of hazards and dangers for the devil and all his wicked
armies, the world and our own flesh is up in arms to capture and destroy our
souls. However, it’s joy is so glorious for the victory is eternal. The
faithful ministers and disciples of Christ should gladly undergo anything for
their Master’s sake and honour of bringing hope and light to the world.
Faithful ministers should patiently bear reproach and being despised, so that the wisdom and the power of the
grace of God may be demonstrated. All Christians do not suffer the same things
but they all suffer in Christian service. If you have not endured any hardship
then you are not serving under the banner of Christ!
Yet the most
outstanding is the sweet and fragrant juice that comes from the squeezing of
the servants of Christ. While they are squeezed to the pulp of foolishness as
they preach the gospel, through them many are made wise unto salvation. Through
their terrible sufferings leading to great weakness, many who are made strong
in the Lord. Although Christian ministers may lose reputation in the face of
the world, yet their service makes spiritual fools become God’s honoured
children. Therefore, in the service of our Master, our charter should be, When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we
endure; when slandered, we entreat (vv.12, 13). This
is how Paul answered the accusations (cf. Acts 16:37) lest falsehood be
established as truth in the public mind and the reputation of the gospel be
damaged.
Servants of Christ must show themselves to be His
servants holding fast their integrity. They must have a good conscience before
God and men, whatever opposition of hardships they meet with from the world.
Whatever they suffer they must follow the example of Christ and fulfil the will
and precepts, and affliction of their Lord. They must be content, with him and
for him, to be despised and abused.
All this service has to be discharged willingly. This
is why it comes with all these pressures from within and without so that those
who are not willing may fallout. Like Gideon of old Christian servants have to
be subjected to all form tests so that those who are double minded may be
winnowed, the faint-hearted may be blown away, the fearful may be filtered, the
unqualified may be left out so that an army of three hundred men appointed by
God to show His power in the gospel may be left to bring down the kingdom of
darkness and establish the kingdom of Christ.
The Apostle Peter puts one of the qualifications of
pastors like this, “Shepherd the flock of
God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly,
as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly…” 1 Peter 5:2-3)
In this Peter gives three exhortations to elders to show them how they are to
carry out their pastoral mandate entrusted to them,
1) They are to shepherd the church gladly or willingly
according to the will of the Chief-Shepherd instead of doing it out of a sense
of compulsion.
2) They are pastor the church eagerly and not out of
greed or for shameful gain. Instead of doing it for what they have to gain out of
it, they do it for the love of the Lord and His flock
3) They are to serve by setting the believers examples
and not use their position of leadership to lord it over the flock or domineer
In other words, pastoral ministry, and all other Christian
service should be voluntary, willing, and eager service. Unless compelled by
the love of Christ, no other motivation should come into play to compel anyone
to serve. Otherwise it should be a willing service!
No comments:
Post a Comment