The Key to Change

The Key to Change
1 Corinthians 4:1-16
July 21, 2024

Paul is writing to a church filled with new believers who are immature in their faith. As we saw last week, he calls them babies in Christ. This letter is written to help them grow to maturity.

The key is to not stay or remain immature in Christ. We all need to grow in faith, we need to grow in spiritual maturity, but how does that happen? We need to change our perspective.

Illus – There is a medical condition called scatoma. It is an abnormality in vision that causes a blind spot. It can describe figurative blind spots as well. In many areas when looking at our lives, we all have that condition. Have you ever walked into a building and seen some things that are wrong? You see a painting that is skewed, or a stain on the wall, and you cannot understand why the people living in the house or working in the building cannot see it.  The reason is that it has become a blind spot. With the passing of time the person has slowly gotten used to the abnormality. They literally do not have the ability to see it, until someone with a different fresh perspective points it out. Or you look at someone’s children that are rude, or naughty, or disrespectful, and you wonder, can the parents not see it?

Paul shows us in this chapter that for us to change, be transformed, or  grow spiritually, a change of perspective is often needed.

The key issue Paul addresses in this chapter is humility. Humble people are teachable. Humble people have sound appraisal and judgement. Without humility it is impossible to change.

Paul then uses himself as an example and exhorts them to be imitators of him. At first glance, this might sound strange, like he is coming from a place of pride telling them to imitate him. But if we realize that Paul says that his whole purpose is  to live life as a slave to Christ, it changes the perspective.

Maybe a good place to start would be to look back over the last 5 or 10 or 15 years and see if you’ve been growing, if you’re being transformed. We are all in the process of becoming, of changing, but changing into what?

Are you growing in grace? Are you growing in faith, in patience, in kindness, is there a greater hunger for spiritual things? Are you taking hold of the words of Christ and living according to them in greater measure? Are you humble enough to invite change?

I. Value God’s Appraisal

• The reason there was strife and division, Paul is saying, is because they were not seeing things from God’s perspective, they were appraising this wrongly.
• In the first few verses, Paul is trying to change their perspective. There were intense debates about who was better; Paul, or Apollos, or Peter…
• Look, says Paul, let us be regarded simply as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In other words, there is no division among us so why is there division among you?
• They needed to see things from a spiritual perspective, so he begins the correction.

A. Be servants of Christ

• Two key words Paul uses here are instructive. The first word is servant. Interestingly, Jesus changed this perspective.

John 15:14-15, You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

• Is this a contradiction? No, it shows Paul’s heart. He knows His identity in Christ, all the riches bestowed on him, all the power and authority relegated to him, but he chooses to have the heart perspective of a servant. It shows humility, although he has received so much grace from God.

Illus – Isn’t it frustrating to see it when people become entitled? It is one of the most troubling things in society today. 

• We should not spiritually live like entitled people. We always remember in humility who bestowed this grace on us. We don’t deserve anything.
• The word servant here is not just describing a normal servant, but someone who holds a position of trust, someone who is trusted by the commander.
• Interestingly, this word is often translated as “officer” in the scriptures.

John 18:12, So the Roman cohort and the commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him…

• This is an absolutely powerful key to growing spiritually; are you trustworthy under the authority of Christ’s direction?

Illus – A Roman centurion once came to Jesus because his servant was paralyzed at home. Jesus said that He would come and heal him… “Just say the word,” the centurion and said, “and my servant will be healed…”. I too am a man under authority.

• This humility and teachability is the key to spiritual maturity.

Illus – I once worked with a person who said that they wanted me to coach them in singing. I soon found out that every time I wanted to coach or give tips and direction, he would become offended. He wasn’t looking for help, he was looking for praise and validation. After this, I now always tell people that they can either take the coaching from a loving perspective, seeing that the input is meant to help them grow, or they can perceive it as judgmental, not feeling complimented, which will be fruitless.

• When God corrects us and teaches us, it is because He loves us and wants us to grow and wants to use us. It is not to point out what a lost case you are. “Be gracious towards that person… but God I don’t feel like being gracious. Be loving…but I don’t feel like being loving…’ It is not about feeling, it is about obeying when God leads.
• If you are not humble and teachable, you are not usable.

B. Be a good steward

• Paul also said that they were stewards of the mysteries of God and that it is required of stewards that one be found faithful.
• A steward is given responsibility and trusted by the master of the house to manage finances or provide whatever the household needed.
• Paul was entrusted with the mysteries of God. Those same mysteries, those biblical truths, the gospel, are also deposited within us; will we be faithful?
• We are the letter written to the world so it can be seen in us. It was entrusted to us so that we would live it by the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Probably the best example in the scriptures would be Joseph… In spite of many difficulties against him, he remained faithful.

Illus – Betrayed by his brothers, betrayed by Potiphar’s wife, forgotten in prison…Yet he served faithfully. He became steward of Egypt.

• He had to be faithful in the difficult, less significant times, when it looked like no one was watching, before He was ready to be trusted with much.

Luke 16:10, “He who was faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.”

• This is a key to spiritual maturity.

C. Only God’s appraisal is important

• We read that they were appraising Paul’s strengths and weaknesses to decide if they should align with him or Apollos.
• They didn’t really know Paul’s heart, and yet they were saying things against him. Paul doesn’t go sit in a corner feeling sorry for himself. He doesn’t get his worth from what others are saying about him.
• Paul responds, “Hey, I’ve heard that you’ve been judging me. Well to me this is a small thing, for the one who appraises me is God.” You gotta love Paul. He is not bothered or offended.

Galatians 1:10, Am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

• Paul really touches on spiritual immaturity. Many people want the approval of others at the expense of their relationship to God, but we need God’s perspective, God’s view of us first and foremost.

John 12:42-43, Many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of fear of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him… For they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.

• This can be applied to many aspects of life. Today we call this peer-pressure. This generation is obsessed with Facebook likes and Instagram followers, and all the other approval platforms out there.
• The problem is that if you build your life on the approval of others, it will never be a firm foundation, because the opinions of people are like shifting sand.

D. Don’t even appraise yourself

• In verses 3-4 Paul says, “In fact, I do not even examine myself… the one who examines me is the Lord.”
• I’ve come to understand that most people’s view of themselves needs a serious change of perspective.
• People will commonly think far too highly of themselves or think far too poorly of themselves, sometimes they will do both at the same time.
• I certainly understand that a lot of things happen in life and people feel beat up, broken down, discouraged, hopeless, worthless and ashamed.
• Therefore, it’s absolutely critical that our appraisal of ourselves comes from God and not from our own thinking, because our own thinking is wrong.
• If Paul were looking at others appraisal or even his own appraisal with his history, he would have been crippled in ministry.
• Verse 4 – …Conscious of nothing against myself… ‘What about your history Paul?’ ‘God changed that. He defines me.’

Illus – There are many secular books written on the topic of the importance of good self-image, but the emphasis is on the image you have of yourself. But we are too fickle, our assessments change with our moods. If you want to be healthy emotionally and spiritually, may I suggest that your view of yourself be given to you by God?

Isaiah 55:9, “As the heavens are higher than the earth… so are my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

• That would include His thoughts toward us.

Ps 139:13-14, For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.

Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

• God loves us like a perfect Father. Even though things might go wrong, His love for us doesn’t change. We cannot measure His love for us by the circumstances we are in, or our perception of His response to our failures.
• Then in verse 5 Paul says, “Do not go on passing judgment before the time, wait for the Lord who will bring to light things hidden in darkness and disclose the motive of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.”
• It is all about the heart. God searches the heart. There is no point in doing things, even good things, if the motive is to impress other people.

Matthew 6:1-2,  “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.  “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

• One day God will judge the works and the motives of the heart and hand out rewards. The praise will then not be from people, but from God. The praise from people in the light of who God is will be irrelevant.

Matthew 25:21, “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’”

• What a great moment this is to look forward to!

II. God’s Perspective Brings Humility

• “Don’t become puffed up in behalf of one against the other,” Paul said.
• He’s really touching on the root of their spiritual immaturity. It’s pride; the groups aligned with their teachers both thought they were superior to the other.

A. You received everything you have

• What do you have that you did not receive? Paul asks. That’s a humble perspective. That’s the perspective that comes with spiritual maturity.
• It’s the truly humble Christian who understands that God is the one who gave him his gifts and abilities and He deserves all the glory.
• We live in a society that prides itself on achievement and being self-made.

Illus – Whenever I hear that expression, “I’m a self-made man!” I wonder what part did they make exactly? Did you make your brain that thought of that great idea? Did you make your hands that is doing the work? Did you make your mouth that is speaking? Do you keep your heart beating to generate life to be able to do anything? The humble businessman knows that God gave him everything he has.

John 3:27, 30, John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven… He must increase, but I must decrease.”

• This brings a perspective of humility and thankfulness. Not seeing yourself as worm, but as a humble mighty man of valor because of God.
• God’s perspective changes us.

B. God’s perspective blesses others

• In the next few verses Paul is trying to change their perspective by drawing a great contrast between himself and Apollos and the immature Corinthians.
• He uses some sarcasm to exaggerate their claims of spiritual superiority. “You have everything you need, or so you think. You’re acting like kings.” – Verse 8.
• Then, to show the contrast, though the Corinthians were trying to reign as kings, their spiritual fathers, Paul and Apollos, were suffering greatly in the cause of Christ. “Even now we are both hungry and thirsty, and poorly clothed, and roughly treated, and are homeless…” – Verse 11.
• And then Paul shows that, from God’s perspective, though life is difficult, you bless others (verse 12); even those who treat you poorly. That’s spiritual maturity. It changes how we act.

1 Peter 3:8-9, Be humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but give a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

Luke 6:35, “Love your enemies and do good… and you will be sons of the Most High; for He himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.”

• “I’m not trying to shame you, Paul wrote, “I’m admonishing you as my beloved children.”

Illus – When God corrects, He’s blessing our lives. When He changes our perspective, He’s building us up to grow as spiritual people. He is building us to be edified and to edify others.

• There is a great paradoxical blessing in dying to self and growing spiritually in Christ.
• Without the love of Jesus, where would I be? But you need to surrender to His love.
• It is never too late to turn it around; never too late to surrender in humility to Jesus.

James 4:10, Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.