First Corinthians 4:18-21 The anticipated visit of Paul to Corinth

which is actually a section that marks off a section in what Paul's been teaching us here. So let's just go right to the outline. I'm just going to go right down. So this is the outline starting in verse 1 down through the end of chapter 4. So Paul's been addressing divisions in the church. There are people in the church that were saying that they were identifying with one body, one man and another with others. So we've gone through all these different things. And so we've come down to the the last section here in chapter 4 and so for the last this is the third week we've been talking about Paul's been talking about people in the church in Corinth you know some have been puffed up and proud and arrogant and he's kind of addressed that issue and last week we talked about in verses 14 through 17 we talked about his fatherly admonition today we're going to talk about apparently there was a visit anticipated And we're going to see about that visit, and there was sort of a, I wouldn't say an uproar, but there was something happened. Paul's going to come to town, so to speak. The teachers come to town. Anyway, we'll see how that works out. So let's just jump right into it here.

So first of all, I've been saving this picture. I've been finding other pictures. I found some more from Vern. So here's a picture of him. This is Paul's second missionary journey to Corinth. Actually, this is when he established a church on his second missionary journey, and this is a picture of a ruin of a pagan temple It's a beautiful place looks like I mean neat new place to vacation right but Paul has started a body of believers here and He's writing this letter first Corinthians to them about the issues in the in this body of believers Okay So last week, let's just read what we talked about last week here. Last week is just some really neat verses.

So we'll just cover those briefly. I do not write these things to you to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the gospel. Boy, that's just a powerful statement and there's some really neat things.

We're going to review that again. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me, for this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved brother and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church. So I'd like to briefly go through what we covered last week. And when I've used this little guy up in the corner, maybe this is my little way of saying, kind of a little icon to say, hey, we're reviewing the situation.

Okay. So if you notice out, and you can notice from week to week, I just kind of divide it up, kind of give you a visual. Well, this is the review part, and now we're going to come to the part that's not review, if you happen to fall asleep during the message. I'm sure you won't. Okay. All right.

So Paul says, I do not write these things to you to shame you, but to admonish you. So he doesn't want to put them on a guilt trip. And that's maybe hard to see. He's pretty rough on them as we saw in the previous verses. He doesn't want to put them to shame. He doesn't want to chide them. But he wants to admonish them. This word admonish is a really cool word and I can't exactly pronounce it in the original language but it's made up of a verb meaning to put or to place and a noun meaning mind.

So literally Paul's desire is to place in the minds of those Corinthian believers the truths about the Lord Jesus and the truths about living the Christian life. And this word is also used to admonish or Is also used in Ephesians when it talks about fathers and children That's the job of a father to put in put in mind the things of Scripture put in mind the things of Christ So it's a pretty cool word and Macaulay points out and I pointed out last week the preaching that we do At any body of believers here at Holly Hills or other places is not to put you on a guilt trip. I If we do that, then we actually haven't achieved what Scripture wants us to do. Preaching is intended to edify and to build up believers. So that's the intent of pointing out what God's Word says faithfully and accurately.

Okay, and he calls them, my beloved children. And this is a really, really cool word. Paul considers the Corinthians spiritual children in the faith. And he calls them beloved. And this word beloved, is comes from the word for to love, apago, and it means very much loved.

I kind of picked up, Roy kind of did a little study on this and that word, and very much love kind of came across to me in that. And here's two verses that use that word. In the first verse, this is kind of cool, think about this. The first verse says, it's use of Christ as love by God. So we have God the Father expressing love for God the Son. First of all, we have a view into that from scripture that you wouldn't have unless you had God's word. He said, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.

That's a totally unique situation. We have the inner workings of God and the love of God being expressed between the personalities of God. It's just mind-boggling. But what is even more mind-boggling is how this word is used by the Apostle John in 1 John 4, 7. It says, Beloved, the same word, this divine love that's used between the Father and the Son, let us love one another, for love is from God.

So right off the bat, you say, I can't do that. And you're right. You cannot possibly do that. It has to be Christ's love in you flowing out to your brothers and sisters in the Lord. So that's what that that's a beautiful word of beloved. And we kind of kind of, you know, speed through the speed read through that guy. But it's really, it's an amazing word, amazing thoughts there. So let's go on.

For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, Yet you would not have many fathers for in Christ Jesus. I became your father through the gospel So just some really interesting things here So actually another translations is that count that word for countless is is Translated 10,000.

So I know Paul's making so you think 10,000 tutors man. That's a lot of tutors, right? Well, he's he's this is a hypothetical case, right? He's saying If you have this large number of tutors, you really cannot compare that to the one person, a father, who led you to the Lord. He allows for maybe possibly more than one. But that idea of a father, and 10,000 is a large number, right?

And this idea of tutor is the idea of child leader. And we see that in other places in scripture. And actually it's not a bad thing. It's not bad to have tutors. But it's so important to have one who leads you to the Lord. Or maybe teaches you in the Lord. Maybe we all can relate to that. Some brother or sister that really was our spiritual father or sister in the Lord. And it says you would not have many fathers. So he's going to contrast the tutors versus the fathers. So I like the Weiss rendering of this. Because it kind of brings out this other important fact.

For in Christ Jesus, through the gospel, as for myself, I begot you. So Paul says, I begot you. And you say, well, how does that work? How does Paul beget these believers in Corinth? The word beget, let's look at the word beget first. It's one who by means of preaching the gospel becomes of the human instrument the impartation of spiritual life Christ's life and that it's a comes as the Aristan's past point fact it's Paul was their spiritual father for many of those Corinthian believers because he was the first one who preached the gospel to them the first one who they heard the gospel front and they believed so he was their spiritual father but he kind of goes on that even goes deeper here for for in Christ he says So he says basically, that word in can be in my living union with Christ, I was God's instrument to bring you spiritual life. And it was through the gospel, by means of So before I read, I want to read the gospel as recorded in 1 Corinthians 15, 3 and 4, but just a few thoughts here.

This idea of begetting, it's the idea that the gospel is the seed or the sperm of what causes a person to be born again. The gospel is a life-giving message. So this link between a father and the gospel being what brings life is like a physical father to his children.

So it's a really interesting parallel there. So I thought it would be, you know, it's important that we kind of get our feet in the ground with the gospel. It's mentioned many times in many contexts. I believe in this context it's talking about what's recorded in 1 Corinthians 15, 3-4. So I'm going to give you just the summary of it. Please read 15.3 and 4. You probably memorized it, but let's just do the summary version here. Christ died. Christ was buried. Christ was raised. Christ died for our sins or on behalf of our sins. He was our substitute. Christ was buried. He only buried a dead man. God raised him again for it was impossible for him to be held in his power.

So that's the good news. That's what Paul says can bring spiritual life. By believing what God has recorded in those passages, in those scriptures, believing that, you can become a child of God. You can be born again. And that's so important that he communicated that to these Corinthians, that he was their father in the faith.

Okay, so let's go on. Therefore I exhort you to be imitators of me. We mentioned this last week event the idea is and he strongly exhorts him and The idea is that to become Come in become what you already are as a believer. You already are in Christ live that out believe that live it out in your life and imitators is the idea I kind of I Look at this this way. It's the idea centered in our faith.

It's not it's not our ability to copy or To copy one another copy other believers No copy of a brother or sister or to even try to copy God where it's to it's to Exercise faith is to see that faith has been exercised by a fellow believer or exit or phases exercise We see that in Scripture. So there's several usage of this in Scripture and It says we are to imitate Paul, we are to imitate other churches in their faith, we are to imitate God, we are to imitate stable believers. So I'm not going to re-read those, I read those last week, but those are places in scripture where it talks about this idea of us It's a faith operation that we're not mimicking a person. We are encouraged and motivated by seeing the faith of others. And that's pretty common and pretty enlightening when we see a brother or sister and we see their faith in going through a trial, a suffering. That greatly encourages us and encourages us to exercise faith in the Lord through our trial or suffering.

So that's kind of the idea here. So now he's going to talk about sending Timothy. He says, for this reason, or because, so he's first going to talk about Timothy's resume, if you will, who is my beloved and faithful child of the Lord. And he has two qualities. He's, once again, he's my beloved, that strong word for affection, and he's my faithful child in the Lord, in the things of God. And so here's Timothy's job.

His job is to do the following. He will remind you of my ways which are in Christ Remind you is to call to mind to bring to one's remembrance of my ways in Christ and we kind of saw that remember when he was kind of Contrasting how Paul did things versus how the Corinthians did and the Corinthians had their list of things that they did how they were puffed up and how they were secure and what they had but but Paul's resume is From the worldview, it doesn't look too good.

He says, we're fools for Christ. We're weak in ourselves, but we're strong in the Lord. We have become a spectacle. We're on display for the world. The world looks at us as weak, not as strong. So those are the things that Timothy wants to go and remind them about. So that kind of wraps up those verses. So let's go on to today's verses. I'll give you a chance to breathe here for a second, and me too. So he's going to finish out the book here in these verses, chapter I should say, chapter 4.

Now some have become arrogant as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out not the words of those who are arrogant, but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in power. What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod or with love and a spirit of gentleness? So pretty strong words at the end there.

Now some have become arrogant. So some of them have become arrogant. So what's the word arrogant? Have become arrogant is a word. It's the idea to puff up, to blow up. It's used metaphorically of pride, to be proud in yourself. And it was a fact. It was a fact.

And they were proud in a funny way, because Paul may not show up. They could be the main show in town, because Paul wouldn't be there to refute them. He only could write them letters. In fact, if you look at the interchange, they say, you're mighty in your letters, but you're unimpressive when you're face to face. Apparently he wasn't a very impressive person. But he could write good letters, as we have many of them. Anyway, so this is, they were puffed up and arrogant because they thought that he wouldn't come to challenge them. So note that puffed up, and here's something I noticed, the word puffed up, it shows up in an unusual place.

If you look in chapter 13 of Corinthians, which we'll get to here in a while, it talks, that's called the love chapter, talks about Christ's love. And in that chapter, it talks about how being puffed up or arrogant, that's not part of what a Christian's about. That's not part of the life of Christ. So if you read that with, make that Christ's love. Christ's love is patient. Christ's love is kind. Christ's love is not jealous. Christ's love does not brag. Christ's love is not arrogant or puffed up.

So that's the absolute antithesis of what the Corinthians were doing. And that's why Paul was so concerned about them. They were displaying all these attributes that would make one think that they weren't even believers. They were acting contrary to who they were. And Paul was very concerned about them.

So I were not cut so so it seems like I'm just go through get down and get to the point here It seems like that they had this up at least has it on the supposition that I'm not coming They were puffed up because they thought well, he may not show up. I guess I'm okay I won't be challenged and put to shame because Paul won't be in town So it's kind of interesting thinking some of Corinthians apparently had become puffed up thinking that Paul would not return in person Paul and I'll address us at the next version.

So he's going to say I But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills." So he puts a condition on his coming, which is a good condition, in contrast to what some Corinthians think, I will come to you soon. The idea of soon could be shortly, and in Philippians it's used, and I trust in the Lord that I myself will also come to you shortly. So it does speak of a short time, soon or a short time that he'll come to them, if the Lord wills.

And this is what's called a conditional sentence in the Greek. And this is the conditional sentence that says that the fulfillment is, this is something called, it is called third class conditional sentence. The fulfillment is uncertain, but still likely. So it's very possible, it's uncertain, but it's likely. It's kind of the takeaway from that.

So if the Lord wills, it's critical to this. Okay, so now, he says, let's review where we're at. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out We'll just stop there. So he wants to investigate something. He wants to examine something. The idea is to know or to recognize.

So first off, and the middle part of this verse is hard. I found it very difficult. So there looks to be two statements here. Of those I shall find out of those who are arrogant in their words or of those who are arrogant but have no power. There are kind of two issues, and we're going to see there's a connection in God's word and in God's dealing with man of God's word and God's power. And they're intimately connected. And we're going to see that, and we're going to talk about that in a minute. But he's going to come and examine their words and the fact that they have no power.

So actually, I kind of look back at what we studied back earlier, back in verses 8 and 10. In eight it this this is some of the reasons that here's these puffed-up words. Here's these arrogant words in verse eight They said we're already filled. No, we don't need anymore. We we all the teaching we need we don't need your teaching Paul We're already rich. We got all the spiritual blessings we need We become kings. We've gotten it. We got nurse. We've gotten our rewards already.

So they were pretty puffed up They thought they were pretty pretty good But they had no power. They were strong in themselves and their strength, but there's no power there. And they were honored by men, not by God. So there was no power in their lives. They had puffed up words and no power. So let's go and think about these words and power some more.

Paul declares that he will give Give an arrogant words no attention because they have no power Constable says the Apostle returns to his earlier contrast between words and real power real power is the power of the Holy Spirit Working through the humble messenger and boy.

It's so important to see that and we're going to see it here that God's Word as we read God's Word if if the Holy Spirit is not enlightening our minds and showing us the things of Christ and It doesn't work. That's how the Christian life is to work. You're to read God's word, and the Holy Spirit is to show you the things of Christ, make it real to you. And that dynamic is so important and so critical, and you can't separate those two. God's word and God's power are shown up here in a salvation verse here, or talking about salvation. For the gospel, the good news, which we read earlier, did not come to you in words only. but also in power and in the Holy Spirit. So we take the scriptures and with the power of the Holy Spirit, it can be made real in the believer's life, but it takes both.

So now we have the next verses, for the kingdom of God does not consist of words but in power. So we're going to keep on that theme about words and power. So first of all, what is the kingdom of God? So first of all, it's not The Kingdom of God here does not refer to the future Millennial Kingdom. It refers to His rule and reign over His people in the Church. You also see the Kingdom of Heaven sometimes, and depending on who you read, there's some controversy about whether they're the same meaning. But the Kingdom of God here talks about God's present rule over His people in the Church, the Body of Christ.

But here's an interesting fact. How does one enter the Kingdom of God? And that's the dress, actually. In John 3.3, when he's talking to Nicodemus, Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. So I think he's demonstrating in this verse, for the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. He's showing us in his word, in other verses, that it takes both his word and his power to allow someone to enter the kingdom of God, to be saved. Therefore, in the kingdom of God, we see God's power being born again on display.

I also thought we also see God's power displayed, and this is one of our favorite things we talk about here at Holly Hills. We talk about this listing or declaration that we see from Chaffer on the riches of God's grace. So if you think about the riches of God's grace, and if you go through scripture you can find things that a believer has at the moment of salvation, and just a partial list The moment a believer trusts in the Lord Jesus, he is chosen, he is called, he is reconciled, he's forgiven all trespasses, he's called a child of God, he's a new creation, he's adopted, he's made righteous. So there's at least 33 and depending on how you count them, there's a lot more. So I kind of saw that God's power certainly is demonstrated in the new birth. Which is actually one of the, but it's also demonstrating all the other works that he performs for the believer when he believes, he trusts in the Lord Jesus.

So we covered this verse before, but Paul said back in 2.4, And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. So I tried to kind of encapsulate this. I'm not totally satisfied with this paragraph, but the word of God alone is not used to accomplish man's salvation. I'm sorry, it's not alone. The Word of God alone is not used to accomplish man's salvation. God the Holy Spirit is involved convincing men of their need for Christ. So it takes God's Word plus God's power by the Holy Spirit to make things happen for one who believes. So we come to the last verse here.

For what do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod or with love and a spirit of gentleness? So it's basically, what's your desire? What's your will? What do you have in mind? So actually, the first choice doesn't sound too good to me. He says with a rod, and the idea is it's a rod for chastisement figuratively.

So Macaulay mentions here that this rod, and actually we're going to see this. Mike's going to tell us all about the rod, or discipline. Because actually the big problem in the Corinthian church in chapter 5 was not that they had a sinner committing sins The church wasn't doing anything about it. That was the problem Mike's gonna talk a lot about that and that's an important thing So the rod is important as a time for chastisement But I think Paul's focus here is the focus of the Lord Jesus had his focus is love, you know he saw them as his children as his beloved children and It's a spirit of love and gentleness and I like the verse here in Matthew the Lord speaking here Take my yoke upon you and learn from me For I'm gentle and humble in heart and you'll find rest for your soul So I saw Paul's heart was a like the Lord's heart.

He he wanted he appealed to them He begged them. He used every possible argument. You could think of it. It's amazing with Paul. He'll start down one path argument, and that's okay, and I'll try another path and That's not good enough. We'll try another. He just keeps going. He exhausts you by arguing. I don't have any more objections. You got me. He just is relentless and basically in love and care for the people he was ministering to. Okay, so just to wrap this up. So actually Macaulay had a good wrap up here, I thought.

Paul's teaching Now concludes, and this will be chapter 4, by leaving the Corinthians with a choice to make. He leaves them with the option to go either way. They know his desire, they know his preference, which I believe is that he wanted to come to them in love and he wanted to admonish them and put God's word in their mind. But the choice is theirs, and that is where Paul concludes this issue. So it's concluded for chapter 4, but we'll kind of start afresh in chapter 5, when there is an issue in the church that needs dealing with.

Let's close in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for our time today, Lord. We thank you for the blessings we have. We thank you for your word that shows us the things of Christ, shows us the things of ourselves. And we pray for your spirit to take the things of Christ and reveal it unto us. We ask it in his name. Amen.