Who and What Makes You Different? - Study 7/7/11
Who and What Makes you Different?
There was a time in America when people of my color could not drink from the same water fountain, use the public restroom or play in the public park or league. They were considered inferior to the other races. There was also a man by name Hitler, who believed his German Race was more superior to all others and went on to put his belief in practice by wiping out 6 million Jews. Discrimination is not limited to the West but widely practiced and observed all over the world. Who can forget about the Tutsis and Hutus where each turned on each other because one felt more superior to the other? In Nigeria, a country of my birth, the Ibos, Yorubas or Hausas each think they are more superior to the other tribe and thus discriminate accordingly. In Asia, the Japanese and the Chinese think the other is less superior. In India, they have the cast system where some are considered under class and are treated with less dignity. The list goes on in the World.
Unfortunately, the list also goes on even in the Church of Jesus of today. The Catholic, the Protestants, the Evangelicals, the Charismatic, the Pentecostals, each think they are more superior to the other. We are individually caught up in this ugly comparison and discrimination even in our natural families. In our study of today, Apostle Paul asked the Corinthians and us, “7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4: 7). Again, the context is the ongoing divisions and strife within the young Corinthian Church. Paul, has decided to go to the root of the matter. The fact that the Holy Spirit allowed him to devote 4 chapters out of 16 on this issue of contentions and divisions should get our attention. It is important to God. May God help us to rightly answer the question and always keep in mind our source of all things and who made us. There is no “self-made” man or woman.
We all make reference and talk about people as ugly and handsome. Is there really such distinction? However any person looks physcically, facially and or structurally, did they make themselves that way? In essence, there is no ugly person. That is my take because God made all people in His image and declared what He made good and not ugly. Of course we need to take care of ourselves through proper hygiene, diet, exercise and grooming but my moderately flat noose is “heavenly designed” and I love the “Designer”. No apologies. If you don’t like it talk to my Maker.
1 Corinthians 4
1 Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court.[a] In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.
6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. 7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
8 You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us—and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you! 9 For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11 To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.
14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.
18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. 21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Apostle Paul wants the Corinthians to have the right perspective. The right perspective from the right angle is everything. Images can appear distorted when viewed from the wrong angle and lens. Paul tells the Corinthians, “1 So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries” (NLT). Whether it is the word “look” or “consider” or “regard” they all imply a special effort beyond the normal. We have to make conscious efforts to consider and look at each other and people in the proper light. There is no need for unrealistic and elevated view of preachers of today. All are servants of God if they preach Christ crucified – the true gospel and not the prosperity gospel.
2. What we see when we look determines how we judge as Apostle Paul goes on to deal with this division in Corinth. 5 “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God”. If we do not see with the eyes of God and the Holy Spirit, we will judge wrongly and judge something that need not be judge before its time. Paul is saying do not judge me because of my teaching style as you have already done by comparing me to Apollos. Only God has the right to judge His servants and we are all God’s servants. “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful”. We are called to be faithful. As long as I am playing my God given role, please leave me alone. Can you just do your own thing that God has asked you to do and leave others alone to do theirs?
3. The source of pride is the absence of the correct knowledge of God as our ultimate source. “That none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. 7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” Yes, really what is it that I have that has not been given to me. Can we start from the basic – the air we breathe. I thank God that the richest person on earth cannot buy more air than any person living. He or she can use money to cool it or make it warm but they cannot produce it nor take in more than anyone else. This is what I call ‘Equal Opportunity Air” (EOA). Can you see how humbling it is when we really ask and answer ourselves the question posed by Paul. Our car nor house does not make us better than the other person that drives an old or no car and lives in less costly or rented house.
4. The Holy Spirit is saying to the Corinthians, “8 You are already full! You are already rich!” vs. 8. Paul had already told them how rich they were. “For the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge” vs.1 Cor. 1:4. God’s grace has made us rich in Christ because all our sins have been forgiven. When you have Christ, you are the richest person on earth because money cannot buy this new relationship with Christ. If you do not see your richness, then you will be unhappy and miserable. Paul has learnt the secret of contentment (Philippians 4:11-13) and that is why he goes on to tell the Corinthians about his affairs as an apostle. “For we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11 To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now” vs. 9-13. This is a testimony of one with the right perspective. What is your current state that God has allowed you to endure? Can we look around and see what we already have and that even what we have is by God’s grace.
5. Paul concludes his instruction to the Corinthians by reminding them of their beginning not with pride but as a matter of fact. In other words, there is no need to make distinction between me and Apollos because we are placed in your lives to play different roles. 14 “I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church”. Are you “fathering” people into the kingdom of God? Notice Timothy, “my beloved and faithful son”. Of course Timothy is a spiritual son to Paul. Do you have a Timothy or a Tina in Christ? Only mature believers reproduce and “babes in Christ” cannot. Let’s grow up in Chris, preach the gospel and be united to care for God’s children.
I wear eye glasses and I am required to get a new one every two years because they get out of focus and there is some wearing off. Have you changed your “spiritual glasses” lately? Are you still wearing the “thick coke bottle” lenses that you can barely see with? Let’s get a new glasses so we can look up and see our source like the psalmist. 1 “I will lift up my eyes to the hills — From whence comes my help? 2 My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth”. Psalm 121: 1-2. Can we approach our relationships with new insight and avoid all the present contentions and unhappiness especially in our marriages and the body of Christ? Of course we must address major doctrinal falsehoods but we must do it in love and be united in the essential of preaching Christ crucified.
Has the “green eye monster” (a line from my children’s TV program) invaded you? The green eye monster tells you that the grass is greener on the other side so you stop seeing how rich you are and who has made you rich. May be if you would just water your grass, you will see the true rich color.
Lord, help me to know that all I am and all I have is from you. Help me to see people the way you see them and with your spiritual eyes. Lord, help me destroy every hatred and discrimination of other races and tribes and tongues (and yes Church denominations) that are different from me. Lord I thank you for everything I am and all that I have. Amen.
There was a time in America when people of my color could not drink from the same water fountain, use the public restroom or play in the public park or league. They were considered inferior to the other races. There was also a man by name Hitler, who believed his German Race was more superior to all others and went on to put his belief in practice by wiping out 6 million Jews. Discrimination is not limited to the West but widely practiced and observed all over the world. Who can forget about the Tutsis and Hutus where each turned on each other because one felt more superior to the other? In Nigeria, a country of my birth, the Ibos, Yorubas or Hausas each think they are more superior to the other tribe and thus discriminate accordingly. In Asia, the Japanese and the Chinese think the other is less superior. In India, they have the cast system where some are considered under class and are treated with less dignity. The list goes on in the World.
Unfortunately, the list also goes on even in the Church of Jesus of today. The Catholic, the Protestants, the Evangelicals, the Charismatic, the Pentecostals, each think they are more superior to the other. We are individually caught up in this ugly comparison and discrimination even in our natural families. In our study of today, Apostle Paul asked the Corinthians and us, “7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4: 7). Again, the context is the ongoing divisions and strife within the young Corinthian Church. Paul, has decided to go to the root of the matter. The fact that the Holy Spirit allowed him to devote 4 chapters out of 16 on this issue of contentions and divisions should get our attention. It is important to God. May God help us to rightly answer the question and always keep in mind our source of all things and who made us. There is no “self-made” man or woman.
We all make reference and talk about people as ugly and handsome. Is there really such distinction? However any person looks physcically, facially and or structurally, did they make themselves that way? In essence, there is no ugly person. That is my take because God made all people in His image and declared what He made good and not ugly. Of course we need to take care of ourselves through proper hygiene, diet, exercise and grooming but my moderately flat noose is “heavenly designed” and I love the “Designer”. No apologies. If you don’t like it talk to my Maker.
1 Corinthians 4
1 Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court.[a] In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.
6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. 7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
8 You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us—and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you! 9 For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11 To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.
14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.
18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. 21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Apostle Paul wants the Corinthians to have the right perspective. The right perspective from the right angle is everything. Images can appear distorted when viewed from the wrong angle and lens. Paul tells the Corinthians, “1 So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries” (NLT). Whether it is the word “look” or “consider” or “regard” they all imply a special effort beyond the normal. We have to make conscious efforts to consider and look at each other and people in the proper light. There is no need for unrealistic and elevated view of preachers of today. All are servants of God if they preach Christ crucified – the true gospel and not the prosperity gospel.
2. What we see when we look determines how we judge as Apostle Paul goes on to deal with this division in Corinth. 5 “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God”. If we do not see with the eyes of God and the Holy Spirit, we will judge wrongly and judge something that need not be judge before its time. Paul is saying do not judge me because of my teaching style as you have already done by comparing me to Apollos. Only God has the right to judge His servants and we are all God’s servants. “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful”. We are called to be faithful. As long as I am playing my God given role, please leave me alone. Can you just do your own thing that God has asked you to do and leave others alone to do theirs?
3. The source of pride is the absence of the correct knowledge of God as our ultimate source. “That none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. 7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” Yes, really what is it that I have that has not been given to me. Can we start from the basic – the air we breathe. I thank God that the richest person on earth cannot buy more air than any person living. He or she can use money to cool it or make it warm but they cannot produce it nor take in more than anyone else. This is what I call ‘Equal Opportunity Air” (EOA). Can you see how humbling it is when we really ask and answer ourselves the question posed by Paul. Our car nor house does not make us better than the other person that drives an old or no car and lives in less costly or rented house.
4. The Holy Spirit is saying to the Corinthians, “8 You are already full! You are already rich!” vs. 8. Paul had already told them how rich they were. “For the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge” vs.1 Cor. 1:4. God’s grace has made us rich in Christ because all our sins have been forgiven. When you have Christ, you are the richest person on earth because money cannot buy this new relationship with Christ. If you do not see your richness, then you will be unhappy and miserable. Paul has learnt the secret of contentment (Philippians 4:11-13) and that is why he goes on to tell the Corinthians about his affairs as an apostle. “For we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11 To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now” vs. 9-13. This is a testimony of one with the right perspective. What is your current state that God has allowed you to endure? Can we look around and see what we already have and that even what we have is by God’s grace.
5. Paul concludes his instruction to the Corinthians by reminding them of their beginning not with pride but as a matter of fact. In other words, there is no need to make distinction between me and Apollos because we are placed in your lives to play different roles. 14 “I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church”. Are you “fathering” people into the kingdom of God? Notice Timothy, “my beloved and faithful son”. Of course Timothy is a spiritual son to Paul. Do you have a Timothy or a Tina in Christ? Only mature believers reproduce and “babes in Christ” cannot. Let’s grow up in Chris, preach the gospel and be united to care for God’s children.
I wear eye glasses and I am required to get a new one every two years because they get out of focus and there is some wearing off. Have you changed your “spiritual glasses” lately? Are you still wearing the “thick coke bottle” lenses that you can barely see with? Let’s get a new glasses so we can look up and see our source like the psalmist. 1 “I will lift up my eyes to the hills — From whence comes my help? 2 My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth”. Psalm 121: 1-2. Can we approach our relationships with new insight and avoid all the present contentions and unhappiness especially in our marriages and the body of Christ? Of course we must address major doctrinal falsehoods but we must do it in love and be united in the essential of preaching Christ crucified.
Has the “green eye monster” (a line from my children’s TV program) invaded you? The green eye monster tells you that the grass is greener on the other side so you stop seeing how rich you are and who has made you rich. May be if you would just water your grass, you will see the true rich color.
Lord, help me to know that all I am and all I have is from you. Help me to see people the way you see them and with your spiritual eyes. Lord, help me destroy every hatred and discrimination of other races and tribes and tongues (and yes Church denominations) that are different from me. Lord I thank you for everything I am and all that I have. Amen.
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