If we learn to listen to people when they communicate to us they will reveal their hearts. Learning to listen is just as important as learning to communicate so that people will understand what you and I are wanting to share with others. As you read 1 Corinthians 4:14-21 Paul’s heart is revealed and if we listen closely the Lord Jesus’ heart is revealed as well. If you have read 1 Corinthians starting at the beginning Paul has written in response to what he has learned from others concerning the reason for division in the Corinthian Church. The reason why he is writing them is not to embarrass ( shame) them but to admonish them, that is to give them a word of warning so that they can make some much needed corrections. He admits freely that there are plenty of guides to instruct them in Christ but they only have one father through the gospel of Christ Jesus- Paul. He shared the gospel message with the Corinthians first and they believed. What is the gospel? The gospel or good news as it’s translated is that Christ Jesus died for our sins, that he was buried, and that he arose from the dead on the third day. If anyone believes in their heart and calls upon the Lord Jesus Christ in faith he will save them from their sins and cause them to be born again. Being born again is something that only God can do in a person’s life since God sees the heart. When a person asks in faith God causes a person to be crucified with, buried with and to rise with Christ Jesus, thus having a new heart that learns to walk in the Spirit with the Lord. That is good news for anyone in any age. You can be born again and have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ God’s son. The Corithians have such a relationship with the Lord. Paul reveals his heart to them again as he tells them to imitate me. Paul’s focus is on Christ Jesus so much that he can communicate to others that they must learn to do as he does. That is a different message than what we normally hear from others. We often hear do as I say and not as I do. Jesus says follow me, another way of saying do as I do. Are you following Jesus to the point that you can communicate to others, do as I do, because I am so focused on Christ Jesus that I imitate him and not my old self. Paul’s life had spiritual power. Does your life have spiritual power? There were some there in Corinth who were arrogant and their life had no spiritual power. As we seek first the kingdom of God, following Jesus the spiritual power that you need to live the Christian life will be there as it is Christ Jesus himself living his life through you. Just as Paul gave the Corithian believers a choice on how they could live the Lord Jesus gives us a choice as well. Will we live for ourselves or will we live for him?
Categories: Weekly Sermon