Daily Bread 2010 - 1 Corinthians 4
Daily Bread 2010 – 1 Corinthians 4
“14I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. 15Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.”
Although Paul has to do some correcting in the church at Corinth, he reminds them that he is not being harsh or trying to shame them, but to warn them. His desire is that as believers they will be ready on the Day Jesus returns. He reminds them that being entrusted with the secret things of God (the Gospel), also brings with it responsibility. To whom much is given, much is required.
Paul feels a responsibility to this church because he led many of them to Christ. And rather than just telling them what they should be like he says, “I urge you to imitate me.” Paul is not leading them to a place he is not willing to go. And Paul has other disciples who he has mentored in this life, namely Timothy, who he is sending to them.
Timothy’s mission will be to remind them of the way of life in Christ. Ie. How a Christian lives in this world. We call this discipleship. Often the church is so worried about evangelism or church growth, we forget about discipleship. Without discipleship, there is no foundation to send out believers to witness to the way and life of Jesus. And the church becomes about strong personalities/preachers attracting people to be consumers of religious goods and services rather than a way of life.
Paul is writing to make sure the foundation is solid. The foundation of the church is local believers living out the pattern of life that Jesus showed us and that Paul imitated. This is hard work. All of us struggle to live as Jesus did. Paul called himself a father to these believers. Who is your father in the faith? Do you have someone you look up to in the faith who is imitating the life of Christ? Just as the Church of Corinth needed this intentional process of discipleship, we need it today as well.
Jesus thank you for showing us the way of life, the life of discipleship. May our churches be places where people are being mentoring in Your way and mentoring others. In this way we can show the world what life in Christ is like. In this way we can be the salt and light of the world. In Your name, Amen.
“14I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. 15Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.”
Although Paul has to do some correcting in the church at Corinth, he reminds them that he is not being harsh or trying to shame them, but to warn them. His desire is that as believers they will be ready on the Day Jesus returns. He reminds them that being entrusted with the secret things of God (the Gospel), also brings with it responsibility. To whom much is given, much is required.
Paul feels a responsibility to this church because he led many of them to Christ. And rather than just telling them what they should be like he says, “I urge you to imitate me.” Paul is not leading them to a place he is not willing to go. And Paul has other disciples who he has mentored in this life, namely Timothy, who he is sending to them.
Timothy’s mission will be to remind them of the way of life in Christ. Ie. How a Christian lives in this world. We call this discipleship. Often the church is so worried about evangelism or church growth, we forget about discipleship. Without discipleship, there is no foundation to send out believers to witness to the way and life of Jesus. And the church becomes about strong personalities/preachers attracting people to be consumers of religious goods and services rather than a way of life.
Paul is writing to make sure the foundation is solid. The foundation of the church is local believers living out the pattern of life that Jesus showed us and that Paul imitated. This is hard work. All of us struggle to live as Jesus did. Paul called himself a father to these believers. Who is your father in the faith? Do you have someone you look up to in the faith who is imitating the life of Christ? Just as the Church of Corinth needed this intentional process of discipleship, we need it today as well.
Jesus thank you for showing us the way of life, the life of discipleship. May our churches be places where people are being mentoring in Your way and mentoring others. In this way we can show the world what life in Christ is like. In this way we can be the salt and light of the world. In Your name, Amen.
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