A Sermon Series on 1 Corinthians (Part 4) – Be imitators of me, as I am of Jesus

1 Corinthians 4:1-21

Background information: Not everyone in Corinthians church liked or respected Paul. The church was divided into 4 sections: Who remembers the four sections? (Paul, Apollos, Cephas/Peter, Christ) 25% of the congregation supported Paul, 75% didn’t support or respect Paul as their pastor. They have their own ways of doing things that were not grounded in Jesus but in their own experiences. They think their experiences are more important than reading the Bible or learning from the pastor. They became arrogant and made judgment on the other factions.

There are many church members who make judgment on their pastor with numerous reasons regarding their sermons, preaching style, appearance, age, personality, etc. What are some bad reasons to pass judgment on a pastor? There are two types of pastors in the Bible: good and genuine pastors and bad and fake pastors. Not every Pastor is a good pastor. We need to examine our pastor. But don’t make our judgment based on what you like or don’t like about our pastor but we need to look at what the Bible says. We have to be able to properly discern if a pastor is in fact called and instructing in a Biblical way. Once we have properly discerned and committed to serving a church and submitting to the authority of the pastor at church, we can move to the three key points.

There were three key points in the sermon in regard to how we should treat our pastor. Name some or all of these reasons.

1. In our relationship with our pastor, respect the authority of our pastor. Why do we need to respect the authority of the pastor?

We need to respect the authority of our pastor because of his calling that he received from God. Verse 1: Paul called himself a head servant of God that was assigned by God to take care of God’s family. That’s why he was a servant of God like the rest of us but he has a different responsibility. Where did Paul’s authority as head servant come from? His authority comes from the Lord God.

Pastor’s authority comes from God who called and appointed them to be a pastor to take care of His family. What do we imply if we don’t respect our pastor? If we don’t respect our pastor, then we don’t respect our God.

We need to examine whether a pastor has received the calling from God to become pastor or it is what they want. So the calling to be a pastor must match the lifestyle. Verse 11-13: Paul became pastor not through his desire but God called him to be a pastor and his calling reflect through his lifestyle.

Pastor’s authority must be proven by God’s calling and examined by their lifestyle. If the lifestyle doesn’t match, then they are deceiving themselves. Pastor’s authority is not how good they are in talking but the way they live their life in God’s presence.

So refrain from making judgment on the pastors.

2. Consider your pastor as your spiritual father.

There are two categories we can put our pastors into. What are the two categories? (hint* one is a spiritual father, the other is __) Countless guides/instructors considering our pastor as one of the countless guides or considering our pastor as our spiritual father.

If we view our pastor as one of the countless guides, through this relationship, there is no personal relationship with them, we are not interested in our pastor or their life or what they are talking about. We view our pastor as the guide who talks. What outcome would be the result of only having countless guides/instructors? What outcome can’t be made? Students can be made but not disciples of Jesus Christ. We don’t have a genuine and personal relationship with your pastor.

When we consider our pastor as a spiritual father, we care and want to develop a genuine relationship with our pastor. The relationship between Jesus and his disciplines are personal because the disciples viewed Jesus as their spiritual father. Let’s consider our pastor as our spiritual father.

3. Be imitators of our pastor as he is of Christ.

When we consider our pastor as a spiritual father, not only we should have a personal relationship with our pastor, but also we should try to be an imitator of our pastor. What should we be imitating? The lifestyle in which they live their lives in Christ.

Verse 16 Paul sent Timothy because Timothy has become Paul’s imitator. Timothy and Paul have different personalities and different spiritual experiences. Timothy didn’t try to copy Paul’s personality or experiences, Timothy imitated the way Paul lived his life in Jesus Christ. Do we need to imitate their personality and mannerisms? What stark difference in personality did Paul and Timothy have? (Strict/Hot vs. Gentle/Compassionate)

Being imitators of our pastor means we become like our pastor in the way we live in Jesus Christ (e.g., pray, worship, use resources , help people, sacrifice for God’s kingdom). By doing this, we are trying to become like Jesus Christ.

Reflection Question:

How is your relationship with your pastor? (short, few sentences, just to reflect. Go around the room?)

Personal Reflection:

My relationship is still relatively new, but I respect his Biblical knowledge and teaching. I respect the lifestyle he chooses to live as I see the commitment he has to the church and its members. He has been a big help to me in my life so far in being able to confide in him my struggles – and he has passed on sound wisdom. Hoping to grow closer.