with true leadership
Series: Breaking the Chains
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 18th May 2014
Passage: 1 Corinthians 4:1-21
00:00:00 --> 00:00:04 I'm glad when I was being looked at to lead St. Paul's about five and a half years ago
00:00:04 --> 00:00:08 that I didn't get a job description like this one shoved under my nose.
00:00:09 --> 00:00:14 It reads, First Presbyterian Church of Warrington, South Carolina,
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 is yet again seeking a senior minister.
00:00:17 --> 00:00:21 Duties include all preaching and teaching responsibilities for Sunday morning
00:00:21 --> 00:00:25 and Sunday nights with exegetical sermons and average length of 45 minutes.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 Pastor will also be responsible for all teaching on Wednesday nights
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 and the adult Sunday school class.
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 In addition, we are currently without a youth pastor
00:00:33 --> 00:00:36 and so the pastor will also be temporarily responsible
00:00:36 --> 00:00:39 for all youth activities, Bible studies and fellowships.
00:00:39 --> 00:00:44 The pastor is also responsible for all hospital, shut-in, sick visitations for members,
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 former members, close friends of either,
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 as well as any family of the stated by a relationship,
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 a fourth cousin, twice removed or better.
00:00:53 --> 00:00:58 The pastor will be expected to plan and lead an annual mission trip
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 and coordinate all funding activities for the trip.
00:01:01 --> 00:01:05 The pastor will be available to 24 hours, seven days a week
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 to talk with any member of the congregation
00:01:07 --> 00:01:11 or the above stated persons either face-to-face or on the phone.
00:01:12 --> 00:01:13 Furthermore, the pastor will be held personally,
00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 directly responsible for the spiritual wellbeing of every member of the congregation.
00:01:17 --> 00:01:21 The pastor will be expected to attend all sporting,
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 special sporting events of the youth of the church,
00:01:24 --> 00:01:28 including all homecoming events, chaperoning the high school dance,
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 prom night, playoffs and any chair leading competitions or functions.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:36 Furthermore, we highly encourage ministry to persons in the community at large
00:01:36 --> 00:01:37 beyond ministry within the church,
00:01:38 --> 00:01:41 so far as it does not interfere with the immediate responsibilities
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 to the above stated persons associated with our congregation.
00:01:43 --> 00:01:47 The pastor will also be present at all session meetings,
00:01:47 --> 00:01:48 deacadent meetings and all committee meetings.
00:01:49 --> 00:01:52 The pastor will also be available for all funerals and weddings
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 of any of the above stated person,
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 regardless of when it occurs or what personal circumstances
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 might be going in his life or in his family's life.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 Duties are expected to take approximately 40 hours a week.
00:02:04 --> 00:02:09 Inquiries may be made to ruling elder Dave Wellington Sr.,
00:02:09 --> 00:02:17 ruling elder Dave Wellington Jr. or ruling elder Dave Wellington III.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:26 In fact, if a job description of that was put under my nose,
00:02:26 --> 00:02:27 I wouldn't be here.
00:02:28 --> 00:02:31 I'm pretty sure that that's a joke.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:33 I mean, I hope it's a joke.
00:02:33 --> 00:02:42 But given the response of some people who made online to that so-called ad,
00:02:43 --> 00:02:44 I'm not sure.
00:02:44 --> 00:02:48 There are a number of pastors out there who resonated quite painfully
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 with that job description.
00:02:52 --> 00:02:55 That is, they were burnt out with expectations.
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 Now, if you were writing the requirements of the Christian leader,
00:03:01 --> 00:03:02 what would you include?
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 What would you put down?
00:03:05 --> 00:03:05 Not sure?
00:03:07 --> 00:03:08 1 Corinthians 4 helps us.
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 It helps us to see what Christian leadership is all about
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 and some of the things we should look for in our leadership.
00:03:15 --> 00:03:19 You see, the church at Corinth was like the Olympics,
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 something like ice skating competition at the Olympics,
00:03:23 --> 00:03:27 where the church is sitting over there in the judges' panel,
00:03:27 --> 00:03:31 and based on the performance of their leaders,
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 they held up their scorecards.
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 And it was based purely on personal preferences,
00:03:37 --> 00:03:38 not on anything else,
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 but on personal preferences and expectations.
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 There was an unhealthy habit of different groups in the church
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 associating themselves with different
00:03:47 --> 00:03:50 and various well-known Christian leaders,
00:03:50 --> 00:03:54 while at the same time putting all the other groups
00:03:54 --> 00:03:55 and the other leaders down.
00:03:55 --> 00:04:00 These believers in Corinth were adopting too many leadership models
00:04:00 --> 00:04:01 from the surrounding world.
00:04:01 --> 00:04:04 They were infatuated with great orators,
00:04:04 --> 00:04:07 show of knowledge and philosophical teachings,
00:04:07 --> 00:04:10 and they were judging their leaders
00:04:10 --> 00:04:16 according to what was valued in the marketplace at Corinth.
00:04:18 --> 00:04:22 Many of them prized form above content,
00:04:22 --> 00:04:23 prestige above humility,
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 knowledge above confessions of ignorance
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 and human limitations of knowledge,
00:04:29 --> 00:04:30 rhetoric above truth,
00:04:30 --> 00:04:31 money above people,
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 and reputation above integrity.
00:04:33 --> 00:04:39 They had taken their eyes off the one that they followed,
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 the crucified Messiah, the Lord Jesus.
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 And so Paul now gives some advice
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 on the sort of leaders
00:04:47 --> 00:04:49 that they should in fact be lining up to follow,
00:04:49 --> 00:04:51 and this is the closing off of this whole section
00:04:51 --> 00:04:56 of chapters 1 to 4 on factions in the church.
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 And this is meant to kill the factions in the church.
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 And the first thing they're to look for in a leader
00:05:03 --> 00:05:09 is someone who leads to please Jesus first and foremost.
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 He says in verse 1,
00:05:11 --> 00:05:14 so chapter 1 Corinthians 4, verse 1,
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 Two elements stand out,
00:05:22 --> 00:05:25 and both of them are tied to things Paul's already explained
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 in chapters 2 and 3.
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 Firstly, Christian leaders are to see themselves
00:05:30 --> 00:05:33 simply as servants of one particular master.
00:05:33 --> 00:05:36 They serve Jesus Christ.
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 And secondly, at the heart of their commission
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 that they've received from their master Jesus
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 lies one particular assignment,
00:05:43 --> 00:05:47 and that is they're entrusted with the secret things of God.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:50 And these two elements actually merge into one.
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 What it means to be a servant of Christ
00:05:52 --> 00:05:57 is an obligation to promote the gospel of the crucified Christ
00:05:57 --> 00:06:00 by both word and by example.
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 And that is absolutely fundamental.
00:06:04 --> 00:06:08 I would go as far as to say
00:06:08 --> 00:06:11 that there is no valid Christian leadership
00:06:11 --> 00:06:16 that does not throb with that priority.
00:06:18 --> 00:06:21 The Christian leaders here must prove faithful
00:06:21 --> 00:06:24 to this fundamental task,
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 and they must prove faithful to the one
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 who has assigned them to that task.
00:06:30 --> 00:06:36 Notice, they're not to prove faithful to the church,
00:06:37 --> 00:06:40 but faithful to the one who has assigned them to the task,
00:06:40 --> 00:06:41 to Jesus Christ.
00:06:42 --> 00:06:43 And so leaders must make sure
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 that they're not trying to win popularity contests
00:06:45 --> 00:06:46 within the church.
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 And that's what Paul means when he says in verse 3,
00:06:49 --> 00:06:51 I care very little if I'm judged by you
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 or by any human court.
00:06:53 --> 00:06:56 That is, there is only one person
00:06:56 --> 00:07:01 who's well done on the last day
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 actually means anything to Paul.
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 And he plays accordingly.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 Once upon a time, many years ago,
00:07:10 --> 00:07:11 before age and injury,
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 I used to play soccer, football,
00:07:14 --> 00:07:15 that sort of stuff.
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 Any opportunity I did, I got.
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 And what I noticed in both sports,
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 in fact, in most sports,
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 when you've got people on the sidelines
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 watching you play,
00:07:25 --> 00:07:26 that whenever they cheered,
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 it meant well done.
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 And what you tried to do was do it again.
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 And so you score a goal,
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35 something like that,
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 you know, run over with a try
00:07:36 --> 00:07:39 and clap and you go,
00:07:39 --> 00:07:40 and you go,
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43 I must do that again.
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 I must try hard to do that again.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 In my later life of sport,
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 I found it more difficult to score tries
00:07:51 --> 00:07:52 and I found that I got bigger cheers
00:07:52 --> 00:07:53 from my side
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 when I took out the opposition instead.
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59 And so I'd clobber some poor young 18-year-old
00:07:59 --> 00:07:59 running down the...
00:07:59 --> 00:08:00 I couldn't catch him.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:01 But if I did,
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 I was clobbering him.
00:08:03 --> 00:08:05 And so the cheer,
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 way from my side.
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 But if my side ever went,
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 oh,
00:08:11 --> 00:08:12 you know,
00:08:12 --> 00:08:12 you'd make a mistake,
00:08:13 --> 00:08:13 you'd drop the ball
00:08:13 --> 00:08:14 or something like that.
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15 Mental note,
00:08:15 --> 00:08:16 don't do that again.
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 You were playing the game
00:08:19 --> 00:08:20 based on the applause
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 on the sidelines.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 And I think what Paul's saying here is
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 to Christian leaders,
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 and I want to say to you as Christians as well,
00:08:29 --> 00:08:30 who's in your grandstand?
00:08:30 --> 00:08:33 Who's on the sidelines cheering you?
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 What Paul's saying here is
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 there's only one person
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 who it actually matters
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 who's in the grandstand
00:08:39 --> 00:08:40 or on the sidelines.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 And that's Jesus.
00:08:43 --> 00:08:44 And Paul's saying that
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 I lead as a Christian leader
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 to get his applause
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 and no one else's.
00:08:50 --> 00:08:51 Not my parents,
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 whether they be dead or alive.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:54 Not friends,
00:08:55 --> 00:08:55 not society,
00:08:55 --> 00:08:56 not even the church.
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 Not even you, Corinthians,
00:08:59 --> 00:09:00 are on the sideline.
00:09:00 --> 00:09:01 I don't play to you guys.
00:09:02 --> 00:09:03 He says in verse 4,
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 it is the Lord who judges me.
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 The Christian leader's ultimate allegiance
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 must be to the church.
00:09:10 --> 00:09:11 Must not be to the church, sorry,
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 or to any individual leader
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 or to any tradition.
00:09:14 --> 00:09:17 It must be to the Lord alone.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:21 Now, don't hear me wrongly here.
00:09:22 --> 00:09:23 I'm not trying to milk this passage
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 for more than it's actually saying.
00:09:26 --> 00:09:27 Paul does not mean
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 that there is no place in his life
00:09:29 --> 00:09:32 for self-examination or self-discipline.
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 His own writings in 1 Corinthians 9,
00:09:34 --> 00:09:35 which we'll get to a little bit later,
00:09:35 --> 00:09:36 and 2 Corinthians 13
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 make it absolutely clear.
00:09:38 --> 00:09:41 He's not abolishing functions of judgment
00:09:41 --> 00:09:42 and accountability in the church.
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 Paul is not absolving Christians
00:09:45 --> 00:09:46 from the responsibility
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 to discern behavior and teaching
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 from the scriptures.
00:09:50 --> 00:09:53 He is condemning the kind of judging
00:09:53 --> 00:09:54 that's happening here in Corinth, though,
00:09:55 --> 00:09:56 that sits on the sideline
00:09:56 --> 00:09:59 and gives a low score to a Christian leader
00:09:59 --> 00:10:02 purely based on personal preferences.
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 That this Christian leader,
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 they're writing off Christian leaders
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 because they don't fit neatly into my camp
00:10:08 --> 00:10:11 or they don't,
00:10:12 --> 00:10:13 they seem to compete
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 with my personal preferences
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 and they're not in my pocket.
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 Paul's condemning that kind of judgment.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:22 And you know,
00:10:22 --> 00:10:24 the best part of this paragraph
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 is the way it ends.
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 With the final day of judgment in view,
00:10:29 --> 00:10:30 Paul might have expected to say,
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 at that time,
00:10:32 --> 00:10:32 that is,
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 the Christian leader
00:10:33 --> 00:10:37 will receive his rebuke from God.
00:10:37 --> 00:10:37 You know,
00:10:38 --> 00:10:39 because that's what he's receiving
00:10:39 --> 00:10:39 from all these Corinthians,
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 criticism, rebuke.
00:10:42 --> 00:10:43 They're always telling him,
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44 you've got it wrong,
00:10:44 --> 00:10:44 you know,
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 and he's expecting that maybe God
00:10:47 --> 00:10:47 might do that too,
00:10:47 --> 00:10:49 but instead he says,
00:10:49 --> 00:10:49 at that time,
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 each will receive
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 his praise
00:10:52 --> 00:10:53 from God.
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 How delightful.
00:10:56 --> 00:10:59 At least in this case,
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 God raises his scorecard
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 from the grandstand
00:11:03 --> 00:11:07 on his servants
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 entrusted with the gospel
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 and his judgment
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 is less severe
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14 than the self-appointed judges
00:11:14 --> 00:11:15 of the church in Corinth.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:18 The king of the universe
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 is a wise father
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 who knows how to encourage
00:11:21 --> 00:11:23 even the weakest efforts
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 of his children
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 who have laboured,
00:11:26 --> 00:11:27 laboured,
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 laboured
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 for one thing,
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 his approval at the end.
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 Well done,
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 good and faithful servant.
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 On the last day,
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 God himself
00:11:41 --> 00:11:42 will praise him.
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 And so the Christian leader
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 has one spectator.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 One spectator
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 and his assessment
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 is the only assessment
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 that counts.
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 That's the first thing
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 to look for in your leaders
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 is someone
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 who leads
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 to please Jesus
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 first and foremost.
00:12:00 --> 00:12:01 The second thing
00:12:01 --> 00:12:01 to look for
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 in Christian leaders
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 is a life
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 that exemplifies
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 the humility
00:12:05 --> 00:12:08 of the cross itself.
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 This is the heart
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 of the problem at Corinth.
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 Have a look there.
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 Notice verse 6 and 7.
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 He uses words
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 like pride and boast.
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 Pride
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 is their problem.
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 They are boasting
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 about various skills
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 and insights
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 of their various leaders
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 and the irony is
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 that they're actually
00:12:26 --> 00:12:26 boasting
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 about things
00:12:28 --> 00:12:28 that are purely
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 gifts from God.
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 Paul argues here
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 that if you've received
00:12:33 --> 00:12:35 some special help
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 or insight
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 or strength
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 from one particular leader,
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 isn't that simply
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 one of God's
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 fine gifts to you?
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 That's how it should be seen.
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 And if it's a gift,
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 then it shouldn't cause
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 a sense of pride
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 within you.
00:12:55 --> 00:13:00 Is this not true
00:13:00 --> 00:13:00 of anything
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 that we value?
00:13:02 --> 00:13:02 You know,
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 when we get applauded,
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 how often do we
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 humbly transfer
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 the applause
00:13:07 --> 00:13:09 to its true source?
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 How often
00:13:11 --> 00:13:11 do we do that?
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 Well,
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 given on what we just sang,
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 apparently we do it
00:13:16 --> 00:13:16 all the time.
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 Did we not just sing
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 every blessing
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 you pour out
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 will turn back
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 to praise?
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 We sang it with gusto,
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 I'm assuming we must.
00:13:33 --> 00:13:33 And yet,
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 the reality is,
00:13:35 --> 00:13:35 intellectually,
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 we know God
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 is the source
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 of every blessings,
00:13:38 --> 00:13:40 but our hearts
00:13:40 --> 00:13:41 just love
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 the applause.
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 Every time
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 we get applauded,
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 it puffs us up.
00:13:48 --> 00:13:48 Quack.
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 Quack.
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 Quack.
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 Quack.
00:13:53 --> 00:13:53 Which is what
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 the word pride
00:13:54 --> 00:13:54 and boasting
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 actually means
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 in 1 Corinthians.
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 It puffs us up.
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 It blows us up
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 to make us look
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 big and great.
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 It feeds our pride.
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 And verse 7
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 is meant to cut away
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 all sense of pride.
00:14:11 --> 00:14:11 Verse 7
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 is like a pin
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 to the balloon.
00:14:13 --> 00:14:13 And
00:14:13 --> 00:14:19 he puts his finger
00:14:19 --> 00:14:19 here in verse 7
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 on the central problem.
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 Their assessments
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 as this church
00:14:24 --> 00:14:24 at Corinth
00:14:24 --> 00:14:26 is judging
00:14:26 --> 00:14:26 its leaders,
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 their assessment
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 and their judgment
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 is based
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 on their pride
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 deep in their hearts.
00:14:33 --> 00:14:33 You see,
00:14:33 --> 00:14:33 they thought
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 the assessments
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 of their leaders
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 was because
00:14:36 --> 00:14:38 they had superior knowledge
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 and superior intellect.
00:14:40 --> 00:14:40 And Paul says,
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 no, it's not.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:42 It's actually
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 the pride
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 that's in your heart.
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 When they vote
00:14:46 --> 00:14:46 on their leaders,
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 they were actually
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 standing in judgment
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 of their leaders
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52 and standing
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 in judgment
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 over their leaders.
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 And so
00:14:57 --> 00:14:57 when they said
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 we follow Paul
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 because we love
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 this about Paul,
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 they were actually
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 putting themselves
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 over the top
00:15:04 --> 00:15:04 of Paul,
00:15:05 --> 00:15:07 not following Paul.
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 And so
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 Paul's language
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 here is now
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 steeped in
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14 biting irony.
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 The Corinthians
00:15:15 --> 00:15:15 have become
00:15:15 --> 00:15:17 smug and self-satisfied
00:15:17 --> 00:15:17 and self-assured
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 and comfortable
00:15:18 --> 00:15:18 and proud.
00:15:19 --> 00:15:19 Verse 8,
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 already you have
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 all that you want.
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 Of course,
00:15:24 --> 00:15:24 with the result
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 that they do not hunger
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 for the maturity
00:15:27 --> 00:15:29 that they do not yet have.
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 Already you have
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 become rich
00:15:32 --> 00:15:34 and so they
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 do not seek
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 spiritual wealth
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 because they think
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 they already have it.
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 And you have become
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 kings
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 or better,
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 you have begun
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 your reign
00:15:44 --> 00:15:47 and so they reign
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 over the top
00:15:48 --> 00:15:48 of each other
00:15:48 --> 00:15:50 and over the top
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 of even the leaders
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 that they say
00:15:52 --> 00:15:52 that they follow.
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 Their confession
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 of being followers
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 of the Lord Jesus
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 doesn't actually
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 match
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 with their lives.
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 Compare them
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 with the apostles,
00:16:05 --> 00:16:05 the actual
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 acknowledged leaders
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 of the church.
00:16:07 --> 00:16:07 Verse 9,
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 for it seems to me
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 that God has put us
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 apostles on display
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 at the end of the procession
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 like men condemned
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 to die in the arena.
00:16:15 --> 00:16:15 The imagery
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 that he draws on here
00:16:17 --> 00:16:17 is that
00:16:17 --> 00:16:20 of the triumphal processions
00:16:20 --> 00:16:23 of returning Roman legions
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 from victory in battle.
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 What used to happen
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 was they would
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 this big line up
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 sort of like
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 a ticker tape parade,
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 doors of the city,
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 gates of the city
00:16:33 --> 00:16:33 would open,
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 the big generals
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 would ride in
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 and their chariots
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 and people would
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 throw flowers
00:16:38 --> 00:16:38 or whatever they do,
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 I don't know,
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 and all praise,
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 the big applause
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 for those right
00:16:42 --> 00:16:42 at the beginning
00:16:42 --> 00:16:44 and then right
00:16:44 --> 00:16:44 at the end
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 of the procession
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 is the lowest
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 of the low,
00:16:47 --> 00:16:49 the slaves of the slaves
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 and they're the ones
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 who are eating
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 everyone else's dust
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 and walking through
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 everyone else's filth
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 and Paul says,
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 you think that
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 we're at the beginning,
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 you praise the guys
00:17:01 --> 00:17:01 that are at the beginning,
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 we're actually right
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 at the end here,
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 this is who I am
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 and what's my destiny?
00:17:06 --> 00:17:09 Destiny is for the arena,
00:17:09 --> 00:17:12 these slaves
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 in the triumphal
00:17:13 --> 00:17:13 procession
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 of the Roman generals
00:17:14 --> 00:17:16 would die
00:17:16 --> 00:17:16 at the hands
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 of gladiators
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 or be thrown
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 to the wild beasts
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 just for the amusement
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 of everyone
00:17:21 --> 00:17:21 who's bought a ticket
00:17:21 --> 00:17:25 and he says,
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 what's at stake here,
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 I think,
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 in this paragraph
00:17:27 --> 00:17:30 is a fundamental stance
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 of weighing
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 and looking at things
00:17:32 --> 00:17:32 for the Christian.
00:17:32 --> 00:17:35 what Paul's saying here,
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 it is impossible,
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 it is the opposite
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 of the pride
00:17:40 --> 00:17:40 and arrogance
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 and boasting
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 of Corinth.
00:17:43 --> 00:17:43 He says,
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 we follow
00:17:44 --> 00:17:46 a crucified Messiah
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 and all
00:17:47 --> 00:17:49 the future promises
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 of perfect eternity,
00:17:51 --> 00:17:51 all the blessings
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 of sin forgiven
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 and the blessings
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 of the Spirit of God
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 do not negate
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 the fact
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 that the good news
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 that we present
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 focuses
00:18:00 --> 00:18:02 on the foolishness
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 of the cross of Christ
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 and therefore
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 we are foolish
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 to the world.
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 It's a message
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 that simply
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 cannot be communicated
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12 from a position
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 of pride
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 and arrogance
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 and triumphalism.
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 They are in conflict
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 with each other.
00:18:21 --> 00:18:23 To do so
00:18:23 --> 00:18:25 actually negates
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 the gospel.
00:18:28 --> 00:18:30 Until Jesus returns
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 the Christian
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 is to take up
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 their cross.
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 That is,
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 we are to die
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 to self-interest
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 daily.
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 We are servants
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 of Christ.
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 We follow Jesus.
00:18:42 --> 00:18:42 What does that look like?
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 Verse 11,
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 to this very hour
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 we go hungry
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 and thirsty,
00:18:46 --> 00:18:46 we're in rags,
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 we are brutally treated,
00:18:48 --> 00:18:48 we are homeless.
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 Taking up your cross
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 means sacrifice.
00:18:51 --> 00:18:53 It means personal ambition
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 and comfort and security
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 are pushed to one side.
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 And taking up your cross
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 also means
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 that we walk
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 the same sacrificial,
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 other person-centered,
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 loving relational path
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 that the Lord Jesus walked.
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 Verse 12,
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 when we are cursed,
00:19:07 --> 00:19:09 we bless.
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 That's foolish
00:19:13 --> 00:19:15 in the eyes of the world.
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 When we are persecuted,
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 we endure it.
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 That's foolish
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 in the eyes of the world.
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 When we are slandered,
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 we answer kindly.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 That's foolish
00:19:24 --> 00:19:26 in the eyes of the world.
00:19:26 --> 00:19:29 But we follow Christ.
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 And it's not the applause
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 of the world
00:19:32 --> 00:19:32 that we seek.
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 It is the applause
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 at the end of the time
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 that says,
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 well done.
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 The less
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 any society
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 knows of this way,
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 the more foolish
00:19:42 --> 00:19:42 we will seem
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 and the more suffering
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 we will endure.
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 And so be it.
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 There is no other way
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 to follow Jesus.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 And leaders
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 in the church
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 will suffer the most
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 because they lead
00:19:53 --> 00:19:55 this way
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 by their life
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 as much as their words.
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 But in the end,
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 all Christians
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 are called
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 to this vision
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 of life.
00:20:04 --> 00:20:04 And I think
00:20:04 --> 00:20:04 that Paul,
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 I think for us,
00:20:07 --> 00:20:07 the reason why
00:20:07 --> 00:20:10 Paul's stance here
00:20:10 --> 00:20:13 seems so alien
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 to us
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 is that we have
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 unwittingly become
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 more like the
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 Corinthian Christians
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 than we have of Paul.
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 many of us
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 are so
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 well-to-do,
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 comfortable,
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 with little incentive
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 to live
00:20:25 --> 00:20:28 in vibrant
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 anticipation
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 of Christ's return.
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 Our desire
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 for the approval
00:20:33 --> 00:20:33 of the world,
00:20:34 --> 00:20:34 the approval
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 of colleagues
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 and family
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 and friends
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39 often outstrips
00:20:39 --> 00:20:41 our desire
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 for Jesus
00:20:42 --> 00:20:42 to say,
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 well done.
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 And so my friends,
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 look for Christian leaders
00:20:48 --> 00:20:50 whose lives
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 exemplify
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 the humility
00:20:52 --> 00:20:54 of the cross-shaped life.
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 The third thing
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 is look for Christian leaders
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 who will encourage
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 and when necessary
00:21:01 --> 00:21:03 enforce
00:21:03 --> 00:21:05 the cross-shaped life
00:21:05 --> 00:21:05 in those
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 that they lead.
00:21:07 --> 00:21:07 Paul begins
00:21:07 --> 00:21:09 with the gentler alternative
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 despite the biting irony
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 that he's just deployed
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 in the previous paragraph.
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 Paul now says
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 in verse 14,
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 I'm not writing this
00:21:16 --> 00:21:16 to shame you
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 but to warn you
00:21:17 --> 00:21:19 as my dear children.
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 Now at one level
00:21:20 --> 00:21:22 he is shaming them
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 but that's not the reason
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 why he writes.
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 He writes to warn them.
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 That is to admonish them,
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 to correct them,
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 to encourage them
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 to follow
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 the way of the cross.
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 Paul reminds them
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 that he led them
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 to the Lord
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 and in the first place
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 he tells them
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 that even if they've got
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 10 guardians
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 they've only got
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 one father in Christ.
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 Paul was the one
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 who first brought
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 the gospel
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 to the Corinthians
00:21:44 --> 00:21:44 and in that sense
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 he says
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 I am your father
00:21:46 --> 00:21:49 and because I'm your father
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 verse 16
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 I urge you
00:21:51 --> 00:21:53 to imitate me.
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 Now remember
00:21:54 --> 00:21:54 he's speaking
00:21:54 --> 00:21:56 in first century here
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 and in the first century
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 basically
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 sons followed
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 their fathers
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 so if your dad
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 was a baker
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 basically guarantee
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 you're going to be a baker.
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 Not much
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 you know
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 they didn't have options there.
00:22:08 --> 00:22:08 Sheep farmer
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 you're going to be
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 a sheep farmer.
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 The son was expected
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 to carry on
00:22:12 --> 00:22:12 the family business
00:22:12 --> 00:22:14 the family values
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 the family heritage
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 the family name
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 and Paul argues
00:22:17 --> 00:22:19 that if I'm your father
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 to the Corinthians
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 therefore you need
00:22:21 --> 00:22:23 to imitate me
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 as your father
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 follow me
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 as your father
00:22:25 --> 00:22:27 and in the context
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 of these chapters
00:22:27 --> 00:22:29 what Paul wants
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 them to imitate
00:22:30 --> 00:22:32 is his passion
00:22:32 --> 00:22:34 to live a life
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 shaped
00:22:35 --> 00:22:37 by the cross.
00:22:39 --> 00:22:41 He does not expect
00:22:41 --> 00:22:41 them to suffer
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 in exactly the same
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 way that he does
00:22:43 --> 00:22:45 he does not demand
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 that they all
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 become apostles
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 and they all
00:22:47 --> 00:22:47 go to plant
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 churches off
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 in far distant
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 lands
00:22:49 --> 00:22:51 what he does
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 expect of them
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 is that they
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 will imitate
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 his values
00:22:54 --> 00:22:56 his priorities
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 his cross
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 shaped lifestyle
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 and his
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 valuation
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 of the
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 exclusive
00:23:01 --> 00:23:03 centrality
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 of the gospel
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 of the crucified
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 Messiah
00:23:06 --> 00:23:08 and so in
00:23:08 --> 00:23:08 verse 17
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 we see
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 he's going
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 to send
00:23:10 --> 00:23:10 along
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 some help
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 to help
00:23:12 --> 00:23:12 them get
00:23:12 --> 00:23:12 this one
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 straight
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 verse 17
00:23:14 --> 00:23:14 for this
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 reason
00:23:15 --> 00:23:15 I am sending
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 to you
00:23:16 --> 00:23:16 Timothy
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 my son
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 whom I
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 love
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 who is
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 faithful in
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20 the Lord
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20 notice that
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 Timothy
00:23:21 --> 00:23:21 the son
00:23:21 --> 00:23:23 is faithful
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 in the Lord
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 following his
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 father
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 and he
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 will remind
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 you of my
00:23:28 --> 00:23:28 way of life
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 in Christ
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 Jesus
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 which agrees
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 with what I
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 teach everywhere
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 in every church
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 this is not just
00:23:34 --> 00:23:34 for the Corinthians
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 this lifestyle is
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 for everywhere
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 in every church
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 Paul is not
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 sending Timothy
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 simply to lay
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 out some more
00:23:40 --> 00:23:40 teaching
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 but to remind
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 the Corinthians
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 of Paul's
00:23:43 --> 00:23:45 way of life
00:23:45 --> 00:23:47 in Christ
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 Jesus
00:23:47 --> 00:23:49 his way of life
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 and he gives
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 us the impression
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 here that the
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 biggest problem
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 for the Corinthian
00:23:54 --> 00:23:54 church
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 is that they
00:23:55 --> 00:23:55 were not
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 living up
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 to what they
00:23:57 --> 00:23:57 knew to be
00:23:57 --> 00:23:57 true
00:23:57 --> 00:23:59 you see
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 maturity
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 is not
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 about how
00:24:01 --> 00:24:01 much you
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 know
00:24:02 --> 00:24:04 but whether
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 or not
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 you're living
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 out what
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 you know
00:24:05 --> 00:24:09 judging by
00:24:09 --> 00:24:09 these first
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 four chapters
00:24:10 --> 00:24:10 many of the
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 Corinthians
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 were not
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 making the
00:24:13 --> 00:24:13 connection
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 between what
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 they believed
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 and how they
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 should live
00:24:17 --> 00:24:19 you see
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 these
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 Corinthians
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 would be the
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 first
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 to insist
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 that Jesus
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 died for
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 their sins
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 that he
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 rose
00:24:25 --> 00:24:25 again
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 but they
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 could not
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 grasp
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 how
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 this
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 historical
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 reality
00:24:31 --> 00:24:33 not only
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 achieved
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 their salvation
00:24:34 --> 00:24:36 but in fact
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 may
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 must
00:24:38 --> 00:24:38 shape
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 the way
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 that they
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 live
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 day by
00:24:40 --> 00:24:40 day
00:24:40 --> 00:24:43 and as
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 we see
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 in the
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 coming
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 chapters
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 the gospel
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 wasn't
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 shaping
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 their
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 attitude
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 to things
00:24:47 --> 00:24:47 like
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 sex
00:24:48 --> 00:24:48 dating
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 conflicts
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 marriage
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 singleness
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 food
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 communion
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 corporate
00:24:52 --> 00:24:52 worship
00:24:52 --> 00:24:52 use of
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 gifts
00:24:53 --> 00:24:53 authority
00:24:53 --> 00:24:53 love
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 status
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 a whole
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 bunch
00:24:55 --> 00:24:55 of
00:24:55 --> 00:24:55 things
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 the gospel
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 wasn't
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 shaping
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 for them
00:24:58 --> 00:25:02 a surprising
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 number of
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 Christians
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 cannot
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 easily
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 make the
00:25:05 --> 00:25:05 connection
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 between the
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 truth of
00:25:07 --> 00:25:07 the gospel
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 and how
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 to live
00:25:09 --> 00:25:11 it is
00:25:11 --> 00:25:11 possible
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 to define
00:25:12 --> 00:25:15 theologically
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 rich words
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 like
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 propitiation
00:25:17 --> 00:25:20 but not
00:25:20 --> 00:25:20 know
00:25:20 --> 00:25:22 what it's
00:25:22 --> 00:25:22 like to
00:25:22 --> 00:25:22 feel
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 forgiven
00:25:23 --> 00:25:27 it's
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 possible
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 to defend
00:25:28 --> 00:25:28 the
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 priority
00:25:29 --> 00:25:29 of
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 grace
00:25:30 --> 00:25:30 in
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 salvation
00:25:31 --> 00:25:33 but still
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 feel that
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 I'm not
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 good enough
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 for God
00:25:34 --> 00:25:37 there's a
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 disconnect
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 between what
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 we know
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 and how
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 we live
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 what we
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 experience
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 of God
00:25:43 --> 00:25:45 and part
00:25:45 --> 00:25:45 of the
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 role of
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 faithful
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 Christian
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 leadership
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 is to
00:25:48 --> 00:25:48 make the
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 connections
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 between
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 creed
00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 and
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 conduct
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 between
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 the cross
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 and the
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 cross
00:25:54 --> 00:25:54 shaped
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 life
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 and that
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 is why
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 we've got
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 as a church
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 here
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 core values
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 at St Paul's
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 those core
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 values
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 are explicit
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 in
00:26:04 --> 00:26:06 behavioural
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 expectations
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 if you
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 say this
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 you hold
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 to this
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 truth
00:26:11 --> 00:26:11 it will
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 look like
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 this
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 in practice
00:26:14 --> 00:26:16 that's what
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 core values
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 do
00:26:16 --> 00:26:18 and the
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 fact is
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 we've all
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 got values
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 we've all
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 got core
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 values
00:26:21 --> 00:26:21 ourselves
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 as individual
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 they are
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 held down
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 deep
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 within us
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 and every
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 one of
00:26:25 --> 00:26:25 those core
00:26:25 --> 00:26:25 values
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 shape
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 the way
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 we behave
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 so for
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 instance
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 if you
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 grew up
00:26:31 --> 00:26:31 in a
00:26:31 --> 00:26:31 truly
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 patriotic
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 Australian
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 family
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 that valued
00:26:34 --> 00:26:34 Holden
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 cars
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 as patriotic
00:26:36 --> 00:26:36 above every
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 other thing
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 in the world
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 as every
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 other vehicle
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 every other
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 car
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 and all
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 these
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 imports
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 and Japanese
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 imports
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 and stuff
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 are just
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 all rubbish
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 Holden
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 cars
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 they're the
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 way to
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 go
00:26:44 --> 00:26:44 what that
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 means is
00:26:45 --> 00:26:45 when you
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 buy a
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 car
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 you will
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 buy a
00:26:48 --> 00:26:48 Holden
00:26:48 --> 00:26:48 car
00:26:48 --> 00:26:50 that is
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 what you
00:26:51 --> 00:26:51 believe
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 what you
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 value
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 will
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 transfer
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 into a
00:26:54 --> 00:26:54 particular
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 action
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 and if
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 in the
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 same
00:26:57 --> 00:26:59 family
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 you didn't
00:27:00 --> 00:27:00 just value
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 Holden
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 cars
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 as patriotic
00:27:02 --> 00:27:02 but you
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 also
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 valued
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 success
00:27:04 --> 00:27:06 then you'll
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 buy the
00:27:07 --> 00:27:07 best
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 Holden
00:27:08 --> 00:27:08 car
00:27:08 --> 00:27:10 these
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 values
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 will shape
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 your
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 particular
00:27:12 --> 00:27:12 actions
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 that's
00:27:13 --> 00:27:13 what they
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 do
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 and so
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 if we
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 say that
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 Jesus
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 the gospel
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 is our
00:27:18 --> 00:27:18 greatest
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 treasure
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 then it
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 will
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 shape
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 how
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 we
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 live
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 it
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 will
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 shape
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 our
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 priorities
00:27:25 --> 00:27:27 and so
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 the Christian
00:27:28 --> 00:27:28 leader
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 must love
00:27:29 --> 00:27:31 in love
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 admonish
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 correct
00:27:32 --> 00:27:34 encourage
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 to see
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 that confession
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 and actions
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 are aligned
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 and they
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 must exemplify
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 this connection
00:27:41 --> 00:27:41 in their
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 own lives
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 now let me
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 just say
00:27:44 --> 00:27:44 if
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 if your
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 life
00:27:46 --> 00:27:48 if in
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 your life
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 you haven't
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 made the
00:27:49 --> 00:27:49 connection
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 between the
00:27:50 --> 00:27:50 good news
00:27:50 --> 00:27:53 and how
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 to live
00:27:53 --> 00:27:55 then the
00:27:55 --> 00:27:55 proper place
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 to begin
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 to make
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 that change
00:27:57 --> 00:27:59 change in
00:27:59 --> 00:27:59 fact of
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 the deep
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 betrayal of
00:28:01 --> 00:28:01 the cross
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 shaped life
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 is in
00:28:03 --> 00:28:03 fact the
00:28:03 --> 00:28:03 cross
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 itself
00:28:04 --> 00:28:08 in humble
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 confession
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 if your
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 life does
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 not match
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 the gospel
00:28:12 --> 00:28:12 that you
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 confess
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 the only
00:28:14 --> 00:28:14 place to
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 go is
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 the cross
00:28:15 --> 00:28:17 in humble
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 confession
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 and in
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 that place
00:28:19 --> 00:28:19 and with
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 that attitude
00:28:20 --> 00:28:20 you will
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 find a
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 God who
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 will say
00:28:22 --> 00:28:22 to you
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 well done
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 well done
00:28:24 --> 00:28:27 and so
00:28:27 --> 00:28:27 bringing the
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 people of
00:28:28 --> 00:28:28 God to
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 consistent
00:28:29 --> 00:28:29 Christian
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 living in
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 the light
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 of the
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 gospel
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 of the
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 crucified
00:28:31 --> 00:28:31 Messiah
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 is so
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 important to
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 Paul that
00:28:34 --> 00:28:34 he will
00:28:34 --> 00:28:34 not be
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 turned from
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 that goal
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 he sees
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 this as an
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 essential
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 function of
00:28:39 --> 00:28:39 Christian
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 leadership
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 if he
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 moves the
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 church by
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 encouragement
00:28:42 --> 00:28:44 and admonition
00:28:44 --> 00:28:44 that is
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 great
00:28:45 --> 00:28:47 if however
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 the arrogant
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 in verses
00:28:48 --> 00:28:48 18 and
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 19 don't
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 move
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 then severer
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 discipline is
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 called for
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 and Paul offers
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 the Corinthians
00:28:54 --> 00:28:54 a choice
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 in verse 21
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 what do you
00:28:56 --> 00:28:56 prefer
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 shall I come
00:28:57 --> 00:28:57 with you with
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 a whip or
00:28:58 --> 00:28:58 in love
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 and with a
00:28:59 --> 00:28:59 gentle spirit
00:28:59 --> 00:29:01 now he does
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 not mean of
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 course that if
00:29:03 --> 00:29:03 he comes with
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 a whip
00:29:04 --> 00:29:04 he's not
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 coming in
00:29:05 --> 00:29:05 love
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 he doesn't
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 say well
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 I'll be
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 gentle and
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 encouraging to
00:29:08 --> 00:29:08 start with
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 that's loving
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 but if you
00:29:10 --> 00:29:10 if you spurn
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 my love
00:29:11 --> 00:29:11 then I'm
00:29:11 --> 00:29:11 going to
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 whip out
00:29:12 --> 00:29:12 the six
00:29:12 --> 00:29:12 guns
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 and then
00:29:13 --> 00:29:13 I'm not
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 going to
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 love you
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 anymore
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 and I'm
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 going to
00:29:15 --> 00:29:15 basically
00:29:15 --> 00:29:15 get you
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 all to
00:29:16 --> 00:29:16 come into
00:29:16 --> 00:29:16 line
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 he's not
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 saying that
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 the contrast
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 refers to
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 the manner
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 or the
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 form of
00:29:21 --> 00:29:21 his coming
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 not the
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 motive
00:29:23 --> 00:29:23 of his
00:29:23 --> 00:29:23 coming
00:29:23 --> 00:29:25 a smack
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 still hurts
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 even if it
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 comes from a
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 father who
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 insists that he's
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 smacking his son
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 because he loves
00:29:31 --> 00:29:31 him
00:29:31 --> 00:29:34 it is much
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 better for a
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 son to change
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 his behaviour
00:29:37 --> 00:29:37 so that the
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 manner of the
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 father's coming
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 will not be with
00:29:39 --> 00:29:41 discipline but
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 with a gentle
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 spirit
00:29:42 --> 00:29:44 now let me
00:29:44 --> 00:29:44 just say that
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 this is the
00:29:45 --> 00:29:45 toughest one I
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 think
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 this is what we
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 don't like
00:29:48 --> 00:29:48 when you put
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 this kind of
00:29:49 --> 00:29:49 accountability
00:29:49 --> 00:29:51 into a culture
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 that is anti
00:29:52 --> 00:29:52 authoritarian
00:29:52 --> 00:29:54 and in an
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 age of
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 consumerism and
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 individualism and
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 narcissism it
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 makes godly
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 Christian leadership
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 very hard
00:30:01 --> 00:30:03 in this age
00:30:03 --> 00:30:03 our self
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 worth is
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 affronted by
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 any negative
00:30:06 --> 00:30:06 feedback
00:30:06 --> 00:30:08 any rebuke
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 any correction
00:30:09 --> 00:30:11 is like a
00:30:11 --> 00:30:11 personal attack
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 on me and
00:30:12 --> 00:30:12 my character
00:30:12 --> 00:30:16 individualism
00:30:16 --> 00:30:16 means that we
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 fly by our
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 own rules
00:30:18 --> 00:30:20 when our
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 sense of
00:30:21 --> 00:30:21 self esteem
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 is challenged
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 what we tend
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 to do is we
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 run from it
00:30:24 --> 00:30:27 we turn our
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 back on any
00:30:28 --> 00:30:28 form of
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 correction
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 and as a
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 result we
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 run we
00:30:32 --> 00:30:32 change jobs
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 we change
00:30:33 --> 00:30:33 schools we
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 change courses
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 we change
00:30:35 --> 00:30:35 partners we
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 change churches
00:30:36 --> 00:30:39 based on
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 what will
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 suit me and
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 puff me
00:30:41 --> 00:30:43 up and
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 we never
00:30:44 --> 00:30:46 grow up
00:30:46 --> 00:30:48 just like
00:30:48 --> 00:30:48 little children
00:30:48 --> 00:30:50 if I
00:30:50 --> 00:30:50 line my
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 three girls
00:30:51 --> 00:30:51 up here
00:30:51 --> 00:30:51 and say
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 girls tell
00:30:52 --> 00:30:52 us all
00:30:52 --> 00:30:54 what are
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 the ways
00:30:55 --> 00:30:55 that I
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 as your
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 father
00:30:56 --> 00:30:58 love you
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 they would
00:30:59 --> 00:30:59 say when
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 you buy us
00:31:00 --> 00:31:00 ice cream
00:31:00 --> 00:31:01 and particularly
00:31:01 --> 00:31:03 chocolate chip
00:31:03 --> 00:31:03 mint ice cream
00:31:03 --> 00:31:05 they would
00:31:05 --> 00:31:05 say when
00:31:05 --> 00:31:05 you buy us
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 toys
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 they would
00:31:07 --> 00:31:07 say when
00:31:07 --> 00:31:07 you wrestle
00:31:07 --> 00:31:08 with us
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 they would
00:31:09 --> 00:31:11 say when
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 you lie
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 down and
00:31:12 --> 00:31:12 pat us
00:31:12 --> 00:31:12 when we
00:31:12 --> 00:31:12 go to
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 bed at
00:31:13 --> 00:31:13 night
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 they would
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 come up
00:31:15 --> 00:31:15 with all
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 these nice
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 lovey-dovey
00:31:17 --> 00:31:17 stuff that
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 we do
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 and I do
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 love them
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 but I do
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 give them
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 those things
00:31:20 --> 00:31:22 none of
00:31:22 --> 00:31:22 them would
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 say oh
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 actually you
00:31:24 --> 00:31:24 really love
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 us when
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 you put us
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 over there
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 in the
00:31:27 --> 00:31:27 time out
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 corner for
00:31:28 --> 00:31:28 a bit
00:31:28 --> 00:31:31 because they
00:31:31 --> 00:31:31 don't like
00:31:31 --> 00:31:31 that
00:31:31 --> 00:31:33 you really
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 love us
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 when you
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 refuse to
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 buy me
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 that car
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 that the
00:31:37 --> 00:31:37 orange car
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 that I
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 walk past
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 the Toyota
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 I want
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 that car
00:31:41 --> 00:31:41 it's orange
00:31:41 --> 00:31:44 no
00:31:44 --> 00:31:47 they never
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 say that
00:31:47 --> 00:31:49 because and
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 that is the
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 world in
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 which they
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 live in
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51 which we
00:31:51 --> 00:31:51 live
00:31:51 --> 00:31:52 you love
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 me when
00:31:53 --> 00:31:54 you puff
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 me up
00:31:54 --> 00:31:56 when you
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 do what
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 you want
00:31:58 --> 00:31:58 me to
00:31:58 --> 00:31:58 do
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 and Paul
00:31:59 --> 00:31:59 says he
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 no actually
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 it's both
00:32:01 --> 00:32:02 I want you
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 to not be
00:32:03 --> 00:32:03 puffed up
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 I want you
00:32:04 --> 00:32:04 to grow
00:32:04 --> 00:32:06 up in
00:32:06 --> 00:32:06 maturity in
00:32:06 --> 00:32:07 Christ and
00:32:07 --> 00:32:08 discipline and
00:32:08 --> 00:32:08 rebuke and
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 correction is
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 part of that
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 process as
00:32:11 --> 00:32:11 much as it
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 is for my
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 kids it is
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 for the
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 children of
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 God
00:32:14 --> 00:32:19 and so it
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 is only the
00:32:20 --> 00:32:20 wise and the
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 mature who
00:32:21 --> 00:32:21 thank you for
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 correcting them
00:32:22 --> 00:32:24 the Corinthian
00:32:24 --> 00:32:25 mistake can
00:32:25 --> 00:32:25 very quickly
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 become our
00:32:26 --> 00:32:27 mistake I
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 follow Paul
00:32:28 --> 00:32:28 I follow
00:32:28 --> 00:32:30 Paulus I
00:32:30 --> 00:32:30 follow the
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 church down
00:32:31 --> 00:32:31 the road
00:32:31 --> 00:32:32 because they
00:32:32 --> 00:32:34 suit me
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 and we
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 hold up our
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 scorecards based
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 on personal
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 preferences and
00:32:39 --> 00:32:39 not on biblical
00:32:39 --> 00:32:42 standards and
00:32:42 --> 00:32:43 so I wonder
00:32:43 --> 00:32:43 what you would
00:32:43 --> 00:32:44 have written in
00:32:44 --> 00:32:44 the job
00:32:44 --> 00:32:45 description
00:32:45 --> 00:32:48 St Paul's
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 Chatswood
00:32:49 --> 00:32:51 seeking a
00:32:51 --> 00:32:51 mature Christian
00:32:51 --> 00:32:53 leader who
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 number one
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 sees themselves
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 as answerable
00:32:56 --> 00:32:57 to the Lord
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 Jesus and
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 not our
00:32:59 --> 00:32:59 personal
00:32:59 --> 00:33:00 preferences
00:33:00 --> 00:33:02 St Paul's
00:33:02 --> 00:33:02 Chatswood is
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 seeking a
00:33:03 --> 00:33:03 mature Christian
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 leader who
00:33:04 --> 00:33:04 number two
00:33:04 --> 00:33:06 demonstrates the
00:33:06 --> 00:33:06 cross shaped
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 life in their
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 priorities in
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 their actions
00:33:09 --> 00:33:09 and in their
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 words
00:33:10 --> 00:33:11 St Paul's
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 Chatswood
00:33:12 --> 00:33:12 seeking a
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 mature Christian
00:33:13 --> 00:33:13 leader who
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 number three
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 has the
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 courage to
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 encourage and
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 to enforce the
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 cross shaped
00:33:19 --> 00:33:21 life amongst
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 God's people
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 even when we
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 don't want
00:33:24 --> 00:33:25 them to so
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 that we might
00:33:26 --> 00:33:26 grow up together
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 in maturity in
00:33:27 --> 00:33:29 Christ may we
00:33:29 --> 00:33:31 score highly on
00:33:31 --> 00:33:31 that kind of
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 leadership at
00:33:32 --> 00:33:32 St Paul's
00:33:32 --> 00:33:33 Amen
00:33:33 --> 00:33:38 females
00:33:40 --> 00:33:57 N