Bible Study 2023
Humility of a Leader
1 Corinthians 4:1-13 describes what a Christian leader should be. I have seen a legacy of faithfulness. I pray all the time that this generation will find faithful men to invest in, because they seem to be more and more rare. This is a personal passage on the part of the apostle Paul, and we should receive it in that very way as well. This penetrates deep into the inside of our being.
This will help you understand that it is required of stewards that one be found faithful in verse 2. It’s the word for trustworthy. The word is used as a synonym for Christians; it is a basic term used to identify those who believe in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 4:19 says, “Entrust your souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.” Hebrews 2:17 says, “Jesus is a merciful and faithful high priest.”
New Testament ministers are faithful. In 1 Corinthians 4:17, Timothy was faithful. And Paul, in 1 Timothy 1:12, was considered by God to be faithful. Paul says to Timothy, “The things that I’ve given to you, pass on to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also.” So we are called to that same faithfulness. Our Lord talked about faithful servants, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
While faithful is the key in this passage, it is linked to humility. Humility is the virtue that produces faithfulness. In Psalm 31:23, the Lord contrasts pride with faithfulness, which then indicates that faithfulness is essentially the manifestation of the long period of time of one’s humble stance before the Lord. Spurgeon said, “I believe every man has a choice between being humble or being humbled.”
We live in a world system that neither desires nor requires humility. This is a culture where bravado and hubris has gone mad. Whether in politics or business or profession or arts or sports, manifesting itself most clearly on social media, everybody seeks to promote themselves. Prominence, publicity, fame, self-importance drives our culture forward to insanity and hopelessness.
Humility has no place in the scheme of this world. And sadly, pride of our culture has spilled over into the church with so many who seek celebrity status. And there is a quasi-Christian public that will grant that to them. But the true man of God fights for humility. The true man of God will choose the hidden path of sacrifice, the approval of his Lord rather than the adoration of the people.
The impact of Paul was not developed out of his great logical mind, or his vast knowledge, or his strong convictions about the truth. What made Paul powerful was a heart attitude that caused him to say, “I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle. I am the foremost of all sinners; I am the very least of all saints.” The Lord worked hard to keep Paul in that attitude.
As we learn in 2 Corinthians 12, God gave him a thorn in the flesh, which Paul prayed would be removed on three separate occasions. The Lord didn’t do it because God’s power was perfected in Paul’s weakness. And because he had had so many revelations, in order to humble him, the Lord brought that attack on the Corinthian church with those false teachers who were trying to tear up his work there.
The Corinthian church had developed a severe case of exalting different people. Right? “I’m of Paul.” “I’m of Apollos.” “I’m of Cephas.” “I’m of Christ.” This was the game they were playing. You see it in chapter 1 particularly. And Paul gives a powerful word, here in this chapter that in essence is about humility. It’s a first-person testimonial that reveals that he was fighting for humility.
There are five elements that manifest the humility of Paul. Number one, he was content to be a lowly servant. Verses 1 - 2, “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.” Don’t think about me as someone better than another.” It is required of stewards that one be found faithful.
Paul is doing his master’s orders and will without any regard for his own worth. Look at 1 Corinthians 3:5, “What then is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plans nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.”
And this kind of service is not glamorous. In 2 Corinthians 6:4-10, Paul describes it, “But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God, in much patience, in needs, in tribulations, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in fasting, in sleeplessness; 6 by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,
7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness, 8 by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”
We provide all the goods that the Lord has put on deposit for His people. We feed the flock of God. And what is it that we dispense? The mysteries of God, the New Testament truths, things hidden in the past in the Old Testament and now revealed in the New Testament. We are primarily New Testament preachers. We dispense the mysteries of God about Jesus Christ.
So, Paul’s faithfulness is connected to his humility. His humility is, first of all, defined because he was content to be a lowly servant. Secondly, in this passage, he was content to be judged by God. Verse 3-4, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. 4 For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.”
Verse 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.” It’s easy for us to get caught up in the accolades, especially because we do something that no other profession does. It’s amazing when you have the responsibility to feed people the mysteries of God.
But Paul says even at that, “It’s a small thing that I may be examined by you or by any human court.” It is absolutely irrelevant what someone else thinks about me. Paul was commended by some, and criticized by others. Proverbs 21:2 says, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.” Paul says “my conscience is clear” a number of times.
When He comes, He will make the right judgment. It is the only judgment that will be absolutely true and accurate. 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, “We have as our ambition, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or useless wood, hay and stubble.
Thirdly, he was content to be equal with other servants. Verse 6 says, “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.” “These things” (at the beginning of verse 6) is the comparison about him, Apollos and Cephas.
Fourthly, “not to exceed what is written?” He means what is written in Scripture about pride and humility. James says that, “God rejects the proud and gives grace to the humble.” So, I’m using myself and Apollos as examples so that you will learn not to be proud when the Scripture forbids it.” “So that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.”
In Philippians 1:15 he says, “Some are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, some from good will.” They were stepping on Paul to elevate themselves as if they were the true faithful preachers. Verse 18 says, “Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice.” That’s a big heart. People are trying to do damage, but they’re preaching Christ.
Verse 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?” And he gets so exercised by this. Verse 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!”
Fifthly, Paul was content to suffer. Proverbs 16:5, “Everyone which has proud heart is an abomination to the Lord.” How you react to he praises given to other men, and not having desire to belittle them or their work, speaks of your humility. Paul was content to be a servant of Christ. He was content to be judged by God. He was content to be equal to others. He never sought exaltation.
Verse 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.” This is such a powerful text. God has put us in last place publicly. We’re on exhibit like men condemned to death, like people marching along to our execution. We’re like condemned criminals, being mocked and scorned.
And Jesus said this in John 15 - 16, “The day will come when they will arrest you, and they will kill you.” Back to sarcasm in verse 10, Paul says, “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!” So this is said sarcastically. Our lives are full of hardship, suffering and distress.
Verse 11, “To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.” We’re just absolutely nobody, content to be rejected, content to be thought little of, to be humiliated, to be just the lowest of common people who work with their hands, no honor. Paul was content to sacrifice his reputation. He met defamation of character all the time.
Verse 12, “And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure.” To the perishing, our message is foolish. We do not seek to be popular with the world. When you entered the ministry, you set yourself in absolute and total lifelong opposition to the world. We do not seek to be popular with the non-Christian world, or with the unfaithful Christian world.
Verse 13, “We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment.” We are content to be the scum at the bottom of the pan. And if we’re not humble enough, the Lord will give us a thorn in the flesh and humble us more. 1 Peter 5:5, “Be clothed with humility.” James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves, and He will exalt you.”
When do we have to be humble? All the time. When we help others, when we listen to others, when we deal with our kids or grandkids, when there is a difference of opinion between you and your partner, when we meet a stranger or a neighbor, when we shop at Walmart or any other place. You portray the love of Jesus when He performed miracles to help others.
It has to become part of your nature because you are filled with Holy Spirit and thus are representing God. But don’t think you can do this without help, you have to ask God in prayer so He gives you what you need at the right moment. And the right moment is when you can really explain the meaning of the Great Commission. Be patient, God will open up doors and He is never too late.