Shalom, dear brothers and sisters. We are going to continue with the study of the letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians. And we have arrived now to first Corinthians chapter 4 very interesting letter filled with exhortations and instructions that helps us as well today as believers in the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah that we will be encouraged and instructed in the things of the Lord and a time we need to be corrected as the Corinthians needed to be corrected we have arrived to chapter four and i would like to read the first 13 verses of first corinthian chapter four so please follow me as i'm reading Shaul Paul continues to exhort the Corinthians and he's saying in verse one Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, ministers of the Messiah, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Moreover, it is required of a steward that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing, that I should be judge of you, or of man's judgment. Yea, I judge not mine own self, for I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified. But he that judge me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come. Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart, and then shall every man have praise of God. And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes, that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against the other.

For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hast not received it? Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as Kings without us. And I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. For I think that God has set forth us, the apostles, last, as it were appointed to death. For we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, for Mashiach's sake. But ye are wise in Christ, in Messiah.

We are weak, but ye are strong. Ye are honorable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we, both hunger and thirst, and are naked and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place, and labor, working with our own hands, being reviled, we bless, being persecuted, we suffered and being defamed, we entreat, we are made as the filth of the world, we are the off-scurrying of all things unto this day. And so I will stop here, beloved brothers and sisters, with verse 13 of 1st Corinthians chapter 4. Here, beloved brothers and sisters, the apostle Shaul Paul continues to exhort and instruct the believers at the city of Corinth.

To remind you, beloved brothers and sisters, that the Corinthians, though are called saints in chapter 1, when the apostle Paul wrote to them that there are saints with all that in everywhere and every place called upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours this is chapter 1 and verse 2 and yet these saints who are positionally are saints they are set apart for God yet in practice in their lives they had. So many things occurred in their lives and their behavior was in such a way that they were not set apart they were not saints practically as they were saints positionally and this is where the apostle Paul writes this whole epistle as a corrective ministry to a local assembly of believers who needed to be corrected.

Again, I would like to remind you that the Apostle Paul have addressed various errors, various wrong practice among the believers at Corinth. We have arrived to chapter 4, and this fourth chapter is included in the first four chapters that there was the problem with divisions among the believers at Corinth. In chapter 5 and chapter 6, there were wrong activity and wrong morality in the city of Corinth among the believers. In chapter 7, we learned that there was an issue with marriage and divorce. In chapter 8, 9, and 10, there was a problem at Corinth in connection with liberty, believers' liberty. In chapter 11, they had an issue with the Lord's table. In chapter 12 and onward, all the way to chapter 14, there was a problem with the spiritual gifts that they have received.

They abused their gifts. In chapter 15 the Corinthians were not correctly understanding the truth of the resurrection some did not believe in the resurrection that's why he said how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead in first Corinthians chapter 15 and of course in chapter 16 there was a problem in relationship to money to giving and so the whole first epistle the first letter to the Corinthians was a letter to correct the Corinthians with respect to many many problems that existed in the local assembly and it is indeed said when they are already children of God believers set apart sanctified the saints yet in practice they behaved like the world and this fourth chapter the apostle Shaul Paul is now challenging the Corinthians in their behavior in relationship to their ministry to their serving the Lord and so he's really challenging the Corinthians in this fourth chapter to be wise as to how to minister to the Lord how to serve the Lord you see even in serving the Lord beloved brothers and sisters.

It is so easy for us to serve the Lord and yet do it in a manner with an attitude and even with a motive that is not right with God and that's what the Apostle Paul is dealing here with writing the Corinthians concerning the necessity to be a true servant of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah and you notice what he's emphasized here in this fourth chapter to the Corinthians in fact the fourth chapter is divided into three sections. The first section is that the servant, if you are going to serve the Lord, the servant of the Lord is called to be faithful. The servant of the Lord is called to be faithful.

First Corinthians chapter 4 verses 1 to 6. Secondly, the servant of the Lord is called to be humbled humbled to learn from Yeshua Jesus the Messiah who humbled himself and became obedient obedient even unto death and finally in the third section from verse 14 to verse 21 the servant of the Lord must be and ought to have tenderness in his heart as he's serving. His master as he's serving the Lord Jesus the Messiah he's like a father that have a tender heart towards those whom he is serving this is so beautiful it is an exhortation here in this fourth chapter of first corinthian but it is so important for all of us to learn this as each and every one of us is a servant of the Lord we have to realize that even though sometime we look at a servant of the Lord who is in full-time ministry who is who have left his secular Job and he's serving among the people of God whether it is as a as a shepherd as a teacher as an evangelist as a pastor teacher yet beloved brothers and sisters every believer is called to be a servant of our Lord Yeshua ha-Mashiach why because the moment we have accepted the Lord Jesus the Messiah as our Lord and Savior we have immediately have entered into a life of relationship with him whereby we are called to serve him to live for him and to be ministers.

Of Christ ministers of the Mashiach and so i would like you to notice as the apostle Paul concluded in chapter 3 again to remind you that the chapters and the verses are not divinely inspired we just have these divisions in the books of the Bibles and to chapters and verses just to help us to have section one section at a time but in reality chapter 4 is a continuation from the third chapter which we have learned about the important that we are to build that God's people are called to be a family that is building the assembly the ecclesia see in Israel history Israel is called to build the nation to serve among the people of Israel in the history of the of the nation of Israel Moses was a servant Joshua was a servant in fact everyone in Israel's history had to serve his people they are to love their brethren to love the people of Israel and so it is very much the same in this present day age in which we live in.

The believers of the in the body of Messiah are called to build so the assembly is like a family and the goal is maturity the church the assembly is like a field and the goal is quantity to bring more people in and to grow and the church the assembly is the house is the temple of God and there must be godliness among the people of God and in order to do so we must serve God out of right to build upon the right foundation to use right material to have a right plan and to have a right motive and if you remember we have concluded in first Corinthians chapter 3 verses 21 22 and 23 with the necessity that Paul exhorted the Corinthians the necessity to build with the right motive to be serving the Lord with the right motive and you remember the last three verses of first Corinthians chapter three therefore let no man glow in men for all things are yours whether Paul or apollos or cephas or the world or life or death or things.

Present or things to come all are yours and you belong to Christ you belong to the Messiah and a Messiah belongs to God in other words you have to have the right motive don't glory in men don't glory in yourself but make sure that you are glorying in the Lord and that's why we read at the end here of chapter 3 that we are to glory in the Lord why because we cannot glow in men we can glow not glow in ourselves because glowing ourselves does not bring honor to God we are to glory the Lord Yeshua the Messiah and to be a blessing to God's people so it is very naturally flowing from chapter 3 into chapter 4 so first Corinthians chapter 4 the apostle Paul continues in his exhortation to a divided assembly by exhorting them and teaching them of the importance to be wise as to how they serve the Lord and to the Lord's people and so the apostle Paul is presenting the importance of serving the Lord Jesus as servants of Yeshua the Messiah.

Of servants of the Lord. And notice what we read, beloved brothers and sisters, the character of those who serve the Lord is that they need to be faithful, they need to be humble, and they need to be tender. All of us, if we are going to serve the Lord, we need these three important facts to be faithful a time we fail but the servant is called to be faithful we need to be humble a time we pride ourselves but we are called to be humble and we need to be gentle and tender in hearts a time we are not we are harsh but nevertheless the call is threefold in the fourth chapter of 1st Corinthians.

The servant of the Lord must be faithful, must be humble, and must be tender, loving servant of the Lord. So in the first six verses of 1st Corinthians chapter 4, the apostle Shaul Paul exhorts the Corinthians with the necessity to serve the Lord faithfully and so you notice in verses 1 and 2 Shaul is speaking Paul. Is speaking to the Corinthians and he said to them that the servant is required to be faithful we read in verse 1 and 2 let a man so count of us as of the ministers of Christ in Hebrew it says ministers of the Messiah and stewards of the mysteries of God the Hebrew there here is ministering serving stewards of the mysteries of God moreover verse 2 it is required from a steward from a servant that a man be found faithful this is interesting right here beloved brothers and sisters the apostle exhort the Corinthians that if they are truly going to serve the Lord Jesus the Messiah their service must be done faithfully unto the Lord it is very important you know in the history in biblical history in the history of Israel God have raised various servants that were faithful to the Lord Moses we read was a faithful in all his house we read of Abraham the servant of the Lord that he God said of him that i know that he will be.

Faithful he will teach his family the ways of the Lord and we read others in the history of of Israel that they were called to serve God and they serve God faithfully in spite of the fact that from time to time we fail men fail but one thing we learn in Scripture is that it is still required from the servant of the Lord to be found faithful it says very clearly here in first Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 2 moreover it is required in stewards or in stewardship in servanthood in servanthood that a man be found faithful faithful is essential we think of Joseph of yoseph of whom we read in Genesis chapter 39 how he was faithful he was faithful to his master Even though his master was not a man of God, yet he was faithful in the home of Potiphar there that he served him.

According to Genesis chapter 39, Joseph was faithful there in his own home. And God honored that as he served in the home of Potiphar. And then we read of others that have been faithful, and it is essential to be faithful. It is required from a servant to be found faithful, we read here in these first two verses. You notice, by the way, that Paul says in verse 1, Let a man so count of us as of ministers of Christ. Notice he used the word servants of the Messiah. You've already mentioned that already in chapter 3, in verse 5, where we read, Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

In other words, who am I, Shaul Paul? Who am I? Who is Paul and Apollos? They are but ministers, we are servants, and Paul wanted that the Corinthians will acknowledge that they are but servants, no more and no less, that's why he didn't want the Corinthians to say, I am of Paul, and I am of Apollos, and I am of Cephas, there was a division among the Corinthians, that's why he's addressing them in chapter 1 2 3 and 4 as corrective ministries to tell them we are but servants of the Lord you are not to divide yourself i am of Paul and i am of apollos and i am of cephas as we read here in chapter 1 and i am of Christ chapter 1 verse 12 chapter 3 and verse 5 says we are but servants or so account us as simply as servants of the Lord Jesus the Messiah that's all what we are Paul is saying to the Corinthians in fact when he wrote to the Galatians in Galatians chapter 1 do I now persuade man or God or do I seek to please man.

For if I yet please man I should not be the servant of Christ the servant of the Messiah in other words if I will try to please man I could never be the servant of the Messiah i could never be the servant of God the servant of Christ and that's why in verses 1 and 2 the apostle Paul emphasizes the importance that the a servant of the Lord Jesus the Messiah is required to be faithful let me remind you of what the Lord himself said in Luke chapter 12 in verse 41 to 48 the Lord Jesus before his death he said in Luke 12 when he was speaking to the disciples as he was ministering to them he said in verse 41 and the Lord said who then is that faithful and a wise steward whom his Lord shall make ruler of his household to give them their portion of meat in due season blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find.

So doing of of a truth i said to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has but if that servant say in his heart my Lord delay his coming and shall begin to beat the men servants and the maidens and to eat and drink and to be drunkard the Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour when he is not aware and will cut him asunder and will appoint him a portion with the unbelievers and that servant which knew his Lord's will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be bitten with many stripes but he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be bitten with a few stripes but to whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required and to whom men have committed much of him they will ask them all amazing to see who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his Lord shall make ruler of his.

Household to give them their portion of meat of food in due season spiritual food in due season so Yeshua have already taught that in his life as one of the parables that he taught in the land of Israel before he died and the apostle Paul is now teaching these lessons to the Corinthians who were having friction among one another he said it is required from a servant from a steward that he may be found faithful and brothers and sisters this is an exhortation to all of us how at times sadly we dishonor the Lord when there is no faithfulness among the servants of the Lord the people of God we read in first Peter chapter 4 in verse 10 as every man has received the gift even so minister serve the same one to another as good steward of the manifold grace of God first Peter 4 and verse 10 Peter spoke about the importance of being a faithful servant Paul is speaking about the importance of being a faithful servant our Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah.

Taught about the importance of being a good and faithful servant. Now you notice in verses 3 and verse 4, we learn that every servant of the Lord will ultimately have to stand before three courts. And this is very interesting. In other words, whatever you and I will do as we serve the Lord beloved brothers and sisters we are always going to be examined and that is important to realize that because whenever we do something for the Lord whenever we serve God whether it is faithfully or a time failing to do this faithful ministry we will be examined and so in the next verses verses 3 and 4 the apostle Paul tell the Corinthians that they will be judged they will be examined notice in verse 3 the first part of verse 3 we find out that the servant will be judged will be examined by the outside world i'm reading verse 3 the first part but with me it is a very small thing that i should be judge of you or of man's judgment you see the pastor.

Paul so he says i am he says with me is it a very small thing that i should be judge of you or of man's judgment in other words you are examining me the man in the world the people of the world examine me to see whether i am serving my Messiah my Savior in the right way if i am truly a minister of Christ a servant of of the Lord and you see brothers and sisters whenever we will do something from for the Lord and for the Lord's people the world and also the people of God will examine us the court of men the opinion of men whether it is in the assembly in the church or whether it is out in the world men will examine us Paul is admitting here he says but with me is it very small thing that I should be judge of you or of men judgment in other words he's saying it's not a small thing i know that the world and i know.

That the people of God are examining the servants of the Lord and whatever service you do you might be teaching children you might be ministering to as a sister ministering to the ladies to the women we you might be serving the Lord and ministering to the people in the prison you might be a preacher of the gospel a teacher of the word of God serving the Lord as a shepherd whatever we do for the Lord Jesus the Messiah it will always be examined both as it says here by you Paul is saying to the Corinthians already examined Shaul Paul but also by man's judgment from without whatever Paul did serving the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah the unregenerated world also evaluate what he says and so we have to realize that that we will always end up to be examined by the human race people will evaluate what we do and unfortunately a time when we are being criticized it is correct because we are failing to do what the Lord called us to do.

With the right motive a right attitude and also to be faithful at time we failed the Lord but the call remained the same it is required from a steward that he may be found faithful but the second court we might say or the second court of examination is the self-examination and that is found in verse 3 at the end and in the first part of verse 4 Shaul Paul continues he says yeah in verse 3b I judge not mine own self in other words I do not care as to only what men say but I judge you think I judge not my own self for I know nothing by myself yet am I not hereby justified in other words Paul knew in his own heart that he also need to examine himself but notice the way it is said here yeah I judge not my own self and I'm really what he's really saying you think that I'm only seeing what other people are saying about me he says for i know nothing by myself yet am i not.

Hereby justified he know very well that he doesn't know everything he doesn't do everything in the perfect way yet he says that he is ultimately he says i do not hereby justify i don't justify myself when i fail when i do things wrong i don't justify myself he know very well that he has to examine himself in Scripture we read that how important is that everyone ought to examine himself because we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ and so beloved brothers and sisters every man's work everything we do for the Lord we have to to realize that it is not only that others evaluate what we are doing but also the apostle Paul says you think that I judge not my own self for I know nothing by myself yet am I not hereby justified he understood that he cannot justify himself if he's serving in a wrong manner if he's not faithful he cannot justify himself and Neither do we, if we serve the Lord and if we fail Him, we cannot justify ourselves.

We always have to go to Him in repentance and ultimately receive a forgiveness from the Lord. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But he doesn't stop here because in the second part of verse 4 he is reminding the Corinthians and of course applying it to himself that the servant is ultimately examined by the Lord himself. You remember we read in verse 13 of chapter 3, every man's work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed as by fire and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is so notice in verse 4 at the end it says notice what it says yet am i not hereby justify he said but he the judge me is the Lord in other he knew very well that the Lord examined him that the Lord is ultimately the judge of God's people remember we have already pointed to it because in the second epistle in chapter 5 and verse 10 Paul already said for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may received the things done in his body according to that he has done whether it be good or bad well the world examine us we need to examine ourselves but the Lord Jesus the Messiah is examining us now as we serve him but also ultimately he will examine our activity what.

We have done when he we're all going to stand before him as the judge at the judgment seat of the Messiah after he will take us to be with him in heaven the judgment seat of Christ the judgment seat of the Messiah is only with respect to our service here and not with respect to our salvation everyone that will stand at the judgment seat of Christ is a believer is a forgiven a person but his works his service will be examined and ultimately all that which is done for the Lord will be rewarded and whatever was done for the flesh will be set aside and burned Well, now notice, beloved brothers and sisters, in the next verses, verses 5 and 6, the Apostle Paul, in these two verses, rebuking the Corinthians, and he's telling them, notice three things he's telling to the Corinthians.

That they are judging God's servants at the wrong time. That's number one. Secondly they are judging God's servants by wrong standards and thirdly they were judging God's servants with a wrong motive how easy it is for us to do that isn't it notice what the apostle continued to tell them in verse 5 he's saying to the to the Corinthians therefore judge nothing before the time apparently they were so quickly to judge one another and even to judge the apostle Shaul Paul and others he's saying to them you know don't judge things before the time learn a little bit about the servants and what they are doing therefore judge nothing before the time until the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and he will make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shall every man have praise of God in other words Corinthians Paul is telling them you see don't judge things before the time it's not the time to judge now and to examine and to condemn well this is exactly what happened beloved brothers.

And sisters at corin this division that existed that he have addressed already in chapter 3 he says i brethren could not speak unto you as to spiritual but as to carnal even as unto babes in Christ chapter 3 and verse 1 i fed you with milk and not with meat for hitherto you were not able to bear it neither ye now are able for ye are carnal yet carnal for where is there is among you envying and strife and division are ye not carnal and walk as men see the Corinthians were envying one another there was strife among one another there was a division in the local assembly at koan and Paul is saying to them in chapter 4 and verse 5 he rebuked them by saying to the Corinthians look you are judging those who serve God at the wrong time before the time in other words he's directing them to the future that the Lord Jesus himself when he will come in the context of the Corinthians in the rapture of the assembly in the rapture of the church.

And then what will happen the hidden things of darkness any one of us everything that we have done in darkness against God not pleasing to the Lord according to the flesh those hidden things of darkness they will be manifested and the counsel of the heart will be manifested before the Lord it will be revealed to the Lord So don't go around and start to fight with one another to have these divisions and envying. If someone served the Lord with wrong motive, he will have to stand before the Lord. And it is so important to not to cause divisions and envying and strife and so on.

But one must realize that when we evaluate God's service, God's servants, it must be done in the right way, with the right attitude. And this is important. One day we will all stand before God and the Lord will reveal everything to us. But you notice what beautiful here in this verse 5, beloved brothers and sisters, Paul always looked at the positive. He realized the failure that the Corinthians had in their behavior. He understood that he himself was liable to fail and to stumble even in his service. You remember what he says in Romans chapter 7, I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing.

And you remember how he concluded this amazing seventh chapter in the book of Romans. He says, who shall deliver me out of this body of humiliation? The Apostle Shaul Paul said he knew, he realized that someone has to deliver him day by day from living a life that is at times stumbling and failing and dishonoring the Lord and you remember what he said I thank God through Jesus Christ through Yeshua HaMashiach our Lord so then with the mind I myself serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sin and you remember when he said at that time in verse 24 he said all wretched men that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death and then he thanked God through Yeshua HaMashiach through Jesus the Messiah our Lord in other words it is only the Lord that can help us and so in chapter 4 and verse 5 Paul is saying don't you judge a servant of the Lord in a wrong time be wise as to how you judge remember that they will be judged in a future day but be sure to to not to judge in a wrong time and apparently.

They must have done so otherwise Paul would not need to say this to them he continued in verse 6 the first part he's saying to the Corinthian you are also judging God as servants with and by wrong standards what is verse 6 these things brethren what does he call them brethren i have in a figure transferred to myself and to apollos for your sake that he might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written in other words Paul is saying to them don't think of men more than what he is that is exactly the problem that they have had in the assembly at Corinth we have mentioned that more than once and our pastor Paul mentioned this more than once in chapter 1 and in chapter 3.

Every one of you says, I am of Paul and I am of Apollos and I am of Cephas and I am of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? This is chapter 1 in verse 12 and 13. Then chapter 3 in verse 5. Who then is Paul? Who then is Apollos but ministers by whom you believe even as the Lord gave to every man i have planted apollo's water but God gave the increase you have to understand that don't you judge God's servants with the wrong standard don't exalt him beyond what he is again let me read verse six the first part And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes, that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written.

You see, beloved brothers and sisters, don't go beyond what the servants of God are called to do and called to be. Don't make much of men. Make much of the Messiah. Years ago, I'm very thankful for the encouragement that I received from a believer who have told me that if I have an opportunity to minister the Word of God, to make much of Mashiach, of Christ, of Messiah. Why? Because he is the central person. He is the Redeemer, the Savior, the God-Man, the Mashiach, the Savior who loved us and gave himself for us. We are to be occupied with him, not with men, beloved brothers and sisters.

This is so important, beloved brothers and sisters, because if we exalt men we will fail we will fail so don't judge God's servant by wrong standard verse 6a but then notice in verse 6b we read notice that the apostle tells them and they are not to judge God's servant with the wrong motive what is the reason that we are judging and accusing or trying to find fault in God's servant. Are we doing it with the right motive? Is it honoring to the Lord? So at the end of verse 6, Paul said, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. Notice once again, they were puffed up one against the other.

One against the other. And that is the wrong motive, beloved brothers and sisters, to puff up once against another and to judge them. The word to be puffed up is lehid gaot. It's pride. Pride. Pride cometh before a fall. Pride is that which brought about sin into this world. When Adam, who was supposed to humble himself before God, when he was told not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, in pride he really said to God, I want to eat this fruit and I will do so. And in pride he plunged the whole human race into sin and God had to humble him.

Therefore, there is that exhortation not to be puffed up. The Apostle Paul will use the same expression in chapter 5 and verse 2. And ye are puffed up. The word is me, ge'im, Hebrew. We are proud in what we are and we are proud in what we think and we are proud in what we say. And therefore, I'm lifting myself up. I'm proud. This is very dangerous. He will mention this later on in chapter 4 as well. He said in verse 18, now some are puffed up. Verse 19, he said, they are them which are puffed up. Arrogance, pride, and pride comes before a fall, beloved brothers and sisters. This is exactly what the Scripture teaches us concerning the importance of being humble.

Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and he will exalt you in due time. The wise man is humbling himself before the Lord and the Lord will bless him here and now but also in eternity. This is so important, beloved brothers and sisters, as the Apostle Paul in the first six verses is charging and challenging the Corinthians that the servant of the Lord Jesus the Messiah must be faithful and therefore to realize that he will be examined by men he will must examine himself but ultimately will be examined by the Lord but the rebuke to the Corinthians is that they were judging examining the servant of the Lord at the wrong time by wrong standard and with a wrong motive may the Lord help us to see this and that we will be sensitive one to another and that we will seek to encourage those who serve the Lord and to be encouraged ourselves to serve the Lord until he will come back to take us to be with him at home in glory in heaven but secondly beloved brothers and sisters in verses 7 8 9 10 all the way to verse 13 the apostle continued to exhort and to challenge the Corinthians.

With the necessity that if they are going to serve the Lord they are not only need to be faithful but the servants of the Lord are called to be humble you remember we just ended up in verse 6 with the fact he says that no one of you be puffed up for one against the other in other words instead of being puffed up be humble and so notice verses 7 to 13 he's emphasizing the importance of humility the servant of the Lord actually receive everything from the Lord everything we have is given to us everything even we read in Scripture that in him we move and live and have our beings the apostle Shaul Paul at mars hill in act chapter 17 reminded the people of athens in whom we move and live and have our beings you know everything we have has been given to us by God but for one reason or another because of our sin nature we think that we deserve everything so Paul said to the Corinthians in verses 7 8 and 9 that servants of the Lord really.

Receive everything from the Lord everything we have we receive from the Lord and so he's saying in verse 7 notice that who makest thee to differ from another and what has thou that thou didst not receive now if thou didst receive it he's saying why does thou glory as if thou has not received it you see beloved brothers and sisters everything that we receive everything that the servant of God receive is that we have is received from the Lord the Lord is the one that gave everything to God's people but as a servant as the Corinthians claimed to serve the Lord and yet they were fighting with one another and causing division in the local assembly they didn't pause and stop to realize what has thou the doubt did not receive the gift the spiritual gift were given by God salvation that they receive were given by God so why is it Paul is charging the Corinthians why is it that if you receive it why does thou glory why do you pride yourself as if.

Thou has not received it you see beloved brothers and sisters everything that we have we receive notice what we read in John chapter 3 and verse 27 John answered and said a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven you yourself bear witness that i said i am not the Mashiach but that i am sent before him he was sent before the Messiah John did not want to take anything that was not his he wanted to give the glory to Yeshua HaMashiach who came as the Scripture had declared in verse 29 he says he that has the bride is the bridegroom but a friend of the bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoicing greatly because of the bridegroom's voice this is my joy wherefore it's fulfilled he must increase but i must decrease you see Yohanan hamatbil John the baptizer was a servant of the Lord and that's why he was honest enough to say a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven every good and perfect things came from above from the father of light with whom.

There is no variableness neither shadow of turning everything that you and i receive beloved brothers and sisters came from God even the spiritual things that we do as we serve the Lord it was all given unto us and Paul is telling in verse 7 what is thou that thou didst not receive how important beloved brothers and sisters is to bear this in mind as we serve the Lord in our life how important beloved brothers and sisters to realize this in our life as believers this is essential for us as we serve the Lord that everything that we have we received all of us received all from the Lord also the apostle continue in verse 8 that emphasizing to the Corinthians that they have been enriched by God in other words they received everything as they are serving the Lord nothing is from them verse 8 he continues now ye are full ye are rich ye have reigned as Kings without us in other words Paul is humbling himself he's saying.

To the Corinthians look I'm set aside I led you to the Lord which he mentioned it I'm but a servant that led you to the Lord but the rest is you are to continue to serve the Lord and minister to God's people and seek to be united together recognize that you receive everything from the Lord and now he's telling them in verse 8 that they were filled they were enriched by the Lord himself now you are full you are rich you have reigned as Kings without us and I would to God ye did reign that we also might reign with you in other words Paul is saying look you are like Kings when you have accepted the Lord Jesus the Lord Yeshua the Messiah in actuality you've been so much blessed because you receive from God this amazing salvation and that you will reign and rule with the Lord in fact you're already enjoying some of it here and now when you belong to him.

And you serve the king yes the king is rejected now but you can serve him here and so he's saying in verse 8 you are full in fact do you remember in chapter 1 that the apostle Shaul Paul said concerning spiritual gifts he said in verse 7 of first corinthian 1 so that ye come behind in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah Lord Jesus Christ another one you are not lacking any spiritual gift you do not come behind any other assembly with the spiritual gift that you received so you are full and you are rich and you are reigning as king without us and he said I would i wish to God that you did rain now they obviously when Paul said i wish to God that he rain what he meant sadly they didn't enjoy the position that they have been brought into and they didn't practice what they had they didn't enjoy it at all and therefore Paul said i wish that you would have reigned because we want to reign with you in other words.

What he's saying but that we want also to reign to serve the Lord here and now until we will be with him even here and now we want to do it with you with a proper attitude with a proper motive with a right standard in the right time and so in verse 9 he continued he said to them he said we as an apostles we became an open example before you notice what it said in verse 9 for i think that God has said forth us the apostles the shlichim last as it were appointed to death for we are made not as a spectacle unto the world and to angels and to men in other words God have said the apostles as a spectacle the word spectacle it's like a show like a theater like a public show before the world before angels and before men for we are made a spectacle in Hebrew ra'avah to be seen unto the world everybody is observing us even the angels observing us.

And men observing us and you observing us namely the believers at Corinth now again the apostle Paul does not say that he is a perfect servant what he says that even we God set us forth the apostles last what does he mean by that of course they were the apostles they were the foundation of the assembly of the church at large but what he mean by saying less because even though they were the Lord is the chief cornerstone the Lord Jesus the Messiah but the church the assembly built upon the apostles and the prophets Jesus Christ the chief cornerstone and yet Paul saying here look we become a show to everyone and everyone observe us and watch perhaps our failures also and not only the whole world but also the angels and also men at large so Paul was honest with saying this to the Corinthians and so you notice in verses 10 to verse 13 the apostle Paul continued to tell the Corinthians that the servants of the Lord if they are going to serve the Lord they will become fools for Messiah's sake.

They become weak for the sake of the Lord who is strong and they become despised in the world that's why when he says in verse 9 that we are set forth as the apostles last is because the apostles have experienced a much opposition beloved brothers and sisters the early shlichim of the assembly who came to know the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah and they are the one that became the foundation of the assembly they had to pay a price for that because by becoming servants of the Lord and the apostles the foundation of the assembly of the church they have experienced things that you and i have no idea and that's why notice in verse 10 11 12 and 13 notice what the apostle Shaul Paul says to the Corinthians first of all in verse 10 the first part we are fools for Christ's sake but ye are wise in Christ in other words verse 10 a we are fools for the name of the Lord Jesus the Messiah but you are wise in the sense that you have received that which came.

From us from the Lord through us to you and you learned so much but you did not enjoy it you did not practice this in your life so we are fools for Christ's sake but you are wise in Christ in other words in a sense he is like saying to them you may claim to be wise but look at us we became fools for the Messiah then in the second part of verse 10 he says we are weak but ye are strong ye are honorable but we are despised in other words in verse 10 b the second part of verse 10 he's saying no you see we're not only fools for the Lord and you are wise or at least you claim to be wise secondly we actually became weak you remember when the Lord said to Shaul Paul when when he sought to to take the thorn in in his sides away from himself and the Lord said my grace is sufficient and Paul said when i'm weak then i'm strong you see the Corinthians thought.

That they were strong by the manner whereby they behaved and yet Paul said we are weak but he says you are strong in other words you are strong unfortunately in the Corinthians sake they were wise in their own sight they were strong in their own strength because they did not behave in the right way that's why there was division in the assembly there and thirdly in verse 10c all the way to verse 13 Paul says we became despised and beloved brothers and sisters notice what the apostle Shaul Paul says of himself he's saying to them now you are honorable again the Corinthians became honorable in their own side in their own mind in their own self because they were instead of humbling themselves instead of a proper behavior among themselves having right motive as they serve the Lord right standards as they serve him instead of being faithful they were not apparently that's why there were so many divisions at Corinth but notice what happened to those who.

Truly serve the Lord he says in verse 10 c at the end Paul all the way to verse 13 but we are despised you have been honored corinthian but we the apostles who serve the Lord we become despised and rejected of men like the Messiah himself who is called a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief he was despised and rejected of men as Isaiah the prophet of Israel spoke about the Messiah who would come at his first coming and here Shaul Paul is saying we are despised now verse 11 12 and 13 even unto this present hour as you are priding yourself as you are thinking that you are wise corinthian and you think that you are strong corinthian as you are seeking honor for yourself corinthian we are despised even unto this present day we both hunger and thirst verse 11 and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling places verse 12 and labor working with our own hands being reviled we bless being persecuted we suffer it being defamed we entreat.

We are made as the filth of the world and are the off curging of all things unto this day amazing when you think what he says here in this verse beloved brothers and sisters that expression being defamed we are entreat we are made as the filth of the world and you notice this in verse 13 there at the end in that last part he says we have been made as the filth of the world and the off-scurrying of all things until now. We became, you might say, the garbage of the world right up to this moment. We became the off-scurrying of all things until now. Another translation called it, we became like the scam of the world.

The scam of the earth. That is that word of scurrying of all things unto this day and so beloved brothers and sisters the apostle Shaul Paul is expressing to the Corinthians in verses 1 to 13 the two of the three important things that needed to be characterized in the life of those who are going to serve the Lord even in the local assembly and beyond the servants of the Lord are called to be faithful verses 1 to 6 and the servants of the Lord are called to be humble verses 7 to 13 and this is a challenge for us all beloved brothers and sisters that we as well are called to be So may God help us all because it is so easy for us to be unfaithful and it is so easy for us to be proud and arrogant and may the Lord help us.

Every one of us who is called to serve the Lord, every true believer is a servant of the Lord, a brother or a sister. We are all called to serve the Lord in the sphere where God has called us to be. And we are all called to be faithful, and we are all called to be humbled. May the Lord help us as we continue here to live for Him until His soon return. And so, God bless you, my dear brothers and sisters, and dear friend. Until the next time, we will say to you, Shalom, Shalom.