1 Corinthians 4:7-10

1 Corinthians 4:7 ESV
For     who               sees              anything different

in you?

What             do you have            that               you did not receive?

If then           you received it,                             why do you boast

as if you did not receive it?

1 Corinthians 4:8 ESV

Already         you                have                         all you want!

Already         you                have become           rich!

Without us    you                have become           kings!

And    would that                you     did reign,

so                 that               we might share                  the rule with you!

1 Corinthians 4:9 ESV

For     I          think that God          has exhibited           us       apostles

as last of all,

like men        sentenced to death,

because        we                                      have become a spectacle to the   world,

to angels,

and                                                                                                               to men.

 

Jesus had warned the disciples:

Luke 11:49 ESV
Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’

The question is often asked: Why do bad things happen to good people?  Books and videos and sermons have all tackled this question.  Here we have a prime example of such a thing happening.  It happened to Jesus.  He was perfect yet ended up hanging on a cross with a crown of thorns driven into his head while “good” people passed by mocking him. 

How is it that Jesus and the apostles and other good people since have suffered while trying to do good?  Jesus gave us the answer.

John 3:19 ESV
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

Sin is the short simple answer.  We live in a sinful world and people will do sinful things.  Even good people will do sinful things, Sin is never without a victim.  It harms the sinner and it harms all those around him/her.

Often the harm is unseen to human eyes because it is a spiritual harm or a harm to our hearts.

1 Corinthians 4:10 ESV

We     are                fools

for Christ's sake,

but      you     are                wise

in Christ.

We     are     weak,

but      you     are     strong.

You    are     held   in honor,

But     we                          in disrepute.

Paul berates the Corinthian Christians.  Instead of living a humble and peaceful life in harmonious fellowship with each other they were filled with arrogance and divided against each other over their favorite preacher; some following Paul, some Apollos, etc..

The church was divided over petty disputes and the witness to the community at large was tarnished.  Instead of growing in the word and expounding the gospel message to the world around them, they argued over who was the best preacher/teacher.

The gospel was already considered foolish by the world.  Who ever heard of a god dying to save the very people he created and who are dependent upon him for their very breath.  Nonsense was the world’s judgment.  The Corinthian Christians added to that judgment by petty bickering over various leaders.

How often we reflect the pettiness and silliness of the Corinthians in our lives and in our congregations.  We are told:

Romans 10:9-10 ESV 

…if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

This is the heart of the gospel regardless of what group of Christians you associate with.  If you hold to this and they hold to this, then you will spend eternity with God regardless of what other differences you may have in style of worship.