The Substitute’s Task
If you have your Bible, will you open with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 4?
As I was preparing for this message, we are going to talk a little bit about stewardship. I remembered back when I lived in Headland, Alabama. One of my best friends there was a Taekwondo instructor who also taught Spanish and history at Northside Methodist in Dothan, Alabama.
One Sunday he came to me and said, “Hey, I’m looking for a substitute teacher. Would you be interested in subbing for me?”
I said, “Sure.” We had some students in our youth group who went to that school, and I thought it would be a great opportunity. So I signed up, got on their roster, and he would call me about four or five times a year to fill in for him.
Now, I know a lot about history, but I don’t know anything about Spanish. I can maybe count to ten, but that’s about it. So when I showed up, my job as a substitute teacher was simply to make sure that the plans given to me were carried out. If they had assignments to do, I stood up and said, “Hey, you know what you’re supposed to be doing—get to work.” That was my responsibility. I wasn’t supposed to create my own lesson plan.
Thankfully, it was a Christian school, and my friend told me, “Hey, go share the gospel. Talk about Jesus as often as you want.” So I would always take time to share the gospel with the kids. I’d get into gospel conversations with them. Sometimes I would do something fun where I’d write John 3:16 in Spanish on the board (I had to look it up online since I didn’t have it memorized) and then have the students translate it. That gave me an opportunity to talk about the gospel.
Even though I didn’t know Spanish, I was still a steward of that classroom time. My responsibility was to make sure the students stayed on task and that the assignment was completed.
In 1 Corinthians 4, Paul describes himself in the same way—as a steward who has been given a task.
So look with me at 1 Corinthians 4. We’ll read through the whole chapter together and then break it down as we go.
1 Corinthians, chapter 4, beginning in verse 1:
“This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.
Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.
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?
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!
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.
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.
To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.
I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
I urge you, then, be imitators of me. That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.
Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.
What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?”
Guardians of the Gospel
Paul is concluding his discussion about the pride and division within the Corinthian church. In chapters 1 through 3, factions were forming: some claimed to follow Paul, others Apollos, others Peter, and some claimed Christ. They were boasting in themselves and puffing themselves up. Now Paul lands the final blow. He tells them, “This is how you are to regard us.”
Paul does not align with the “Paul faction.” Instead, he says, “This is how you should think about me. This is how you should think about Apollos. This is how you should think about any teacher of God’s Word: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.”
The word for steward in the Greek is oikonomos—the manager of a household. In those days, the steward was often the head servant in a Roman household. When the master was away, the steward was responsible for ensuring that everything was carried out according to the master’s wishes. If the steward began to boast in himself or create his own agenda, he was neglecting his duty.
In the same way, preachers, teachers, and apostles are stewards of the mysteries of God. We are servants of Christ with one Master and one Lord. We are not called to draw attention to ourselves or form factions, but to carry out the message entrusted to us.
Paul calls this message “the mysteries of God.” It is not some hidden magic, but truths that were once concealed and are now revealed in Christ. In the Old Testament, these mysteries were foreshadowed: the promise that the offspring of Eve would crush the serpent, the prophecy to Judah that the scepter would not depart until the ruler came, the covenant with David that one of his descendants would reign forever, and Isaiah’s vision of the suffering servant who would bear the sins of the people. All of these pointed to Christ. What was once hidden has now been made fully known in him.
As Christians, we are stewards of this revealed message. We cannot hold it back, nor can we alter it to suit ourselves. A steward is required to be faithful. Sometimes that means delivering a message people will not want to hear.
When I served as a substitute teacher, there was always one student who tried to take advantage, saying, “Our teacher lets us use our phones,” or “We don’t have to do that assignment.” But my job was not to create my own rules. My job was to follow the instructions I had been given. Likewise, as Christians, we are not free to create our own message or say only what people want to hear. We are entrusted with the gospel—the good news that salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone.
This message will offend some, because it confronts human pride, sin, and rebellion. But our task is not to please people. Our task is to be faithful to the Master. My prayer is not to build the biggest church or attract the largest crowds. My prayer is that at the end of my life, when I stand before Christ, he will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” That is the longing and desire of every true steward of the mysteries of God.
The Ultimate Judge: God Sees the Heart
Paul continues, and here he begins to get a bit sarcastic with the Corinthians. He says, “But with me, it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.”
In Scripture, there is a tension in the word “judgment.” On one side, some people feel called to be judge, jury, and executioner over everyone they meet. They scrutinize others’ lives, assuming they know motives, intentions, and destinies, often acting like Pharisees. On the other side, some are tempted to take an overly lax approach, thinking, “We can’t judge anyone,” often stopping at verses like Matthew 7:1—“Judge not, lest you be judged”—without reading the rest of the chapter.
Paul is addressing neither extreme. He is not advocating that we avoid discernment or moral evaluation. In fact, as we will see in chapter 5 next week, he calls for judgment in matters like church discipline. What he is saying here is that our ultimate and final judge is not human—neither other Christians nor worldly courts. The final judge is Jesus Christ.
You may have seen tattoos or phrases that say, “Only God can judge me.” That is true, but it should also strike awe and reverence in our hearts. God is the ultimate judge. He is righteous and just, and one day, every person will give an account to Him. It does not matter what others in the congregation say. It does not matter what the courts decide. It does not even matter what we say about ourselves. What matters is what the Judge of all the earth says.
Paul emphasizes this: “I do not even judge myself.” Many of us can be our own harshest critics. We replay our failures, magnify our faults, and doubt our worthiness. Satan often whispers lies, telling us we are unlovable, unforgivable, and incapable of finding peace. But Paul reminds us that God is greater than our failures. God is good enough to love, forgive, and redeem us, no matter how many times we have fallen.
Paul is not saying we should avoid self-examination. In the same letter, he instructs us to examine ourselves. But he warns against taking judgment so far that we place ourselves outside God’s mercy. We are never beyond the reach of His grace. As he says in verse 4: “For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.” Paul recognizes that he is not perfect. He may be unaware of sin in his life, but ultimate judgment rests with the Lord.
Therefore, Paul warns: “Do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart.” We can inspect fruit, but we cannot see the heart. There may be people whose lives appear godly on the surface—they attend church, serve on committees, and produce visible acts of service—but their hearts may not be aligned with God. On the day of judgment, God will reveal what is real and what is false. Every heart will be exposed, and each person will receive their commendation from God.
True Discipleship: Humility, Suffering, and the World’s Scorn
Verse 6: “I have applied these things to myself and to Apollos for your benefit, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.”
If Paul is a servant, we are all servants. If Apollos is a servant, we are all servants. If Paul is a steward, we are all stewards. The highest person in the church, the one who wrote thirteen letters of Scripture and founded the church in Corinth, is a servant—then every member of the Church of Corinth, and every follower of Jesus, has surrendered to the work of the Master, God. That is the humility we must embrace.
Verse 7: “For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?”
Verse 8: Paul uses sarcasm here, an effective tool when used properly: “Already you have all you want, already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings.” He is not complimenting them; he is exposing their arrogance. They have exalted themselves, thinking that being a Christian guarantees wealth, status, and praise from everyone around them.
Verse 9: “For I think God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world.” Paul contrasts the apostles’ reality with the Corinthians’ illusions. “We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we are in disrepute.”
Verse 11: “To the present hour, we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed, buffeted, and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat.” This is the Christian life. If you are never reviled, slandered, or persecuted, you are not fully following Jesus. True discipleship leads to conflict with the world, just as it did with Jesus, the apostles, and the early church.
Persecution today may look different: social isolation, losing friends or family, job loss, or other consequences. Around the world, Christians still face imprisonment, torture, and death for their faith. Real faith in Jesus Christ makes you an enemy of Satan and the world. Paul reminds them that true discipleship leads to suffering.
Yet even in suffering, the Christian responds differently: when reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we still speak truth and call others to Christ. Verse 13: “We have become and are still like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.” The imagery is vivid. Imagine a dumpster just emptied—the residue, the film of scum, the stench that lingers. That is how the world sees Christians.
But in Christ, our identity is secure. We are victorious, loved, and cherished as children of the Most High God. The world may see us as refuse, but Jesus sees us as precious and exalts us. What the world thinks does not define us. In Christ, we have all things, and our ultimate victory is certain.
Discipleship, Examination, and the Call to Reconciliation
Verse 14: I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. Paul softens the message here. Though the Corinthians had many guides and teachers, they did not have many fathers—Paul had become their father in Christ Jesus.
He continues in verse 17: That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. Timothy had traveled with Paul since he was a teenager and had been spiritually discipled by him. Paul says, in essence, “I sent you Timothy so you could see someone living out the example I have set.”
Real discipleship is not simply attending a Sunday school class or hearing a good sermon. Those are blessings and commanded in Scripture, but true discipleship comes from observing someone live faithfully and following their example. Paul had Timothy, Timothy trained others, and those who followed Timothy were following Paul as he followed Christ.
If we are going to raise the next generation—children, youth, young families—we must invest in their lives, show them what it looks like to follow Jesus faithfully, and model that through every season of life.
Paul closes with a warning in verse 21: What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness? He is speaking as a father, urging them to correct their ways.
Church, this is what we are called to do each week: hear the Word of God, examine our hearts, and ask ourselves if we are faithful stewards of the Lord. Are we living truthfully even when it is unpopular? Are we sharing the gospel even when it offends?
As we prepare to partake in the Lord’s Supper, remember that only those who are believers in Jesus Christ should participate, and only those who have examined themselves and are in right standing with their brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul warns that partaking in the Supper while unrepentant brings judgment upon oneself.
Take this moment to examine your heart. Ask: Have I promoted unity? Have I loved my neighbors and fellow Christians, or have I slandered or hurt them? Is there conflict I need to address within my family, my church, or among friends? Use this opportunity to reconcile and set your heart in the right direction.
