The Apostle’s Fatherly Warning Against Spiritual Pride, 4/27/26

Today we are going to continue in our study of

the book of 1 Corinthians. We are in chapter

4, looking at verses 6 through verse 17. Verse

6 through 17. I'd like to speak about the Apostles'

fatherly warning against spiritual pride. Hear

now the word of the Lord. Now these things, brethren,

I have figuratively transferred to myself and

Apollos for your sakes. 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. 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? You are

already full. You are already rich. You have

reigned as kings without us. And indeed, I could

wish you did reign, and that we also might reign

with you. 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. 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. To the present hour, we both

hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed

and beaten and homeless. And we labor, working

with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless.

Being persecuted, we endure. Being defamed, we

entreat. We have been made as the filth of the

world, the offscouring of all things until now.

I do not write these things to shame you, but

as my beloved children, I warn you. For though

you might have 10 ,000 instructors in Christ,

yet you do not have many fathers. For in Christ

Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

Therefore I urge you, imitate me. For this reason

I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved

and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind

you of my ways in Christ as I teach everywhere

in every church. Father, we come before you today

and ask for your blessing on this word. I pray

that you would maintain your word, Lord, by the

power of the Spirit. I pray that you would give

me a voice that's clear and that can speak forth

your word today in clarity, in boldness, but

in faithfulness, Lord. Please open up our eyes

to this wonderful word as we consider it today.

We ask for the unction and the power of the Holy

Spirit. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. The word

of God is the best rule by which to judge concerning

men. Judging rightly concerning men and not judging

more highly of them than is fit is one way to

prevent quarrels and contentions in the church.

Pride commonly lies at the bottom of these quarrels.

With these words from Matthew Henry, we come

today to the apostles' strong words about the

heart of the situation in Corinth. The preceding

chapters were building up to this moment of truth

when Paul switches from speaking figuratively

and indirectly about Christian ministers to blunt

commands, to rhetorical questions, and giving

strong warnings. But note that all of this comes

from a very fatherly heart warning his children.

Warnings are a tool of discipling that Paul used,

along with teaching, illustrating, exhorting,

and encouraging. Paul tells the Ephesian elders

in Acts chapter 20, he says, Therefore watch

Acts 20 · chapter mention

and remember that for three years I did not cease

to warn everyone night and day with tears. And

surely the problem of pride, that of being puffed

up on behalf of one against the other, is a big

problem. It is a corrosive sin that destroys

congregations, and it fosters envy and strife

and divisions, as he wrote in chapter 3, verse

3. By pride comes nothing but strife, says Solomon

in Proverbs 13, verse 10. And when things are

Proverbs 13:10

going well, then the temptation to pride comes.

Now this can happen in any church that is prospering,

or if a minister becomes renowned, or is granted

a measure of fame. But this temptation especially

comes when ministers become celebrities. Attempting

to groom a flashy or performative media presence

or branding themselves in a certain way, shifting

focus from substance to persona. This can happen

by being men -pleasers, but also by saying or

writing outlandish or outrageous statements or

social media posts designed to just get attention

and Create media clicks. Now, at the same time,

we do greatly appreciate the works of renowned,

faithful, and even famous ministers, but that's

different than being a celebrity. Early Christianity

spread through ordinary believers, traveling

apostles and preachers, and the faithful meeting

of churches in the towns and the villages throughout

the empire. with local elders, not through rock

star evangelists with entourages. The apostles

had influence, but how? Through suffering, through

preaching, and through teaching, and not in polished

images. And in our passage today, Paul warns

the Corinthians about their wrong understanding,

and he gives them a sound corrective, warning

them not to think. that the ministers of Christ

beyond what is written and not to be puffed up

on behalf of a particular one against another.

For our first point, we want to consider verse

6, that ministers should be evaluated by scriptural

standards. Now these things, brethren, I have

figuratively transferred to myself and to 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. With these beginning words, Paul shifts

from speaking of ministers in general to speaking

directly of himself and Apollos. Peter, although

mentioned earlier as Cephas, is not in view right

here in this place. It seems like that Paul and

Apollos were the main ministers to the Corinthian

church in the prior time. He says that he's driving

this point home with direct application to himself

and to Apollos so that they, as the congregation,

might learn. It is one thing to speak hypothetically

and in generalities, but able teachers and preachers

must be able to drive a point home to their audience,

to the needs or the blessings of the time and

in their place, to the ones to whom they have

been entrusted. Now we see this happening also

at other times in the scriptures, sometimes in

prophetic speech. For example, when David sins

by committing adultery with Bathsheba and then

he murders her husband after she got pregnant

by him, Nathan the prophet comes to him and he

tells him a story. He gives him a parable about

a rich man who had many sheep and about a poor

man who had one sheep. And the rich man went

and took the one sheep away from the poor man.

And thus made him impoverished him because of

it. And David responds with anger at the rich

man. And then Nathan looks at him. And these

words that are so direct. You are the man. You

have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword.

You have taken his wife to be your wife. And

have killed him with the sword of the people

of Ammon. But remember also that while Paul is

speaking directly, he is also writing as a father.

And we'll see this in verse 15. Sometimes, fathers,

we need to speak directly about things as they

are. Yes, we need to use grace in our speech,

but we need to speak forthrightly and directly

to God. our children or to the situation. And

Paul is doing this here to his children in the

faith. He continues that you may learn in us

not to think beyond what is written. The Corinthians

needed to learn how to think about their ministers

and the apostles. Rather than elevating them

or some of them to celebrity status and then

creating factions around them, they are to learn

to think not To think not beyond what is written.

In this, Paul is writing about the entire Old

Testament, which shows the authority of the Old

Testament as the whole counsel of God. There

is much about faithful ministry and the sin of

pride written, and to this Paul appeals. Do not

think about us beyond what is written. Now in

this, Paul may well have had in mind the words

of the prophet Jeremiah, who said, Thus says

the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom.

Let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor

let the rich man glory in his riches. But let

him who glories, glory in this, that he understands

and knows me. that I am the Lord, exercising

loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness

in the earth. For in these I delight, says the

Lord. This is from Jeremiah 9, verse 23 and 24.

Jeremiah 9:23

And there are many other passages that we could

turn to. that paul could have been referring

to but we will suffice with this now the apostles

are a living demonstration of these words they

view the old testament as scripture they quoted

extensively they are obedient to it not being

prideful or puffed up in the demonstration of

the holy spirit's power in them and in this there's

a synergy and a unity between the apostles and

the prophets The apostles and the prophets. And

you'll see these words put together a number

of times in the New Testament describing the

foundation of the church as the apostles and

the prophets with Jesus as the chief cornerstone.

For example, Ephesians 2 verse 20. Christ's church

Ephesians 2:20

has been built. on the foundation of the apostles

and prophets, Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone.

The lesson is that the Corinthians were puffed

up. They were proud of man's wisdom and of themselves

being learned in it. And so they envied one another

and they strove together. But it should not be

so. Ministers must be evaluated and thought about

in biblical terms. In biblical terms and not

according to the world's wisdom. Do not think

of them beyond what is written, so that none

of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against

the other. Then our second point is where he

gives three questions. These three questions

expose the folly of pride. It says, for who makes

you differ from one 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

have not received it? These three questions get

to the heart of this matter, and they are probing,

they are searching questions designed to bring

humility to men, to bring humility to men and

women before God. This is a devastating rebuke

to pride, to factionalism. and to self -glory,

especially among those who boast in gifts, in

status, or as leaders. This verse is a summary

of what the Old Testament teaches about us, that

which is written. These basic questions, who,

what, why, they drive us back to our sovereign

God. and His divine and free blessings from Him

that are given freely, which is His sovereign

grace. Our life and all distinctions, all our

abilities, the blessings, the gifts, our rank

and station in life, all are given from Him as

a gift. We'll look at the first question, who?

Who makes you differ from one another? Is this

something that you all decided to be different

and decided to excel in one way or another and

you set yourselves apart? Who makes you differ

from one another? Now over in 1 Corinthians 12,

Paul is going to list a large amount of differing

gifts that people have and how they are indeed

valuable. He also does this in Romans chapter

Romans 12 · chapter mention

12. He speaks, one person has this gift, another

one this, and another one this. And he goes through

and gives a whole list of gifts. But why is it

that people have different gifts? Why are they

different? Why are each one of you unique? From

all of the others. You have certain abilities.

You have certain gifts. But then it goes beyond

that. We have no control about the color of our

skin. Or how our hair is. Or physical features.

We have all been given different gifts. Some

are developed more than others. Some less. Some

more. Who gave them to us? He asks. Who makes

you differ from one another? Now the obvious

answer. is that God did. We go back to Genesis

Genesis 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1 and verse 1. In the beginning, God.

In the beginning, God. God is their Elohim. He

is the one true supreme God. God said, God made,

God created, and God blessed. We see this in

Genesis 1 and 2. God saw that it was good. God

the creator through Jesus Christ by the Holy

Spirit formed and fashioned each one of us in

such a way that we are unique and we are different

and yet we are all created in the image of God

and then he has dispersed gifts among us. 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 12:11

12 verse 11 but one in the same spirit works

all these things distributing to each one individually

as you would like. No, as he wills. God and his

sovereignty determines these things about us.

Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 7 and verse 7.

Each one has his own gift from God, one in this

manner and another in that. Let's take this question

a little bit further. Who caused you to be born

when you had nothing to do with your birth? And

why were you not born a hundred years ago or

five hundred or a thousand or back even before

the flood? Or why were you not born as a slave?

Or maybe one of those really low caste people

that all the other people of the nation look

down on and despise. Did you decide when and

where to be born so that you could enjoy the

wonderful blessings that you experience? No.

We know that it is God. The answer here is that

God made us in this way. And he made us to differ

one from another. David's prayer in the assembly

gives us a great sense of this back in 1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 28:1

28, verse 1. This is when David had assembled

at Jerusalem all the leaders of Israel and he

testified that God had instructed him to choose

Solomon to be the next king. And also, then he

gave Solomon the plans for the temple that he

would build for the worship of God. He presents...

Solomon with gold and with gifts, and then all

of the leaders follow suit, and they offer gold

and silver and bronze and iron and precious stones

to the Lord for the king to use. But then David

prays this prayer in 1 Chronicles chapter 29

1 Chronicles 29 · chapter mention

and verse 10. Therefore David blessed the Lord

before all the assembly, and David said, Blessed

are you, Lord God of Israel, our Father, forever

and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness. the

power and the glory, the victory and the majesty,

for all that is in heaven and in earth is yours.

Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted

as head over all. Both riches and honor come

from you, and you reign over all, and in your

hand is power and might, and in your hand it

is to make great and to give strength to all.

Now therefore, our God, we thank you and praise

your glorious name. But who am I and who are

my people that we should be able to offer so

willingly as this? For all things come from you

and of your own will. We have given you and of

your own we have given you. For we are aliens

and pilgrims before you as were our fathers.

Our days on earth are as a shadow and without

hope. O Lord our God, all this abundance that

we have prepared to build you a house for your

holy name is from your hand and all is your own.

Then the apostle moves on and says, What? What

do you have that you did not? So who made you

different from one another? Who gave you all

the unique characteristics and gifts that you

have? It is God who distributed them. But next,

what do you have then that you did not receive?

A man can receive nothing unless it has been

given to him from heaven. Jesus told Nicodemus

in John chapter 3 and verse 27. There remains

John 3 · chapter mention

no ground for our glorying. Calvin writes, because

it is by the grace of God that we are that we

are. Your life, your health, your bodily design

and strength with the abilities that you have,

you received that. The fact that you can choose

and will to do good is even because God enabled

you to do it. Philippians 2 verse 13, for it

Philippians 2:13

is God who works in you both to will and to do

for his good pleasure. God has given to us mercy

and life and resurrection life and salvation

and eternal life. Blessed be the God and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has re -blessed

us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly

places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him

before the foundation of the world, that we should

be holy and without blame before Him in love.

What do we have that we didn't receive from the

good and fatherly hand of God? You received life

from your parents, but who caused the spark of

life at conception? And who created your parents?

For you formed my inward parts, David says in

Psalm 139. You covered me in my mother's womb.

Now God works through people. We readily grant

that. We do not deny secondary causes. But it

is nonetheless that God grants the abilities,

the gifts, and the means that work for all of

life. And he gives them to us and we receive

them from his hand. We have received education

from others. We were taught by others what is

dangerous and what is not, what math is or what

good grammar is and all sorts of other things.

We're even taught what to eat and what is not

good, what might be fatal to eat. We have received

from others so much in our life, in all of life.

We've received from others how to create shelter

and how to live safely. Who gave you the ability

to eat food? And it breaks apart into various

nutrients and feeds your body. And how did you

even receive a body like that? Why isn't your

body like an animal or a bird or a worm or a

monkey or a parasite? You might even be a good

working craftsman. Did you create the raw material?

No, you received it. Did you develop the mental

capacity and ability to think and make your mind

different than that of a sloth? What do you have

that you did not receive? Now you might say,

I work hard for what I receive. I labor diligently

and I earn money by the sweat of my brow. But

where did you receive the strength to work hard,

to labor? And a body with two ears and arms and

two arms and two legs and two feet and two hands

with eight fingers and two thumbs, but you only

have one head and one nose. What do you have

that you did not receive in a well -designed

body that God created? You received it. You didn't

design it. And so even the true wisdom that the

Corinthians had cannot be acclaimed as their

achievement. For true wisdom, that is righteousness,

holiness, and redemption, is a gift of God in

Christ Jesus. Paul wrote to them in chapter 1,

verse 30 and 31. He says, But of him, You are

in Christ Jesus. Of him. You are in Christ Jesus.

Who became for us. Wisdom from God. And righteousness

and sanctification. And redemption. That as it

is written. Let him who glories. Glory in the

Lord. This should cause us to break forth in

praise. For God. Who is so good. Who has given

to us. So. And then Paul continues with the next

question. So excuse me. If you received it, then

why do you boast as if you have not received

it? Why do you boast? As if you have not received

it. And so Paul drives this all home and he asks

the why question. Why are you so proud, so self

-sufficient, so filled with your own arrogance

and self -righteousness? You're not autonomous.

You're not a self -made man or woman who created

everything about you. But oh, how the deceitfulness

of the heart ensnares us and we boast as if we

have done it all. Why do you boast? Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8. God gives a warning to the children

of Israel just before they enter into the promised

land. Moses recounts the history of the Exodus,

reminds them of what God had done for them and

what God's commandments are. He promises that

God will bring them into a good land. It's a

land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs

and wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees

and pomegranates and a land of olive oil and

honey in which they will eat bread without scarcity

and they will lack nothing. A land whose stones

are iron and out of whose hills they would be

able to dig copper. But then he says, Beware

that you do not forget the Lord your God by not

keeping his commandments, his judgments, and

his statutes which I commanded you this day.

Lest when you are eaten and are full and you

build beautiful houses and you dwell in them

and your herds and your flocks multiply and your

silver and gold are multiplied and all that you

have is multiplied. When your heart is lifted

up. And you forget the Lord your God. Who brought

you out of the land of Egypt. He again then describes.

All that God led them through. And the great

and terrible wilderness. And the fiery serpents

and scorpions. And the land where there was no

water. And God provided water for them. He says

that he might humble you. And he might test you

to do you good in the end. Beware lest you say

in your heart. My power. And the might of my

hand. has gained me this wealth. Beware, he says.

When we understand the sovereignty of God and

how we have nothing that we did not receive from

God, both directly and through others, then how

can we boast in ourselves? Why, O Corinthian

believers, did you boast as if you had not received

it? And why do we boast of our own self -sufficiency?

By the grace of God. We are what we are and no

room is left for taking pride in ourselves. This

is the point that Paul presses on them in verse

8. He continues then and goes into a rebuke.

A rebuke of their pride and their self -conceit

in verses 8 and 10. He says, You are already

full. You are already rich. You have reigned

as kings without us. And indeed, I wish you did

reign. We also might reign with you. Paul goes

on to deride their view of themselves. He launches

into three ironic, even sarcastic statements.

Because we know that they were not really full.

They were not really rich. And they were not

really reigning with Christ in the sense of which

they thought they were. And yet he says, this

as this though is what they were thinking we

are already full we're already rich we are reigning

as kings barnes says it is generally agreed that

this is spoken in irony and that it is an indignant

sarcasm uttered against the false and self -confidence

teachers in corinth The design is to contrast

them with the apostles, to show how self -confident

and vain the false teachers were and how laborious

and self -denying the apostles were, and to show

to them how little claim they had to authority

in the church and the real claim which the apostles

had from their self -denials and labors. He continues

in verse 10 saying, 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. Having shown how they think,

they have left the poor apostles far behind in

their own advanced wisdom and knowledge. He states

that he wishes. That they did actually enjoy

the happiness and blessedness as they thought

they were experiencing. That indeed they would

be full, rich, and as princes needing nothing

so that he could partake in the joy. But that

time is not yet. And he contrasts their circumstances

and shows them that they are puffing up. Or that

their puffery is wrong. It is misguided and misunderstanding.

And so he rebukes them. But then he goes into

the contrast, the contrast of the suffering apostles

in verses 9 to 13. And this one is just a moving

declaration of what these men of God went through

and how they proclaimed the gospel in spite of

it. He says, 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. 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. To the present hour, we both

hunger and thirst. We are poorly clothed and

beaten and homeless. And we labor, working with

our own hands. Being reviled, we bless. Being

persecuted, we endure. Being defamed, We entreat.

We have been made as the filth of the world,

the offscouring of all things until now. Now

he shows here how that the apostles are as a

spectacle, someone to be derided, to be laughed

at and watched with scorn or even with hatred.

The word spectacle to the world relates to the

spectacles of the Colosseum, much like the martyrs

or others who were condemned to death would.

come and the crowds around would shout with glee

as the lions would come out or the wild beasts

or or the gladiators would turn on them and would

slaughter them sometimes by the tens sometimes

by the fifties or even larger amounts they were

a spectacle to the world the eyes around all

looking at them and see he says that that he

thinks that god has displayed them the apostles

as a spectacle. He then goes into the great contrast.

These apostles, they were last in the world's

eyes. They were considered fools. They were weak.

They were dishonored. They were hungry, thirsty.

They were poor, clothed in rags. They were beaten.

They were homeless. They were slandered. Whereas

the Corinthians were wise, strong, distinguished,

and self -satisfied. Now, there is a time, When

Christians can be considered wise, strong, and

distinguished. When the work of God is so mighty

in a land that the culture changes. But that

was not the case with them. While that is a possibility,

this is not the case. In Corinth, they had a

misguided understanding. The daily realities

of apostolic life were laboring hard. They were

working with their own hands even while in far

off cities, preaching the gospels and building

Christ's church. They didn't live off of the

people they served. Rather, they worked hard

so that they would not be chargeable to any.

They were often reviled. But these apostles and

ministers, These laborers for the sake of Christ

who endured such a hostility and persecution.

Now these were those of whom the world was not

worthy. These are the ones who overcame the great

dragon, that serpent of old. And how did they

overcome? By the blood of the Lamb and by the

word of their testimony. And they did not love

their lives. To the death. As the last phrases

of the hymn. The son of God goes forth to war.

They climbed the steep ascent of heaven. Through

peril, toil and pain. Oh God to us may grace

be given. To follow in their train. To walk in

such a way. With that dedication. With that stability

and firmness of character. to bless those who

persecute and to be faithful. Then he moves on

after giving this great contrast and he switches

his tone some in verse 14. He begins, I do not

write these things to shame you, but as my beloved

children, I warn you. For though you might have

10 ,000 instructors in Christ, yet you do not

have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I have

begotten you through the gospel. Therefore, I

urge you, imitate me. For this reason, I have

sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful

son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways

in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.

With this change in tone, Paul speaks as a venerable

father to beloved children. He does not write

this to shame them. He might have had the right

to do so, but he didn't do it. He says, I do

not write this to shame you. He's not humiliating

them or belittling them and make them cower before

them because he loves them. He doesn't deride

them or cast them off or walk away from them

and says, forget you guys. I'm done with you

in the way that you are. No, he loves them. He

reaches out toward them. Nor does he come at

them with scorching fire. In some ways, he would

have had the right to do that. But no, he did

not. Why not? Because he's a loving father. He

has the gravitas, but also love. And they are

his beloved children. And fathers do hard things

for their children, as also do mothers. He loves

them. But as their father, he warns them. Beware

of this problem. Deal with it. Make it right.

Change your ways. Embrace Jesus Christ and him

crucified. Secondly, he shows the need for fathers

then in the church. There are many who are able

teachers. They are able to clearly set forth

the scriptures and tie them together and show

great mysteries and explain wonderful truths

and draw lines and connect things and speak of

great types and shadows and all sorts of things

and it's wonderful and we are edified by it.

But Paul says, although there are 10 ,000 instructors

and he is not blaming the instructors, but he

said, you don't have many fathers. You don't

have many fathers. Here's where honor your father

and mother takes on a whole additional layer

because Paul is asking for them to heed him,

even to imitate him because he is their father

in. The faith. He has in Christ Jesus. Begotten

them through the gospel. Having just gathered

as churches this past week. For our spring presbytery.

I am very grateful to be around older men. who

have ministered faithfully for many years and

be considered and revered as fathers. It is a

blessing to talk to them, to hear their wisdom,

to hear how they work through situations or problems

and are able to speak into the life of the church

today. Paul then goes on and he urges them not

only to regard him as a father, but to imitate

him. This is written a number of times. For it

is a principle that faithful apostles and ministers

are to be followed and to be imitated as they

follow Christ. Christian leaders are to be examples.

1 Corinthians 11, verse 1, he brings it again.

1 Corinthians 11:1

Imitate me just as I also imitate Christ. Or

Philippians 3, verse 17. Brethren, join in following

Philippians 3:17

my example and note those who walk so as you

have us for a pattern. And 1 Thessalonians 1,

1 Thessalonians 1:6

verse 6. You became followers of us and of the

Lord, having received the word in much affliction

with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became

examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.

And finally, in 1 Peter 5, verse 3, elders are

1 Peter 5:3

not to be lords over those entrusted to them,

but they are to lead as examples to God's people,

to the flock. And then he goes on to say, For

this reason, because I want you to imitate me,

I want you to hear me. I'm speaking to you as

a father. I sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved

and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind

you of my ways in Christ. He will be a fresh

reminder to speak to you of my ways as I teach

everywhere in every church. This is the apostles

direct and clear summary in one sense leading

up to this all the way from the very beginning.

Giving them this strong rebuke and asking for

their consideration of this matter. He's going

to move on then in dealing with church discipline

in the next section. Which rather than beginning

in chapter 5 verse 1 I think it actually begins

in verse 18 of chapter 4. And so, Lord willing,

we'll look at that next Sunday. Let's look here

at just a few final applications. Now, a gifted

communicator can exposit Scripture to thousands,

sometimes who wouldn't otherwise hear it. There

have been famous preachers who have drawn massive

crowds without modern celebrity machinery, and

their work did indeed produce lasting fruit.

The difference, though, lies... in how their

influence is stewarded. Accountability, local

and doctrine -centered versus platform -driven

and image -managed. Not every visible minister

is a celebrity in the toxic sense. Faithful teaching

with significant influence and reach, sometimes

speaking to thousands, is different than being

a celebrity who cultivates a fan base, has the

merchandise to go with it, and a lifestyle that

screams success. The New Testament does indeed

recognize distinguished and esteemed elders and

teachers. 1 Thessalonians 5 says, We urge you,

brethren, to recognize those who labor among

you and are over you in the Lord and admonish

you, and to esteem them very highly in love for

their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

And so I want to give this as an application

that sometimes There are faithful ministers of

Christ where God providentially brings a large

amount of people who listen to their teaching.

And it's good. I'm not speaking against that.

But there still needs to be local church with

accountability, faithfulness before Christ, serving

him, and to do it without being puffed up and

all of the puffery types of things that are so

common. around us they're understood to be those

who've embraced faithfulness and sober responsibility

and are not seeking stardom secondly i'd like

to point out again the insidiousness of pride

the spirit even so -called spiritual pride is

an ever -present temptation we see it sometimes

and then we see them fall and then we might see

a fall from somebody who's famous Somebody who

allowed the pride to build up in their heart

and then they fell through cultivating or harboring

secret sin in their life and then it all of a

sudden becomes exposed. But the pride comes first

in most cases. Now, this pride can even be a

wrong pride about good things. Have you also

seen that? We can have pride in our correct interpretation

of doctrine or pride because of how God is using

us or is prospering our life of our congregation

or prospering our congregation. We can even have

pride over... How we understand God's sovereignty

and the doctrines of grace. And instead of being

completely humbled by the God who shows us undeserved

mercy. We are proud that we are so humble. We

are proud in that way. And we look down on others

who don't see it just in the way that we do.

Pride is insidiousness. So how can we help this?

How can we hope? to stop any vestiges of pride

in us. Well, the antidote to pride is humble

gratitude and thanksgiving to God with acknowledgement

of his wonders and our unworthiness. That's an

antidote to pride. Psalm 149 verse 4. For the

Psalms 149:4

Lord takes pleasure in his people. He will beautify

the humble with salvation. So don't you go claiming

salvation is because of you. No. God does it.

And he beautifies the humble with salvation.

We desire to see God work. in a mighty way. We

desire for God to revive our hearts and to bring

renewal and revival and reformation to our land,

to pity the nations, O our God, to constrain

the earth to come, to send thy victorious word

abroad and bring the strangers home. But we do

this with gratitude, with prayer, with thanksgiving,

with humility before the God who disposes all.

And then we thank him. And as we live a life

of thankfulness and humility before him, that

strikes at the very root of pride. Let us then

close with the words from the high and lofty

God who inhabits eternity in Isaiah 57 and verse

15. For thus says the high and the lofty one

who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy, I

dwell. In the high and holy place. With him.

Who has a contrite. And humble spirit. To revive

the spirit of the humble. And to revive the heart.

Of the contrite ones. May it be so. Amongst us

all. Let's pray.