A Fool For Christ - Frank Brancato

As I mentioned, just a moment ago, the Apostle Paul had the

need to address, various topics, and various things that they

needed to correct things that come to mind deal with a one

that was guilty of incest in the fifth chapter, we talked about

the communion and the 11th chapter, and how they were

making a very mockery out of the Lord's supper and turning it

into a common meal, and he had to address things like that as

well. Well, but something else that

they had to change and something else that was of great

importance was the fact that they were acting in a carnal

way. You know, we can look at chapter

3 beginning in verse 1 before we do that though.

Go back to chapter one of First Corinthians and beginning there

in verse 10. This was the contention and this

was the problem that was going on.

Among them beginning in verse 10, Paul says, now I beseech you

Brethren by the name of our Jesus Christ that you all speak

the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but that

ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same

judgment for it. Hath been declared unto me of

you my brethren by them, which are of the House of Chloe that.

There are contentions among you notice what the contention was?

Now this, I say that every one of you saith, I am of Paul.

And I have a policy, and I of cephas.

And I of Christ is Christ. Divided was Paul crucified for

you or were you baptized in the name of Paul there was factions

among them that were saying, we'll wait a minute instead of

looking to the Lord as the great one instead of looking to the

Lord as one to follow. They were having factions in the

Lord's Church saying. I am of Paul and another would

say and I am of Apollo's, you know, when the Apostle Paul

addressed that very thing he says, I'm so thankful that I

didn't baptize Is any of you because that you could be taken,

as you were of me or you were from me, factions in the body of

Christ are sinful and he pointed those things out.

Then in chapter 3 beginning in verse 1, he says, and I Brethren

could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal,

even as unto babes in Christ, I want to make this point though,

that this is Is used in a modified sense because we

understand that we are babes in Christ when we obey the gospel.

In fact, the very minute that we come from the Waters of baptism

We rise to walk in newness of life.

And when we do, we have become a babe in Christ.

Everyone that has ever obeyed. The gospel has a point in time

in their spiritual life. When they are considered as

babes, just like children, children are born into the

world. They're Adults, they can't

handle strong meat. They can't handle things that we

can handle as an adult. And neither can somebody

spiritually that come from the Waters of baptism and becomes a

babe in Christ. So that's a good thing.

It's a good thing in one sense. And Paul is you to using this

phrase, or this term in, a modified sense in a way.

That is not so good. Here's the good way First, Peter

chapter 2 and verse 2. What did what did Peter Or say

there he says as newborn babes desire, the sincere milk of the

word that ye may grow thereby. But you know, there comes a time

when we need to be past the milk.

There comes a time when our infancy needs to be over.

There comes a time when we need to start taking in spiritual

food of Greater substance. There comes a time when we need

to not be needing others but needing but put in a position

where we are helping others you know, little babies when they're

little. We carry them around, we pick

them up. There are babies in this

audience right now. They are carried around.

That is a wonderful thing. Let me just ask you this what

happens when they get to be about 16?

How would it look if you start packing them around and you're

carrying them around like they're an infant, you know

really, that sounds kind of funny but if you think about it

that's exactly what happens to Somebody That is supposed to be

passed. That Lea speaking, they have

grown past that. So they need to start behaving

and acting like that. What did Paul say regarding

these Brethren? Why were their factions among

them? Why were they not growing

spiritually? Why was Jesus Christ?

Not first in their life, why were they looking to the wisdom

of man and not the wisdom of the scriptures?

Why were they rejecting? What Paul, the Apostle had

taught them all the way back from the very beginning when he

planted the seed of the Gospel right there in Corinth, what

were they doing wrong? Well, Paul says back when, when

I planted the seed of the Gospel, I had to speak to you

concerning the milk of the word, the first principles, the basic

things, and not the strong meat. And why does he say that?

He says, because if I would have given you the strong meat of the

word back, then you were not able to Bear it.

You would have choked to death. And here's the whole Clincher,

neither yet now are ye able You still can't handle the meat.

You still have not grown they look to men and not to Christ

and because of that there was envying and strife and divisions

he says, are you not carnal and walk as men?

And then he says for won't for one saith, I am of Paul and

other of a Polish and are you not carnal who then is Paul, and

who is Apollo's, but notice what they are, who are we What

distinction should we have? Who is Paul, who is Apollo's,

but we are ministers by whom he believed even as the lord gave

to every man. I have planted Apollo's watered

but God gave the increase. You know, verse 7 of chapter 3

is a verse that I think every preacher Ought to wake up in the

morning and read. I really do.

There'd be no. Arrogant people in the world.

There'd be no. Arrogant preachers in the world.

If they would pick up this, but this book and read verse 7.

Because this tells the tale, this tells exactly what we are.

Verse 7. Paul says this.

So then neither, is he that planteth?

Anything? Neither he that watereth, but

God giveth the increase, you know what he's saying, don't

have factions in the body of Christ and don't follow me and

don't follow Paula's. Now, listen, Paul was an

apostle. Paul was above you and I there

are no modern day apostles. This was a man that was a chosen

vessel of the Lord and he says and your you have a group that's

following saying there after Paul another one after a policy

and so on and so forth, who are we?

I'll tell you what. We are, we're ministers and

that's it. And he says don't Elevate the

man, because who are we? He says what I do is nothing

makes me nothing. What a Polish does makes him

nothing, but God gives the increase.

If this doesn't tell us that preachers in the eyes in that

way, in that respect our nothing.

I don't know what it is, but let me just say this though, I'm not

saying that we don't have an important role in taking the

gospel, to the Lost, not saying that at all, in fact, it is

imperative that we do that. We have a responsibility of

taking the gospel to the Lost, we do that.

That is our job. That is our responsibility, not

only preachers, but every member of the body of Christ, every

child of God, has a responsibility to do what they

can within the parameters of their talents and abilities and

roles that God has given them in the Lord's church.

So, we have a responsibility but one is not greater than the

other. In fact, Paul goes on In the

very next verse and says, just that he says one is not greater

than the other. He says this the one that plants

and the one that Waters R1 R1 You know, what's wonderful to me

is the fact that we can go to places like the Philippines and

preach the gospel and preach the same gospel that the Filipino

preachers have been preaching all along.

And sometimes when they hear it from an American, all the way

across the other side of the world, sometimes it it lends, a

little greater weight to them. Sometimes when they are around,

these Filipino Brethren all the time, maybe that maybe they

don't listen to them as much as they ought to.

I don't know. I do know of specific cases

where we ended up baptizing with the last couple years.

Somebody that had heard the same gospel story and then found out

later they obeyed the gospel because what we said was

consistent with the word of God consistent with what they had

heard all along. But, you know, the greatest

thing is, it doesn't matter, who does the final converting

because they're converted by the word of God and God gets the

increase. God gets the glory, you know

what? We are were equal, neither one

that plaintiff is not greater than the other.

He, that watereth is not greater than the one that plants God

gives the increase. He gets the glory, he gets the

praise. If we would look to pass.

Passages like verse 7, and we would see that and apply that in

our life, it would change. Every arrogant heart in the

entire world, I believe realizing what our

responsibilities are and how great God is and not ourselves.

I will like to say this though, that of all the baptisms that we

had, while we were gone, there's nothing that warmed our hearts,

any greater than when Christina obey the gospel here at home.

There's nothing greater than that.

It doesn't matter where the souls are save anywhere in the

world. We Rejoice together and there

was brethren in the Philippines that didn't know her that were

rejoicing and rejoicing with the people of God right here at

plans road because somebody was saved, I know for a fact that

you don't care where they're saved in supporting me as a

gospel preacher. I know that I know that you are

just as elated to have somebody obey the gospel boss gospel

8,000 miles away. As if it was right here, the

bottom line is we are in the business of saving Souls.

Souls wherever they are and we all Rejoice together.

Did you know I love that passage.

You've heard me quote from it, but when Paul was writing the

Philippian letter in Philippians chapter 4, And he praised them

Philippians 4 · chapter mention

for their financial support, he praised them for that.

You know, there were times when Paul was not chargeable to a

congregation here, he Praises them in the book of Philippians

Philippians 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4, he Praises them for helping him monetarily for the

work. And you know what he says, he

Praises them for it, and then he says not that.

I desire a gift but that I desire fruit, that is credited

to your account. I'm going to tell you something,

every one of those Souls that just obeyed, the gospel across

the other side of the world are credited to your account.

There's going to be people in heaven because you backed a

preacher and sent a preacher to preach the word of God and I am

not greater than you at all. We're together we are equal.

We equally had a part in that if you talk to somebody about the

gospel for the very first time and they don't obey it.

But there was a seed there, there was a seed that was

planted. It didn't produce fruit yet and

five years down the road, Buddy else, preaches a sermon and it

Pricks their heart. You had something to do with

that. And you know what the greatest

thing is? We all Rejoice together.

We all rejoice. Together.

We need to realize we are all equal and whatever power

produced the fruit it was not of man, it was of God.

And then in chapter 4, Paul says, let a man so account of us

as of Ministers of Christ Paul here, returns to the question

and what a steam, The Inspired teachers of the Gospel should be

held or should have this word. He says we are ministers.

You know, that's a very interesting.

Sting word ministers. It's also the comes from the

same root word that we get the word Deacon.

But what was Paul referring to? There's also a form of this word

that is translated under workers or under rowers.

Interesting, isn't it? Does that sound like a boss?

Does that sound like a preacher? Being a boss?

Know an under rower. We are ministers today.

We're not Apostles but if Paul can be an under rower and not a

boss, that sure should shed a lot of light to you.

And I and our attitude about ourself to he says we are under

rowers interesting term. You know what under roller was

an under roller were those that were on the ship that were

lower, they were down lower in the ship and they were the ones

that actually rode the ship. They were the ones that kept it

moving but they were not the captain and they didn't dictate

where the ship was going. Going to go, they didn't come up

with the policy. They didn't come up with the

maps. They didn't come up with a plan.

All they did was they kept, they under Road and they kept the

ship moving in the direction that the ship's Captain had said

they were going. That's what a minister is.

A minister is an under over keeping the as one preacher

said, one time keeping the ship of Zion.

Moving through the waters toward Heaven.

God is the boss. Not man.

Jesus Christ is the king not man.

We are. But under workers or under

rowers. You know.

He also says that we are stewards or he was stewards of

the mysteries of God, the word Steward comes from a word which

we get the term superintendent or Foreman.

Let me put it to you this way. If a man and that's really his

point, they were, they were judging whether Paul was

faithful that Paul was really credible.

And so what he's saying is this, when he says we are stewards,

he's saying we are Superintendents, or we are

foreman. If you owned a company and you

hired a man, don't you think you'd have a man that was

faithful and honest and just and a good Steward.

You know, Jesus dealt with a man that was an evil Steward.

He was a wicked man. He was not good with what his

boss or his master had entrusted him with as we find in the Book

of Luke and The Gospel. According to Luke, we've studied

that here at this place. So being stewards are being

superintendents. Now, what do we know about a

foreman or a superintendent? These are things that we know

number one, they don't own the company.

Number two, they are not the boss.

Number three, they do not determine the policy.

And number four, they're hired to make sure that the company

follows the boss That's what an apostle was.

Not the boss. Under rowers, and good stewards.

You know, it's true that we are stewards of all manner of

things. There has been things that are

ours because we've been entrusted with it, that we have

to do something good with it. There's a lot of that, a lot of

those things in our life. Our kids are tremendous example

in that way. They are, we are in, they are

entrusted to us how we going to rear them and raise them.

What about our money? What about the things that we

have? We have a responsibility of

being a good Steward. What about the Lord's money?

The Lord's. Money is to be given to the Lord

on the first day of the week. And then we must be good.

Stewards of the monetary get gain that the Lord gets.

It is all the Lord's we are stewards in almost every walk of

our life. We've been entrusted with many

things. And Paul is basically saying as

I paraphrase, the boss is not going to have a man that's not

faithful. Well, let me just give it to you

like this. When you talk about the gospel

and you talk about the word of God being entrusted to us as

being a good Steward. That tells me and Paul says I

have preached It All, We Have to preach every bit of this word in

order to be a good Steward of it.

It, regardless of the opposition that comes our way.

You remember, when Paul was writing to that young evangelist

Timothy, when Paul would say these words, he says the things

that I have entrusted to you, the things that I have spoken to

you, the things that I have taught, you commit, thou to

Faithful Men that they may be able to teach others also a

steward. Must be faithful.

We must be faithful man. But interesting, I got to

talking to somebody about leaders the other day.

You know, the world needs leaders.

Don't we need leaders? Our country looks to somebody

that stands up. It's going to lead us in the

proper way. Companies need good leadership

and a lot of times companies fail because they didn't have

proper leadership. Same within the body of Christ,

but somebody said one time and I'm going to share this with

you, I'm going to use this. He said leaders are not chosen.

They emerge that's powerful to me.

Because isn't it true that when you're younger you want people

to follow you you want people to listen to your voice.

There comes a time when being a child, no longer is acceptable

and you want people to look at you in a different way.

You want people to follow you in a different way now.

So you're looking at me to come on now follow me, I'm a leader.

It's kind of like this. You can take a rookie

quarterback and you can put him in the Huddle.

And the coach can tell that team.

This is the leader follow him, but they're not going to follow

him until he demonstrates the leadership qualities that he can

lead the team leaders emerge, and sometimes in the midst of

Crisis, a leader will emerge. And sometimes it's a person that

you least expect isn't that true?

Sometimes it's the quiet fell over him.

Corner that never says a word and then a crisis, comes up and

what happens? A leader emerges.

And you know why people follow them, they follow them because

their life is consistent with their leadership and that's what

we have to do. Our life has to be consistent

with the things that we say, the things that we say, we practice

and all the things that we do in First Peter chapter 4 and verse

1 Peter 4 · chapter mention

10. Beginning there in verse 10,

notice the attitude also about God getting the credit and the

glory as we are ministers and as we are stewards, beginning there

in verse 10 it says that every man hath received the gift even

so Minister the same one to another as good stewards of the

manifold grace of God. If any man speak let him speak

as the Oracles of God. If any man Minister let him do

it as of the ability which God giveth that God in all things.

Things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom be praised

and Dominion forever and ever again, God gets the praise and

God gets the glory even an elder.

Paul said that a bishop must be blameless as God's Steward.

We must be blameless in all that we do.

Why would Paul bring these things up, though?

Well, as I mentioned before some doubted, Paul, but God is not

going. Choose a steward that was

unfaithful in any way. God is going to choose somebody,

that is faithful and then Paul says that there's going to come

a time first he says being judged of you Brethren is a very

small thing to me now. Why is that That's not an

attitude of arrogance. He's trying to establish in

their minds who the judge is going to be.

And he says, being judged of you is a very small thing to me.

It is insignificant. Why he says, first of all, I

know that I'm following the book, I know that I'm following

that which is right. I know that I know that I'm

going along with that and then he says, but God is going to be

the ultimate judge. God is going to reveal the

hidden things and darkness, the hidden things in the heart in

his due time. He ever considered the hidden

things. Sometimes we think we get away

with things, but we don't. Because one day, the hidden

things, the things that are in darkness now will be revealed

one day. Sometimes we think that we can

go outside the building, go outside the assembly and live

our life in a certain way, and nobody's going to know.

The hidden things. Remember that sermon on the Good

Samaritan that I preached from time to time I preached at once

here but I used the idea that those people that were on that

Rogue on that 15-mile Rocky Road or however long it was.

In that, there was two people, a priest in a levite that probably

would not have behaved. Like, they behaved had, they

been back in Jerusalem, but all, but because they were out in the

middle of nowhere. They thought maybe nobody could

see them. So they disregarded this poor

soul that was laying over there and left for dead.

Here's the point that I like to use, what we really are is

better determined and defined in the way that we behave in.

Places where we are not known. The way we dress when we're away

from the body of Christ is what we are.

The way we talk. In the things that we say,

that's really what we are. These are the things that we

consider to be the hidden things, the things in secret,

the things in darkness, these things are going to be revealed

one day, and what we are is better determined not about how

we behave at the assembly or around Christians.

But how we behave in the workplace?

How we behave at school? Cool.

How we behave in the world. Now, that is what we really are

and leaders come from those that live Christian lives, consistent

with the word of God, and they emerge, and they rise up and

people follow them because they respect them.

I think that's a powerful thing. I think it's something to work

for. In our life.

Paul says, I'm not the standard but then Paul says this he says,

in examining one of the reasons why he felt some confidence, not

arrogance, but confidence, he felt some confidence because he

and examining his life. Couldn't think of one thing that

he was doing, that was not correct.

Now, that didn't mean, he was perfect in any way, shape, or

form. For only one was perfect.

And that's Jesus, but he was saying this, in fact, Studying

on Wednesday night, the Epistles of John, we talked about that.

What do we do? If we examine our heart and we

look to the word of God and we test our self against the word

of God. When we do that, then we can

know if we're saved or not, we can know and have the Assurance

of whether we are living as we should You know what Paul says

though? God is the ultimate judge to

this point to. I don't know of anything in my

life. That is not right?

But just because I'm not aware of it doesn't, excuse me if I'm

wrong and God if he found something and he may just

because I think I'm okay. And it God find something later

on. I'm going to be condemned and he

I'm going to be judged for that whether I know it now or whether

I don't know what now. Because God is the standard and

not Paul. Verse 7 for who make it be to

differ one from the other. And what hast thou?

That thou didst not receive. Now if thou dis receive it.

Why Dost thou Glory as if thou hats not received it.

There's a really not really sure whether Paul is speaking

specifically here to spiritual gifts or if he's speaking about

other gifts or talents or abilities or whatever it is,

really the application is still the same.

What were they doing? They were glorying in

themselves. They were glorying in the flesh.

They were elevating man, higher than man ought to be.

And he says everything. You receive everything.

You have, you got it from somebody else and if that's the

case why are you glorying like you're some great one because

the reason that you are, what you are even even because you're

saved is because of somebody else.

And why is it that you glory? When somebody else had something

to do with that. But finally, In verse 8.

He says, now you are full. Now you are rich, you have

reigned as kings without us and I would to God that you did

rain. That we also might reign with

you instead of being persecuted. I added that last part instead

of being persecuted. There's sarcasm noun in the tone

of Paul. And he was saying I would that

you did do all that because if you did do all that, you'd be

with us and I would that you would do all that.

So we wouldn't be persecuted but you're not with us.

You're not among us. And then he says this for I

think that God has set forth us Apostles, last as it were

appointed to death for. We are made a spectacle unto the

world and to angels and to men look at this word here,

spectacle You know what a spectacle is?

It's a climax. He says you because of your

worldly wisdom, because you're still carnal, you've elevated

Man, Too High. You've put yourself in, asserted

yourself, even above the apostles themself.

But I'm here to tell you. He says, I know that we the

apostles are set in last. In fact, we are a spectacle.

We are the climax. Historically, speaking in

ancient times, they were great big, a theaters and sometimes

these a theaters would hold 20 to 25 thousand people.

What they would do is that men would come together and they

would start the day off early, and as the day would start off,

they begin with athletic games games of skill games of speed

and so on. In the middle of this great

Amphitheatre that housed all these people, there would be a

field for battle and it would begin early that day.

I don't know what time, just early enough in the day to get

all the things in that they had to get in.

So here comes all the athletic games, here they go and it's

kind of Of wedding, the appetites of those that are in

attendance. But pretty soon they become

bored with that. They wanted to see some blood.

So they bring into animals animals, that were imported all

over the world. I'm told and they let him fight

to the death right in the eye. Sight of these people that were

sitting in the Amphitheatre, Fanning them self, having,

whatever it was, that shaded them and all the refreshments

that they could stand as they were in the heat refreshing

themselves. While they increase their thirst

for blood But pretty soon. They got tired of that too.

So the next thing would happen, a gladiator would be brought in

and a gladiator would fight against an animal.

And almost every time, the Gladiator would stand Victorious

as as the, as the Gladiator killed the animal shedding his

blood. But pretty soon that would grow

old too so they bring in another Gladiator.

You know, I'm told that in Rome every every boy wanted to grow

up and be a gladiator. These were the heroes kind of

like sports Heroes today. Football, players on TV little

kids that want to grow up. Be a football player.

I want to grow up to be this person or that person, that's

kind of what they said about these Gladiators.

The Gladiators now would fight them self, not animals, now they

would fight each other. And the crowd would decide

whether they lived or died with a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down.

But it still wasn't over. After that event.

They take a person and strip them naked.

And they put him down on the blood-stained ground of the

floor of this Amphitheater. And they bring in a lion.

A lion that was starved for two or three days.

The lion would destroy the human being.

And shed his blood. To the Delight of the crowd.

I'm told they took what was left of that body and they would

hoist it up the side of the wall and light it on fire.

So they could see in the Amphitheatre.

Brethren. You won't know who the people

were who were those people? They were Christians.

They were members of the body of Christ.

That was called the spectacle. That was called the climax.

The end, the big finale. That's the big finale.

You know what? Paul said, you're elevating

yourself above, man. I'm going to tell you something.

We were set first in the in the Lord's church.

And we're going to be a spectacle.

We're going to be persecuted in the eyes of man.

And we're going to lose our life violently and all the apostles

did die. Just like that, except for the

Apostle, John. He says we are a spectacle.

I kind of makes me think that I can live this Christian Life.

Little easier than I thought. That kind of tells me that

regardless of what I think is tough.

It's nothing. It's nothing compared to being a

spectator. a spectacle Paul says, in the eyes of man and of

angels that they look at wonderment and what the apostles

would have to go through in the violence, that was brought on to

them but finally, In verse 10, he says, we are fools.

He says, we're fools. We are fools for the cause of

Christ. you know, in the introduction part of our lesson,

I said, That you're a fool to somebody.

We all are we are a fool to somebody.

The question is going to be, are we going to be wise in the

world? Because that's what the Brethren

at Corinth were doing. You know what they were doing?

They were taking their Christianity and trying to

benefit from them as being worldly wise He says your wives.

I'm a fool. How can you be a fool for

Christ? Today.

When the world says, you don't have to be baptized in order to

be saved, but you obey the gospel.

Anyway, you're a fool for Christ.

When you worship on the Lord's day and you assemble with those

of like Precious faith and you never miss, except when it's

beyond your control, you're sick, can't get there beyond

your control, but never is the decision that you choose

something else. When you do that yet the world

says come on. What's one time?

What's one time? That's the wisdom of the world,

you know what the world says? When you say no, I'm going to

get up. And I'm going to go to church

this morning, and I'm going to worship God, they think, well,

that is a fool. when a sister in Christ, Has long uncut hair?

With the styles of today. The world says you're a fool.

When you do what's right, you are a fool for Christ.

When you stand for what's right? You are a fool for Christ.

When the world says, you can have a social drink here and

there. Go ahead.

You're not going to be convinced.

I had somebody tell me one time. I don't think that I'm going to

be condemned for that. It's foolish to think so.

When you abstain from that in every way.

You're a fool for Christ. I'd rather be a fool for Christ.

And be saved in heaven. One day.

As Paul said, this second Corinthians chapter 12 most

2 Corinthians 12 · chapter mention

gladly therefore, will I rather glory in my weaknesses?

You want to talk about your strength.

He says, I'm going to glory in my weaknesses that the power of

Christ May rest upon me. Wherefore, I take pleasure in

weaknesses in injuries, in Necessities, in persecutions in

distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I

strong. In closing. if we've not made

provision for our soul, We're a fool in the eyes of the Lord

thou fool. This night thy Soul shall be

required of thee, but I want to tell you something, when the

world puts you down, use that as a guide, that you must be doing

something right? These people were glorying in

the fact that they were, they were calling the Nate, wearing

the name of Jesus wearing the name of Christ, as a Christian,

but the world thought, they were great.

The world elevated them and all that.

He said no, no, I glory. In my infirmities.

I'm a fool. You want to be wise?

You're wise in the eyes of, man. I am a fool.

Are you a fool for Christ? We thank you for listening to

our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.

Road in Bakersfield, if you would, like any additional

information, or you would like to receive a free Bible

correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at her

Church of Christ Bakersfield.com.

Our service times are Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and

Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us.

We would love for you to be our honored guest.