1 Corithians 4

Let me ask you something.

When you wake up in the morning — what's the first thing you think about?

For a lot of us, honestly, it's something like: What do I have to do today? What do people expect of me? What will they think?

We carry that weight everywhere. In the car. At work. Even at church.

And here's what's interesting — the church in Corinth, two thousand years ago, had the exact same problem. They were fighting over which leader was the most impressive. Whose team were you on — Paul's? Apollos's? And through their leader, they were really saying: Look how spiritually advanced I am. Look how much I know.

They were using their faith to manage their image.

Sound familiar?

Paul stops them cold in chapter 4. He says — look, here's what we actually are. We are servants. We are stewards. We don't own any of this. We're just managing something that belongs entirely to someone else.

And the one thing required of a steward? Not brilliance. Not results. Not a big following.

Just faithfulness.

Then Paul says something that's almost shocking in how free it sounds. He says — your opinion of me? It's a very small thing. I don't even judge myself. The Lord is the one who judges me.

Do you know how liberating that is? You are not the audience. Your critics are not the audience. Even your own conscience is not the final court.

God is.

But then Paul turns the mirror around — and this is where it gets uncomfortable. He looks at the Corinthians and says, with stinging sarcasm: Already you have everything you want. Already you're rich. You're already reigning like kings.

And he means the opposite.

They had confused receiving gifts with achieving glory. They thought they had already arrived. Crossed the finish line. Done.

But Paul says — look at us. We're hungry. We're homeless. We're being treated like the garbage of the world. Right up to this moment.

The way of the gospel is cross-shaped before it is crown-shaped.

That's not bad news. That's actually the most freeing thing in the world — because it means you can stop performing. You can stop pretending you've arrived. You can be exactly where you are, exactly who you are, and let God be the judge.

And at the end of the chapter, Paul's tone completely shifts. He says — I'm not writing this to shame you. I'm writing this as a father writes to his children.

Because that's what grace does. It doesn't just correct us. It holds us.

Today, what kind of steward am I living as?

That's the question for today. When you get a chance to sit down — ten minutes is all you need — the full meditation on 1 Corinthians 4 is waiting for you at jubileecoach.com. Head to the Life Blog section, and it's all there: the full study text, reflection questions, and a journaling guide to take it deeper.

I'll see you there.

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:06):
Let me ask you something.
When you wake up in the morning,what's the first thing you think
about?
For a lot of us, honestly, it'ssomething like, what do I have
to do today?
What do people expect of me?
And what will they think of me?
Now we carry that weighteverywhere.
In the car, at work, and even atchurch.

(00:30):
And here's what's interesting.
The church in Corinth, twothousand years ago, had the
exact same problem.
They were fighting over whichleader was the most impressive.
Whose team were you on?
Paul's Apollos.
And through their leader, theywere really saying, Look how

(00:50):
spiritually advanced I am.
Look how much I know.
They were using their faith tomanage their image.
Sound familiar?
Apostle Paul stops them calledin chapter four.
He says, Look, here's what weactually are.
We're servants.

(01:11):
We're stewards.
We don't own any of this.
We're just managing somethingthat belongs entirely to someone
else.
And the one thing required of asteward, not brilliance, not
results, not a big following,just faithfulness.
Then Paul says something that'salmost shocking in how free it

(01:35):
sounds.
He says, Your opinion of me?
It's a very small thing.
I don't even judge myself.
The Lord is the one who judgesme.
Do you know how liberating thatis?
You're not the audience, yourcritics are not the audience.
Even your own conscience is notthe final court.

(01:58):
God is.
But then Paul turns the mirroraround, and this is where it
gets uncomfortable.
He looks at the Corinthians andsays with stinging sarcasm,
already you have everything youwant, already you're rich,
you're already reigning likekings.

(02:19):
And he means the opposite.
You see, they had confusedreceiving gifts with achieving
glory.
They thought they had alreadyarrived, crossed the finish
line, done.
But the apostle says, no, lookat us.
We are hungry, we're homeless,we're being treated like the

(02:41):
garbage of the world right up tothis moment.
And the way of the gospel iscross-shaped before it is
crowned shaped.
And that's not bad news.
That's actually the most freeingthing in this world.
Because it means you can stopperforming, you can stop

(03:04):
pretending you're you'vearrived, and you can be exactly
where you are, exactly who youare, and let God be the judge.
And at the end of this chapter,the apostle's tone completely
shifts.
He says, I'm not writing this toshame you, I'm writing this as a
father writing to his children.

(03:26):
So because that's what gracedoes, it doesn't just correct
us, it holds us.
So let me ask you a question.
What kind of steward are youliving as today in Christ?
What kind of a steward are you?
And that's the question fortoday.

(03:48):
When you get a chance to sitdown and ten minutes is all you
need, the full meditation on 1Corinthians 4 is waiting for you
at jubileecoach.com.
Head to the live blog sectionand it's all there.
The full study text, reflectionquestions, and a journaling
guide to take it deeper.

(04:09):
I will see you there.

SPEAKER_01 (04:29):
No worthy gift, no strength left where I stand,
just this tired soul, thishollow waking frame.
Lord take my eye, though smallit is in plain.

(04:51):
Lord take my eye the gift issmall for thee for thee.
What hast thou done?
Oh blessed one for me for me.

(05:22):
What hast thou done?
Oh blessed one for me for me.
I used to keep myself fromgiving afraid to lose the life I

(05:49):
thought was mine.
But you have loved me past whatI could hold.
A debt so deep that only gracecan hold or take my gift is

(06:13):
small for thee for thee.
What has thou done?
Who the stood white for me forme what has doubt?

(06:42):
Who the stood white for me forme now here I am to live or let
life go beside the cross whereMercy's blood still flows you

(07:10):
carry loss, you bore what brokemy foe, and I return and lay
down all I am Lord take my ownThe gift is more for thee for

(07:38):
thee for me for me for me forthe