1 Corinthians 4:14-17 - Spur On!

Wilbur PLaugher

 

1 Corinthians 4:14-17

NKVJ

I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.  For though you might have ten thousand 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.

 

NLT

I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.  For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you.  So I urge you to imitate me.  That’s why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go.

I believe this is talking about those that instruct us in any kind of bible study and those that have invested time in us, a mentor if you will.  There is a difference.  I have been in bible studies of various kinds for probably 30 years, with just a few exceptions, few of the teacher have been what I call invested in me.  Don’t get me wrong, I think they liked me (maybe for the most part); but they weren’t invested in me.  They weren’t in my life 3-4-5 times a week wanting to know how I’m doing and what is going on.

This is the difference between teaching and discipleship.  The person who knows what’s under your skin; the things you’re struggling with; the things you don’t share with the public, that is the guy who is invested.  This is the guy who is walking through life with you; the one who hears the jacked up things we’re thinking and says “wow dude, that’s jacked up!  I love you and that’s wrong.  But I want to walk through this with you” 

I have a pastor friend that I’ve heard say, “evangelism is fun and exciting and everybody wants to do it.  But discipleship is a whole lot harder, it takes work and a ton of effort”  We should all strive to have someone who we consider as a mentor, someone we’re not afraid to puke our problems on; but someone who is willing to call us on our baloney.  To speak truth and encouragement into our lives.  We should also have someone that we’re willing to do the same with.

 

Hebrews 10:24 says we are to spur one another on to love and good deed.  I believe we at times need someone to spur us on and at other times we need to spur someone else on. 

 

Spur on!

cej