1 Corinthians 4:10-11, True Discipleship

1 Corinthians 4:10-11 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. 11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;

The Apostle Paul gives to his readers the true picture of Christian service. There is much to suffer for Christ’s sake. It fact, a study of the life of Christ will show us this truth. We are nearing Christmas. At Christmas, we remember the birth of Christ. He was born in a lowly manger. King Herod was after His life.

The Apostle Paul’s words were reflective of Christ’s ministry –  Jesus said in Matthew 8:20 …The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 

It must have come as an anti-climax to His followers. You mean this Great Master Who did all this wonder, did not even have a house to stay and have to be in the streets. The scribe did not directly accept nor yet flatly reject Jesus. Jesus’s words must have kept the scribe thinking. If he had wanted to follow Jesus because he is attracted to the power and prestige of healing, the power to cast out devils, to be the follower of a popular Master like Jesus is now, then he better think twice because He did not even have the basic comforts in life. He had no place of His own. In John’s gospel we are told that every man at the end of the day went unto his own house (John 7:58) but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, sleeping under the stars in prayer to the Father. It was a hard life.

Jesus saw that their faith was not genuine. They were not committed so much to follow Him as Lord or to do the work of the gospel but they are there for the prestige. The scribe was quick to declare his allegiance to Jesus but he did not count the cost of discipleship. Following Jesus involves self-denial, sacrifice and possibly even possibly being homeless. Jesus tested his true loyalty. He was loyal to his own comfort. He was not willing to pay the pace for his faith. He merely wanted to add excitement to his life, to have the prestige of following a popular leader. It was a self-centred objective that our Lord exposed.

It was the same for those in Corinth. The Apostle Paul tried their motive for service by these words. May God give us a genuine heart to follow Him. Amen.