1. #12 Power and the Kingdom of God
church
The message of 1Corinthians for today
mess y
#12 Power and the Kingdom of God
1Corinthians 4:8-20

2. #12 Power and the Kingdom of God
1Corinthians 4:8-20
mess y
church
What’s your end goal?
To depart and be with Christ (Philippians 1:23)
To inherit the earth (Galatians 4:7, Matthew 5:5)
To reign with Christ and be rewarded by him (9:25, 2Tim 2:11)
That’s our hope!
Ephesians 1:18 the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance…
In this life…
Servanthood
Service
Sacrifice
In the next…
Glory

3. #12 Power and the Kingdom of God
1Corinthians 4:8-20
mess y
church
The “prosperity gospel” says you can have what God promises for the future, now. (v8)

4. #12 Power and the Kingdom of God
1Corinthians 4:8-20
mess y
church
The “prosperity gospel” says you can have what God promises for the future, now. (v8)
Pauls’ description of the apostles:
Condemned to die (v9)
Foolish, weak, dishonoured, hungry, thirsty, in rags, brutally treated, homeless, working hard, cursed, persecuted, slandered, scum, garbage. (v10-13)
Our calling is to servanthood – service – suffering in this life. (1Peter 2:21)
Be careful! It’s a warning.

5. #12 Power and the Kingdom of God
1Corinthians 4:8-20
mess y
church
Kingdom Power! (v19-20)
The Kingdom does not come through talking.
What does Paul mean by “power”?
Not signs & wonders!
Paul wouldn’t have encouraged more showing off. (4:7)
And they definitely had plenty of them already (1:7)
The message of the cross is the source of power (1:18)

6. #12 Power and the Kingdom of God
1Corinthians 4:8-20
mess y
church
Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Are you glorying in the cross? Is this everything to you? Is this life to you? Are you ready to die rather than deny this glorious message? That is what a Christian is, and unless we glory in the cross we have not seen it and what it means, and if we have not seen it, we do not really believe in it. …May God have mercy upon us all, and by his Spirit open our eyes to see the glory of the cross.

7. And that ought to drive us to prayer!
#12 Power and the Kingdom of God
1Corinthians 4:8-20
mess y
church
Kingdom Power! (v19-20)
The Kingdom does not come through talking.
What does Paul mean by “power”?
Not signs & wonders!
Paul wouldn’t have encouraged more showing off. (4:7)
And they definitely had plenty of them already (1:7)
The message of the cross is the source of power (1:18)
And that ought to drive us to prayer!