1 Corinthians 4:15-17 

¹⁵Even if you had 10,000 guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. ¹⁶Therefore I urge you to imitate me. ¹⁷For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

Church Anniversary

Yearly, we celebrate our church anniversary. By the grace of God, we grow mature spiritually as congregation. We have overcome adversities; we continue to gather in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. It’s proper to celebrate anniversary as a church to thank and praise God. As we grow in faith and knowledge of Christ, may his name be glorified in his church and in our individual lives!

Together, let’s sincerely put into practice what it says in Colossians 3:12-15.

¹²Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. ¹⁵Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Certainly, we need inspiration of the Holy Spirit for us to be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient, bear each other and forgive one another just as the Lord forgave us. So, how do we know if we received forgiveness from God or not? Practically, we sense it in our heart when we forgive anyone who may offend us.

We are blessed as chosen people of God! We’re consecrated, sacred, holy, set apart for his glory. How do you appreciate such mysterious identity? Do you sense some sort of uniqueness—a distinct identity from the rest of humanity? It’s, therefore, appropriate to thank and praise the Lord now until forever, right?

Together, let’s reflect on our privilege as blessed and chosen people of God.

1.  Reflect

¹⁵Even if you had 10,000 guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 

Reflect on your spiritual birth! Thank God for the person who shared with you the gospel of Christ! The person who led us to trust Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior is our spiritual parent. Is it possible to grow spiritually alone? Infants need adults to help and guide them. We need help when we were infants. Those who teach us to understand the gospel deeper and guide us to live in the way of life in Christ could be other individuals; they serve as our spiritual guardians.

Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians that he was their spiritual father.

He implied that they should respect him, listen to his admonition as their spiritual father, just as they respected their parents. And, those who came after him and preached Christian doctrines and beliefs to them served as spiritual guardians.

Esther

Not everyone is privileged to be taken cared by their own biological father.

The story of Queen Esther may inspire how to succeed despite adversities. It narrated in Esther 2:7, ⁷Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.

Before Esther was chosen as queen, the former queen of Persia and Media was deposed. She was removed from her throne after she disobeyed the order of the king. From numerous candidates, Esther was chosen as queen of Persia. How? Was it because of her lovely appearance? Did King Xerxes choose Esther because of her character? It narrated in Esther 2:20, ²⁰Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.

Mordecai was not her biological father but Esther obeyed Mordecai even after she was chosen as queen. What can we learn from this amazing story of Queen Esther? Most often, children respect adults who served as guardians when their biological father is absent. It’s a reality that cannot be denied.

The church in Corinth had spiritual guardians. Apostle Paul was spiritual father of the Corinthian believers. Traditionally, it is suggested that after 3-years, he proceeded to another mission point. Other preachers, Apollos and Peter came to preach and lead the church in Corinth, and they won their hearts and minds.

Apostle Paul heard from the household of Chloe and other church leaders that there was quarrel, division and faction among the Corinthians. As spiritual father to the Corinthians, Apostle Paul sensed his parental responsibility and rebuked them, just as caring fathers rebuke their children when they quarrel.

Let’s reflect on what Hebrews 12:5-6, ⁵My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, ⁶because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.

What’s biblical “Discipline?” It is training to reach full development or maturity.

In military training, there are instructions of activities that trainees should follow. And surely, there are abusive trainers who punish trainees without any reason.

Parents: Is it proper to punish children when they misbehave or naughty? Before, punishing your children, give clear instruction of what should be done and repercussions of unacceptable behavior. Ask them if they understand your order. Children can learn proper behavior from the teachings and behaviors of parents.

It says in Ephesians 6:1-3, ¹Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ²Honor your father and mother—which is the first commandment with a promise —³so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.

Listen: This is a reminder for spiritually mature believers. This biblical truth is not easily accepted by just anybody who can read. If children understand that it is a blessing for them to honor their parents, they will readily obey their parents.

We pray for children to be inspired by the Holy Spirit so that they may obey and honor their parents and have much blessed life. What do you think?

Apostle Paul wanted the Corinthians to remember him as their spiritual father who nurtured them, which was also the reason he sent Timothy to them.

2.  Reason

¹⁶Therefore I urge you to imitate me. ^17aFor this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord.

Apostle Paul testified that Timothy was faithful; he loved and nurtured him as his spiritual son. It’s possible that Timothy heard the gospel of Christ from his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice. If such was the case, Apostle Paul may not necessarily the spiritual father who shared the gospel of Christ to Timothy, but he served as his spiritual guardian. Yet, Paul counted Timothy as his beloved son just as he counted the Corinthians as his beloved spiritual children.

The reason why Apostle Paul sent Timothy to the church in Corinth was for them to imitate his behavior through the examples of Timothy. They can learn from Timothy just as Timothy had personally learned from Apostle Paul.

It is glorious feeling for parents to see their children behave properly, but that’s not the case for every parent. Not all children want to learn from their parents on how to behave properly. Let’s reflect on the biblical narratives of Job.

Job

Job was described as blameless, upright, feared God and shunned evil.

Together, let’s reflect what it narrated in Job 1:4-5, ⁴His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

Here is a biblical story that contradicts the saying “Like Father, Like Son!”

Job was God-fearing man, but his children were feast-loving people. Job prayed for spiritual well-beings of his children, but the Lord let his children tragically died. And also, everything that he accumulated, his wealth was gone just like that.

What else, the friends of Job came and pretended to be concerned of him; they offended him sarcastically by their misplaced rhetoric and arguments.

Have you had similar problem with individuals who pretend to be friends? Instead of giving you comfort or pray for you, they critically offend you.

Anyway, with all the undesirable struggles that Job endured, he remained faithful to the Lord. Eventually, it narrated in Job 42:12-16, ¹²The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen and 1,000 donkeys. ¹³And he also had seven sons and three daughters. ¹⁴The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. ¹⁵Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. ¹⁶After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 

This amazing story of Job illustrates possible heart-breaking problems that God may allow us to endure. Do you trust that difficulties are essential part of his wonderful plan for you? How about self-inflicted problems? Faith in God is proven practically as we trust his faithfulness and promises. It’s a reminder for all of us.

3.  Reminder

¹⁷For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

Paul was confident that Timothy will exemplify practically his way of life in Christ.

He personally observed the faithfulness of Timothy. The Corinthians personally knew Timothy as a member of Apostle Paul’s mission team; he helped start the church in Corinth. Apostle Paul testified of the involvement of Timothy in spreading the gospel of Christ in Philippians 2:23, ²²Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.

Timothy was faithful, and Paul trusted him and sent him to visit churches they planted. Timothy had personally observed that sharing the gospel of Christ attracts persecution, and he remained faithful despite severe persecution. Not all members of the mission team of Apostle Paul were faithful. Acts 15:37-40 states:

³⁷Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, ³⁸but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. ³⁹They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, ⁴⁰but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.

Both Paul and Barnabas were commissioned for missions. John Mark joined them but later, returned to Jerusalem for personal reasons. Barnabas and John Mark were cousins, and together, they left the mission team of Apostle Paul. That difficult situation may not be easily forgotten by Apostle Paul.

It’s not recorded if members of the mission team of Apostle Paul told the Corinthians about John Mark. It’s possible that Apostle Paul instructed his team to focus on sharing the gospel of Christ. When he mentioned about the faithfulness of Timothy, he implied an expectation of similar faithfulness from the Corinthians.

Inspired by his Holy Spirit, faithfulness to our calling is a way of life in Christ. Division or faction in any local church is possible; there are genuine and pretender believers but we invite anyone who wishes to join us. God has perfect plan for all.

Here’s a reminder to all: Be certain that you personally received the gift of faith from God; believe in his Son Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.

Be certain that his Holy Spirit of Christ lives in you actively so that you may discern when the Lord speaks to you personally on how you live your life in Christ.

As we celebrate our church anniversary, let’s personally pray and claim the Lord’s promise and bless each other similar to what it says in Numbers 6:24-26:

²⁴ The Lord bless you and keep you; ²⁵the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; ²⁶the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

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