1 Corinthians 11:1 ~ 20140706 ~ Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org
07/06 1 Corinthians 11:1 Imitate Me; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20140706_1cor11_1.mp3
11:1 μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε, καθὼς κἀγὼ Χριστοῦ.
1 Corinthians 11 [ESV2011]
11:1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
11:1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
Imitate Me
Paul makes a bold statement at the end of this three chapter long section on idolatry. He invites us to become imitators of him. “Become imitators of me as I am of Christ.” In these chapters, Paul has held himself out as an example of Christian conduct multiple times. Paul has presented his clear teaching on biblical principles, but to see those biblical principles in action in the life of a follower of Jesus is immensely helpful.
I worked for a time at an engineering and manufacturing facility building marine controls. After some time on the assembly floor, hey recruited me to update their assembly procedures. My challenge was to put instructions into writing so that anyone could read and follow and successfully build each part. It is much easier to show someone than it is to try to describe the process. Watch me do it and do what I do. Imitate me. Today, you can go on YouTube and find a video of someone showing you how to build or fix or take apart just about anything. A picture, or a video, is worth a thousand words.
John MacArthur wrote “teaching sets the nails into the mind, but example is the hammer that drives them in deep” (Commentary on 1Tim.3:4-7, p.114, cited by Steve Lawson on 1 Cor.11:1 audio)
Paul's Example
Paul holds himself out as an example for us to imitate. At the end of chapter 8, Paul tells us that “if food causes my brother to stumble I will never eat meat so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.” In chapter 9, Paul makes a case for his legitimate rights as an apostle, and then he says “but I have used none of these” (9:12,15). He was willing to sacrifice anything, to endure anything, to let go of anything, if it was for the good of a brother for whom Christ died.
He says in 9:19
19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
For Paul, the primary purpose was the glory of God in the gospel by winning as many as possible. His aim was bringing glory to God by winning souls to Christ and seeing them transformed by the gospel. Paul was willing to sacrifice, to inconvenience himself, to adjust his lifestyle so that the lost would be saved.
Then he warns of the danger of pride and self-sufficiency even to himself.
9:26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
Paul humbly recognizes that he is not beyond faltering and failure in his walk with the Lord.
At the end of chapter 10, he says:
10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
Paul's goal is the glory of God in the salvation of many. He seeks not his own advantage, but the advantage of many. He is willing to let go of whatever might profit him if it means that it would remove an obstacle from anyone believing the gospel and being saved. “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.”
Imitation and Example
Paul has said already in 1 Corinthians 4:
1 Corinthians 4:14 I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.
Paul identifies himself as their father in the faith, and children love to imitate their fathers. There are things I didn't realize I said until I heard them come out of the mouths of my children. Children imitate their parents, for good or for ill. Paul invites them, he urges them, to become imitators of him. He sent Timothy, in his own absence, to be a reflection of his 'ways in Christ'.
Having a model to imitate is so important in the Christian life. Christianity is not merely a system of belief. Christianity is a lifestyle. It is following Jesus. That is why there is an emphasis on discipleship in the Bible. Jesus called 12 men to be his disciples, to be with him, to walk life with him, to minister along side him. He commissioned them to make disciples, who would make disciples, and we in turn are called to make disciples, to make followers of Jesus.
Jesus said to Peter, Andrew, James and John:
Matthew 4:19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
He said to Philip 'follow me' (Jn.1:43), and Philip went and found Nathaniel and brought him to Jesus. Jesus said to Matthew, the tax collector 'follow me' (Mt.9:9). He said to would-be disciples with excuses 'follow me (Mt.8:22). He said to the rich young ruler 'follow me' (Mt.19:21). He said to his disciples on multiple occasions 'follow me' (Mt.10:38; 16:24; Jn.10:27; 12:26). He found Peter and John, back to fishing after the resurrection, and he said to each of them 'follow me' (Jn.21:19, 22).
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
(Which, by definition would include this command)
And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Go make disciples who will make disciples. Teach them to imitate you as you imitate me.
Follow Jesus
It might sound redundant, but every follower of Jesus must follow Jesus, or you are not a follower of Jesus. Every follower of Jesus is to be an imitator of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are either following Jesus or we are not. There is no sort of following Jesus. When Jesus invited his rag-tag band of misfits to follow him, he said literally 'come in back of me'. We either get behind Jesus and allow him to lead us or we deviate from the path and go astray in our hearts.
So many Christians point away from themselves as not worthy of imitation. This may seem like humility, but if you are aware that you are not following Jesus and if anyone imitated you they would be led astray, then either fall in behind Jesus and imitate him or stop claiming to be his follower! Do not claim the name of Jesus, do not claim to be a follower of Jesus if you are unwilling to follow Jesus! Every believer is to live a life worthy of imitation.
Follow Followers of Jesus
Paul said to the Ephesians
Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.
As children born into God's family through the new birth, imitate God. Walk in love like Christ loved us. Overflow with thanksgiving.
Paul says to the Philippians:
Philippians 3:17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
Become fellow imitators of me, follow Jesus together with me, and follow those who are following us. Keep your eyes on those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. We are to become imitators of Paul as Paul is of Jesus, and we are to follow those who are following the disciples as they follow Jesus, and we are to be those who, walking according to the example we have, are also worthy of imitation. In Philippians 4 Paul concludes:
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Not just what you have learned, not just what you have heard, but what you have seen, what you have received. Practice these things. Be imitators of me.
Paul was a real live follower of Jesus, a regular human with faults and flaws, a forgiven sinner who had been transformed and empowered by the same Holy Spirit that lives in each follower of Jesus today.
Listen to how he talks to the Thessalonian believers:
1 Thessalonians 1:4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
You, ordinary believers, simple followers of Jesus, became imitators of us and of the Lord. And you, ordinary followers of Jesus, became examples to all the believers!
1 Thessalonians 2:10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. 13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind 16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!
The Thessalonian believers became imitators not only of Jesus, not only of Paul, but of the churches of God in Christ Jesus in Judea. As a father with his children, we exhorted, encouraged, and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God.
Every instrument tuned to the same tuning fork will ring out in beautiful harmony with one another. As we follow Jesus, learning from the example of the heroes of the faith and from one another, our lives will resound to the glory of God.
Sacrifice a Key Component of Imitation
Did you notice a theme in many of the passages we looked at concerning imitation? Ephesians 5 tells us to
Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
1 Thessalonians 1 says that
1 Thessalonians 1:6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
1 Thessalonians 2 says:
1 Thessalonians 2:14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind 16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved...
Paul invites us to imitate him as he seeks not his own advantage, but that of the many that they might be saved. This will involve laying aside our rights, letting go of our preferences, loving others like Jesus loved us, while we were his enemies, he died for us. Imitating Jesus involves sacrifice, suffering, stooping to serve, seeking at all cost the good of our neighbor that they might be saved, seeking to remove every obstacle to the gospel, seeking the good of our brothers and sisters for whom Christ died, seeking the glory of God as more and more people are transformed by believing the simple gospel message that Jesus died for sinners.
11:1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.