Everest: Follow Their Lead

If you’re going to spend north of $60,000 to ascend Everest, 

do yourself a favor and find Apa. 

Apa is a member of the Sherpa, a tightly knit people group native to the Everest region.  Being experts in local terrain and having physically adapted to higher altitudes, the Sherpa are the primary guides to ascending Everest.

And none are more distinguished than Apa Sherpa. 

Guinness claims he holds the world record for Everest summits at 21.  For his unparalleled success and knowledge of the mountain Apa’s peers deemed him "Super Sherpa".  From identifying routes to fixing ropes, from making camp to transporting luggage – Apa is your man. 

If you and I are ever on Everest, your opinion will matter very little to me.  As life hangs in the balance, I’m with Apa.  If a decision needs to be made, I will look to Apa.  If Apa were to say, “go” – I go. 

No questions asked.  Apa is the authority.        

Similarly, as Paul concludes his writing on church unity the emphasis he places on authority is particularly noteworthy.  As the church is to unite in both the power of the gospel and the mind of Christ, we are also to unite under the authority of Christ’s apostles (4:1-21). 

In the face of potential factions the body of Christ is to look at her foundational leadership for clear direction.  Track Paul throughout 4:1-21:

• As an apostle, God will judged me accordingly (4:1-5)
• As an apostle, follow my example (4:6-7)
• As an apostle, submit to my authority (4:8-21)

Submit to the apostle's example:

Simply put, the apostles' relationships were bound by sacred writings. Their willful acceptance of the Old Testament provided parameters to practice mutual submission in the maintenance of God honoring unity (4:6).

Resist a quick reading of 4:6.  Appreciate that the apostles were flesh and blood.  Real men with real desires and aspirations.  Allow yourself to consider how incredibly powerful their temptation might have been.  How easy would it have been for any one of the apostles to subtly encourage the Corinthian disunity?  My goodness, the church was already chanting their individual names and publicly lobbying for the factions (1:11-12; 3:4, 22-23)!

Even so, our early leaders remained committed to ascending Everest.
Resisting substitutes, nothing short of reaching the summit would suffice.
Rejecting prideful self-interest, the higher path of humility was chosen.

Paul skillfully shifts from the apostles' humility to the Corinthians' arrogance.  Knowing full well that their factions were fueled by pride, note the rhetorical questions of 4:7

Who sees anything special in you? God put you in Christ.  You did nothing to garner the Almighty’s attention.   

What do you have that you didn’t receive? God gifted you in Christ.  You did nothing to procure spiritual giftedness. 

Why do you boast?  God alone is worthy.  You did nothing to warrant such arrogance.  

Let these questions echo in our spirits and through our churches.  They will erode any measure of spiritual pride and eat away at our tightly guarded self-perceptions and unduly strong corporate identities.  

May these questions push against fleshly instincts that wish to categorize and divide - instincts that craft and cling to carefully defined boxes, instincts that quickly pass judgment on both individuals and groups alike.

Let these questions invite us to listen to our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the universal body.

The apostles led the way up Everest, may we quick follow.

Submit to the apostle's authority:

Whereas 4:6-7 relied upon the apostolic example for unity, 4:8-21 relies solely upon apostolic authority.  Note the last verse:

"What do you wish?  Shall I come to you with a rod or with love in a spirit of gentleness?"  #yourchoice #apostolicmuscle 

Throughout this portion of text, Paul utilized multiple approaches.  He moves from incredibly deep, cutting sarcasm (4:8-13), into gentle, fatherly encouragement (4:14-17), then into direct, fatherly exhortation (4:18-21). Each avenue serves to reinforce both Paul's office of apostle and the message of unity in Christ.

In short, ban the factions or there would be hell to pay.
Dispel the disunity or Paul will arrive with rod in hand.
Do what Paul says, follow his lead.

Rest assured the immediate application of 4:1-21 is lost in our modern context, Paul will not be visiting your church or mine with a rod in his hand. Even so, there is immense value in considering this section of text.

Throughout I Corinthians 1:18-4:21, Paul stresses unity as the Everest of congregational life.  This ascent is not optional but rather, as the apostle demonstrates in chapter 4, expected of all who seek reconciliation with Christ.

How then will we respond? When tempted to foster the "otherness" that so readily separates, will I cast myself upon God's good grace and choose obedience?  Will I bind myself to the word in my regular interactions?   If I've created even a possible offense, will I cease worship and go reconcile with my brother?

Corporately, how will the 21st century church in all her manifestations actively submit to Paul's apostolic authority and cultivate a united front?  Given all our cultural, political, and theological variations will we be open to the opportunity or will pride breed suspicions and paint caricatures?  

The great thing about these types of questions is that we can still yet determine their answers.  By God's grace, we can still choose unity.  We can still ascend the summit and discover a fullness of gospel living that simply cannot be experienced at the mountain's base.  Solid footing is offered and by God's grace we'll meet at the top!

Grace and Peace