Pastor Tim Patoka
February 5, 2023 Boast in the Lord 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 1) He Nullifies Our Boasts 2) He Becomes Our Boast
In 2019, I was blessed to attend a pastoral retreat in San Antonio where Seminary classmates gathered to celebrate their 3-year, 10-year, and 25-year graduation. We had activities that combined all the graduates and others that focused on specific classes. In the closing session with my fellow 3-year alumni, we were to write down what we hope people would say at our retirement reception. While I don’t remember what I specifically wrote down, our answers mostly said the same thing: selfless service to the Lord, faithful shepherding of our flock, and a good example of how to balance work, life, and family commitments. Suppose you were to do the same. What would you hope people would say when you’ve reached the end of something like climbing the career ladder, raising children to adulthood, or hitting a new level of friendship with another? If you’re like me and many of my Seminary classmates, your answers will probably feature you in some way. However, where is the Lord in all of this? As sinful humans, we have a natural tendency to highlight ourselves rather than our Lord. The Christians in 1st century Corinth were no different. So the Apostle Paul writes these words to correct their boastful spirit. Rather than boast in ourselves, we boast in the Lord! Not only does he nullify our boasts, he becomes our boast which is the best of all. 1) He Nullifies Our Boasts The Christian congregation in 1st century Corinth was typical of many Christian congregations today. Many of its membership were not what the world considers to be wise, powerful, or born with high status. To be wise from a human point of view means to have knowledge that can be applied for practical purposes or to have an original answer to age-old questions. To be powerful means to be prominent, that is, able to accomplish big tasks effectively and efficiently. To be born with high status is to have a commendable reputation so that wherever you go, you’re respected and listened to. Over the centuries, it hasn’t been God’s MO to typically fill his churches with humanity’s best thinkers, titans of industry, or world-renown figures. For the most part, it’s regular and broken people like you and me. 1