Advent Ambassadors Now! 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Gaudete - The 3rd Sunday In Advent                       17-December-2023
Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
Sermon Theme: Advent Ambassadors Now! by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I. Called By Christ To Act In His Stead! (Vs.1)
II. Called To Be Faithful To Christ’s Doctrine and Practice!(vs.2-4)
III. Called To Prepare Their Hearers for Christ’s Final Advent!(vs.5)

I.N.R.I. “Rejoice in the Lord always!” Solemn purple advent repentance, lightens to pink advent joy - “The Lord is at hand!” In seven days we will celebrate the Virgin giving birth to the God/Man Jesus. During the darkest days in the northern hemisphere the Light of the World shines into human history. His incarnation and birth isn’t myth - it is historical fact. Only duped fools deny the historicity of Jesus of Nazareth.
    Rejoice - the Lord is at hand! The people of Zion fix their eyes upon Christ’s final advent in great glory and power. He is coming and all eyes will see Him. All knees will bow before Him. Just judgement will be proclaimed. Sin, evil, death, the devil, and the evil world will be eternally vanquished. We shall live in these bodies resurrected incorruptible, immortal, glorious. We shall live in new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Rejoice! Jesus’ promises, “Surely, I am coming quickly!” Joyfully we pray, “Amen, even so come Lord Jesus!”
    “Rejoice!” Paul writes from prison. Christ’s Church rejoices under the cross. Persecuted, arrested, imprisoned, martyred the Church sings songs of victorious joy. It is the mark that the God/Man Jesus still Advents among us. He stirs us up snatching us from this present evil world. He preaches, Mat 10:34-39 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. (35) For I have come to 'SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW'; (36) and 'A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THOSE OF HIS OWN HOUSEHOLD.' (37) He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. (38) And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. (39) He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” There is a cost following Jesus. The devil, the world, and especially your old sinful self fight to make you stumble, turn away, bore you, distract you from the hearing of Christ’s Word and reception of His sacraments within His Church. Facing struggles - rejoice - is signals the Lord is at hand! Emmanuel - Jesus - the God/Man - is with us always!
    Therefore this morning learn well of the one office He has established within the Church, the local congregation, to Advent Now - Advent Ambassadors Now! I. Called By Christ To Act In His Stead! (Vs.1) II. Called To Be Faithful To Christ’s Doctrine and Practice!(vs.2-4) III. Called To Prepare Their Hearers for Christ’s Final Advent!(vs.5)
I.   King Christ Jesus established the preaching office for His ongoing Advent as True God/True Man among His believers. The pastoral office was established FOR YOU. The Christian Church confesses two truths that are interwoven. 1st: Also they teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for 2 Christ’s sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, who, by His death, has made satisfaction for our sins. 3 This faith God imputes for righteousness in His sight. Rom. 3 and 4.” Salvation for sinners is not something we deserve, earn, or merit - it is fully and freely God’s gift in Christ Jesus’ living flesh and blood. How is that gift given to us who live over two millennia removed from Jesus’ birth? We confess: “That we may obtain this faith, the Ministry of Teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted. For through the Word and Sacraments, as through instruments, 2 the Holy Ghost is given, who works faith; where and when it pleases God, in them that hear 3 the Gospel, to wit, that God, not for our own merits, but for Christ’s sake, justifies those who believe that they are received into grace for Christ’s sake.”   The Spirit of Truth teaches, Rom 10:13-17 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (14) How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (15) And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (16) But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” (17) So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
    Christ’s Church is a mouth house - where He alone is to be heard preaching and teaching. St. Paul teaches this truth to his congregation at Corinth. (1 Cor. 4:1) Paul began his letter, 1Co 1:2-3 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: (3) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” The local congregation is Christ’s Church. They are called to be saints - united with every Christian around this world. They rejoice for grace and peace flows to them from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
      How can this be? Fights are ongoing in this congregation. They’ve fractured their fellowship - some claiming to follow pastor Apollos, others pastor Paul, others pastor Cephas, still others claim they are following Christ. They tolerate a man living in sexual sin - marrying his father’s wife. Their services resemble a raucous drunken fest - the poor go home hungry - the rich get drunk - people shout out during the sermon. How can such a disjointed gathering of sinners be the Church of God?
    It is called by God the Holy Spirit through the Pastors He has sent to preach His Word, administer His sacraments, forgive or retain sins. Today, Corinth is ruins - no church building remains - its congregation long dispersed. The Gospel is like a rain shower, Christ sends it for a time, but when people turn their backs on it - He removes His pastors and His Word from them - it ceases to exist.
  The pastoral office is separate from the priesthood of all believers. By virtue of our baptism all Christians are members of the priesthood - St. Peter teaches, 1Pe 2:9-10 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (10) who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” All Christians are to proclaim the praises of Christ within their homes, communities, and vocations. You are to pray daily. Singing forth God’s hymns of praise in your home. The head of the household especially is to teach those entrusted to his care - the 10 Commandments, the Apostles’ Creed, The Lord’s Prayer, Christ’s promises and gifts in holy baptism, absolution, and the Sacrament of the Altar. This is your calling.
    The pastoral office, instituted by Christ, is to preach publically in the stead of Christ. Pastors are not free-agents. They go only where they are called by the Holy Spirit through the local congregation. They preach only what Christ Jesus has preached and taught through His prophets, evangelists, and apostles - the Written Word of the Holy Bible. A pastor is a servant of Christ - not to give the congregation what they want - but to preach what Christ sends them to proclaim.
    The word here for “servant” of Christ is the one used for slaves who were the under-rowers in Greek/Roman battleships. The slaves didn’t set the course, or plan the battle strategy - they only followed the command of their Captain - rowing - or resting - according to His Word.
    Christ Jesus advents among us today through the Pastoral office. Men called, ordained, sent, and installed to be “stewards of the mysteries of Christ.” A steward doesn’t own the goods, but administers them in the Name and by the command of King Jesus. What are these mysteries? All things Christ has commanded...His doctrine... baptism..absolution.. the Lord’s Supper...the deep mystery of the incarnation... redemption ... creation... sanctification. In his second letter to his Corinthian congregation Paul further describes the pastoral office - 2Co 5:18-21 (18) Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, (19) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. (20) Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. (21) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
II. Rejoice! King Jesus makes His ongoing advent among us through His Word preached by men called to be pastors. The length a pastor serves in a congregation is determined by the Holy Spirit alone. A long serving pastor is a blessing to a congregation. Short pastorates call us to repent and reconsider our love for Christ’s Word and presence in the office of the ministry.
    Christ calls His ambassadors to be faithful. (1 Cor. 4:2-4) Stewards are to administer Christ’s sacraments according to His institution. They are to conduct the divine service decently and in order. To preach and teach the whole counsel of Christ. Like Isaiah they are to comfort God’s people - proclaiming peace through Christ’s cross and empty tomb.
    What reward awaits faithful pastors? Scripture testifies, Heb 11:36-40 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. (37) They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— (38) of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. (39) And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, (40) God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.” The apostles would rejoice when they were counted worthy to suffer for faithfully preaching Christ’s doctrine, baptizing, forgiving, and communing the faithful. Isaiah, John the Baptizer, Jesus, and Paul never retired from the preaching office - they were martyred. Isaiah sawn in two while alive. John and Paul beheaded. Jesus crucified. This is the cost and reality of the office of the ministry. The Lord Jesus holds them accountable to every sheep or lamb entrusted to their care. Pray for them. Encourage - speak the Gospel they preach back to them. They only want to make you rich in Christ Jesus as they suffer the loss of all things.
III. Rejoice! Christ Jesus is at hand! Faithful pastors prepare you for Christ’s final advent! (1 Cor.4:5) If a pastor preaches false doctrine, another Gospel, he is accursed and to be removed from office.(Gal.1:6-9). Jesus advents here today through the pastoral office to prepare you for His final coming. Judgment is spoken on you today - “I forgive you all your sins!” Hope is prayed, “Deliver us from evil.” Strength is given - “Take eat, Take drink” Trust in Jesus - Rejoice He is Here to save you! Amen.