DOCTRINE: A faithful servant will be praised by God. Therefore you and I must take care not to pronounce judgement, because that is Christ’s job.

I. YOU AND I MUST TAKE CARE NOT TO PRONOUNCE JUDGEMENT, BECAUSE THAT IS THE LORD JESUS’ JOB (1 Corinthians 4:5a)

I) Be careful not to pronounce judgement on those who Christ Himself may praise at the day of judgement (1 Corinthians 4:5).

II) There is a way, however, that we must judge, at the command of God (1 Corinthians 5:11-13).

III) You have to judge a tree by its fruit, not what you perceive to be the root (Matthew 7:15-20).

IV) The second coming of Christ Jesus is a truth that is too infrequently thought about (Hebrews 9:27-28).

II. THE LORD JESUS WILL REVEAL THINGS THAT ARE HIDDEN TO US NOW AND EXPOSE THE TRUE MOTIVES OF PEOPLE’S HEARTS ON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT (1 Corinthians 4:5b)

I) Be warned, you who make peace treaties with secret sin, the things in darkness will be revealed—therefore repent now and be cleansed (Romans 2:16).

II) Take heart, you who are slandered now, the things in darkness will be revealed—have no fear, for they did the same thing to Christ and was he not vindicated (Matthew 10:24-26)?

III. GOD WILL COMMEND HIS FAITHFUL SERVANTS, EVEN WHEN THE WORLD AND THE CHURCH MAY HAVE PRONOUNCED JUDGEMENT ON THEM (1 Corinthians 4:5c)

I) God’s praising of you, believer, is His praising of His work He has done in you (1 Peter 1:7).

II) God is so pleased with the work of salvation that He has begun in you that He sings over you with joy, believer (Zephaniah 3:17).

III) Because the Lord will commend you, do not fear when men condemn you (Luke 6:22-24).

IV) Because the saints owe all this commendation to Christ, we must cast our crowns at Christ’s feet in worship (Revelation 4:10).

CONCLUSION

The only way God will graciously commend you is because He justly condemned Christ in your place. Dear saints, Christ on the cross cried out “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) so that God would cry out to you, “I will rejoice over you with gladness” (Zephaniah 3:17). Jesus on the cross drank the cup of God’s wrath for sinners so that you who believe would drink the cup of God’s love for His saints! While you were drowning in the river of sin, Christ jumped in to push you to the shore at the cost of His own life. Christ was condemned so that you would be commended! Now praise God for that in the assembly of the saints and throughout your daily life.