Success or Failure?

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The year's end is usually a time to make an evaluation of our life...
of our life...
It is a time when we can come to the conclusion if we succeeded or failed.
being succesful or being a failure
Now, if success means:
making a lot of money, then I was a failure.
getting a promotion, " " "
buying a very expensive car, " " “
having a church of 1000s, " " “
Duplicate the size of the church, “ “ “
Success in life is like beauty: it's subjective.
What is success for a person might be failure for another one
What success is for a person, might be failure for another one.
EXAMPLE: MONEY How much is much?
When we compare Paul's life with the life of the Corinthians, we can learn 3 things about success in life:
- When we compare Paul's life with the life of the Corinthians
we can learn 3 things about success in life
Read
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Background:
The Corinthians had it all: knowledge, spiritual gifts, fame, power, probably fortune.... success according to human standards (or world's standards)
- The Corinthians had it all: knowledge, spiritual gifts,
fame, power, probably fortune.... success according to
According to their standards of success, they saw Paul as a failure!
human standards (or world's standards)
They saw Paul as a failure!
In the spiritual aspect, they were a complete failure. And Paul is letting them know that in this letter.
And Paul is letting them know that in this letter

What does it mean to be successful?

We
If we consider it from a negative perspective, it may be easier to understand it.
Success...
It's not having all the necessary things. contrast verses
You are already filled” 8a / “We are hungry and thirsty” 11a
It's not being wealthy.
you have already become rich” 8b / “We are poorly clothed” 11b
Ilust. FOOLISH WEALTHY Luke 12
You have become kings without us” 8c
It's not owning a house.
While there’s nothing wrong with pursuing the American Dream of owning a house, we must not see house ownership as a measure of success.
“We are homeless” 11b
If owning a home were the measure of success, our Lord Jesus would be considered a failure:
Matthew 8:20 NASB95
Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
Mat 8
It's not being powerful.
You have become kings without us” 8c
It's not being the first.
God has exhibited us apostles last of all” 9a
Our Lord has taught us that “whoever wants to be first among you, shall be your slave”. (Mat 20:27)
It's not being respected.
We have become spectacle to the world” 9b
We have become as the scum of the world” 13

Worldly success may be dangerous.

SUCCESS ACCORD. THE WORLD MAY BE DANGEROUS.
It may be deceiving.
The Corinthians were deceived and saw themselves as kings, but pay attention to Paul’s words at the end of the verse 8:
"indeed, I wish that you had become kings" (I wish u were kings truly)
It may make us conceited. v.6-7
It may make us conceited. v.6-7
They had become arrogant and felt better than other believers. They thought that speaking in tongues was evidence that they were controlled by the Spirit.
No matter how much we have, do, or know, we are not better than anyone. We are just saved by God’s grace, not by our own merits!
It may make us see other people down.
Being ironic, Paul denounced their arrogance:
1 Corinthians 4:10 NASB95
We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor.
That is a natural result of being conceited, a natural fruit of the flesh.
It may make us forget our origin.
1 Corinthians 4:14–15 NASB95
I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

How to measure true success?

By our faithfulness to what God intrusted us.

By our faithfulness to what God intrusted us. v.2
“it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.” 2
Any master expects his servants to be trustworthy. One day, we must render an account of our stewardship:
Matthew 25:19–22 NASB95
“Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. “The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’
God has given talents, a message, and a mission to fulfill, “to make disciples of all nations”.
Were you faithful preaching the gospel? Did you make at least one disciple?

By our obedience to God.

“Timothy will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.” 17
By our obedience to God. v.17
Not according to human opinion.
1 Corinthians 4:3 NASB95
But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself.
1 Corinthians 4:3–4 NASB95
But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.
1 Cor 4
1 cor 4:3
Measure your success by how much you obey, not by how much you know!
Measure your success by how much you obey, not by how much you know!
1 John 5:2–3 NASB95
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.
1 john 5:2-3
According to God's measure.
“each man’s praise will come to him from God.” 5
Our Lord is a just judge and, one day, we will appear before His judgment seat:
2 Cor 5:10
2 Corinthians 5:10 NASB95
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
Evaluating our life at the end of every year should be a reminder that also at the end of our life we will be evaluated by our Judge.
Continuing doing the same things will give us the same results.
We must evaluate our life during this ending year and make the necessary changes so we can end the next one with success.
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