I've been doing a litle study on 1 Corhinthians 4, and I've found a powerful word for us to review.
The time of the writing was when Paul was dealing with a pride issue with the Christians in Corinth. He reminds them that Christianity is not a fashion but a relationship with Jesus and a ministry! He brings the point home in the middle of a strongly worded passage:
"For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake..."
The word spectacle is theatron, from which we get our word “theater.” When Paul says we have been made a spectacle to the world, he is not complimenting us, nor is he making this an exciting pride-filled prospect. He refers to the way the apostles have been publicly humiliated. This kind of humiliation was a slam to the pride of the Corinthian Christians, but a cold shower to wake them up to the reality of service here on Earth. We are willing to face shame so that others may see Christ. We're willing to step out and show Jesus, no matter if it means alienation or scorn.
May I ask you - are you a spectacle for Christ?
