Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.  For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

Paul has been saying that they have all things, so why boast in certain leaders?  Paul and the other leaders are to be viewed as servants of Christ, just those who have been entrusted with the gospel.  Leaders are given a trust, and it is God who judges the heart.  Whether those leaders are serving Christ or their own ambitions.

Then he says to them above.  Don’t go beyond what is written.  It means to not go beyond the message to make it more or less than what it is.  It’s not about the men bringing the gospel, it’s about the message they bring.  Paul again tells them to not following men.  They have all things even as the leaders have all things, and that is Christ.  What did they not receive?

So stop boasting in men, claiming you have more understanding, insight, wisdom, knowledge, etc… because you follow one.  And stop complaining that another does not, even though you have been given everything through the apostles.

The focus is the message of Christ, not on the ones who bring the message.

And you have that message, so you have all things, even as the leaders do.

The leaders are given a special role, yes.  And God will judge their hearts.

But keep it about Christ.

Today, there are some who will boast in one leader over another, but one of the things we need to hear is to keep Christ central.  If we elevate a leader, and that leader has a great fall, will our foundation crumble?

For many, it has.

That is a sign that too much was placed on a leader.  Jesus is central.  The gospel is what matters.

Leaders come and leaders go.

Some leaders are good and some are bad.

Others will persevere and some will fall into moral depravity.

Don’t. hold any one leader higher than necessary.

Christ is the center of it all.