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Without God, We're Sunk |
1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenese.To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere, who call on the name of out Lord Jesus Christ – their Lord and ours:Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in ChristJesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way – in all your speaking and all your knowledge – because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless, on the day our Lord Jesus Christ. God who has called you into fellowship with his son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. The author is Paul, an authority in Jesus Christ, writing to a local church in Corinth, as well as all believers. He begins with a total and complete recognition of Jesus Christ, letting the people know they have been called into the grace of God. Today, just as in the day of Paul, our churches have very significant problems and challenges. Pastors are experiencing burnout, anxiety, frustration, followed by resignations and turmoil. In common are:
Pastors and churches, today, are under attack. Paul pastured in Corinth for 18 years, partnering with Pricilla and Aquila, making tents, while reasoning with the Jews. Corinth was a wealthy community center, but also had a reputation of being pagan. It had the reputation of a Las Vegas in the ancient world. And, Paul struggled with Corinth, asking, “What is this thing called church?” for there was more teaching on the church in Corinth than anywhere else. We, at our church, need to ask the same question: “What is this thing called church? Is it the elders, the pastor, the congregation? What should the church be doing? What did God have in mind?” Every church has problems. There is no perfect anything. Why is that? Every pastor, today, has a Corinthian church. And, Paul’s letter to the church of Corinth was his second letter after the things he had orally heard, as well as letters he received from the church. The problems addressed were many:
What a mess! What was wrong with the Corinthian people? What we do know is that God said, “This is the work I want you to do,” entrusting it to people who are imperfect. Yes, God could perfectly do what He wants, but He commanded us to do it. It is easy to find something wrong with the church. And, many people feel they get nothing out of the church. But, the real church is not the building. It is people called together. For, without God, we are sunk, 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 I appeal to you brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: Qne of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, "I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephannas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel – not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. Are we, today, a part of a country that stands together undivided? Or, are we a nation deeply divided, multi-faction, politically partisan, and rage filled? Sadly, it doesn’t feel very good. Paul was hearing from people--sent to Paul by Chloe-- about a bunch of people in the Corinthian church that were fighting. And, the truth is that people, today, in the church are still fighting. Some people think that all church people do is fight. Craig Blomberg has a great commentary about 1 Corinthians. He says, “The disunity of the church of Jesus Christ remains as one of the greatest scandals that compromises witness today.” God’s plan for the church is NOT to have people fighting. And, what Paul had to say to the 1st Century church is no less needed than in the 21st Century church. Why? Because, what God had in mind for them is no different than what God has in mind today. God did not design the church to be a “fight club.” God’s vision was that we would agree with one another; have no divisions; and, would be perfectly united in mind and body. Do you think God would ask us to do something that would be impossible to do? Do you think He would want us united, knowing it would never happen? Romans 15:5-6 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow ChristJesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 133:1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity. John 17:20-23 My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them will be one. Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world will believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Corinthians were known for their party spirit, and were very familiar with the party system and partisanship. And, Paul told them very emphatically that they were not going to bring that into the church. Paul called on them to agree with one another and not to be divided, but to be united in mind and in thought. The church is to be different. When discussing unity, the objection is ‘that you’re supposed to agree about everything.’ And, no, that is neither possible, nor healthy, nor does God prescribe that kind of uniformity. But, God does invite unity or oneness in the bond of love. Families, who have many different types of members and personalities, almost always stick together. And, the church is also a family that should stick together. When we tune ourselves to the Body of Christ, we will have unity. But, Paul was, basically, telling the Corinthian church people that their infighting was immature. Then, Paul asked them, “Is Christ divided?” “Do we all have our little piece of Christ?” He was saying that we are all attuned to Christ, who is One; and, that’s what will unite us. If we follow human leaders, you can count on being divided. But, if we all unite around Christ and are heading in the same direction, reading from the same piece of music, we will be united. Yet, the moment we start experiencing division it is because we started focusing on human leaders. Paul also asked them, “Was Paul crucified for you?” For, he was attempting to get them focused on who was crucified for them. They had been slowing drifting away from the main church foundation … Jesus Christ. And, when you wander away from that foundation, the church will experience division. Paul told them to stop what they were doing. Because, infighting was not what God had in mind for the church. And, when churches stop fighting, churches start moving. You cannot pulverize your Christian brother and evangelize your neighbor at the same time. It’s impossible. So, we have a choice to make … fight or unite. And, if we unite, we will be one church, under God, indivisible. 1 Corinthians 1:18-30 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made man foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards, ; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one will boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ, Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 When I came to you brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you accept Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. Today, what the world thinks is that it is wise. But, God thinks it is foolish. What the world thinks is foolish, God thinks is wise. And, Paul is addressing man’s wisdom. Not God’s words, but probably his thoughts … Man’s wisdom is “stuck on stupid.” God is telling us that man’s wisdom is foolish. In Paul’s day is was and today it is. Man thinks the message of the cross is foolish. This cornerstone foundation of the church, central to all doctrine and theology, was not even openly and publicly discussed by the Corinthians. The cross was only discussed as a method of crucifixion. Paul left little doubt on how he felt people thought. Yet, the very instrument of our salvation, the very hope of the world, the very core and central teaching of the gospel is considered by the world as foolishness. We are living, today, in a day when the gospel is losing its power, because preachers are taking the cross out of their sermons and their church. The cross, and what God considers wise, is said to be foolish. Man’s wisdom says that God is meaningless. Our nation, today, is taking God’s name out of everything it can … even in our Pledge of Allegiance. Why? Because these people feel that the mentioning of God might offend somebody. And, don’t teach people that there might be “a designer,” because, it just might be God! Who would want that? Even, today’s, major magazines rarely mention God or cover religion. The world’s wisdom says: the cross is foolishness; God is meaningless; and, weak is powerless. But, God uses weak things to shame the strong. In the Beatitudes, Jesus talked about the poor in spirit and the meek. The world says, “If you’re weak, you’re powerless.” Is that right? When Paul talked to God about the thorn in his side to be taken away, the answer was clear. God told him that His grace was sufficient and that Paul’s power was made perfect through his weakness. So, Paul boasted of his weakness that became a “new strong” in the Christian realm. When you are weak … you are strong. Why? Because, it is the power of God that strengthens you. The difference … our culture says that strong is strong and that weak is powerless. But, God says weak is powerful. God makes what is foolish to the world the wisest thing you could do. Be foolish for Christ and be wise by God’s standards. It’s God’s plan! It is the foolish people that God chooses that give authority and it’s foundation. It is not about the messenger, it is about God. Foolishness is in the one doing the preaching:
It is about God! The messenger has only one message. The preacher has one theme. The gospel has one centered core idea--Jesus Christ and His crucifixion is the wisdom of God. So, Christian … sign up to be weak. And, let the world stay “stuck on stupid,” while we boast about the Lord. 1Corinthian 2:6-16 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God’s secret of God’s wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began, None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: No eye has seen no ear has heard no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. But God has revealed it to us by his spirit. The spirit searched all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of man except the man’s spirit within him. In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given to us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: For who has known the mind of the Lord That he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. A children’s book highlighted nature as the ‘way it is and always will be’. A television program submitted the same theme. It’s a “naturalistic message” that has not only penetrated children’s books, but has permeated our entire culture. This is a philosophical message through science that must be challenged. People are trying to promote that there is no God, and that nature is all there is. Out-spoken people feel we should look for “human wisdom” for our answers. But, Paul calls it worldly wisdom … an extreme difference when compared to the wisdom of God. The Corinthians were the most sophisticated and best thinking people of their day. It was so easy for them to conclude that their wisdom was their strength. They were smart enough to think everything out--kind of like us. But, Paul rocks their world by saying, “What you thing of as wisdom is actually foolish, and what you think of as foolish is actually wisdom.” Paul addressed the problem: most people in the world do not see things as God sees them. And, the name for that is human wisdom. Know this: human wisdom can never understand God’s wisdom; and, people will frustrate themselves that those people with human wisdom will not agree with us about God. Human wisdom, or worldly wisdom as Paul calls it, was the challenge for the Corinthians. These sophisticated people felt their wisdom was their strength. They were smart enough to figure everything out … kind of like us. But, Paul challenged their world and proclaimed wisdom as foolish. Paul challenged them that “…most people in the world do not see things as God sees things…”. The name for that is “human wisdom”. He said that none of the people during this age could understand, because they were spiritually discerned. And, know that “human wisdom” can never understand “God’s wisdom”. We will frustrate ourselves by trying to insist that those who only have human wisdom agree about God. Human wisdom is limited in its inability to neither comprehend, understand, nor grasp Godly wisdom. You can’t get it no matter how smart you are through the avenue of human wisdom. People in the church of Corinth were trying to apply human wisdom regarding how people are to relate to the life in the church. Human wisdom says “… if it feels good, you ought to be able to do it because you deserve to be happy”. “We deserve to be happy” is not God’s wisdom. How can something so wrong feel so right? God says, through Paul, “… put that out from you and have nothing to do with it because it is on the basis of human wisdom”. Today, we see it everywhere in our culture on a daily basis. Many scientific authors in the 19th Century disclaimed God, claiming in essence, that religion has no real access to reality and that theology is fiction. And, that’s human wisdom. Look at today’s publications and newspapers, magazines, television … and, find anything about religion or the witness to the presence of God in our world, other than the token ‘bone’ thrown to Christians at Easter or Christmas. Find in witness testimony anywhere in our world that it is wise to believe that there is a God ruling our universe. Human wisdom marginalizes the place for those who do have a naturalistic outlook about life: that there is no God and that nature is all there was, or is, or ever will be. It is pervasive in our society. And not only that, human wisdom marginalizes those who do have a plan for God. If you want to appear as a lunatic or whacko in our culture, let people know that you go to a Bible church or listen to Christian music or sit through 45-minute sermons. And that you believe in God. Scores of studies and researchers have determined that religious people are among the healthier people. In fact, Christianity is correlated with better mental health, experiencing lower rates of depression, suicide, alcoholism, drug abuse, etc. Simply put, our bodies function better when we believe in God. Unfortunately, facts are not what motivates worldly wisdom. What motivates worldly wisdom is, “ let’s remove God and let’s marginalize those who have a place for God in their life”. Some people see God as a privilege to see things from God’s point of view. How? Based on the Word of God. For He has said “… No eyes have seen, no ears have heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him. But, God has revealed it to us through His Spirit.” So, what is being said is that you do not come up with this knowledge through your own eyes or ears or mind. It is God who gives you the ability to see things as God sees them. Isn’t that exciting! The wisdom of God remains unseen to unspiritual people. The only way to know what is in a person’s mind is if they tell you. For, who among men know the thoughts of man, except through the man’s spirit within him? Christians have God’s Spirit living within them. Christians can know God’s thoughts to the degree that the Spirit, that is within them, reveals it to them. Yet, we want to know, “How does that work?” For we were baptized by Christ with the Holy Spirit. That makes us a Temple of God. But again, what does that mean? It means God is there showing us how He sees things. And, whenever you see it God’s way, you will never want again to see it the world’s way. We get to see things from God’s bench-- not because we deserve it, or earned it, not because of time spent in life’s events. No, it is because God said to sit with Him on His bench and to see things as He sees them. For without the Holy Spirit, you would not see His world. If you do see it, what do you see? It’s all about Jesus! And, Jesus told the apostles that He was going to send a Comforter, “…Who will not speak of himself, but will speak of Me, and will show you of things to come.” The secret wisdom-- meaning mystery-- in the New Testament means “truth formerly concealed, but now revealed.” So, what was revealed? “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those of us who are saved, it is the power of God”. With the message of Jesus--He is our Savior! In our world today, so many times the cross is used as a symbol in worldly terms, or the Name of Jesus is used as a swear word. But, not as God sees it! Thank God that He opened our eyes to see it as He sees it. Different, yes--but, not like the world, that can bring tears to your eyes on how it looks at the cross to them. 1 Corinthians 3:4-5 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through who you came to believe – as the Lord has assigned each his task. It is remarkable when a child acts like an adult. And, Paul would have probably said the same thing to the church in Corinth. But, it is revolting to see an adult act like a child in the church. Verse one in this chapter tells the people of Corinth that they were acting like a bunch a babies. Why did Paul tell them that they were still not ready to be treated as “spiritual” adults?” It was because they were acting like children, based on the things that Paul had heard were going on in that church: Christian adults carrying on like they were kids. If you look at television years ago, shows like “Father Knows Best,” or “Leave It To Beaver,” represented ultra-motive parents. They showed parents as parents, and kids as kids. The adults were in charge and gave advice to the children. Parents were the ones children would go to for wisdom. But sitcoms such as “Home Improvement” and “Seinfeld,” present a different image. For example, Tim Taylor continuously splits between adult and child. He is mostly childlike embroiled in a “Dennis the Menace” life. The “Seinfeld Show” demonstrates adults acting like children. Why mention these shows? Because, what is happening in our culture, today, is happening in the church. And, it is creating all kinds of problems. Interestingly, we often hear from children thoughts of wisdom. Why? Because adults can’t figure things out or understand what is going on. And, there is something wrong with that! It’s backward when adults act like children and children act like adults. So, in Chapter 3 of 1 Corinthians, Paul switches to a third category-- a category in the Christian community-- the spiritual versus the worldly. Worldly, meaning what is in our flesh, a term called carnal. Paul named two categories of Christians, naming the worldly category as the problem with the church of Corinth. And, guess what? These problems highlighted by Paul are the same problems in America’s churches. Why? Because there are so many people in today’s churches acting carnal. Today’s church has a spiritual level that seems very low, acting like a bunch of children. For the named problems with immature behavior in our churches are numerous. And, Paul is emphasizing the worldly man. If you are acting like a Christian baby, it is because you have chosen to. A choice that can be made at any stage of a Christian’s life. The carnal Christians of Corinth made that choice and some of you may be in the same situation. When thinking and actions are prompted by the flesh, we are a carnal Christian. Urges and enticements of our flesh are always calling upon us to act in a certain way. For our flesh tells us constantly what we need --such as ‘stuff’. Your flesh will tell you that you deserve to feel good and to be happy, even to the point of telling you that you can eat anything you want. Your flesh can tell you to gossip, even as a prayer request. Your flesh will let you say things you don’t even know are true; or to have another drink; or to look at pornography; or to lie; or to steal; or to lose your temper; or to relish compliments toward you. No matter what, we always have our flesh and all of those desires, and they will challenge us no matter how long we have been saved. And, when we say “yes” we have chosen to live as a carnal Christian. We will never have complete victory over that. But, we can choose. Yet, always know that it is so easy to succumb to the desires of the flesh, because they are there. When our thinking and actions are prompted by the Holy Spirit, we will be spiritual. Another choice: don’t respond to the Holy Spirit. But remember, the Holy Spirit indwells us, so that we can live by the Spirit rather than what gratifies us in the world or nature. What are the choices of the flesh:
Paul tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is;
If you’re acting like a Christian baby, it is your choice. And, if you’re acting like a Christian baby, people will be able to tell. For, the evidence of Christian behavior is in the text. Paul does not leave them guessing … the Corinthian church had a Babies R Us on the front door. Watching a Christian baby is uncomplicated …
Hebrews 5:12 In fact, by this time, you ought to be teacher; and, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food. God wants us to ask ourselves, “Am I feeding on milk, or am I feeding on sold food?” And, how do we get solid food? By reading the Word of God. So, we should decide and preclude what is happening to us. Are we a baby Christian? There is disunity in and outside of the church. While some of you are cheering for the church, some of you may not. Do we align with our team, the church or with the world? It is possible to align with the world. Don’t let it happen. For, there are forces that want to bring down the local church. So, stop acting like babies in the life of the church. 1 Corinthians 3:6-17 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives within you? If anyone destroy’s God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. |