A Call for Unity
The Letters to the Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted
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· 6 viewsPaul admonishes the Corinthian believers to be unified in heart and purpose.
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1 Corinthians 1:10-17
10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
11 For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters.
12 Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.”
13 Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not!
14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15 for now no one can say they were baptized in my name.
16 (Oh yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas, but I don’t remember baptizing anyone else.)
17 For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.
INTRODUCTION:
A- Background and Recapitulation
1- Paul’s ministry in Corinth: (Acts 18:1-18)
a- Paul Planted the Corinthians church in AD 52.
b- Paul ministered in Corinth for about 18 months. (Acts 18:11)
11 So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.
c- Paul leaves for Cenchrea and then Syria.
2- News arrives from Corinth about the problems that had developed in the church.
(This is approximately the spring of AD 56)
a- This news arrives and Paul writes his first letter to Corinth while in Ephesus. (Acts 19:1-20:1)
1- He was in Ephesus over two years. (Acts 19:8-10)
8 Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God.
9 But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
10 This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.
3- Paul reminds the Corinthians about their identity in Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:1-9)
a- “ἡγιασμένοις ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ”= The have been called and made holy “in Christ Jesus.”(1 Corinthians 1:2)
2 I am writing to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
(1) Literally, believers have been placed in union with Christ. We are in Him. Later in the letter, Paul will utilize the figure of the church as the “body of Christ.”
b- His teachings will all hinge on believers position “in Christ.”
c- The behavior of the Corinthians does not fit who they are “in Christ.”
TS: Notice how Paul uses the Corinthians’ position “in Christ” to deal with the division in the church.
I- THE PROBLEM (1 Corinthians 1:10-12)
I- THE PROBLEM (1 Corinthians 1:10-12)
10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
11 For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters.
12 Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.”
A- There was division in the church. (1 Corinthians 1:10c)
A- There was division in the church. (1 Corinthians 1:10c)
1 Corinthians 1:10c (NLT)
10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
1- μὴ ᾖ ἐν ὑμῖν σχίσματα = “don’t let there be any divisions among you.”
a- The word “divisions” is the Greek work σχίσματα.
(1) This is where we get the English word schisms from.
(2) The word means “division or disunion, especially into mutually opposed parties.” from an old word meaning to split or rend, and so means a rent. Used in (Matt. 9:16; Mark 2:21).
16 “Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.
21 “Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.
2- Members of Chloe’s household had reported the divisions.
B- The division was based upon which leader the believer’s group was “following.” (1 Corinthians 1:12)
B- The division was based upon which leader the believer’s group was “following.” (1 Corinthians 1:12)
12 Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.”
1- The Paul Group - Paul was the founder of the Corinthians church and was likely more of the scholarly type of teacher than the other two (Peter or Apollos).
2- The Apollos Group - Followed Apollos, who was a powerful preacher and orator. (Acts 18:24-27)
3- The Peter Group - Since Peter likely never visited Corinth, these were likely Jewish believers who were sympathetic to the Judaizers who were constantly trying to attack Paul’s teachings.
4- The Jesus Group- Another group who tried to appear to be the super-spiritual group.
II- THE PRESCRIPTION (1 Corinthians 1:10, 13-17)
II- THE PRESCRIPTION (1 Corinthians 1:10, 13-17)
10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
13 Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not!
14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15 for now no one can say they were baptized in my name.
16 (Oh yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas, but I don’t remember baptizing anyone else.)
17 For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.
A- Make the decision to submit to the authority of Christ.(1 Corinthians 1:10a)
A- Make the decision to submit to the authority of Christ.(1 Corinthians 1:10a)
10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
1- The authority we are to live under is that of the Lord Jesus Christ.
a- This means that we are not to follow human messengers, but the Lord.
(1 Corinthians 3:4-5)
4 When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world?
5 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.
b- This is done through following the teachings of scripture and the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
(2 Timothy 3:16)
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
(John 14:15-17)
15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.
17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
c- Paul gives a good rule for submission to human leaders:
(1 Corinthians 11:1)
1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
B- Surrender to the unity the Lord commands. (1 Corinthians 1:10b,d)
B- Surrender to the unity the Lord commands. (1 Corinthians 1:10b,d)
1 Corinthians 1:10b (NLT)
10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
1- The Lord desires that we be unified.
(John 17:21-23)
21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.
23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.
2- Unity comes when we are of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
a- ἦτε δὲ κατηρτισμένοι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ νοῒ καὶ ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ γνώμῃ= completely of one way of thinking and judgment, opinion or sentiment (hence, purpose). Refers to thinking and acting with the same goal in mind.
(Ephesians 4:3)
3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.
C- Recognize that division is not God’s will and does not fit who we are “in Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:13-17)
C- Recognize that division is not God’s will and does not fit who we are “in Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:13-17)
13 Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not!
14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15 for now no one can say they were baptized in my name.
16 (Oh yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas, but I don’t remember baptizing anyone else.)
17 For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.
1- Christ is not divided and neither should we be!
2- Human leaders should strive to bring us to Christ to follow Him.
3- Any human leader who seeks to get you to follow them is not serving Jesus.
4- Any human leader who twists scripture to build a following is not serving Christ.
a- Note Paul’s warnings:
(Acts 20:28-32)
28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.
29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock.
30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.
31 Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.
32 “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.
(2 Timothy 4:1-4)
1 I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom:
2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.
4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.
CONCLUSION: