Sermon Tone Analysis

Sermon Illustration

Unity

A.W. Tozer once said, “Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other?

They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow.

So one hundred worshipers [meeting] together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become 'unity' conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.”

Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other?

They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow.

So one hundred worshipers [meeting] together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become 'unity' conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.

Charles W. Colson, wrote:

“Calvin, who saw that the Devil's chief device was disunity and division and who preached that there should be friendly fellowship for all ministers of Christ, made a similar point in a letter to a trusted colleague: "Among Christians there ought to be so great a dislike of schism, as that they may always avoid it so fast as lies in their power.

That there ought to prevail among them such a reverence for the ministry of the word and the sacraments that wherever they perceive these things to be, there they must consider the church to exist...nor need it be of any hindrance that some points of doctrine are not quite so pure, seeing that there is scarcely any church which has not retained some remnants of former ignorance."

“Calvin, who saw that the Devil's chief device was disunity and division and who preached that there should be friendly fellowship for all ministers of Christ, made a similar point in a letter to a trusted colleague: "Among Christians there ought to be so great a dislike of schism, as that they may always avoid it so fast as lies in their power.

That there ought to prevail among them such a reverence for the ministry of the word and the sacraments that wherever they perceive these things to be, there they must consider the church to exist...nor need it be of any hindrance that some points of doctrine are not quite so pure, seeing that there is scarcely any church which has not retained some remnants of former ignorance."

Charles H. Spurgeon, in The Essence of Separation, stated

Charles H. Spurgeon, in The Essence of Separation, stated

"To remain divided is sinful!

Did not our Lord pray, that they may be one, even as we are one"?

().

A chorus of ecumenical voices keep harping the unity tune.

What they are saying is, "Christians of all doctrinal shades and beliefs must come together in one visible organization, regardless... Unite, unite!"

Such teaching is false, reckless and dangerous.

Truth alone must determine our alignments.

Truth comes before unity.

Unity without truth is hazardous.

Our Lord's prayer in must be read in its full context.

Look at verse 17: "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth."

Only those sanctified through the Word can be one in Christ.

To teach otherwise is to betray the Gospel.

So where do we draw the line?

What does to mean for the Church to be one as the Father and Son are One?

Scripture Passage

1 Corinthians 1:18-3

Essential Understanding

A. In 1 Corinthians we see Paul, a pastor, dealing with a problem church.

In this letter and in Galatians, we see him apply universal gospel truth in different ways, based on the need of the church: freedom for the Galatian churches/limits to the Corinthian church.

B. This book is either a series of "cultural dinosaurs" or a wealth of principled truth applied to a particular historical/cultural setting.

We must be careful not to confuse truth and cultural applications of that truth.

For a good discussion of this very important hermeneutical issue see Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart's How To Read the Bible for All Its Worth, pp.

65-76 and Gordon Fee, Gospel and Spirit.

C.

This book will push you to the limit of your spiritual ability to interpret the Bible.

It will force you to rethink aspects of your theology.

It will open a window to God's will for our day, practically speaking, as few other biblical writings.

Review of

Each and every word found in this verse is of utmost importance; each one contributes to one powerful message.

Notice that Paul uses the conjunction “FOR” which links verses 17 and 18. Verse 17

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Paul’s reference to the cross of Christ in 17 the FOR makes verse 18 explanatory.

"For the word of the cross" This "word" (i.e., logos) is related to the content of Paul's preaching (cf.

and 23).

Usually in his preaching Paul emphasizes both the crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ.

But in this context he focuses on the crucifixion (cf.

; ; ; ) and its results (cf. ).

"For the word of the cross" This "word" (i.e., logos) is related to the content of Paul's preaching (cf.

and 23).

Usually in his preaching Paul emphasizes both the crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ.

But in this context he focuses on the crucifixion (cf.

; ; ; ) and its results (cf. ).

Paul separates “the word of the cross” and “words of wisdom” they both are from the original “logos” the context actually makes them opposites.

Word of the cross proclaims a real historical event of major importance; Christ’s crucifixion is concerned with the eternal destiny of man.

Words of wisdom are from man not God and are opposed or opposite to the word of the Cross

According to the Bible, there will be two types of response to the gospel arising from God’s elective purpose (Is.

6:9, 10; Luke 2:34; Rom.

9:10–13; 2 Cor.

2:15, 16; 1 Pet.

2:6–8).

This truth does not make God responsible for the perishing of unbelievers; they perish because of their own sin and stubborn impenitence.

Those who believe and are saved, on the other hand, are “those who are called” (v.

24; cf.

Rom.

9:16).

the Word of the Cross is FOOLISHNESS

mōría (from 3474/mōrós) – folly; literally, dull, lacking sharpness;

"dull, sluggish reasoning" lacks a grip on reality and hence means to act "dense" (inert, "truly stupid").

3472/mōria ("dull, sluggish reasoning") lacks a grip on reality and hence means to act "dense" (inert, "truly stupid").

This Greek word comes into English as "moron."

It is a key element in Paul's description of fallen human wisdom (cf.

,,,), also notice 2:14; 3:18-19; 4:10.

The gospel is revelation from God, not human discovery!

We must notice that these people who lack a grip on reality are perishing..

apóllymi – properly, fully destroy; to cut off entirely; "violently/completely perish" implies permanent (absolute) destruction, i.e. to cancel out (remove); "to die, with the implication of ruin and destruction;” cause to be lost (utterly perish) by experiencing a miserable end.

This meaning dates back to Homer; 900 BC.

622/apollymi ("violently/completely perish") implies permanent (absolute) destruction, i.e. to cancel out (remove); "to die, with the implication of ruin and destruction" (L & N, 1, 23.106); cause to be lost (utterly perish) by experiencing a miserable end.

[This is also the meaning of 622/apóllymi dating back to Homer (900 BC.]

means to destroy utterly . . .

implies the completion of the process of destruction" (Abbott-Smith).

That is, utterly destroy to the point of ruination "to lay waste".

1.

"622 (apóllymi) means to destroy utterly . . . the 'perfective' force of apo implies the completion of the process of destruction" (Abbott-Smith).

That is, utterly destroy to the point of ruination (so also in classical Greek meaning "to lay waste").

"The idea here is not extinction but ruin – not of being, but of well-being" (Vine's Expository Dictionary, 164).

Here the resultant loss is "viewed as certain.”

Here the sense of to perish is spiritually…the perishing are without spiritual life and are under the condemnation of God.

Paul contrasts the Corinthians with those who are perishing…he states the Corinthians are believers who are being saved…with the word us…he includes himself into this group...

"The idea here is not extinction but ruin – not of being, but of well-being" (Vine's Expository Dictionary, 164).

Here the resultant loss is "viewed as certain" (Souter).

Remember as we have stated numerous times before…we were saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved!

Past, present and future.

Reality Check

"to die, with the implication of ruin and destruction;” to be lost (utterly perish) by experiencing a miserable end.

1 Corinthians 1:19

What is that miserable end for ALL people who are perishing?

HELL