A Place to Call Home

God has been preparing me all week to preach this message to you today. Kim and I had an opportunity to God to a Marriage Enrichment retreat at Win shape this week. Then at the end of the week I was able to attend Catalyst 2017.

I’m so amazed at the way God speaks through so many avenues around me.

One of the things I learned was that it has been proven that feeling alone is more of a killer than heart attack.

God’s creation is a a creation of harmony, balance, and unity. Can you imagine an ant by itself. It has no purpose without its queen and farm.

Most mammals on the face of the planet are pack animals. They find their purpose and worth inside a group. They can’t survive on their own.

We are much the same way. We were not created to live alone but to belong to something bigger than just ourselves.

We understand that interpersonal relationships are where we find our purpose, worth, fulfilment, joy, and happiness. If a person is left alone for too long they will lose the meaning of life and slip into depression.

Why would a kid on the inner city streets ever choose to be a part of a gang? Better to belong to something than be alone with nothing.

We are constantly looking for ways that we can belong to a group of people. Even in Church people are looking for a place to belong.

Where can I love and be loved?

Where can I contribute in a real and meaningful way?

I want to show you something I was reminded of this week about aloneness.

Genesis 2:18 ESV

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

When God created the earth, us, and everything in it he made a pronouncement. It is good. It is very good.

But yet in the midst of the creation there was something that wasn’t quite right.

Sin had not yet entered into the world, but yet something was not good. “It was not good that the man should be alone...”

There was no one like him. There was no one that he could intimately share life with. The man by himself was incomplete and this was not good.

This is not a matter of sin but a matter of being. Man has an overwhelming need to belong.

After sin did enter the world the problem of aloneness only got worse as sin causes broken relationships and exacerbates the problem.

So here is the blessing of the gospel. When Jesus paid for our sins on the cross it was not simply to forgive us of our sin, but to give us entrance into his family.

Through Christ we become apart of the family of God and have fellowship with God and the family of of God.

1 John 1:2–3 ESV

2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:

God removes your aloneness by placing you in fellowship with himself and his family.

Today we are starting a new Series through the book of 1 Corinthians entitled “Messy.”

This might sound like a funny title but the truth is ministry is messy. Think about it. The church in Corinth was about the same age as we are now.

They were doing a lot of ministry but were still learning all that it meant to be followers of Christ.

Ministry is Messy! In any family you have the crazy aunt, and uncle nasty, the golden child, and the black sheep, the over achiever, and the lazy sister.

So it is in the body of Christ. Just because you come into fellowship doesn’t mean you have it all down. We are growing and learning together. And that is a messy combination because we keep running into each other.

I Corinthians was specifically written to answer some of these family questions as this young Church is learning how to serve christ together.

Body of the Message

1 Corinthians 1

1 Corinthians 1:1–3 ESV

1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

You can’t function as a little “c” until you understand the Big “C”.

1 Corinthians 1:4–6 ESV

4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—

1 Corinthians 1:7–9 ESV

7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

6 Blessings for the Saints of God

Grace from God (vs. 4)

Knowledge from God (vs 5)

Gifts from God (vs. 6)

Hope in Jesus Christ (vs. 7)

Provision from God (vs. 8)

Fellowship with God (vs. 9)

God has blessed us with everything we need to be the family of Christ.

God has called us to be and represent the love of God to the world.

God has called us to reconcile the world into this family.

A dysfunctional family breeds dysfunctional children.

1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV

10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

I Cor 1:

Division begins with disagreement.

1 Corinthians 1:11 ESV

11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.

Division through Quarreling

1 Corinthians 3:3 ESV

3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?

Quarreling among you

1 Corinthians 3:2–3 ESV

2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?

Division of Authority

1 Cor

1 Corinthians 1:12–13 ESV

12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

1 Cor 1:13

Agreement ends with the authority of God’s Word

Unity is a must for any movement of God

Agreement begins with the authority of Christ

Agreement ends with the authority of God’s Word

Eph 4:

Ephesians 4:1–3 ESV

1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:4–6 ESV

4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Eph 4

Unity is the key that unlocks the Kingdom.

4 Steps to Walk in Unity

See your own carnality.

Everyone is dealing with their own sin and carnality.

Ministry is messy because you are messy.

Submit to the authority of Christ and his Word.

Agreement begins with the authority of Christ

Strive for Unity and not Division.

Agreement ends with the authority of God’s Word

Strive for Unity and not Division.

What do I need to change in myself.

How can I help my brother or sister in Christ.

Stay on mission.

The mission always drives you to unity.

When you are not on mission carnality reigns.

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