Introduction to 1 Corinthians (2)
Christ the wisdom and Power of God • Sermon • Submitted
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Main idea: Christ is the wisdom and power of God
Main idea: Christ is the wisdom and power of God
Gospel life: Living for Christ out of the spiritual blessings given by Christ in the age in which we live.
Christ is the wisdom and power from which His church lives the gospel Life - Christ is the source of Wisdom & power
They Corinthian church had fell prey to the high cost of a secular, pluralistic age.
No need for God’s wisdom in life or ministry
The scary reality is that a body of Christ can “do church” in its own wisdom and strength and be successful by the worlds judgement.
Acts 18:1 - Paul goes to Corinth - Spent 1.5 years there. Apollos spent time as well.
Map - Reference -Corinth & Achaia
Corinth was strategically situated on a narrow strip of land and controlled two ports leading to both Italy and Asia
146 BC - Ancient Corinth destroyed by Rome
44 BC - Corinth founded as a Roman Colony (Corinth was the third-largest city of the Roman Empire.)
AD 50-51 -Paul spends 18 months in Corinth
AD 54-55 - Paul writes 1 Corinthians from Ephesus
AD 55-56 -Paul writes 2 Cor. from Macedonia
In Corinth, ⅓ of the pop. were slaves & business and profit were the focus of poor and rich alike.
“Corinth” was a byword for sexual promiscuity -
The Greek prostitutes would wear sandals with the words “follow me” on them and walk up to the temple.
Most of the Church of Corinth was made up of Gentiles converts
They were people of both rich and poor, upper and lower class.
Most agree the the congregation was mostly lower class but the upper class and wealthy wielded heavy influence in the letter
Many think of Paul as a traveling itinerant evangelist and church planter. I Cor. show us Paul as a man, as a pastor, as a counselor and one who loves the local church.
The Troubling Report of the Corinthians Church
The Troubling Report of the Corinthians Church
1 Cor. 1:11 - internal conflict
1 Cor. 1:11 - internal conflict
11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.
1 Cor. 5:1
1 Cor. 5:1
1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife.
reported among you - immorality! - moral compromise
1 Cor. 1:22-25
1 Cor. 1:22-25
22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
One would be true to say negatively the theme could be conflict and compromise of the church.
Lack of Godly wisdom
Lack of Holy Spirit power
The Gospel life is lived together as the church should display visible markers to age in which we live.
These markers according to 1 Cor. are Holiness, Unity and Love.
To say it another way. The antidote for conflict and compromise is the supremacy of the gospel as they remember they had been called to Holiness, unity & love.
Four Marks of a Wise Spirit- Filled Church
Four Marks of a Wise Spirit- Filled Church
Not just a mark, its the preeminent mark!
The Preeminent Mark of the Gospel (The Essential center of the Church)
The Preeminent Mark of the Gospel (The Essential center of the Church)
Chapter 1-2
1 Cor 1:1-2 - Been Called by Christ - Called on Christ - Sanctified in Christ
1 Cor 1:1-2 - Been Called by Christ - Called on Christ - Sanctified in Christ
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:
Author is Paul - The Recipients is the local church of Corinth
1 Cor 1:16-17 - Preeminence of preach Word - The cross does not need my creativity it demands my clarity.
1 Cor 1:16-17 - Preeminence of preach Word - The cross does not need my creativity it demands my clarity.
16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 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.
1 Cor 1:23-25 - Only one thing that saves & makes one wise in Christ
1 Cor 1:23-25 - Only one thing that saves & makes one wise in Christ
23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1 Cor 2:1-5 - Spirit empowered lives
1 Cor 2:1-5 - Spirit empowered lives
1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Christ is the wisdom and power of God for all who believe but especially for His Church
The preeminence of the gospel should lead to visible characteristics in the local Church.
The gospel is not another program beside other ministries it is the essential heart in all ministry.
Ex: Twins or Triplets - interconnected bond that exists
We should see Holiness, Unity & Love as three links in a chain. Unable to separate one without losing them all.
The Mark of Holiness
The Mark of Holiness
Distinct
Distinct
1 Cor 1:21 - strange wisdom with a strange message but it is a saving message
1 Cor 1:21 - strange wisdom with a strange message but it is a saving message
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.
Paul in Athens. What is this babbler saying?! Strange man with strange beliefs!
1 Cor. 2:14 - Spirit filled not merely natural thinking
1 Cor. 2:14 - Spirit filled not merely natural thinking
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
God’s special people - Strange to the world but Special to God
God’s special people - Strange to the world but Special to God
1 Cor 3:16-17
1 Cor 3:16-17
16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
Pure
Pure
Church discipline - Ask most pastors or members if their church practices biblical church discipline and they will look at you like your a member of a cult. Like your strange.
Purity in our morality - Recently read an article that stated young Christians think premarital sex is acceptable.
1 Cor 5:5 - Is Paul speaking to the man in sin or the church?
1 Cor 5:5 - Is Paul speaking to the man in sin or the church?
5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
Yelling at the church! This defiles the church!
Far worse than a church in which someone commits adultery is a church that says nothing about people committing adultery.
The church must practice church discipline within the body to care for churches purity and to guard her witness to our watching neighbors.
Love without holiness is not biblical love.
Brother if you say you love your wife and your looking at porn. That’s not biblical love its corinthian love.
Purity in resolving resolving conflicts
1 Cor 6: 1-2 - Lawsuits letting pagan resolves believers conflict
1 Cor 6: 1-2 - Lawsuits letting pagan resolves believers conflict
1 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?
Purity in Living everyday lives
1 Cor 6:9-10 - False teacher were teaching that since the body is going to die and it doesnt matter what you do with your body.
1 Cor 6:9-10 - False teacher were teaching that since the body is going to die and it doesnt matter what you do with your body.
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
That God cares more about your soul than your body.
Paul lays out the churches view on the body & soul & the Resurrection in 1 Cor 15
1 Cor. 7:1-24 Purity in marriages,
1 Cor. 7:1-24 Purity in marriages,
1 Cor 7:25-40 Purity in singleness and as a widow or widower
1 Cor 7:17
1 Cor 7:17
17 Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.
Don’t miss the obvious, he’s not ultimately talking to individuals, he speaking to the church. We are one body and we should be concerned and involved in each others holiness - this is a gospel issue.
When you see holiness you should also see unity
The Mark of Unity
The Mark of Unity
Identity the couple married the longest
Ex: Unity in marriage comes naturally when you exchange rings. T or F?
The hallmark of unity in the church? - Jews and Gentiles are now one unified family.
Christianity stood out because it didn't have the “identity markers” that separated Jews from Gentiles. (“Community markers”)
Ex: Living on a golf course
What are some common identity markers in our culture, community, and church?
Overlap: Unity in holiness
Sin always leads to disunity
1 Cor. 1:12-13 - Is Christ divided? (party and tribe going back to identity markers)
1 Cor. 1:12-13 - Is Christ divided? (party and tribe going back to identity markers)
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?
Pride brings disunity - Pride in choosing or rejecting their leaders! Magnifying the messenger over the message is sin.
1 Cor 3:1-3 - Jealousy, greed & strife brings disunity (Taking each other to court)
1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 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?
1 Cor. 5:6 - toleration of sin always leads to disunity
1 Cor. 5:6 - toleration of sin always leads to disunity
6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
Do we see the necessity of church discipline to ensure holiness and unity as God’s special distinct holy people?
“When the church divides for carnal reasons, they identify themselves with something other than Christ. They become the church of modern music, or the church of this pastor, or the church of the home-schooler, or the church of the democrats, or the church of the blue carpet. As soon as this happens, they are no longer the church of Jesus Christ. And though a church may be unified around any issue, this unity is not true Christian unity.” - Mark Dever
“When the church divides for carnal reasons, they identify themselves with something other than Christ. They become the church of modern music, or the church of this pastor, or the church of the home-schooler, or the church of the democrats, or the church of the blue carpet. As soon as this happens, they are no longer the church of Jesus Christ. And though a church may be unified around any issue, this unity is not true Christian unity.” - Mark Dever
The Mark of Love
The Mark of Love
How are the churches to be united? Another key point in 1 Cor.
We are to be united in Love.
Chapter 8-14 - love and consideration of others (within and without)
Love governs Christian Freedom - 8 Chapter
Love informs our Corporate Worship - 11:2-34
Love is behind every Spiritual Gifts - 12:1-14:40 (Chpt 13 is right in the center of gifts)
Love drives our Christian benevolence and Generosity- 16:1-4
Holiness, Unity & love builds up the church as a whole.
14:12 -build up the church (Context spiritual gifts)
14:17 build up each other
Notice its not what build my indiv. self up. When the church grows we grow.
Our hope in this study is twofold you grab your Guide and use it every day to study God’s Word and then bring it to your GG and discuss with each other.
Why is this important? Well let’s ask another question
Why is Paul so concerned about this particular local church?
So What’s the Use of the (Local) Church?
So What’s the Use of the (Local) Church?
Did Paul go to Corinth and get those who was not quarrling and immoral and go start 2nd Corinth?
To Reflect the Character of God
To Reflect the Character of God
The character of the church should reflect the character of God.
1 Cor 11:1 - Follow my example as I follow Christ
1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
1 Cor 2:16b - We have the mind of Christ
16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
The church desires to be holy because their God is holy
1 Cor 6:11 - We are… so we must reflect it!
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
The church is United Because God is One
1 Cor 1:13
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
1 Cor. 11 - Lords supper - Lords supper is to reflect this unity between Christ and his church
Worship can often become our pursuit of indiv. selfish preferences.
1 Cor. 12-14 - Gifts and labors reflect unity in the midst of our diversity We use our gifts to build up Christ’s one church.
Yes when you serve in security or teach our kids you display something of the divine.
The church Loving because God is Love
1 Cor. 2:9
9 But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
1 Cor. 1:30 - love proved by redemption
1 Cor. 1:30 - love proved by redemption
30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
1 Cor. 8:11-13 - Rebuked for not loving each other (11:23-26)
1 Cor. 8:11-13 - Rebuked for not loving each other (11:23-26)
11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
So What’s the Use of the (Local) Church? - To Reflect the Character of God - To Whom?
To magnify to the world the character of God.
To magnify to the world the character of God.
Why should we labor together to be holy, united & loving?
1 Cor 10:31-11:1 - That they may be saved
1 Cor 10:31-11:1 - That they may be saved
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
So we can love like You
Keeping you first in all we do
So we can let Your light shine through
To love the world
And show them You’re everything
Let’s pray.
1 Cor 1:28-29 - Why us? Why the church
1 Cor 1:28-29 - Why us? Why the church
28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
God uses the low things so that all might know its not that are wise and powerful. Is is our Lord and we reflect and honor Him.
Christ is the wisdom and power of God