1 Corinthians Part 6
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
The world is God’s Mission
The world is God’s Mission
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Who is the world?
Who is the world?
15 “It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.
The world includes everybody
++The believer
++The unbeliever
++Jews (Covenant)
++Gentiles (No covenant)
The world is our mission
The world is our mission
38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,
It is the Battle of kingdoms
++The sons of the kingdom
++The sons of the evil one
This is why it is so easy to fight one another.
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Fighting for our rights
Fighting for our rights
In a fight
++There is a winner
++There is a looser
This is life not a fight
In our text the Apostle Paul reminds us that we must be focused on
The Big Picture
The Big Picture
We live life in two realities
++Information
++Revelation
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”—
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
Information- truth acquired though the senses.
Information- truth acquired though the senses.
Truth through
++What we see
++What we touch
++What we taste
++What we smell
++What we hear
Revelation- A knowing that comes through faith
Revelation- A knowing that comes through faith
29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
It is based upon
++A relationship of trust
++A confidence in the word
++An understanding of God
Revelation does not always tell us something new but reveals to us something that is known
12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
God wants us
++To know him
++To make him known
++To reveal him as present
How do we show the world God?
++Actions- What we do
++Attitude- How we do it
It is easy do the right thing
++The wrong way
++For the wrong reason
This is what chapter 8 Addresses
1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.
2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.
3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.
4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.”
5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”—
6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
We all have knowledge
We all have knowledge
1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.
The power of familiarity
The power of familiarity
To see the Big Picture recognize
++The power of familiarity
1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.
The Corinthian Church
++Knew about their environment
++Knew that sinful practice were commonplace
++Knew that Idolatry was against God
Before Paul addresses the issue he recognized
Knowledge is information
++Acquired over time
++That defines who we are
The Body of Christ
++Is not built upon knowledge
++Is built on an understanding of God’s Love
++Knowledge puffs up
++Love build up
2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.
3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.
The influence of pride
The influence of pride
18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
To see the Big Picture recognize
The Power of familiarity
++The influence of pride
Pride limits our vision
++Of God
++Of Others
++Of Ourselves
Because of pride
++It is easy to see others
++It is hard to see you
3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
Sin becomes visible in the eyes of pride.
Sin becomes visible in the eyes of pride.
The power of love
The power of love
Our love for God
++Reveals His love for us
++Is because of his love for us
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
19 We love because he first loved us.
Our love for God
++Reveals His love for us
++Is because of his love for us
++Fuels our confidence
14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
Our love for God
++Reveals His love for us
++Is because of his love for us
++Fuels our confidence
++Shows us that God knows us
19 But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
To see the Big Picture recognize
The power of familiarity
The influence of pride
++The power of love
The right relationship
The right relationship
32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.
32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
To see the Big Picture recognize
The power of familiarity
The influence of pride
The power of love
++The right relationship
A relationship with God
++Places worship in the right place
++Makes a distinction in their own life
15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua choose the Lord
Joshua choose the Lord
He had options to serve
++The god’s of their fathers-tradition
++The god’s of the this land- accommodation
++The god’s of the people- assimilation
This has always been a choice
This has always been a choice
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Knowing God made the difference
Knowing God made the difference
4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.”
5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”—
6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
Paul deals with two revealed realities
++The reality of man-made idols
++The existence of so-called god’s
Yet for us
++There is only one God, The Father
++There is only Lord, Jesus Christ
The Father is the Source of all things
The Father is the Source of all things
All things
++Come from Him
++Exist for Him
Jesus is the conduit of the father’s will
Jesus is the conduit of the father’s will
All things
++Work through him
++Exist because of him
We live differently because
++We know God
++We are known of God
7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
Differences in the church
Differences in the church
Sanctification is progressive
++It doesn’t happen overnight
++This is not an excuse but a reality
++It is learned over time
The power of the past
The power of the past
7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
The past starts us in different places spiritually
The past starts us in different places spiritually
Some come to God
++From outside the church
++From inside the church
++From around the church
++In spite of the church
Some come
++With biblical knowledge
++Without any biblical knowledge
We all come with baggage
++Sinful acts
++Sinful attitudes
++Sinful beliefs
Coming to Christ
++Takes a decision
++Is an activity of faith
++Happens in a moment
Living for Christ takes time
++To know the truth
++To understand our new life
++To do the work God has for us
9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
Don’t hurt the mind of the weak to make you look strong
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.