I Was Baptized By... Series

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• Here we are again, today we are going to examine another one of the great complaints we find in the pages of the Bible.

• I have always been intrigued by those who for various reasons, feel they are not good enough to be I a church.

• I mean when you read the book of 1 Corinthians, which Pau; wrote to the Corinthian church, I believe one would no longer be able to feel that way.

• SLIDE #2 MAP CIRCLE=CORINTH: Diamond=Israel

• The church was expanding quickly and with the rapid growth came some huge problems.

• 1 Corinthians was written to the church at Corinth and the letter was apparently the second letter written to the church. We do not have the actual first one.

• Anyway, for folks to think that everyone is perfect in church, they will be shocked by what they read in 1 Corinthians.

• In the first 6 chapters, Paul deals with all the problems within the church. And the church was FULL of them!

• In the first for chapters, Paul addresses the issues of division and factions within the church.

• In Chapter 5, the issue of gross immorality within the church was addressed.

• In the first part of chapter 6 we see Paul deal with the issue of litigation between members in pagan courts.

• The last half of chapter 6 deals with more issues concerning sexual immorality (INAPPROPRIATE PHYSICAL BEHAVIOR).

• Given all that Paul would deal with in this letter, the theme is simple.: All believers belong to the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:2).

• So today we are going to examine the great complaint which is, you are not a part of my clique.

• What I want to do is take what they were dealing with and move it into what we deal with and what we need to guard against.

• The root problem from the letter is that people were losing sight of what was important, the unity we are to have in Christ. The people started to become the ME Church and were focusing on everything but what was important.

• So today, we will be in 2 Corinthians 1:10-17, let’s begin with verse 10

• SLIDE #3

• 1 Corinthians 1:10 (HCSB) Now I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.

• SLIDE #4

SERMON

I. The plea. (V10)

• I love verse 10 because there is so much to it.

• The verse begins with NOW, which tells us that Paul is transitioning from all the reasons as to why he is thankful, to heading to the land of reprimand.

• It is the Brightside, then dark side tactic.

• Paul does not drop the proverbial hammer on them in the sense of getting ugly with them, he chooses to use the word URGE along with brothers and sisters.

• This tactic shows he has the apostolic authority to address the issues with them, but that he is doing it from a heart of love, wanting them all to reach the heights of their potential in Christ.

• The main goal he is asking the Corinthian Church to strive for is UNITY, a unity based on who they belong to.

• This is an outright appeal to them to seek to be united under Jesus!

• They were baptized into no other name but Jesus, the Lord was the Lord of them all. In Him all were equal, there was no rivalry in Christ!

• They were not to let no other name surpass that of Jesus!

• The subject of unity is what the first four chapters of the book deal with.

• The encouragement is to agree in what they say versus allowing a spirit of dissension to build.

• They were to open doors versus building walls of separation between themselves.

• In verse 12 we see that the folks were building walls of separation based on who baptized them.

• The word agree does not mean they all thought like robots, but rather it implies they were to have the same sentiments on the subjects which divide them.

• SLIDE #5

• Philippians 2:2 (HCSB) fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal.

• This is not about not having the freedom to think, it is about making sure that we are all heading in the same direction, that we are all putting our focus on Christ!

• The word AGREE was a word used of warring parties who reached a consensus and were working together and no longer at war.