Simply A Sanctified Saint Series

I. Introduction

A. There are many issues of concern or interest to the church today.

-Issues of curiosity or issues that can unite or divide a church.

-Issues of theology or issues of faith and practice.

-Issues such as:

-Divorce and remarriage.

-Role of women in ministry.

-Spirit baptism.

-Gifts of the Spirit

-Communion

-God’s judgment.

-God’s grace.

-Sanctification

-Unity of the body of Christ.

-We can begin several different studies to look at each of these topics.

-This would give us an opportunity to look at these topics in depth.

-The problem with these types of studies is that sometimes one can inadvertently miss the context surrounding these particular passages

-It would be better if we could instead look at these topics within context.

-It just so happens that God has given us a book in scripture that addresses all these topics and more.

B. Expositional study

-Today I would like to begin a study of the book of First Corinthians.

-This is what is called expository preaching.

-Looking at a book or passage line-by-line, verse-by-verse,

- The greatest contribution a pastor can make is consistent Biblical preaching. The proclamation of God’s Word is His chosen method of dealing with men. What I am here pleading is for a return to the preaching of the Bible itself. That is the preacher’s divine assignment. It ask the questions, Does God have anything to say? What does God say?

The most effective Biblical preaching is expository preaching because it confronts modern man with God’s truth. It comes entirely from the Scriptures. In expository preaching the preacher examines the grammatical and historical context of the passage of Scripture.

Wil Pounds

(2 powerpoints)

-I believe it is the most effective way to teach and preach the word of God.

-It will take a good amount of time to go through this book.

-16 chapters

-437 verses

-There will be times that we will step away from the book as the Spirit leads.

-However, I am excited to see what God unveils for us each week as we look into this very important book as it relates to practical Christian living

(title powerpoint)

PRAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

II. Background of Corinth

A. Date

-Written while Paul was in Ephesus during his third missionary journey

***** -1 Corinthians 16:5-9

-Paul gives his location at the time of this letter’s writing (Ephesus)

-He also gives the time of year (Prior to Pentecost)

-Held in late May/early June.

-Written in late 54 or early 55 A.D.

B. Geography

-(Place Map 1 of Greece on overhead)

-Greece is divided into two sections

-Northern section

-Southern section

-Peloponnesus

-Almost an island except it is connected to the northern section by an isthmus (land bridge)

--(Place Map 2 of Greece on overhead)

-It is near the western edge of this isthmus that we find Corinth.

-About 25 miles wide east to west.

-Here the land mass is only four miles wide north to south.

-Corinth is located about 45 miles west of Athens.

-The lower section of Greece, or Peloponnesus, is 250 miles to sail around.

-Very dangerous journey for a ship to make.

-Rocky, stormy

-Mariner had a saying, “A sailor never takes a journey around Malea (the cape at the south end of the peninsula) until he first writes his will.”

-Most captains chose to put their ships on skids, or rollers, and transported them the four miles over land right near Corinth.

-This is one of the reasons that Corinth was a major trade route during the time of Christ and at the writing of this letter.

-A canal was not completed across the isthmus until the late 19th century.

(title powerpoint)

C. Culture

-With all of the pagan influences and idolatry Corinth became known as one of the most immoral cities in the known civilization.

***** -1 Corinthians 6:9-11

-Paul list even more unseemly sins which we will address as we progress through the letter.

-Throughout the Mediterranean world gross immorality and drunkenness came to be known “corinthianized”

D. Religion

-Many Greek cities had a high point, or acropolis = “high city”.

-Corinth’s rose over 2,000 feet.

-Was called “acrocorinth”, or upper Corinth (powerpoint)

-Used in defense of the city but was also the main location for Corinth’s religious worship.

-You would find the Temple to Aphrodite, or the Greek goddess of love here.

-Employed 1,000 temple priestesses who lived there.

-Religious prostitutes

-At night went down to the city to provide services to the residents and the many visitors to Corinth.

-City, itself, had a population of 400,000

-Size of Miami, 2010 census

-This is the culture in which the believer found themselves in Corinth.

-These are the people that Paul needed to address issues with.

-We live in a very immoral culture today.

-It is important that we, as believers, know what God has to say so that we do not find ourselves in a similar state that the church at Corinth did.