Sermon for 1/6/2007
Introduction to Corinthians
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Introduction:
A. Read 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
B. In the newsletter I said, The Corinthian church destroys the idea that the early church is a model for us to imitate! The early church as recorded in Acts is worthy of our imitation but what we find in Corinth is not!
C. Well, on second thought, I might be wrong there. Chuck Warnock said something that has made me rethink. He says, “I think it’s time somebody came to the defense of the church in Corinth. Okay, so they’re all dead now. But they live on in two of Paul’s letters for all the world to see. I think Corinth, probably Paul’s worst church, may be our best model for church today. Better than Purpose Driven, Willow Creek, Southeast, or any of the other models out there.”
D. This morning my task is to wet our appetites for the letters to the Corinthians. We will be preaching through 1 and 2 Corinthians this year. This is an introduction.
Thesis: To introduce this series of sermons, Chuck Warnock gives 6 reasons why he believes that the Corinthian church is the best model for church today.
For instances:
1. They were brand new Christians.
A. Paul came to the city of Corinth in 52 AD. Upon coming to the city, he met Aquila and Priscilla, Christian Jews recently kicked out of Rome, and these three began preaching and teaching about Christ in Corinth. (Acts 18:5 NIV) When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
B. (Acts 18:11 NIV) So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God. Paul stayed in Corinth at least 2 years altogether. When he left Corinth, he went to Ephesus and began the church there.
C. Considering this, (Acts 18:4 NIV) Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. This went on for a while until the Jews got tired of it and kicked Paul and the other Christians out of the synagogue. From this we see that there was not a Christian presence in the city of Corinth until the coming of Paul.
D. Paul and his companions had a great ministry in the city of Corinth. (Acts 18:8 NIV) and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.
E. Considering that Paul left Corinth in 54 AD and that not long after this Paul had a three year ministry in Ephesus. The letters to the Corinthians was written by Paul while he was in the city of Ephesus. These letters were probably written by Paul toward the end of that 3 year ministry, so that means that 1 Corinthians was penned around 57- 58 AD.
F. What all of that means is that the church in Corinth was 6 years old when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians. Most of the Christians would have been Christians for less than 6 years. The majority were baby Christians.
G. These people had no connection to any church before their conversion to Christ.
I. Think about this, everything was new and fresh. What a pleasure to be around new Christians, everything is so exciting, so new, so fresh. New discoveries, new challenges.
J. No We’ve never done it that way before. no “we-did-it-this-way-at-my-other-church” notions.
K. (1 Cor 3:1 NIV) Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ.
L. It is a shame that some find new believers annoying. They ask so many questions and we have to explain everything. Isn’t that wonderful! We take so much for granted!
2. They participated.
A. Everyone wanted to participate at this church. Not many spectators.
B. Okay, so maybe they participated a little too exuberantly, but they all wanted to contribute to worship. (1 Cor 14:26 NIV) What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.
C. Many times there worship was chaotic. Everyone wanted to share and Paul had to encourage them to take turns. (1 Cor 14:31 NIV) For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
D. They were going for participation first; order came later. (1 Cor 14:40 NIV) But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
E. Now, we mostly have order, but not much participation.
H. Gone are the days of just the preacher speaking. I like what we have done here!
I. No, not everyone needs to have the microphone, but the more that participate the better the worship. Isn’t that what the Lord wants! In heaven, will we be just sitting around. Sounds boring to me!
3. They made mistakes, but out of enthusiasm.
A. They did communion wrong. (1 Cor 11:21) One remains hungry, another gets drunk.
B. They worshiped wrong. They tried to outdo each other in worship. Anything you can do I can do better, I can do anything better than you.
C. They shopped in the wrong butcher shops. Eating meat sacrificed to idols!
D. Flaunted their spiritual gifts. (1 Cor 12:12 NIV) The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
E. they were self promoters. So much so that after Paul, Apollos, and Peter left, some in the church tried to discredit Paul and other ministries to try to build up their own. Much of 2 Corinthians tries to fight this ego driven mentality. (2 Cor 12:11 NIV) I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing.
E. But they were the most enthusiastic church around. Can do something with that!
F. Paul had to temper their enthusiasm with instruction, but it’s better to have to control a fire than try to start one! Ever try to start a fire with wet wood?
4. They practiced their new faith while still growing in it.
A. (1 Cor 6:9 NIV) Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders(1 Cor 6:10 NIV) nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.(1 Cor 6:11 NIV) And that is what some of you were. 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.
B. These people had some powerful sins and addictions to overcome. Quite a congregation, but Paul never says they are not Christians.
D. Paul urges them to grow in their faith by changing their bad practices. 1 Cor 1:2, 8, 9
E. Old habits die hard!
F. The saints are just the sinners who fall down and get up!
5. Their new faith was relevant to their world.
A. They were in the world but not of the world. Maybe they were too much in the world so they were too much of the world, but they tried to make their faith relevant to their culture.
B. But the way, their culture is different from our culture. We live in Mayberry. The city of Corinth was a large, wealthy city. Because of its location, goods and people from around the world flowed in and out of its ports. It was a center for art, philosophy, and religion. It contained a number of pagan temples including large ones to Apollo and Aphrodite. The city had a reputation of immorality and debauchery. In modern terms it was the “Las Vegas” of the time. To behave as a Corinthians was a synonym for leading a low, shameless and immoral life. Very naturally such a polluted and idolatrous environment accounts for much that had to be written of the pagan and imperfect life of many of the Corinthian Christians!
F. It is not the water around the boat that sinks it. It is the water in the boat that sinks it. In much the same way it is not the sin around the church that sinks it. It is the sin in the church that sinks it.
G. But Paul encourages them to impact their culture! (1 Cor 9:22 NIV) I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.
H. God gave them grace by giving them many gifts to impact their culture. 1 Cor 1:4-7. Let people see that their new God was more powerful than their old gods.
6. They were a real church.
A. Paul, despite all of the problems of Corinth, never says they aren’t a real church.
B. Many criticize them because of all their warts, but at least they were trying.
Conclusion and invitation:
A. Today’s church needs to recapture some of the enthusiasm, excitement, freshness and mistakes of Corinth- They were alive and living their new faith!
B. (2 Cor 5:17 NIV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
