SERMON OUTLINE:
A). BACKGROUND (VS 1-3):
• Corinth was cosmopolitan
• Corinth was commercial
• Corinth was corrupt
(B). THE CORINTHIAN’S RICHES (VS 4-7):
• they were genuinely saved (vs 4)
• they were greatly enriched (vs 5)
• they were securely established (vs 6)
• they were spiritually Gifted (vs 7)
(C). THE CORINTHIAN’S RAGS (VS 8-17):
• they were full of divisions (vs 10)
• they were full of quarrelling (vs 11)
• they were full of cliques (vs 12-17)
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• What have these celebrities got in common?
• Actor Nicolas Cage.
• Actor Burt Reynolds.
• Actor Don Johnson.
• Singer Marvin Gaye
• Actress Kim Basinger
• Footballer George Best
• Entertainer M.C. Hammer
• Boxer Mike Tyson
• Singer Willie Nelson
• Singer Kerry Katona
• Actor Neil Morrissey
• Singer Tammy Wynette
• Singer Dionne Warwick
• Footballer Paul Gascoigne
• Singer Michael Jackson
• The answer is they all went from riches to rags;
• They all made millions and millions of dollars or pounds – then blew it!
• Either addictions to drink & drugs or bad business investments;
• Took them from riches to rags!
• i.e. Michael Jackson.
• Even before his death in 2009,
• The King of Pop was recognized;
• As the most successful entertainer of all time by the “Guinness Book of World Records.”
• But in 2007, Jackson filed for bankruptcy;
• After not being able to pay back a $25 million loan on his home, Neverland Ranch.
• TRANSITION:
• This tragedy – the slow slip from riches to rags – happens not only to individuals;
• But to Churches as well!
• An example of that is the Church at Corinth.
• It started so well (Acts chapter 18 verses 1-11),
• It was spiritually rich and seemingly invincible.
• But then like those celebrities it went from riches to rags;
• It became spiritually bankrupt and full of spiritual poverty.
(A). BACKGROUND:
• Now before we look at the problems and the solutions for this Church;
• Let’s get a bit of background information.
• In New Testament times Corinth was a bustling port;
• It was a cosmopolitan city, containing a mixture of people and races,
(1). CORINTH WAS COSMOPOLITAN:
• Cosmopolitan simply means multi-ethnic, international, broad-based,
• Ill: Hounslow Holiday Club – at least 15 nationalities.
Ill:
• Quote evangelist Bob Telford: “we must do some outreach in Stratford–upon–Avon”.
• If you asked him ‘why?’,
• He would reply; “Because you will encounter people from all over the world!”
The city of Corinth was like that!
• People passed through from all over the world!
• The city was mostly populated by freedmen – ex slaves:
• They had either bought their freedom or earned it in some way.
• ill: Notice how Paul describes the Church members (chapter 1 verse 26):
“Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you.”
• Many of these ex-slaves had worked their way up the social ladder;
• Since their conversion to Christ many of them;
• Had become quite wealthy and they occupied some important positions in society.
• They had gone from rags to riches both materially and spiritually!
(2). CORINTH WAS COMMERCIAL.
• Thanks to its location,
• The city was a centre for both trade and travel:
• It was seated at the crossroads of the Roman Empire.
• Corinth was a place where all trade routes met.
The southern part of Greece is very much an island.
• ill: 10 miles away from us is the city of Portsmouth;
• As you know Portsmouth is actually an island – it is cut off by water.
• Which makes it unique - Portsmouth is the UK's only island City
• There are of course a couple of man-made roads that go into the city,
• All traffic in and out of the city must pass though those limited ways!
Similarly the southern part of Greece is almost an island:
• On the west is the Corinthian Gulf;
• On the east the Saronic Gulf.
• The only thing to join these two parts of Greece together;
• Is a little strip of land four miles across.
• In ancient times it was called “The bridge of Greece”.
• Because all trade routes met and used this city.
• So as a bridge of commerce and trade constantly went by.
• The result was Corinth became a rich and populous city;
• With one of the greatest commercial trades in the ancient world.
(3). CORINTH WAS CORRUPT.
Ill:
• If In asked you to name some of the great ‘sin’ capitols of the world;
• You would probably come up with…..?
• Amsterdam, Bangkok, Las Vegas, Fareham (only joking on that one!).
Well, in the ancient world Corinth was up there, with the worst of them!
• In New Testament times the Greek language had a verb; “To play the Corinthian”.
• Which meant; someone who lived a life of debauchery (shamelessness).
• ill: Throughout Greece whenever a Corinthian was shown on the stage in a play,
• He was always shown drunk.
Ill:
• In fact in this letter written about seven years after the Church was planted (A.D. 57).
• The apostle Paul listed some of their lifestyles before they met Christ,
• (1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 9-11).
• Some of you were ….’wicked, thieves, greedy, drunkards, slanderers, and swindlers’.
• He goes on to say....’Sexual immoral, idolatrous, adulterous, homosexual’
• It is an embarrassing list of sins to have read out publicly;
• But after them is that great line; “that is what some of you WERE!”
• That is the difference Christ makes to an individual;
• He is in the business of transforming lives, making the old new!
So that is the background to this letter:
• In New Testament times Corinth was a bustling port;
• It was a cosmopolitan city, containing a mixture of people and races,
• But it’s was known for its immorality and sinful behaviour.
• Now due to the restrictions of time;
• We are just going to scan through these verses and note their riches and their rags.
• Their strong points and their failings.
(B). THE CORINTHIAN’S RICHES (VS 4-7):
(1). THEY WERE GENUINELY SAVED (VS 4)
“I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus”.
• The basis of anyone’s conversion is grace!
• It is never what we can do for God but it is always what God has done for us!
Quote:
• Question: What is grace;
• Answer: “Grace is everything for nothing to those who don’t deserve anything”
Ill:
• In a small cemetery of a parish churchyard in Olney, England,
• Stands a granite tombstone with this inscription:
• “John Newton, clerk [pastor], once an infidel and Libertine, a servant of slavers in Africa,
• Was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
• Preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the Faith;
• He had long laboured to destroy.”
• Many people today may not remember his name,
• But many know the song he wrote as a testimony of his life: “Amazing Grace.”
Quote:
• "Mercy is when you don't get what you deserve”.
• We deserve punishment but we find forgiveness.
• “Grace is when you get what you don't deserve."
• Grace is receiving something that we do not deserve”.
Note:
• The basis of anyone’s conversion is grace!
• It is never what we can do for God but it is always what God has done for us!
• The Corinthian believers had noted that truth and believed it!
• So the apostle Paul could write:
• “I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus”.
(2). THEY WERE GREATLY ENRICHED (VS 5).
“For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge”
• These Corinthian Christians had been enriched with well-expressed and sound teaching.
• They had been spoiled by a good diet of spiritual food!
• They had the Apostle Paul and the gifted teacher Apollos to communicate the word of God.
• That expression; “all kinds of speech and with all knowledge”.
• Refers to all forms of teaching and admonition -
• Theoretical and practical, instructional and devotional.
Quote: I like the pun by Daniel Worona that says:
“Overeating has heavy consequences”.
• Now that is true both physically and spiritually.
• Physically we get fat and our health is affected.
• Spiritually we can get puffed up, a big head;
• Knowing should always lead to doing, we learn to apply!
(3). THEY WERE SECURELY ESTABLISHED (VS 6).
• The N.I.V.: “God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you”
• The Message: “The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives.”
• The folks were confident and stable in their faith;
• They knew they belonged to Jesus and so did everyone else;
• They had a clear understanding and assurance of their faith.
Ill:
• A man once came to the American evangelist D. L. Moody;
• And said he was worried because he didn’t feel saved.
• Moody asked, “Was Noah safe in the ark?”
• The man replied; “He certainly was!”
• Moody then asked the man; “Well, what made him safe, his feeling or the ark?”
• The inquirer got the point!
• TRANSITION: These Christians knew they were saved!
• They knew it was not feelings or experiences but it is Christ who saves!
(4). THEY WERE SPIRITUALLY GIFTED (VS 7).
“Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.”
• When it came to spiritual gifts the Corinthians had it all!
• And as we will see in the weeks ahead (so I will not dwell on it here).
• These believers had all the gifts and they love to practice them.
• Nothing wrong with that - only they forgot one important principle.
• Spiritual gifts are tools to build up the Church;
• Not toys to play with for our own gratification.
Note:
• Before we move on and look at their rags;
• It might be good to stop and reflect.
Let’s ask the question: How is your spiritual health?
• FIRST: Are you genuinely saved (vs 4);
• Can you explain to someone your experience of God’s grace in your life?
• SECOND: Are you greatly endowed (vs 5).
• What are you doing with the good teaching you are receiving?
• THIRD: Are you securely established (vs 6).
• Are you stable in your walk with Christ, or are you like a yo-yo – constantly up & down?
• FOURTH: They were spiritually Gifted (vs 7).
• Question: Do you know what your spiritual gift is?
• Are you taking any steps of action to discover it?
(C). THE CORINTHIAN’S RAGS (VS 8-17):
Ill:
• Years ago a friend of mine les Hardwick saw a tramp sitting on the side of the road;
• It was winter and he was freezing cold.
• Les looked at the man/s coat which was filthy and falling apart;
• So he decided he would give the man his nice clean coat.
• When he handed it to the tramp,
• He got up and immediately put it on top of his old dirty coat.
• Then he sat back down and continued to beg.
• TRANSITION: Now these Corinthian Christians had done the opposite of that tramp.
• They had allowed an old dirty raggedy coat to go over and on top;
• Of their nice clean rich coat.
• They had literally covered up their riches for rags.
Question: What were the rags they were now wearing?
Answer: Three mentioned in this section.
(1). THEY WERE FULL OF DIVISIONS (VS 10).
“ I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.”
• ‘Divisions’ comes from the Greek word ‘schisma’ meaning;
• “To separate, to rip, to tear, to split”.
• This Church at Corinth which Paul loved and nurtured and left growing in good health;
• Has now ruptured, broken, divided deaerated into poor health.
Ill:
• In one of Aesop’s fable he tells the story of three bulls,
• They fed in a field together in peace and safety.
• For a long time a lion had been watching them;
• In the hope of making one of them his prey.
• But as long they kept together he had no chancing of devouring one of them.
• So he came up with a cunning plan;
• The lion began to secretly spread lies and nasty stories of one bull against another;
• Till he created jealousy and distrust among them.
• Soon they began to avoid each other and each took to feeding alone.
• This gave the lion the opportunity it had been wanting.
• He fell on them one by one and made an easy prey of them all.
• TRANSITION:
• It is true of God's people that—'united, they stand; divided, they fall'
(2). THEY WERE FULL OF QUARRELLING (VS 11)
“My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.”
Ill:
• Years ago, Leslie Flynn penned a book called, Great Church Fights.
• In it he chronicled the way people in different churches would go after each other;
• All in the name of Jesus Christ.
• He tells the story of a young father heard a commotion out in his backyard,
• When he looked outside, he saw his young daughter and friends in a heated quarrel.
• When he intervened and told them to stop quarrelling,
• His daughter called back, “Dad, we’re just playing church!”
• TRANSITION: Children are not daft, they will imitate what they see!
• Question: What are the children in this Church seeing and experiencing?
Quote: Remember the proverb:
“Two it takes to make a quarrel:
One can always end it.”
(3). THEY WERE FULL OF CLIQUES (VS 12-17)
“What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”
Ill:
• Being much concerned about the rise of denominations in the church,
• John Wesley (Anglican clergyman, evangelist,
• And joint founder of the Methodist movement) tells of a dream he had.
• In the dream, he was ushered to the gates of Hell.
• There he asked, “Are there any Presbyterians here?” “Yes!”, came the answer.
• Then he asked, “Are there any Baptists? Any Episcopalians? Any Methodists?”
• The answer was “Yes!” each time.
• Much distressed, Wesley was then ushered to the gates of Heaven.
• There he asked the same question, and the answer was “No!” “No?”
• To this, Wesley asked, “Who then is inside?”
• The answer came back, “There are only Christians here."
• TRANSITION: The Church at Corinth was dividing into different cliques;
• In guess they were the first denominations that the Church had experienced.
Question: Who were the four groups?
Answer: Is found in verses 12-17.
• THE PAUL GROUP.
• It was from the lips of Paul these Corinthians heard the good news of Jesus Christ.
• Paul the apostle had planted this Church and nurtured them.
• THE APOLLOS GROUP.
• When Paul left Corinth and moved on in his travels Apollos arrived.
• Apollos was intellectually and scripturally astute,
• As well as an eloquent preacher i.e. Acts chapter 18 verses 27b-28 says:
“He was a great help to those who by grace had believed.
For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.”
• THE CEPHAS GROUP.
• The name Cephas is Aramaic for Peter.
• We do not know if Peter the apostle ever visited Corinth;
• But such was the strength of his personality in the stories these Christians had heard;
• Meant that a group of believers (probably Jewish converts) had formed around him.
• i.e. After all Peter was called by Jesus ‘The Rock’.
• i.e. He featured in so many of the Gospel narratives,
• i.e. He was a pillar in the early Church;
• i.e. And an apostle to the Jews.
• THE CHRIST GROUP.
• These were the super-spirituals among them.
• They felt too holy to be led by mere men;
• This group claimed to have received their teaching direct from the Lord.
• Their words and association might be pious,
• But their air of superiority was a stench to the nostrils of God.
• They are putting themselves above other Christians;
• And make other followers feel inferior or second class believers.
Question: What is the cause and the solution for division?
Answer: Focus!
• When our focus is misplaced – the result will always be division.
• When our focus is rightly placed – the result will always be unity & harmony.
The apostle Paul tells this Church:
• Stop looking at men and focus again on Jesus!
• Notice Paul emphasis in verses 14-17 the person of Jesus.
• Our faith does not rest on baptism or the baptiser;
• So don’t keep boasting about it.
• It happened, it was important…now move on!
• Likewise our faith does not rest on a certain Pastor or preacher;
• No matter how good an orator they might be.
• Gifted teachers are important, learn from them and let them move you on towards Jesus!
Paul reminds them the basis of our unity is always at the cross!
• As you will see next week.
• Salvation is through the cross, the death of Jesus Christ alone.
• As we keep coming back to the cross;
• Like we are doing here this morning as we shall soon take communion.
• We are again forced to focus!
• We are again given the chance to reflect about our relationship with Jesus;
• With other Christians!
• And may the outcome be this morning that once again we get rid of our rags;
• And enjoy our riches in Christ Jesus!
