CHRISTIAN WORSHIP
1 CORINTHIANS 11-14
INTRODUCTION: If you want a little overview of Paul’s letter up to now consider this. Fix your focus. Forego your feuding. Face up to your foolishness. Forsake your filthiness. Figure out your freedom. Here it is function as a family. In four chapters (11-14) there are three issues greatly affecting the family. All of them centered around their worship practices. It’s not about “me”, but “us”! Concerning the church and worship what should we know and do?
I. Exercise Proper Etiquette
Paul is talking about proper spiritual behavior in the church. While these may be “local” problems, there are some valuable principles for us to learn.
A. The Obligation of the Lord’s Servants (11:1-16): It seems that some women were disrupting worship in an attempt to draw attention to themselves. This is all about decorum. Both men and women are essentially equal but functionally different. Paul is not talking about domination but direction. God placed the man in the leadership role. It has nothing to do with superiority or inferiority. What’s Paul’s point? What he’s telling them is to promote respect, preserve harmony and praise God. Glorify God. Don’t draw attention to yourself. Watch how you act, behave and dress. Promote decency. Paul had to tell them how to dress and behave.
B. The Observance of the Lord’s Supper (11:17-34): Paul goes from decency to unity. The church met in homes. Some were wealthy homes. “Cliques” formed. They would have a supper then the Lord’s Supper. Whatever was happening there was abuse and disharmony. Paul denounced their conduct and called on them to correct it at once.
C. The Orderliness of the Lord’s Service (14:26-39): In worship each person brings something to the table. All are to be edified. Paul called for order.
II. Embrace Providential Endowments
Paul speaks here of spiritual gifts.
A. The Giver (12:1, 3, 4, 11): Gifts are not earned or learned. They are supernatural endowments. Gifts are given to call attention to Jesus not to the one with the gift. They should edify others, magnify the church and glorify God.
B. The Gifts (12:4-6, 8-10): Not all have the same gift. Different gifts are given to different believers. No gift is more important than another (a great problem at Corinth).
C. The Glory: All are to be embraced and employed. Gifts should not be abused or misused but used for God’s glory.
III. Express Personal Emotion
See I Cor. 13. The love connection! What is the one thing that should draw us together? Love. “Agape” = sacrificial gift, love. It’s unconditional, redemptive and complete.
A. The Practice (13:4-7): Study each of these characteristics.
B. The Permanence (13:8-12): Love never fails or folds.
C. The Preeminence (13:13)
CONCLUSION: As the family of God let’s practice these things.
