This week we continue our series called Chronos. A term which means time. We have decided to study the scriptures this year in the order they were published. It gives us a very unique insight into the early church and the struggles of a growing movement. This review of history is important because The Center’s leadership believes we are on the cuspid of a great awakening in America. An awakening that will challenge the status quo of the current Christian industrial complex. An institution more concerned with Attendance, Buildings and Cash than the Gospel, Grace and Growth of the kingdom.
This week we begin the book of Corinthians. It’s another book written by Paul around 25 years after Jesus' earthly ministry. Corinth is the original sin city. It was a transitional city and as such there was a lot of anonymity. As a Coastal town people were always coming and going. Some for vacation, most for business. The community was know for their worship of the goddess of sex. They had one of the largest temples devoted to her and the idea of fertility. The temple operated with over 1000 prostitutes where every man was supposed to go once a year and participate in “worship” to ensure all aspects of creation would be favorable for him and his family. You can see why when you called somebody a corinthian back then, you were saying they were living without morality. After his 1 ½ years planting the church, Paul left behind Apollos who was an amazing preacher/teacher and yet, we can see from this book the people still had questions. The immorality of the culture was so rampant that Paul had to address everything from why church potlucks should not turn into drunken frat parties and worship to the one true God like kids first birthday party at chuck e cheese restaurant. The book of Corinithians is a great resource for the early church and the struggles a new body of faith must wrestle with and why it's so important to have good leaders willing to engage in and walk beside people who are dealing with life on life’s terms. We will begin our study today by opening your bible or bible app to 1 Cor 1:1:
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
In the style of the day, the person writing the letter declares himself and to whom the letter is written. Now, there is a churchee word in the second verse. Sanctified means “set apart.” Paul is reminding everyone by this statement that as followers of Jesus we are “set apart” from the standards of this world and called to a higher standard. We are to try to be like Jesus, and as a part of that commitment, we are bonded to one another like people of the same family. Which in the eastern context, unlike our western context, meant reliant on and loyal to each other for survival, safety and reputation. There wasn’t a welfare system. There wasn’t a social security system. A government food program. A retirement check. When you made a commitment to a group outside your birth family or class, you said goodbye to the old and relied on the new.
Now, knowing the church he had planted had gone off the rails a little, it’s so inspiring to see Paul’s leadership. He doesn’t give up on them or disassociate from them. Paul lives the gospel message and His commitment by writing letters that begin and end with love and care. Take a listen
4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Underline the word grace. Grace means unmerited favor. It is closely tied to mercy which means unmerited forgiveness. Paul is gently reminding them of God’s favor or blessing that is upon them. A favor from God is different from a favor provided by anyone on earth. God’s favor provides you with more than you can imagine or know or understand. It is without equal. I struggle with an equal analogy because they all break down in the end. The closest I could come up with was: Imagine for one moment that Your greatest adversary in life is coming to you handing over all they have, telling you everything about themselves and then sincerely helping you to achieve the greatest victory of all time that has you playing a significant role in saving humanity from extinction.
Paul is reminding them of this grace and all that comes with it. Larry Osborne, Christian writer, preacher, church planter defines grace this way, “God gives us and saves us in ways we could never deserve or earn. Now live like it.”
It’s hard to fathom that our relationship in Christ gives us all we need to know and do God’s will. It’s also easy to see why a church made up of people from this hedonist culture would have such trouble with continuing the transition without strong leadership. Herein lies, where Paul begins his correction of them as overly prideful Christians.
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. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas(PETER)”; 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.
He’s saying I don’t want you to be dividing over some ridiculous personality conflicts or even rituals meant for the celebration of inclusion into the Christian family. Paul is calling out the damage being done to the unity of the body. He is calling them back to the good news of Jesus and living it out. We will see later the Corinthians fought over favorite teachers, eating meat offered idols, baptism, circumcision, morality and even worship styles. All of which have the potential to slow or damage the movement. The problem is we still do this today. I have seen worship styles, personalities, affiliations, doctrines and practices of born again Christians divide good churches or lead people to walk away from communities of faith. The issues have changed but the destruction is the same. The only winner is the evil one. Christ is not honored. People are hurt. Faith is destroyed. Society rightly conflicts us as hypocrites.
Unity in the body is important because
Jesus prayed for it (John 17:20-23) - He prays for you.
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Jesus commanded it (John 13:34-35)
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Non Christians have a right to judge us because of it - If we adhere to the concept that the Bible is the word of God, then we must be willing to be judged by those we have come to serve.
Christian Unity is bound in the example of humility of Christ and His followers
Unity is not:
Uniformity - we must always give the same grace God has given us. If we believe in his justice then we must believe in His ability to correct anything that doesn’t further the mission to reach everyone for Him.
avoiding issues - There are times to have healthy dialog. Dialog helps us understand. It gives us perspective. It assists us in deciding whether the issue is essential or merely important. It allows us to see the diversity built into God’s systems of handing out spiritual gifts, callings and even preferences.
Overlooking sin - it is understanding the truth doesn’t change and the bible gives us specific guidelines on how to address it when it comes into our community of faith (see Matthew 18).
CHALLENGE??
Warren Wiersbe Commentary 568-571
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