The Radiant King
Jesus is the source of the light that shines in the darkness. We need to have Jesus in us so that He radiates through us to pierce the darkness…
The Radiant King
Corinth was a rich city of commerce and culture. It was a town of great diversity with many peoples and religions represented. There were at least 26 sacred places (not all temples) devoted to the “gods many” and the “lords many”. Probably the third largest city of the Empire after Rome and Alexandria.
Paul’s Corinth was at once the New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas or the ancient world. – Gordon Fee
The first Epistle to the Corinthians, 1987 Eerdmans, Page 3
Greeting and Introduction (1:1-9)
General Teaching of Paul in the Church
· On Factions and Division (1:1-4:21)
· On Sexual Sin (5:1-13)
· On Lawsuits and Disagreements (6:1-11)
· On Moral Issues (6:12-20)
Teaching of Paul on Questions the Church asked about (7:1-16:9)
· Marriage, Divorce, and Celibacy (7:1-40)
· Eating Meat and False Worship (8:1-11:1)
· The Roles of Men & Women in the Church (11:2-16)
· The Lord’s Supper (11:17-34)
· Gifts of the Spirit (12:1-14:40)
· The Resurrection of the Dead (15:1-58)
· Collections and Offerings (16:1-4)
Final Words (16:5-24)
Here is what wer are going to to do...
Quick Scan
Drill Down
Take It Home
Let’s take a quick scan of 1 Corinthians 1...
Greeting
2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, 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.
1 Corinthians 1:2-3
Thanksgiving
4 I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge…
1 Corinthians 1:4-9
Stop being divided from one another
11 My brothers, 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”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
1 Corinthians 1:10-16
If we were in Corinth on a field trip we would see many different churches.
There would be the Pauline Church on one corner. Down the street would be the First Church of Apollos and a little ways across town would be the Assembly of Cephas – you’ve heard of them. They’re kind of wild because they believe they can walk on water!!!
This is not the way it’s supposed to be… Focus on Jesus – It’s all about Him.
Christ is the Wisdom and Power of God
22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
1 Corinthians 1:17-31
Now let’s Drill Down into 1 Corinthians 1:17-18
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
We Live in a World with Two Faiths
There is faith in “sophia” – the wisdom of man
There are many Philosophies of man
· Some are built as political systems, which believe in a royal line of kings, of tribal loyalties, communism, fascism, Nazism, socialism, or even capitalism.
· Some are built on a foundation of humanism or a view of life without God including much of the animal rights movement – which treats abuse of an animal as the moral equivalent of a crime against a human being.
Peter Singer was appointed to the Ira B. DeCamp professor of bioethics at the University Center for Human Values, Princeton University. This is the man who says newborn babies are replaceable- his term; the man who says that they have no more value than snails-his comparison; the one who thinks people who burden society should be murdered- but he calls it "involuntary euthanasia." As he explains, the fact that a being is human is "not relevant to the wrongness of killing it."
Once at an academic convention J. Budziszewski was the designated "respondent" to a talk by another scholar about ethics. First he criticized theistic religions for being "biased" in favor of God. Next he criticized Enlightenment thinkers for having been "biased" in favor of man. Rejecting "bias," he proposed equal respect for all living things.
Ethical Question: A 4 year old girl darts into the street from the right and a dog darts
His reply? "I admit that there are some unresolved problems in eco-centric ethics."
I should say so!!!
· Some are Religions: Zen, Taoism, Buddhism; Hinduism; Islam; even Christianity (as a religion)
We Live in a World with Two Faiths
There is faith in the “cross” – the foolishness of God
The Jews look for miracles; The Greeks look for wisdom. The Cross is neither the miracle nor the wisdom they seek.
The cross is the ultimate contradiction. Saying, “Christ Crucified” is like saying “fried ice”. It cannot be! The Messiah hung on a cross like a common criminal or zealot – absolutely inconceivable.
· Messiah meant power, splendor, and triumph.
· Crucifixion meant weakness, humiliation, and defeat.
A crucified Messiah is the ultimate scandal. Jesus died a state prisoner, a scandal to Jew and to Greek.
The Cross of Jesus has Power
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
1 Cor. 1:17
Yet the Cross is a symbol of power
A girl wore a shiny silver cross on her necklace. A minister told her that the real cross was made of rough wood. Her response – “Yes, but I was told that Jesus changes everything he touches.”
The cross of Jesus has the power to offend people
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing...”
1 Cor. 1:18
Why does the cross of Jesus make some people so angry?
The cross of Jesus exposes the raw human condition. It reveals the self-centered will, the egocentric search for pleasure, and the fruitless desire for meaning.
When faced with God’s son and his love – we killed him.
It is an offensive because it reveals that all our righteousness is like filthy rags. It reveals lost condition and it reveals that all who are lost must seek salvation.
The cross of Jesus has the power to change people
The gospel was not given for our information but for our transformation
The cross changes people. Nothing else does. Not like the cross.
The Cross’s Power
26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.
27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise;
God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,
1 Corinthians 1:26-28
The Cross’s power
The cross of Jesus takes that which is lowly and makes it valuable… (The followers in Corinth)
…while it takes that which is valuable and makes it nothing (The stuff in Corinth)
The cross still has this kind of power!!!
Ok, Let’s Take it Home
All heaven is interested in the cross of Christ, all hell is terribly afraid of it, while men are the only beings who more or less ignore its meaning.
- Oswald Chambers
First: Consider the Cross of Jesus
Look at the cross as a symbol of scandal and ill-logic, yet it is the power of God displayed to the universe.
Second: Change your sense of personal worth and self-esteem
Understand that your significance does not come from what you do or what you know. It doesn’t come from whom you know or what your name is. It comes from who you are – an adopted child of God. Your value is intrinsic. It comes from within. Now walk like it…
Now: Walk as men and women of wisdom and power – because the cross of Jesus is at work in you.
Walk as people of power and pride. Not in yourself – but in Jesus who died on a scandalous cross for you.
