Becoming Spiritually Healthy
through the Power of One
I Corinthians 1-4
By Pastor Fernando Cabrera
1. Concentrate on what is going right (v.4)
a. Thank God for your church
i. Never take for granted the church that builds you up
1. It is through the church that you are enriched!
b. Thank God because God never gives up on you (v.7)
2. Make your goal to be one (v.10)
a. “agree” speak the same thing
i. focus on the same vision
1. There are people who will criticize the vision, but when the criticize the vision they are criticizing God
a. If God wants us to speak the same vision, anything that will take us from the vision of God causes disunity
i. Anything that causes disunity is a sin
1. never curse what God is blessing, lest your blessing turns into a curse
ii. I have noticed that people who criticize the vision is because they have a hidden agenda
b. “complete” – mending or firmly joined occurs when we have the “same mind”
i. “no divisions” – Lit. “to tear/rent”
1. are you tearing or mending?
3. Focus on the cross (1:12 – 2:5)
a. The focus is the preaching of the cross, not the boasting of people
i. We find here two type of people:
1. Those taking pride in knowing and being associated with important people
a. “I am of Paul (radical and supernatural),”, “I am of Apollos (intellectual)”, “I am of Peter (traditionalist)”
2. Those who are anti-leadership – “I am of Jesus”
a. These are those who don’t want a leader over them
i. They say, “I will not follow any man as a leader”
1. This line of reasoning is anti-biblical Heb. 13:17
3. Pride is playing one teacher against the other and feeling good that you are in the superior side
a. The focus of all our glory is the cross
b. The cross…
i. Is the great equalizer
1. at the foot of the cross we are all sinners
a. regardless if you are wise or strong (v.18-31)
2. No Christian should feel inferior, BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE CHRIST, YOU HAVE ALL OF HIM
a.
ii. is where we learn humility
1. The cross produces and promotes humility rather than arrogance and rivalry
a. At the cross there is no room for boasting and self sufficiency
2. It is not about you, it is about him
a. It is amazing what can be done if no one minds who gets the credit (Mark Twain)
i. All we do should give God the credit
iii. Gives you assurance
1. Your faith is not based on an opinion of a clever person, but on the sure proof of God’s Spirit and Power
iv. THE CROSS IS NOT WHERE PEOPLE SHINE, BUT WHERE PEOPLE DIE!
1. God is not looking for show off, but God is looking for those show off the glory of God
2. There is no room in the body of Christ for those who feel superior to others (4:7)
4. Wise up in the things of God (v.6-16)
a. Look at things from God’s perspective
i. People missed out of what God was doing because they did not wise up in the things of God (2:6-9)
1. ex. Pilate
b. James 3:13-16 Tell us that when we operate outside of God’s wisdom and break the power of one, we then open ourselves to the world (earthy) and demonic
i. The demonic brings disorder (James 3:16)
1. the demonic salivate on jealousy and selfish ambition
ii. Wise people don’t compete with one another, but complete with one another
c. Spiritual is not merely having the Spirit, but having the Spirit in charge (I Cor. 3:1-5)
i. The Corinthians were acting like adults eating baby food!
5. Take the warning seriously (3:16-17)
a. If you mess with the church, God will mess with you
i. There were sxome who were trying to tear down the structure
1. are you building or tearing?
a. We should be demolishing arguments, not the temple
b. This is one of the most powerful warnings in the complete bible…ever wonder why?
6. Treat Leaders Right (3:5-4:21)
a. If we are going to be one, we need to treat leaders right
b. What should be the right attitude toward your leaders?
i. See them as faithful servants (3:4-5)
1. leaders are servants (v.5)
a. ministry=servanthood
i. since we are all striving to do ministry, we should all serve one another
1. There is a unity when we serve each other as if we were serving Christ
2. leaders play an equal role compare to each other, but God plays the incomparable role (v. 7 “God causes the growth”
a. God should get the glory for the results of all that leaders and ministers do
i. There are people who get bend out of shape when they are not mentioned or given credit
1. Why you do what you do?
2. Partnership is less “me” and more “we”
b. All leaders have one purpose (3:8 “are one” one in purpose )
i. Growth and health of the church
1. he gives examples through farming (3:6-9) and building (3:10-14)
2. But the glory belongs to God because:
a. God is the one who causes the growth (3:7)
b. Man is just a vehicle of his power (3:5)
c. Everything we got he gave to us (4:7)
ii. shepherds of the flock
1. two key words in chapter 4
a. “servants” – different word than in 3:5
i. “an assistant to someone in an official position”
b. “stewards”
i. “a person, who was the highest ranking sservant of a wealthy land owner, who was in charge of the master entire estate in his master’s absence”
1. So leaders are helpers and overseers under God’s mandate to oversee his most precious possession – YOU
c. They answer to God and is given authority for an assignment
i. One day they will answer to God, just like you will (3:10-20
1. Therefore, stop judging the motives of a leader (4:5)
2. God is the one who will give out the real rewards!
iii. Spiritual parents (4:14-21)
1. People will never protect what they do not respect
a. What you respect, you will protect
i. I protect my parents because I respect them
ii. I preserve unity in the body when I protect my spiritual parents
1. It is an honor of a church which protect the honor of their leaders
a. The brother in the Lord who just stand by and do not make a stand for their leaders when criticize are just as guilty as the person making the remark
b. A church that stands for their leaders, it is a church that will be unstoppable.
b. Promise: When you partner with God’s anointed leaders and move as one, God partners with us
i. Why? God always honor “ONENESS”
