Let’s imagine that this building has been transformed into a time machine. Where should we go? Any suggestions? I think it would be good for us to visit the apostle Paul since we will be learning from one of his epistles this morning.
First, I must type in the proper information into the system. Let’s see . . . Time: A.D. 55 . . . Place: Ephesus . . . E-P-H-E-S-U-S. Okay, everything’s ready! Everybody, hold on! Here we go!
We step out of our time machine into the ancient city of Ephesus. This is a big city! How will we ever find Paul? We ask several people on the street where we can find Paul. No one seems to know. Finally, we run into a Christian who leads us to him.
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a little nervous about meeting Paul. This is Paul—the apostle, Paul—the greatest missionary the church has ever known, Paul—the author of one-third of the New Testament.
We ask him many questions about his life and ministry. His answers fascinate us. Then he asks us some questions. He begins by asking about our church.
We start by telling him some of the good things about our church. Then we tell him some of the problems and struggles we have. Paul politely stops us and says, "IF YOU THINK YOUR CHURCH HAS PROBLEMS, YOU SHOULD HEAR ABOUT THE CHURCH AT CORINTH!" "Actually," he says, "I am in the middle of writing a letter to that church."
That letter is now found in our Bibles. It is The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians.
I. THE PERFECT CHURCH IS A MYTH.
A man reportedly came to the British pastor Charles Spurgeon looking for the perfect church. The famous preacher told him he had many saintly people in his congregation, but a Judas could also be among them. After all, even Jesus had a traitor in the company of His apostles. He went on to say that some might be walking disobediently, as had been the case among the believers at Rome, Corinth, Galatia, and Sardis.
"My church is not the one you’re looking for," said Spurgeon. "But if you should happen to find such a church, I beg you not to join it, for you would spoil the whole thing." (Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations & Quotes, 123)
What is a church? What is Ridgeway Baptist Church? Ridgeway Baptist Church is not these walls. It is not this pulpit. It is not these pews. Ridgeway Baptist Church is the people in those pews. You are Ridgeway Baptist Church. Of course, simply sitting in a church pew doesn’t make you a Christian, but I hope that all of you are. A church is a group of people who by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ have been born again into God’s family by the Holy Spirit.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never met a perfect person. Since a church is made up of people, and since no person is perfect, there can be no perfect church. We all have our unique faults and weaknesses. This church is not perfect. We all know that. But neither is any other church perfect.
The church at Corinth was a church plagued by problems:
THERE WERE DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH. "It hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you" (1:11).
THERE WAS SEXUAL IMMORALITY IN THE CHURCH. "It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife" (5:1).
THERE WERE LAWSUITS BETWEEN CHRISTIANS IN THE CHURCH. "Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?" (6:1).
THERE WAS ABUSE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER IN THE CHURCH. "Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse" (11:17).
THERE WAS MISUSE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS IN THE CHURCH. The Corinthians were using their spiritual gifts to impress one another rather than edify one another.
THERE WAS MISUNDERSTANDING OF IMPORTANT DOCTRINES IN THE CHURCH. "Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, who say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead" (15:12).
II. PRIDE IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF MOST CHURCH PROBLEMS.
C. S. Lewis once said, "It is pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began."
Pride is the ground in which all other sins grow.
Let’s go back for a moment to the first problem that Paul confronts in this letter: the problem of divisions in the church (1:10-13). The Greek word for "divisions" in verse 10 literally means "tears" or "cracks." The church at Corinth was tearing and cracking in four parts. Paul asks, "IS CHRIST DIVIDED?" Of course not! The church is the body of Christ. Galatians 3:28 says we "are all one in Christ Jesus."
A. There is no greater problem in a church than division.
"These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A PROUD LOOK, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and HE THAT SOWETH DISCORD AMONG BRETHREN" (Pr. 6:16-19).
In this proverb the seventh sin is given the greatest emphasis. We could say that this is the sin that God hates most of all. What is this sin? Sowing discord among brethren. In other words, "[stirring] up dissension among brothers" (NIV).
B. Pride is the root cause of division.
Notice the first three words of Proverbs 6:17: "A PROUD LOOK."
What was the root cause of the divisiveness in the Corinthian church? Pride. Six times we find the words "PUFFED UP" or "PUFFETH UP" in this letter (4:6, 18, 19; 5:2; 8:1; 13:4). To be "puffed up" means to be puffed up with PRIDE. In 5:2 Paul tells the Corinthians, "YE ARE PUFFED UP."
Paul felt it necessary to say to the Corinthians, "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (10:12).
"Only by pride cometh contention" (Pr. 13:10). In other words, "Pride only breeds quarrels" (NIV).
"He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife" (Pr. 28:25).
In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia. Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below. News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident. It wasn’t a technology problem like radar malfunction—or even thick fog. The cause was human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ship’s presence nearby. Both could have steered clear, but according to news reports, neither captain wanted to give way to the other. Each was too proud to yield first. By the time they came to their senses, it was too late. (bible.org/illus)
By the time Christians come to their sense, it is often too late. The damage has been done.
"Pride goeth before destruction" (Pr. 16:18). Pride can destroy a church.
"When pride cometh, then cometh shame" (Pr. 11:2). Nothing brings more shame to a church than division cause by pride.
C. Pride is the sin Christians probably struggle with the most.
"Pali, this bull has killed me." So said Jose Cubero, one of Spain’s most brilliant matadors, before he lost consciousness and died. Only twenty-one-years-old, he had been enjoying a spectacular career. However, in this 1958 bullfight, Jose made a tragic mistake. He thrust his sword a final time into a bleeding, delirious bull, which then collapsed. Considering the struggle finished, Jose turned to the crowd to acknowledge the applause. The bull, however, was not dead. It rose and lunged at the unsuspecting matador, its horn piercing his back and puncturing his heart.
Just when we think we’ve finished off pride, just when we turn to accept the congratulations of the crowd, pride stabs us in the back. WE SHOULD NEVER CONSIDER PRIDE DEAD BEFORE WE ARE.
"That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, PRIDE, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man" (Mark 7:21-23).
III. THE GREATEST CURE FOR PRIDE IS THE CROSS OF CHRIST.
After addressing the problem of disunity in the church, Paul goes straight to the solution (1:18, 26-31).
Someone has said, "Christianity is a cross, and a cross is ‘I’ crossed out." The cross eliminates pride.
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My riches gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
We need to get our eyes off ourselves and on the cross.
A. Meditating upon the cross should fill us with HUMILITY.
Charles Spurgeon once said, "Stand at the foot of the cross, and count the purple drops by which you have been cleansed: See the thorn-crown; mark His scourged shoulders, still gushing with encrimsomed rills. . . . And if you do not lie prostrate on the ground before that cross, you have never seen it." (Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations & Quotes, 170)
Augustine said, "Should you ask me: What is the first thing in religion? I should reply: the first, second, and third thing therein is humility." (Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations & Quotes, 456)
It’s interesting to see how Paul progressed in humility as his life went on:
• "I am the least of the apostles" (1 Cor. 15:9);
• I am the least of all the saints" (Eph. 3:8);
• I am the chief [the worst] of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).
George Whitefield, the great preacher of many years ago, was a great example of humility. Although Whitefield disagreed with John Wesley on some theological matters, he was careful not to create problems in public that could be used to hinder the preaching of the gospel. When someone asked Whitefield if he thought he would see Wesley in heaven, Whitefield replied, "I fear not, for he will be so near the eternal throne and we at such a distance, we shall hardly get sight of him."
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Ps. 133:1).
B. Meditating upon the cross should fill us with LOVE.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the Bible’s greatest chapter on love is found in First Corinthians. Their problem was pride; their need was love.
Love "IS NOT PUFFED UP" (v. 4).
Pride is selfish; love is selfless.
Jesus declared, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:35).
Someone has said, "The world at its worst needs the church at its best." The church at its best is one that is filled with humility and love. And love and humility will promote peace and harmony within the church.
CONCLUSION
Someone has imagined the Carpenter’s tools holding a conference. Brother Hammer presided. Several suggested he leave the meeting because he was too noisy. Replied the Hammer, "If I have to leave this shop, Brother Screw must go also. You have to turn him around again and agian to get him to accomplish anything."
Brother Screw then spoke up. "If you wish, I’ll leave. But Brother Plane must leave too. All his work is on the surface. His efforts have no depth."
To this Brother Plane responded, "Brother Rule will also have to withdraw, for he is always measuring folks as though he were the only one who is right."
Brother Rule then complained against Brother Sandpaper, "You ought to leave too because you’re so rough and always rubbing people the wrong way."
In the midst of all this discussion, in walked the Carpenter of Nazareth. He had arrived to start His day’s work. Putting on His apron, He went to the bench to make a pulpit from which to proclaim the Gospel. He employed the hammer, screw, plane, rule, sandpaper, and all the other tools. After the day’s work when the pulpit was finished, Brother Saw arose and remarked, "Brethren, I observe that all of us are workers together with the Lord." (Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations & Quotes, 128-129)
Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "We are labourers TOGETHER with the Lord" (1 Cor. 3:9).
There is no perfect church, but if we meditate upon the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, pride and conflict will melt away, leaving only humility and love.
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"
