REPEATING HISTORY: A CALL TO UNITY

2024-06-02 

Pastor Jonathan Falwell 

Today we begin a Summer study of Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth. Paul established this church during his second missionary journey and visited it once again during his third missionary journey. He writes this letter as an encouragement to a church located in one of the most pagan cities of that era. There were many outside pressures on the church to give up on their faith. However, this letter was aimed at ensuring the believers in Corinth would remain faithful and not live their lives 

1 Corinthians 1:1-17

1. The starting point

Vss 1-3 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes ourbrother, 2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

• We are a “called out” people; to be sanctified
• The church at Corinth had become a church which was dishonoring their calling
• The church had become defiled, divided and as a result…disgraced[1] – Warren Wiersbe

1. Strength for the journey

Vss 4-9 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God isfaithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

• Our salvation is an amazing gift which comes through the grace of God
• “enriched” – ploutizõ meaning “to make rich”
• God has enriched us with everything needed to be found blameless, only when we allow the corruption of the world to enter into our lives, and our churches, do we see this gift diminished

1. A crippling condition

Vss 10-12 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.”

• Paul points out the division within the church which had been reported to him
• These four factions were fighting over leadership or control
• They lost sight of what a church is really all about

1. Awareness of the call

Vss 13-17 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. 16 Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

Action points:

1. Know what church you belong to

vs 2 – To the church of God…

1. Understand the value of following Christ

Vs 3 – Grace to you and peace from God…

Vs 5 – that you were enriched in everything by Him…

1. Recognize the importance of your call

Vss 8b-9 – …that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Vs 10b …speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind

1. Always point to the cross

Vs 17b …preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

[1] Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996.