church2go

I must say I have had a great time preparing this weeks sermon. I usually do. There is nothing better than sitting down nutting out what God is saying to me through His word. In fact I had too much material and have had to cull. There is just so much stuff that we can learn just from these 6 verses. My prayer has been that I will give you the message that God has for you today.

Lets get into it.

1CO 1:4 I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.

As is characteristic of Paul in his other letters (cf. Ro 1:8; Php 1:3-7; Col 1:3-8; et al.), he begins by thanking God for those whom he is addressing. He realizes that God has given them his grace through their union with Christ, enriching their lives by their ability to speak about God and by their knowledge of him (v. 5). The form of the verb “I thank” indicates that Paul regularly interceded for the believers at Corinth as well as those wherever he preached the Gospel examples of this are seen in  Eph 1:16; Php 1:3 and other places.

Interesting isn’t it, that Paul who is writing a letter prompted by hearing that the church is in disarray, yet he thanks God for them.

Here is our first ah ha experience today. Pray for those who might cause you some grief or difficulty. It is easy to pray for those who are friends or family or those who agree with us but harder to pray for those we disagree with or don’t get on with. Paul prays for these people even though they are getting so many things wrong in their Christian lives.

Why does he do this?

Next verse

 ⁵ For in him you have been enriched in every way–in all your speaking and in all your knowledge—

 He is convinced that there has been a real work of God’s grace in their lives because he saw his witness about Christ established in their lives at the time of their conversion and had heard about it since then.

Greeks naturally put emphasis on knowledge and wisdom (cf. 1:18-25), and they certainly were good at expressing their thoughts. (Rules of Rhetoric taught and encouraged to be used even by the non educated – listening to lectures and debates was the entertainment of the day) However, God had so enriched the lives of these Christians in Corinth in spiritual perception and expression that they had been given increased ability in speaking. The extent of their enrichment is seen in the use of the adjective “all” with both “speaking” and “knowledge” (v. 5).

⁶ because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.

Remember that Paul shared the message of Jesus with them and that message has been displayed in their lives.

One of the most encouraging things I see is people living their faith.

I found it interesting at the graduation on Monday night, as I talked with different lecturers, they where proud of those graduating. Their teaching was bearing fruit. 90 odd people graduated, all of us have a bigger tool box for ministry now.

But just let me tell you the most amazing thing. They introduced this years first year students. It was amazing – there is about 60 people doing full time first year theological studies. Where is God going to take these people. On top of that there was about 20 Plunge students. Plunge is the college’s gap year program for those who have finished their HSC and are filling in a year thinking about the future. What is God going to do with them. One of them was Emily Dennis, Bob and Anne Dennis’s daughter. You lot know her, where is God going to take her. Some of you taught her Sunday School, Your testimony about Christ is being confirmed in her. Let’s find ways to encourage our young people to prepare their lives for ministry.

While I say there was a pride from the lecturer’s, they are aware totally that it is God’s action in these people’s lives that is happening. The lecturers are used by God to give information that each individual will put into to practice as the Holy Spirit prompts them.

Moving on.

 ⁷ Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

 ⁸ He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7-8. He introduces the next thought by “therefore” : “Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift.” He nails them to part of their arguing. Is he talking about the spiritual gifts he will mention in Ch 12-14? Partly, but also he seems to be referring to and emphasizing a more general understanding of God’s grace actively counteracting the sins and faults so prevalent in the Corinthian congregation. Remember that these Christians were literally expecting Jesus to come back at anytime and soon. It is because of God’s grace that these people do not lack what they need spiritually and it is by God’s grace that they are kept blameless. Through his power and strengthening, Christians will certainly be blameless when Christ comes again. Here is an interesting thing – even with all their problems – they are kept blameless – think about that one for a while. (But not now, think about it later)

But for now, not lacking spiritual gift. They had everything they needed. We have everything we need to be God’s people. We lack nothing to live effective Christian lives until Jesus comes back. Now this could take some unpacking. But let’s just dwell on it as we are starting to be in the process of thinking and planning our direction for the future. We lack no spiritual gift. Let it sink in. Whatever God calls us to we have the resources. Think about it.

Though with this dwelling on one part of the verse we can get an imbalance.

What we need to be careful when we read scripture is to remember what the whole passage is outing together for us. Sometimes it is too easy to look at the bible verse by verse and forget what happened or was taught in the previous verses. Let’s keep the contact here with the passage. The grace and peace we talked about last week and the grace mentioned in  v 4 connect all these things together.

Let me put it this way – God’s grace ties together all the doctrines that we will see discussed in this whole letter.

It is by grace we are saved, It is by grace we participate in God’s mission, it is by grace we do church, it is by grace we are called. Next verse

 ⁹ God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Totally God’s grace that we are called, that we have the privilege to related to God through Jesus Christ. We need to get a handle on Grace.

Last week we looked at sanctification, it might be good for us to look at grace over the coming weeks.

Grace, is that unmerited favor of God toward fallen man (that is us – us sinners and such) where, he has provided for man’s redemption.

We don’t deserve it, but God offers it.

In the greek NT it is tied up with good will, mercy and redemption (Getting people back together with God)

For us it is knowing we don’t deserve anything, even life but God has allowed us to live, to be in relationship with Him and to be in a constant on going state of relationship even through the experience we call death.

We will talk more about grace in the coming weeks.

It is interesting that Paul talks about being called into fellowship and from that point launches into an appeal for the Church or churches of Corinth to be united.

This is Paul’s big statement, called a propositio. In the way things were written back them, following the rules of rhetoric, at the beginning of the letter or speech, after the intro bits, you give your big idea for the whole thing. And this is it.

    ^{1CO 1:10} I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

The letter is about teaching the people in the Corinthian church to be united in Jesus.

Notice the appeal –

1. uses the term brothers or brethren – it refers to all of the church, women included.
2. the appeal is not Paul’s but in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is not for Paul’s benefit but for the Lord. The instruction here is from God.
3. that you all agree with one another.
4. That they have no divisions.

5. Be perfectly united in mind and thought. (Interestingly, The word translated perfectly united is literally “Knitted together” – giving the idea of being one garment or one jumper. Not like French knitting which makes a long line but like a jumper!!! )

Hey is this possible??? With our individualistic culture is it possible to agree on everything.

Do we all agree? No, come to a church meeting and see different idea talked about.

Are we totally without divisions? No well all have our own opinions. I can see that from the interaction I have with you regarding the sermons. You all have minds of your own.

Yet, we do function in harmony. This church is extremely caring, this church is united in its direction and expression of God’s love.

Remember this is one statement that Paul is setting up his whole document and thesis from. It is the big picture aim for the Corinthians – and it is the big picture aim for us.

In some ways we are similar to the churches of Corinth.  Paul announces here that there are major issues, Schismata (Cracks or dissensions) yet that exists within a group of people who still gather and have the commonality of a relationship with Jesus. They may be wrong in some aspects but he does not damn them to hell or call them heretics. The danger is in the future. They could split in the future, at present there are issues but the potential damage is enormous. We have no major contentious issues, at present, but there is potential into the future.

Issues such as open membership, church governance, styles of worship, styles of leadership, the list could go on. All can cause damage.

Paul’s letter is about bringing the perspective back to being “In Christ”. And that perspective is coupled with the fact that we are in Christ because of God’s grace.

I think part of the idea is how we deal with the issues is this principle –  BE IN CHRIST. Paul will now set out the issues and that is what we will look at for the next few months. Paul’s way of dealing with the issue was to put it into the perspective of being “in Christ”. He uses the exact term 13 times in 1 Corinthians, and another 10 times in 2 Corinthians.  It is a reoccurring theme.

IN some ways it is another Ah ha experience for us. Deal with issues “In Christ.” In other words let Jesus words, principles and lifestyle be our model of dealing with whatever issue is before us.

Read ahead, read the rest of 1 Corinthians and be ready for next weeks sermon. 

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