Sermon Tone Analysis

Good morning, thank you Pastor Dave for the invitation to share God’s word to you.

By way of introduction, I am originally from the same town where Pastor Dave is from, Williamson, NY.

He and I went to church together for several years.

My wife Deborah and I are members of First Baptist Church of West Seneca, near Buffalo.

I am pursuing a PhD in Bible in Theology from Calvary University, Kansas City, MO, but for my day job, though I work on computers.

Good afternoon everyone.

I am so glad to be back with you, after the last couple weeks.

Last week and a half as you know Deb and I were sick.

Two weeks ago I had a chance to share a message Sunday morning in a small church east of here, and –full disclaimer—the message today is going to be that same message.

Our text this afternoon is 1 Corinthians chapter 1, you can turn there.

While I assure you this message is not about computers and technology, I am going to begin with a story on technology.

A book was recently published on technology and Christian life that concludes with a chapter on the question “How should we use technology today?”

Now in this chapter, he observes that technology works through four stages – discovery, production, adoption, and adaption.

In the first phase of discovery, he refers to the finding of new tech.

Lets consider the first automobile.

In the case of the second phase of production, think of the process whereby the new technology can actually be provided to others – such as the manufacturing plants of Henry Ford in Dearborn MI when the earliest automobiles were built en masse.

Then, in the adoption phase, there is the place where technology actually gets to you and me.

Eventually, cars got to us.

The car at its fundamental reality amplifies our ability to use our physical abilities—in the case of the automobile, it enables us to travel father away to get the basic needs of life, it enables us to move more stuff at once in the case of a pickup truck.

Surely, for such a community like this, can you imagine life without the automobile?

Most of us normally actually take it for granted today.

Our society, this community, has surely been changed by the use of the automobile.

However, there is a fourth stage that technology should get to, and that is the adapting stage where these new abilities for what is best for mankind.

The problem with technology, with an automobile, is that it cannot tell us what is the best way to use that technology.

It doesn’t have a built in “instruction book”.

We have to look elsewhere to find this—what we need to properly use technology, Now man has its own wisdom it tries to use to figure out the best way to use technology, but are they figuring it out yet?

Well, that remains to be seen.

More important than just technology, is man’s basic needs.

We all face common issues, and the Bible presents man’s sin and our most basic need.

It is here that God’s wisdom is most needed.

Today, we are going to talk about how God’s wisdom is greater than man’s foolish wisdom.

While I assure you this message is not about computers and technology, I am going to begin with a story on technology.

A book was recently published on technology and Christian life that concludes with a chapter on the question “How should we use technology today?”

Now in this chapter, he observes that technology works through four stages – discovery, production, adoption, and adaption.

In the first phase of discovery, he refers to the finding of new tech.

Lets consider the first automobile.

In the case of the second phase of production, think of the process whereby the new technology can actually be provided to others – such as the manufacturing plants of Henry Ford in Dearborn MI when the earliest automobiles were built en masse.

Then, in the adoption phase, there is the place where technology actually gets to you and me.

Eventually, cars got to us.

The car at its fundamental reality amplifies our ability to use our physical abilities—in the case of the automobile, it enables us to travel father away to get the basic needs of life, it enables us to move more stuff at once in the case of a pickup truck.

Surely, for such a community like this, can you imagine life without the automobile?

Most of us normally actually take it for granted today.

Our society, this community, has surely been changed by the use of the automobile.

However, there is a fourth stage that technology should get to, and that is the adapting stage where these new abilities for what is best for mankind.

The problem with technology, with an automobile, is that it cannot tell us what is the best way to use that technology.

It doesn’t have a built in “instruction book”.

We have to look elsewhere to find this—what we need to properly use technology, Now man has its own wisdom it tries to use to figure out the best way to use technology, but are they figuring it out yet?

Well, that remains to be seen.

More important than just technology, is man’s basic needs.

We all face common issues, and the Bible presents man’s sin and our most basic need.

It is here that God’s wisdom is most needed.

Today, we are going to talk about how God’s wisdom is greater than man’s foolish wisdom.

Turn in to your Bible’s to 1 Corinthians 1, 1 Corinthians chapter 1.

Paul is writing to the church of Corinth, a city in Greece in the 1st century shortly after Christ lived.

If you heard Pastor’s Sunday morning message last week, I am going to repeat some of the same ground he covered—I told you this is the same message I had already shared two weeks ago!

But no The city of Corinth was a cosmopolitan city, with lots of different kinds of people, permissive morals seeing it was known for sexual behaviors that were very promiscuous.

Given its geography, at a key juncture in the Greek area, it also had a lot of commerce too.

Think of the large cities of the world today, perhaps a place like New York City.

Corinth was along those lines.

Yet, even for all its worldiness, we know Jews, people who knew the one true God were there.

In Acts, and even here in this epistle as we shall see, there was interactions with Jews.

So, Corinth was quite a diverse place.

Paul has a lot of issue he needs to deal with.

Foundational for him though is the centrality of Jesus Christ and the wisdom of God which Christ brought to us.

Paul is writing to the church of Corinth, a city in Greece in the 1stcentury shortly after Christ lived.

The city of Corinth was a cosmopolitan city, with lots of different kinds of people, permissive morals seeing it was known for sexual behaviors that were very promiscuous.

Given its geography, at a key juncture in the Greek area, it also had a lot of commerce too.

Think of the large cities of the world today, perhaps a place like New York City.

Corinth was along those lines.

Yet, even for all its worldiness, we know Jews, people who knew the one true God were there.

In Acts, and even here in this epistle as we shall see, there was interactions with Jews.

So, Corinth was quite a diverse place.

Paul has a lot of issue he needs to deal with.

Foundational for him though is the centrality of Jesus Christ and the wisdom of God which Christ brought to us.

Lets read in 1 Corinthians 1, our text will be verses 18-31, but I’d like to begin with v10.

Lets read in 1 Corinthians 1, our text will be verses 18-31, but I’d like to begin with v10.

1 Corinthians 1:10–31 (KJV 1900)

10Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.

10Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

(This is the first issue of several problems Paul addresses the church, the issue of divisions.

He moves on to explain why this is an issue)

(This is the first issue of several problems Paul addresses the church, the issue of divisions.

He moves on to explain why this is an issue)

11For 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.

11For I have been informed concerning you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.

(so someone wrote to him or spoke with Paul in person).

(so someone wrote to him or spoke with Paul in person).

12Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

12Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” or “I am with Cephas,” or “I am with Christ.”

13Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

13Has Christ been divided?

Paul was not crucified for you, was he?

Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

(So Paul is noting that there is no place for factionalism, noting that all men are but servants of Christ and that there is also a unity between Christ and those who work with him.

He then goes on to explain how he did not exhibit this kind of sectarian).

(So Paul is noting that there is no place for factionalism, noting that all men are but servants of Christ and that there is also a unity between Christ and those who work with him.

He then goes on to explain how he did not exhibit this kind of sectarian).

14I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;

14I am thankful that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,

15so that no one would say you were baptized in my name!