This Is Us (Part 1)

Paul’s History with the church at Corinth

Paul shared the gospel in Corinth during his second journey (Acts 18)

Wrote first letter to the church (NOT this one) 1 Corinthians 5:9-11

1 Corinthians 5:9–11 ESV

9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

Wrote second letter to the church (1 Corinthians)

Made second visit to correct problems 2 Corinthians 2:1

2 Corinthians 2:1 ESV

1 For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you.

Wrote third letter, calling the church to repentance (lost) 2 Corinthians 2:4-11

Wrote fourth letter (2 Corinthians) from Macedonia

Made third visit 2 Corinthians 12:14

2 Corinthians 12:14 ESV

14 Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

2 Corinthians 13:1 ESV

1 This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

Intro to Corinthians

Most extensive correspondence with a single church

Many converts struggled with the responsibility of being the people of God in a pagan city

1 Corinthians details a intimate description of the life and work of an early church

This church was gifted but immature and unspiritual

Know Your Role

1 Corinthians 3:1–3 ESV

1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?

There are 2 kinds of Christians: mature and immature.

What’s the difference?

Mature Christians live by the Spirit.

Immature Christians live by the flesh.

Mature Christians feed off the Word of God.

Immature Christians feed off of self.

Mature Christians grows to eat solid food.

Immature Christians cling to the bottle.

Mature Christians practice love and peace.

Immature Christians tend toward disagreement and division.

Immature Christians find themselves in leadership positions, the church suffers.

My role, according to the Word, is to help you grow and mature. Your role is to grow up! (into the image of Christ)

Ephesians 4:11-16

Ephesians 4:11–16 ESV

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.