The Remedy for Division (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 1:17–31 (NKJV)

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. 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” (Isaiah 29:14).20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 2:1–5 NKJV

1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Introduction:

This first of several messages deals with the remedy against division in the church.

God has a fool proof method for unity, but it always gets mucked up by well intentioned people, and I’m sorry to say, ill intentioned people.

As we already saw last time, there was a problem in the Corinthian church but Paul shows them a better way which is the remedy for avoiding division and schisms in the church.

The remedy for division is...

I. The Cross of Christ. (Chap. 1:17-22)

Paul first begins by telling the Corinthians that, he did not come to baptize but to preach the gospel (good news).

And what was that good news?

That God has made a way for us to be right with Him.

It is not the good news that Jesus helps us to be better people, or moral people or happier people, but to be made right through the person of Jesus Christ His Son.

And what do I mean by made right?

That the penalty for our sin has been paid for by the death of His Son and that all those that believe in Him have everlasting life because of His resurrection, and that we are in Him and part of His body.

The other side of the good news is that we cannot do anything to assist that free grace!

Because if we could, we’d only mess it up!

That’s why Paul says that the cross of Christ will never take effect if the wisdom of our words become the catalyst for the gospel.

A. The message of the cross is foolish.

To every soul that is perishing in their unbelief, the cross is an offense to their ego and intellect.

People are reluctant to believe the message of truth because it doesn’t make sense to them, but are more likely to believe that their own moral superiority or intellect is what is needed.

The gospel becomes foolish to them.

Sometimes I think it is foolish to those within the church.

And I say that because they act as though their wisdom and eloquence is what convinces people.

They act as though the cross is foolish simply by not trusting in its message, and by trying to improve what God has spoken.

They are wiser in their own eyes than God, and find Him and His ways silly.

B. The message of the cross is strength.

Paul said in Romans 1:16 “16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

Of everything that we are to concern ourselves with in the church, nothing comes before this.

We who are being saved find strength in the cross of Christ.

Because we know that His power is what is working, not ours.

2 Corinthians 12:10 NKJV

10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

It is the cross that gives us strength.

People have relegated the gospel to a prescription of sayings or a prayer.

The gospel is powerful in that it changes the individual and converts him to a child of God.

The gospel is the good news that changes the heart and life of the lost individual.

It is powerful because it is all God and no man.

The remedy for division is...

II. The Power and Wisdom of God. (Chap. 1:24-31)

To understand the true power of the cross, is to understand the power and wisdom of God.

And God reveals His wisdom and power to the world in the message preached.

This will best be understood in a manner different than the way we think.

When we think of preaching, we think of...

The Sunday sermon, delivered by the pastor.

The missionary who goes preaching the message to the people of distant lands.

The educated, seminary trained individuals who have been licensed or ordained for such work.

Which all have their place, but what Paul is referring to here is the general charge given to the church.

The truth is, that every person, man, woman, and child, in the body is called to preach the great message of hope.

God did not choose the wisdom of men or the rhetorical practices of certain intellectuals, as the vessel for the gospel.

He chose the common person as this vehicle.

The weaker the vessel, the more powerful the message!

This goes against everything we know and believe in the church today.

A. He does not use fancy speech or the wise.

When we speak the good news to people, they usually do not think it to be great news, but somewhat lame.

This is how the world perceives the gospel.

I think because of this reaction, God’s people have developed new ways of presenting the gospel.

They try to use intellect and fancy analogies, but that doesn’t change a heart.

And these tricks of the trade, will only succeed in achieving a religious response, not a faith response.

Unless the Spirit of God opens the understanding, there is no understanding, and there is no salvation regardless of how sincere the individual may be.

And that brings me to this:

B. He uses meager and unimpressive people.

That is, He uses us in the raw to show His power and wisdom to the world.

The people He uses are only meager and unimpressive to the world.

To God they are vessels fit for the Master’s use.

If it is not by fancy speech and rhetoric that brings them in, then it is the power and wisdom of God’s word through the base vessel of humanity, by the power of the Spirit, that does.

His power is seen in us who have nothing to offer but the message of hope.

When the world sees praying believers who actually believe that God hears them, they see the power and wisdom of God.

When we demonstrate the love of Christ through compassion and works of love, they see the power and wisdom of God.

When we simply point to Jesus as our hope and strength in life, they see the power and wisdom of God.

The remedy for division is...

III. Sound, Spirit led Preaching. (Chap. 2:1-5)

This is my personal opinion, and I realize that there may be room for debate, but, I believe the truest form of preaching is expository preaching.

That is, preaching that explains the text of the sermon which is a particular passage of scripture, and then makes appropriate application.

This is arguably the best representation of biblical preaching.

Topical themes are great, but they require forcing scripture to back up the topic.

But expository preaching demands an honest interpretation of the text in its cultural setting, deriving the theme of the text, and delivering it with relevance and conviction to a contemporary audience with the guide and aide of the Holy Spirit.

And so let me use this series as an example.

I chose this book of the Bible to preach from, taking large sections in chronological order, and explaining what it means and how it applies to us today.

Thematic and topical messages are like living on a diet of candy bars.

They taste great, are sweet, and come in a wide array of assorted flavors textures and ingredients.

But, you will grow anemic and malnutritioned if that’s all you eat.

When we fail to preach the scriptures completely, and provide only a portion of His word in this manner, we kill the people in the congregation.

What’s more, is that we leave room for division because Satan takes advantage of our lack of meat.

Conclusion:

These three remedies are powerful deterrents for the problem of division in the church.

They are applicable to the local church as well as the broader church.

Next time we shall look at more of the remedy Paul gives.