The Foolish, The Weak, The Insignificant 1 Cor 1:26-31

Good evening/Hey everybody!

Its good to see you all again. [As has been said] my name is Tim, and I serve as a pastoral resident here at The Orchard Barrington. I’m excited for what God has in store for us in the year ahead and I’ve been much in prayer for these Friday evenings together.

As 40s+ singles, among you those divorced, widowed, never married,

- Most of you probably professing Christ, though we welcome you if you’re not a Christian

- There are unique difficulties you have in this world.

Among these challenges, I’m aware, are loneliness,

- A sense of being forgotten, left out

- A loss of community, close-knit family bonds

- Nostalgia

- Grief or guilt lingering from the past

- Various pains and discomforts with an aging body,

- Various anxieties or depression related to life circumstances

- Desire for romance, intimacy; temptations to lust

These are just some of the hardships you may face – and they are real struggles!

As singles, you also have unique privileges:

- Freedom from the stressors and burdens of needing to please a spouse

- Greater freedom to devote yourself to life-giving work, worthwhile ministry,

- Caring for others, serving those in need

- Freedom to devote yourself FULLY to knowing God and making Him known, using the time, gifts, and resources He’s given you to build His kingdom in ways you could not as a married person.

So one PRAYER I have for this year is that each of you would be EQUIPPED

To fully ENJOY the God-given privileges of your singleness, whether its a permanent state, or a temporary season

Also that I, (a young married man)

and all of you,

would come each 3rd Friday evening of the month

- To enjoy God together,

- In fellowship, song, and word,

And by doing so,

- become more saintly, less sinful

- more sanctified, less selfish

- more holy, and less hellish!

The title for this year’s series is: “Saintly Singles! How To Be Holy, Not Hellish”

We’ll be answering the questions: How can we Christians align our holy IDENTITY with our real lives?

- What does the Scripture say about how to truly be a saint – if you’re a believer in Jesus, to be who you really are?

- What should a life of true holiness, sainthood look like practically in this day and age?

We will be going through the first 7 chapters of 1 Corinthians as our foundation.

- Please bring your Bibles, as we’ll be getting into the Word each month and I want you to be able to follow along!

I may ask some interactive questions, so be ready to pitch in when I invite you to.

If you have a Bible or a phone Bible, would you turn with me to 1 Cor 1:17-31?

Read Scripture 1:17-31 (ESV)

Pray.

[30 minutes begins here; start TIMER:]

The year is AD 53,

And the great apostle Paul is penning a long letter to a congregation of believers in the city of Corinth.

- Ancient Corinth was a port city in the Greco-Roman empire, in what is southern Greece today.

As an international trading city,

The host of the Isthmian athletic games (basically a smaller Olympics),

And home of many Greek temples to various gods and goddesses

There was a lot of people-traffic!

With all this hustling and bustling, Corinth became a HUB for immorality!

- In fact, from the 5th century BC on to “Corinthianize” meant to engage in sex. Immorality!

- “Avoid that street, its been totally Corinthianized…”

- I wonder, what does the rest of the world use “Americanize” to mean?

The culture in which the Corinthian Christians found themselves, was not unlike our own:

- Scandalous sexual sin commonplace;

- Sexual perversion, exploration widespread

- Marital breakup, unfaithfulness, looseness,

Sex out of marriage, hook up-culture normal

These believers, many of whom came from pagan backgrounds,

- Had a really hard time severing themselves from the corruption of their past and the surroundings of their present.

Once the apostle Paul, who led them to Christ and planted their church, left,

- A flurry of issues arose!

The church of Corinth was divided into competing fan-clubs over particular preachers;

- They were abusing the Lord’s Supper, the rich being advantaged, the poor neglected

- Their worship services were disorderly, chaotic

- Their lifestyles and morality was mega-compromised, reflecting the patterns of the world rather than the purity of the Word

- They were believing false doctrine, heresies about the resurrection and end times

So Paul, their father in the faith, had a LOT to say to his spiritual kids!

A lot to correct and confront about HOW they should conduct themselves as Christians, as SAINTS!

Q: How would you define a saint?

Hear responses.

According to the Bible,

A “saint” isn’t someone who achieves some great attainment of moral excellence or miraculous giftedness.

A saint is someone whom God has sanctified - set apart as holy! Saint means “holy one”, separate one.

Saints may be young or old,

Poor or rich

Single or married

But what they share in common, is a holy identity – they are set apart from the world, set apart for God

- And true saints of Christ, will be growing in virtue, good deeds, faith, hope and love

- Knowing an ever greater JOY that can never be stolen

God alone makes a saint—God alone bestows this identity.

And who does God choose to call saints?

Simply, everyone who trusts in Christ! (Acts 26:18)

- Anyone who confesses that Jesus is Lord and believes in their heart that Jesus died and rose again.

- Every believer, according to the Word of God, is a saint,

- A “holy” one!

It is also true, sadly, that while every true Christian is a saint,

- Holding a position, a status, an identity that the Spirit has given

- Christians are called to be saints;

- Called to BE who they are! (thats 1 Cor 1:2)

This isn’t news to you, but some Christians—some of us—are saints in status, but not so much in practice.

- This is the problem Paul was dealing with in Corinth.

- And this is the problem we are going to address over this next ministry year at the Orchard Singles.

By nature, we are all sinners.

-We are NOT saints by nature, saints by birth – any parents here can confirm their young children were not “little angels”?

We human beings are NOT naturally righteous, virtuous, Christ-like people.

We are as the Bible says,

“Dead in our sins and trespasses”

Slaves to our sinful passions and desires

Ungodly, proud, and heading for hell

UNTIL,

God saves us,

Turns our lives around,

And begins a work of genuine goodness,

Godliness,

Wholeness and holiness in us.

This evening, focusing on vv.26-31 of 1 Cor 1, we will consider two main points:

1) God’s Unexpected Picks

2) God’s Saint-Making Methods

First, God’s unexpected picks.

The reality is, no matter how hard someone tries in their own strength, they are not gonna be a saint.

- No matter how many self-help books you read [or even memorize the biographies of Mother Teresa]

- Inspirational talks you hear [listening to Tony Robbins on repeat]

- Churches you visit,

Or willpower you muster,

- You will FAIL at becoming a saint.

- A holy person.

The Bible says, “those who are in the flesh cannot please God”! (Rom 8:8)

- Its actually impossible.

Only GOD, who is HOLY, can make one of His creatures holy, fit for heaven.

And the good news for all of us rotten sinners is,

- Contrary to how the world works,

- God is drawn to unlikely candidates, unexpected picks

- For His H-Team: His Holiness team :)

No matter how messy your life may be,

the more scum and stains on your record,

- The more likely you are to hear His call and be saved

- Sanctified

- And empowered to participate in God’s plan of restoring this world!

If you were God,

Faced with the Fall of humankind into sin and death

And tasked with the salvation of the world,

How would you do it?

If you were the most perfect, powerful, wise Being that exists — and sorry, that’s not actually the case for you right now ;)

- and you wanted to rescue this cursed world and damned race, how would you do it?

- Descend in a radiant robe of perfect splendor, hosts of angels accompanying you, singing your praises,

Simply saying a word to destroy all evil and prove yourself to all people through one dramatic self-revelation?

Lets say you decide you want to incorporate some of your creatures in accomplishing your saving plan, you want them to be your servants, even fellow workers,

- Through them, you will spread the good news of your kingdom and shine your light in the darkness of the world!

Who would you choose to make up your team, your army, your elect group,

- Appointed to the task of bringing hope to the hopeless, justice to the oppressed, peace to the warring?

As a kid, I was slow to catch on with most sports since I hadn’t started early in sports like many of my public school friends had;

I remember in gym class when we’d be playing a sport like kick ball,

Two student captains would be elected to alternate picking students for their team

And eventually there would be two people left to be chosen

I would be one of them.

I wasn’t a very impressive athlete. It wasn’t uncommon for me to be one of the last picks.

But I can’t blame the captains!

They were JUSTIFIED in not picking me.

I wouldn’t be advantageous to them winning!

I didn’t have much to contribute to their success.

So I was left waiting on the sidelines until there were no other options.

This is the wisdom of men.

We choose people for our team, our business, for a spouse based on what they can offer us,

What they contribute,

Their skills

Their resume

Their personality, their looks

If we’re honest, if we were God, we would do the same!

We would choose the Albert Einsteins, the Michael Jordans, the Elon Musks, the Bill Gates to represent us,

To spread our message, advance our kingdom.

These guys are the big guns!

“Surely, THEY’LL get people’s attention,

They will succeed on the mission for which I send them!”

But in our text tonight, we see that God’s wisdom is quite the opposite!

God’s CHOICE of sinner to save and to use for His glorious purposes, the chief of which is bringing salvation to perishing tribes and lost peoples,

- God’s pick Is NOT according to one’s prestige,

But according to their poverty

- NOT according to one’s strengths

But according to their weakness

- NOT according to one’s nobility

But according to their lowliness,

Their Nobody-ness

1 Cor 1:26 reads, “Consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise… not many were powerful… not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is FOOLISH… WEAK… LOW and despised… even things that are not…”

Paul is basically saying,

“Most of you, Corinthian Christians, with few exceptions, were unimpressive, uninfluential, unsuccessful nobodies when Christ called you to Himself.

- You weren’t Harvard Summa Cum Laud graduates, full-riders to Yale, valedictorians, leading intellectuals in society

- You weren’t the politicians, the billionaires, the national influencers

- You weren’t royalty or from the upper echelon of society

No, you were basically nothing, nobody, when God called you to Himself.

v.28 “God chose what is low and despised, even things that are not,”

He’s saying,

To the elite, you didn’t even exist, as far as they’re concerned!

Eugene Peterson’s Message paraphrase of this passage is helpful:

“Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? (end quote)

You see,

The God of the Bible,

Though He didn’t need to save anyone,

- nor need anyone to accomplish His plans

- He WANTS to redeem His creatures

- And to honor them with the privilege of joining Him in saving the world

And those whom He picks to do so are NOT the world’s “brightest and best”!

- Jesus doesn’t prefer nobility, He chooses nobodies with no ability!

I don’t know all of you here today. I don’t know where you’re coming from, or where you’ve been.

- I don’t know the junk in your past or in your present,

- The hoard of messed up relationships

- Hidden sins

- Broken promises

And foiled plans

I don’t know the pain or burdens you carry,

- The insecurities,

- Weaknesses,

- Limps or thorns in your flesh…

But I DO know that the uglier your life is,

The more WEAK, and sinful, and screwed up,

- the more hole-y [with holes!] your vessel

- The more LIGHT God can shine through you

- When you surrender your life to Him!

God is able to use fools by world’s standards,

Grimy fishermen, for example,

To preach life-transforming sermons to thousands

Refute the arguments of scholars

Even raise the dead

Have you considered what the almighty God can do with you?

When you are weak, THEN you’re ready to be filled power from heaven!

And with such power in you,

God can do far more abundantly than all that you ask or think!

As long as you think you’re wise, strong, and important,

- Forget being used mightily for the glory of God and the destruction of evil

But humble yourself before God, repent of your sin,

- Acknowledge your depravity

- and you WILL receive His resurrection life into your soul!

1) God’s Unexpected Picks

And now our second main point:

God’s Saint-Making Methods!

I mentioned that one initially becomes a saint simply through faith in Jesus Christ.

- But with those whom God has chosen and sanctified,

- How does He then make them saintly?

- How does God make saints practically, really, genuinely Christ-like, virtuous, holy?

There are two primary ways in this text:

1) The Gospel of Jesus

2) Union with Jesus

First, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In 1 Cor 1:17 Paul says, “For Christ did not send me to baptize [that was not Paul’s particular apostolic mission] but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, less the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”

What is the Gospel?

Paul tells us in the next verse: “the word of the cross”

“Gospel” is a word that means “good news”,

And its good news about the cross of Jesus

More broadly,

The Gospel is the message of Jesus’ Lordship, atoning death, and victorious resurrection for sinners

In vv.17-25, Paul reminds the Corinthians of the power of this gospel.

It was Paul’s preaching of the gospel that initially converted the Corinthians, rescuing them from their sin [Read Acts 18:1-11]

- But notice that v.18 says, the gospel–the word of the cross—continues to be the power of God for Christians throughout their lives of faith

- As they are “being saved”

- Increasing in sanctification—conformity into the likeness of Jesus

The gospel message—at the heart of it a crucified Savior—is a stumbling block to some, foolishness to others

But to those who are CALLED by God?

- Christ, revealed through this Holy Word, is the POWER of God and the WISDOM of God!

If you’re a Christian,

- You realize there is supernatural POWER in Jesus Christ,

- POWER in the story of His life, death, and resurrection

- Power to SAVE sinners from death and destruction,

- From addiction and adultery

And there is power and wisdom for Christians to live lives of victory,

- Freed from the love of money

- Freed from the lust of the eyes

- Freed from self-isolating and cynicism

- Freed from guilt and shame of the past

Friend, you who profess to know Christ tonight,

Do you know Christ as your infinite source of POWER

In the face of all your weaknesses?

Your temptations?

The One who strengthens you when crisis strikes

When friends betray you

When a spouse leaves you

When disease ravishes you

The One who never leaves you or forsakes you,

Who walks with you, His staff and rod in hand,

Comforting you, assuring you,

Equipping you with everything you need for life and godliness?

If you are not experiencing Christ personally as the power and wisdom of God,

- By faith you can!

- Preach the gospel to yourself every day

- Talk to yourself rather than listening to yourself

Tell yourself that JESUS is the LORD, your KING, the Master of your Life

Tell yourself that He is putting the whole world right regarding sin, that He has conquered your sin and paid for it in full,

That He has died for you, taking your guilt and punishment

Risen for you, purchasing for you eternal hope and power to live in newness of life!

That by GRACE through faith,

You can do all things,

And fulfill the good works He has prepared for you to do!

The GOSPEL of Jesus Christ is one way God makes saints saintly – for IT is the power of God unto salvation—

- not just at conversion, but throughout one’s life and journey of faith til glory.

(pause)

The second way God will make you saintly—genuinely, practically holy—is through union with Christ.

1 Cor 1:30 “And because of him [God the Father], you are in Christ Jesus [that’s this doctrine of union with Christ]”

This is one of the greatest and most neglected doctrines of the Christian faith, central to our understanding of salvation as Christians.

When God saves us, He doesn’t just pay for our sins,

- He actually unites us to Himself.

- He makes us ONE with Christ the Son.

- We are transferred from being “in the world” to being “in the Lord”, “in Christ!”

From that point forward, all that Christ has done, is transferred to you – His righteousness, His holiness

- All that Christ is,

And all the richest spiritual blessings He alone is worthy of

Are opened up to you

And you are counted worthy to share freely in them

By virtue of your participation IN Him!

This is what God has done in your life, if He has saved you.

- Just like before a man and woman get married they are two separate people,

- But when they make their vows, God unites them together

- So that they are no longer two but ONE

- One flesh,

So prior to being saved, you were without God and without hope in the world! Alienated from the kingdom of God.

- But when God chose you, in all your filth and unworthiness,

- You became ONE body, ONE spirit with Jesus Christ.

This is Paul’s glorious point in 1:30-31.

What is the consequence of this divine union between a sinner and the Holy One?

“You are in Christ Jesus,” v. 30 “Who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption”...

Through our God-given union with Jesus,

This vital connection and position in Him

Jesus becomes to us WISDOM from God: teaching us all we need to know and discern for a life pleasing to God in our particular season of life

Righteousness: crediting us with the justified, righteous standing before God freed from all condemnation or incriminating accusation of the devil

Sanctification: granting us the day-by-day gracious growth and refining in character, virtue, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit

And Redemption: becoming our Freedom from sin’s control and assurance of ultimate glorification, when we are finally redeemed from all the effects of sin

If you UNDERSTAND this doctrine of your union to Jesus Christ,

Contemplate it, consider it, and drink deeply from it,

You will be freed to live your current single life with selfless service

Hopeful endurance

Healthy friendships with either sex, if God wills godly romantic relationships

And greater faith and confidence.

Knowing that you have died with Christ, and it is no longer you who live but Christ who lives within you,

- Will create in you a humility,

- A gratitude,

And God-centered JOY

That leads you to BOAST in the Lord! And in the Lord alone!

And you will go and tell others of what the God of glory and grace

Has done for someone as unworthy and weak as you, and as me.

Would you pray with me?

Discussion questions:

How does God’s wisdom in choosing “the foolish, the weak, the low and despised” for salvation eliminate all cause for boasting?

In what areas are you tempted to boast or brag? How can you instead boast only in the Lord?

What does it mean to be “in Christ Jesus”?

What implications does being united to Christ have on your day to day life? (See 1 Cor. 1:30-31)