KNOW, LIVE, BE-LIVE AS THE CHURCH-1 CORINTHIANS: A World Like Corinth

 A World Like Corinth 1 Corinthians 1-4:20 Church today we open the book of 1st Corinthians and we’re going to need to have a little heart-to-heart here. We need to understand a few things before we get started: What they were like. And what that has to do with us - We need to understand so we know what to do with this letter. This book and the one to follow is packed FULL of so much theology. Theology is a simple thing - it’s a two part word, theos and the root word-ology - theos being God and Ology being study of, like Dendrochronologists study tree rings - but theology, that’s the one I like - it’s the study of God. So if someone says theology is dry or lame, I want you to just think about that, the God of the universe who created everything who is revealed in 66 books of living words illuminated by the Holy Spirit of God - knowing the one of all knowledge, loving the one who is Love, studying with scientific certainty the one who built the laws that science trusts for it’s study - theology is rich and 1st Corinthians gives a lot of it. Biblical Corinth isn’t much today. But in the hey-day it was something. Julius Caesar destroyed the original Corinth in 146 BC - but remember we’re counting up to Christ and back from Christ - that’s how history is divided. And so, that city was rebuilt 100 years later, which would be… 46 BC, it was built by the Romans as a Colony, but it started to bustle! Captains rather than sailing around the bottom of the Peninsula would drag their boats across land - no kidding, and so it became known as the place called “the place of dragging across” now there is a canal so no more dragging. The city hosted Olympic games and became a center for trade with the ships being drug through - and I don't know what it is about port cities, guys out at sea hit land and go nuts - we used to live in a port city in Italy and they’re just crazy places of connection and melting pots of all culture - even to a pagan world, this place, Corinth, became known as a place of moral corruption - and so Paul decided “I’m gonna plant a church here”. So we need to understand some things: 1. This is to a church in a place of moral corruption. 2. This is from a church planter/pastor to the church Why is that important, I have a friend who is leaving the area after planting a church here a decade ago? Why, because I’m in a period of being gutted - friends are leaving right and left (that’s just me complaining) but he’s leaving. And he told his church, OK guys you’re on your own I’m outta here - time to get a new pastor, in fact right now - he is delivering that message - he told a hand full of leaders last week and everyone is hearing it right now - so pray for them, that’s difficult. Now, I want you to think church - imagine that was me and I looked at you and said I’m out, lets find a new pastor. Paul planted this church, but he was out. It’s important because Paul is speaking from a place of spiritual leadership over these people, inside the will of God, he is encouraging their actions as a church for the good of the gospel, to see the people of Corinth transformed. This is a letter of correction from the pastor/planter that has moved on to the body of the church that he cares about and loves. Imagine if my friend who is leaving me (again just kidding, kind of) if someone called him and was like dude - no one is getting along they’re arguing after you left about who was baptized by who and who to follow, some are participating in prostitution in the city they’re celebrating adultery, homosexuality, abusive speech, drunkenness, and pornography - guys Paul isn’t happy here, and so he speaks to them from a position of a) spiritual authority b) loving familiarity and the way you speak to someone who you love that’s screwing everything up. A stranger my stroke your back, and give you 7 encouragements for every 1 negative that they bring up, but your dad… no sir, in North Carolina we put it like this, “he’s gonna bring the wood” and so Paul in a place of authority brings correction to a church he loves that is corrupting in the world around them - And so why is all this important? Two reasons you ready: 1) We’re a church 2) We’re in a culture that begs us no even DEMANDS us to join them corruption This whole world is set up to crush you, and keep you in corruption. Men as long as your effeminate and spineless standing for nothing and allowing everything you’re OK. As long as you cower back and get trampled you’re cool - but if you stand and be a leader, and stand for truth, and resist the a culture that begs you into moral corruption (and let me go into this some) as long as you’re cool with Savanna’s and Club 21. As long as you’re OK with planned parent hood slaughtering children, as long as you’ll allow your children to be indoctrinated with Muslim prayer and a gender they can decide and no sexual mooring in bearing the very image and love of God then you're OK - and so we need this correction from Paul to the church to stand for God in a Godless culture! Ladies, oh ladies, as long as your marching outside of Washington with a woolen vagina hat on your head, and demanding that you’re better than men, while men shut up in the background you’ve fine but as we together recognize the way of God is equal value but given roles in the world to image God. The include submission, just as Christ Himself submitted to God - lades your role is tough - but God is worth it. Guys your job is tough but God is worth it, and Church if we’re willing to take some knocks and stand for God, we’ll glorify Him, are we ready to be the Church? Because maybe, Paul has something about corruption here for us today. We can tend to think that if we were JUST like the early church - when things were pure and holy, it would be great. If we were smaller groups and just met in houses, it would be great. Guys Paul IS writing to the early church, meeting in homes, and not as a large group - and to say they’re jacked up would be an understatement. And so we’ll see how we’re to live as the church in a culture that is not just corrupt but that is corrupt, Godless, spiraling out of control, and working to clutch and grab at you to bring you with them, Church - we need to recognize that and cling firm to God and stand strong in truth. 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 (ESV) Greeting 1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This is an introduction - Paul reminds them he’s an apostle and their spiritual leader, with his partner in ministry Sosthenes (Paul was not without accountability) to the church in morally sideways Corinth that is called into the greater body of believers. 1 Corinthians 1:4-6 (ESV) Thanksgiving 4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— Paul writes to these people Christians. He is thankful for to God because of the grace God gave them in Christ. The moment they became found in Christ’s grace through repentance, the grace of God was theirs! Paul is thankful to God for their salvation. Maybe you’re found this morning in need of great great grace - that’s God’s desire is to pour that out on you in Christ so I pray you’ll stick with this: In verses 10-17 Paul as a Pastor and spiritual leader deals with some in-house issues of people arguing together about who was baptized by whom and who follows whom. Paul cuts to the chase and says, cut it out. Drop the garbage and get along! Church, are you angry with others in the body over trivial stuff and secondary issues, cut it out. You’re a recipient of Grace joined to God by special favor and through Christ’s goodness - let your issues go. John 13:35 (ESV) 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Maybe you need to deal with them, and cannot just let them go, then go deal with them. And I don’t mean deal with them in the way that makes sure this is the last time you and that person will talk I mean actually deal with them in a way that restores an injured relationship… Remember I said that it’s important that we know what this letter is? Here is why - you’re reading through Paul’s perspective; through the spiritual leader and pastor and planters perspective, and he’s writing to them about an in-house social issue, because it’s matters to the greater health of the church, which matters to a Godless world outside in their ability to be joined to God’s grace and favor in Christ. Is your issue enough to degrade someone’s ability to be re-joined to God? We’re seeing how we’re to live as the church in a culture that is not just corrupt but that is corrupt, Godless, spiraling out of control, and working to clutch and grab at you to bring you with them, Church - we need to recognize that and cling firm to God and stand strong in truth. The word and reality television and social media will encourage you to crush that relationship, they’ll tell you you’re right they’re wrong and they should be crushed. Un-follow and un-friend them, tell people about them, crush them - but that’s the world and we’re the church - we have to be careful what we’re pulled into. Paul said: 1 Corinthians 1:17-20 (ESV) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 18 For the word of the cross is folly 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 the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? Why did he say all that? It’s a leveler and an encouragement. Remember we’re seeing how we’re to live as the church in a culture that is not just corrupt but that is corrupt, out of control and working to grab at you and pull you in; and so Paul reminds them, I Preach Christ crucified and it’s seen as foolishness sometimes but it’s real wisdom and real power. And so when the culture is marching, and spitting venomous angry sentiment wearing gonad hats and telling you you’re ridiculous remember that the grace of God is stronger than all that -and worthy of truthful proclamation even when it’s uncomfortable personally or socially the world around you isn’t just Godless and out of control it’s trying to pull you in, do you feel it? In Chapter 2, Paul continues encouraging them, guys I didn’t come with well worked speeches simply the gospel - church lets be like that, lets let God and the gospel and truth be constantly on our lips. Turn every conversation to God, be that guy the world around you is DYING! 1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV) 14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. Maybe you’ve felt like, man why don’t they get it, why don’t they agree with me on this. Why cant they understand abortion is murder, and that all people are to be valued, why don't’ they understand that God cares for the city dweller just as much as the suburb dweller or the American as much as the Somali? Spiritual things are spiritually discerned - And so we’ll see how we’re to live as the church in a culture that is not just corrupt but that is corrupt, Godless, spiraling out of control, and working to clutch and grab at you to bring you with them, Church - we need to recognize that and cling firm to God and stand strong in truth. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 (ESV) 1  This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. Paul is often written as brash and mean, but look at this loving pastoral heart. 1 Corinthians 4:14-17 (ESV) 14 I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. Paul is dealing with their pride. Their either a) drifting away from the truth of God and back into the culture or b) getting prideful of their knowledge of theology or c) prideful and selfish and letting arguments divide the church As the church we’re to be humbled remembering, it’s the grace of God that found us and that saved us. Is that you, has God’s grace found you a sinner - that’s what God’s grace does, be saved today, now. Are you a believer shrinking back into pride or worldly passions - don’t; come back, God’s grace will sustain you. Are you a believer who has started to fold to the world’s pressure, who feels pressed by the world’s demands that you stand for nothing, women that you be strong leaders demanding men to cower, men are you pressed by the world’s demands that you stand for nothing, become effeminate even change your gender or stand for no truth. We’re seeing how we’re to live as the church in a culture that is not just corrupt but that is corrupt, Godless, spiraling out of control, and working to clutch and grab at you to bring you with them, Church - we need to recognize that and cling firm to God and stand strong in truth. Kill Pride KNOW, LIVE, BE – LIVE AS THE CHURCH – 1 CORINTHIANS: A World Like Corinth Pastor John Weathersby Transcend Church 6 of 6 Sunday 4/23/2017