Sabbath May 11

The hippie movement of 50 years ago was never more than a minority but it made an imprint on a generation of Youth in the 1960s was out and long hair was in. traditional culture long-held Norms or passe War inequality materialism, they were spurned the slogans of the day were Make Love Not War Don't trust anyone over 30. peace and turn on tune in and drop out. That's what the slogan was. By the way, this was my generation the baby boom generation ensure numbers. We were larger Force than any prior generation in the history of the United States. It was the Andy Warhol hippie counterculture movement.

For a little while.

Christianity is counterculture. A counterculture that is brighter. more powerful and enduring than any other store. And Paul has as much as this to stay to the church in Corinth. We are at the 5th chapter now we've been Managing our way through this first letter of Paul to the church in Corinth. But instead of being a lice life transforming culture shaping Force the church in Corinth was played with a pollution. That staggered and negated any influence. They might have had in Corinth or anywhere in the world. You often it's true that the greatest threats to the health of our church or the health of our personal Christian experience comes from the outside from powerful popular influences people and politics and culture. But it's also true that then maybe even more true that the main threat is often times Within. A disastrous situation was polluting the church in Corinth and it captured Paul's attention and you wrote to them first Corinthians chapter 5 verse 1. He says it's actually reported that there's sexual immorality among you of a kind that even pagans don't tolerate a man is sleeping with his father's wife. The news travel fast and wife and far and reached Paul sexual sexual immorality is mentioned here. The Greek word is born a sexual sin. A man is sleeping with his father's wife that's called incest. We're not giving too many more details about that. But we do know that this kind of relationship is this in clearly? It was strictly forbidden in Jewish law The Book of Leviticus chapter 18 verse 8 says don't have sexual relations with your father's wife and Deuteronomy even puts a curse on those individuals who are involved in this kind of relationship. It says curse it is it is anyone who sleeps with his father's wife. So considering all these things. the woman must have been not the man's mother but more likely his stepmother or Paul probably would have called her mother instead of the woman and she also likely commentators say was not a Christian a roast. Paul would have suggested that she be removed from the church as well as this man. It's likely that the father was divorced or had passed away, but it was still wrong for his son to cohabit with. Father's wife. It defies scripture it defies reason and custom and even in the Morley locks and the Pagan culture that typified Corinth at this time in the Roman world. This kind of incest was not only rarely heard of but was condemned it violated every conscience. Except the conscience of the church. Interesting, that's a really weird Paul instead of lamenting this situation and grieving over the sin that was happening in their midst. The church was smug about their tolerance notice Falls words 1st Corinthians 5:2 in and you're proud. He says shouldn't you rather have gone into morning? And if put up your fellowship this man who's been doing this the church's response was opposite of what Paul expected. It was in light of Paul's comments even worse than this man's relationship with this woman. There was no sense of Shame no sense of grief or indignation over this horrible situation and it makes me think how in the world could that be? How could that be? Maybe not as I think of it? Maybe the situation warranted a bit of Tolerance? Okay, maybe well, maybe the man was very wealthy and acting against him would have caused the church to lose a rich donor. By the way that happens occasionally money does have that effect, but it's hard to imagine that the church would have done something like this. I mean Paul was in the church for 18 months and certainly he would have offered Council regarding sexual morality. He must have knowingly how licentiousness Pagan culture wasn't and the fact that these were new Christians and new church and they would need this kind of instruction. You must have said something to them and also you'll notice a little bit later. This chapter and verse number 9 of 1st Corinthians 5 Paul mentions that he's already counseled them in regard to this issue. He says I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people now, we don't know where this letter has gone evidently 1st. Corinthians was likely 2nd Corinthians and 2nd Corinthians was four letters going around the churches than what we have today. And Paul had had purposefully inform them regarding this situation and they that the Corinthians had purposefully neglected Paul's instruction, but it makes me wonder why in the world they would do such a thing. Is that why would they do that? What was behind this lack of remorsefulness about the situation? Why didn't they like Paul Morton the situation and they spell this person from their congregation? Why would the situation like Paul said in verse number to make them proud or inverse 6 make them boast what was going on in this church? It may be that the church was suffering from an outbreak of an ugly sin called antinomianism. Antinomianism that's that means Christians are exempt from keeping the law. You've heard of that one before I'm sure it's a disease that has had disastrous impact on God's people throughout history and the idea is based on a true that you know, there's a lot of Truth in most lies and the same way with this. It's true that the salvation depends upon faith. Everything depends upon the face of the believer human activity is well, it does. Nothing to Merit salvation faith is received. I mean salvation is received by faith. No activity will Merit salvation Maybe that's why Corinth was celebrating their tolerance even to this despicable degree. I was evidence although funny evidence that their freedom and acceptance in Christ recreated tolerance for them. They didn't have to do anything to get salvation. And this was proof of it love and tolerance of highest order.

Well that may all be. mostly true but when it results in actions and attitudes like or displayed in Corinth, it becomes apparent that truth biblical truth God's truth has been perverted no matter what the church may think or say. Yes. We are saved by grace through faith. Yes. That is how it happens. But that's saving Faith should draws closer to God in every way closer and actions closer in Attitude closer and trust and if it doesn't and when it doesn't as James said It's probably not real faith. That's what you said in James chapter 214 the 17th. What good is it my brothers and sisters if someone claims to have faith but has no Deeds can such Faith save them. Faith by itself if it's not accompanied by action is dead. I like the way Ivan blazing my former teacher at the Seminary and author of a book on Paul's letter says it is a paradoxical truth. When we think we are really high. We may actually be low.

And when we have some in our cells to be low, we may truly be high in other words. In other words Christ in us the Holy Spirit working in us and through us taking possession of the control center of our being of our Lives. It has a natural result to arouse us to Godliness. That's what happens the holy spirit inside shapes and deepens us in God's character. We become more sensitive to the ways that are pleasing to God and and more attracted to do pads that follow in his footsteps. That's what happens to us. Then why I think says it will when she commented in the book steps to Christ the closer you come to Jesus the more fault you will appear in your own eyes for your vision will be clear. It's true. When we think we're higher, maybe we are lower and when we're lower maybe we are higher that is the way it was for Paul and for Corinth will they just weren't getting it not at all. The simple situation was destroying the church and Paul wasn't about to let that happen notice what he says and vs. 325 and 1st Corinthians 5 for my part, even though I'm not physically present I'm with you in spirit as one who is present with you in this way. I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who's been doing this. So tall is already come to a conclusion on this whole matter. So when you're assembled and I'm with you in spirit and the power of our Lord Jesus is present and this man over to Satan. For the destruction of his flesh. So that his Spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. Paul is sounding pretty cold. Isn't it? Pretty harsh pretty straight pretty hard, but he has a good purpose. He has a good reason he has a saving intention in mind. He doesn't want the man to be destroyed. But according to Jesus teaching the church has an authority didn't not just a thought either the church has a responsibility to enter into these Mattern to make a decision regarding these things. Matthew 18 17 and 18. Jesus said tell it to the church. And if they refuse to listen even to the church treat them as you would a pagan or tax collector truly. I told you whatever you bind on Earth will be bound in heaven. Whatever you loose on Earth will be loosed in heaven. Yes in Jesus Christ The Community of Faith is to pronounce judgment on this matter that reflects the position of Heaven. Paul says straightforward terms verse number 5 and this man over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, but then he has these words so that his Spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord those first words sound pretty ominous. Don't they? What all does Matt want the man to get sick and die? And those last words in that verse makes sense and make it all clear. He hopes that the man is going to come to his senses. He was the man that the that this man's conscience will be stirred by this severe action of putting him out and then he will repent and come back to the church. That's what Paul is asking it something like the parable of the Prodigal Son the Jesus told this prodigal referring son squandered his life in wild and destructive living. He squandered. Is inheritance but then as Luke 15:17 says he came to himself he came to himself and that's really good. That's what Paul is hoping for but this man will come to himself as sort of a and Insanity really it's an insanity that that takes over our minds and causes us to squander our life and ruin our influence and ruin our reputation. But when a person hits the bottom and sometimes it's a pretty hard bottom. When a person comes to himself or herself, that's the first step that's what happened to this the prodigal son. He came to himself and as the parable of this man in the pigpen says in this Realm of Darkness and evil we come to ourselves and we say I'm going to get up and go to my father and that's really what it's all about. Getting up and going to the father. God doesn't want us lost Paul doesn't want this man lost. He doesn't want to see him to be lost but to be saved and so that's why he recommends is and that's also why he's concerned for the church. how quickly a fault or mistake Of one or maybe a few becomes condemnation for the whole. That's the way it works. We may feel it's unjust and unfair. I mean who would condemn a carpenter because who would condemn all Carpenters because one Carpenter one member of the trade fails to build a house that's Plumb and square who would who would condemn all of them? The church is a different animal.

We make bigger broader deeper claims. We are following the one who said to us. Follow me.

My actions my attitude my behavior represent More Than Me by virtue of my being a Christian. My life is to be a life that brings honor to God that brings glory to God. My actions are to be an aroma of his Justice is Mercy and love my life is to flavor my home the flavor my neighborhood my city. My world was God's goodness. That's what God calls me to we who call ourselves Christians who take the name of Christ must be something distinctive because of it. We are Christians. There's always an audience, you know. a scene audience in another scene 1 finger Paul and Silas when they were falsely accused stripped and beaten and flogged and thrown in prison feed fastened to the stocks and Phillipi midnight comes Paul and Silas are singing. The dungeon is filled with our voices of praise to God and then Jailer hears their voices. The same way with us. There are unknown members there. There's an audience that's watching and listening observing us how we manage life how we do life how we handle the stress how we handle our times they want to know how we stand up to the Winds of culture. They want to know how we deal with temptation and trouble they want to know what were you read? What attitude we have toward those that look and act different than us. They want to know they're watching. They watching you they watching me. personal influence personal example They matter more than we realize.

Ellen White says and testimonies to the church every Act of Our Lives affect others for good or evil how many? every Every Act of our life, this is Mother's Day. We're celebrating Mother's we're celebrating the ladies of our congregation and their influence for good. Ladies no man to all of us know that every Act of Our Lives is an influence unit for good or for evil.

Or influence extending upward or downward. She goes on to say it's it's felt this acted upon and to a greater or less degree reproduced by others. Yes, the cause of Christ is being represented by me.

Buy us. A small infection can make the whole body sick. one mistake can destroy a man's influence And even a Church's influence.

What Sheldon volkening said long ago is still true. The best argument for Christianity is Christian's their Joy their certainty their completeness, but then he went on with a more somber twist. but the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians when there's I'm sorry. Did I read that right? Yeah, I don't know whether I did that first one, right? But anyway the strongest argument against Christian. He's also Christian when there is sambar. Joyless when they are self-righteous and smug and complacent consecration when they are narrow and repressive than Christianity dies a thousand deaths Paul knew that was going on in Corinth. And that was one irrefutable argument. For the reality and freedom and beauty of the Christian Life. that it matters it matters what we do and what we do I'd say competes with it may not be. Well, it may be just as important as Doctrine and Dogma it maybe these are obviously important what we believe but we do having a consistent Christian Life speaks even louder than that.

What holds for you and me individually also holds for the church? for all of us anything that casts a shadow on my witness needs to be addressed and remedied in my life and our corporate life at the church. You let Christian Fellowship in Friendship do as much as they can and help as much as we can with a brother or sister, but one Persuasions fail. And a person remains unmoved it acknowledging what they're doing. Let their delinquency is hurting themselves and others then the Christian Community has no obligation to step in. Say something. to respond in remedial love remedial love

Paul says you're boosting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough 1st Corinthians 5 or 6 Paul Simon Says, how can you be boasting? How can you be causing yourself to be spiritual? How can I be how can you be proud of your wisdom? How can be wise when you're ignoring such an obvious legran moral blender among you that's what Paul is.

The church Community has a moral obligation for the conduct of the Church community.

the actions and conduct of individuals affects the life of a whole Later on Pollux play explain this truth and we'll come to that. Who knows when but sometime in this year later on the chapter number 12 uses the image of the physical human body does the picture of the church and he says now you're the body of Christ each. One of you is a part of it. If one part suffers every part suffers if one part is honored every part rejoices with it, and I have to say one part is challenge with this every part is going to be suffering from it. It's called corporate responsibility and it happens all through the Bible. It's sinking has deep roots in scripture. Remember the story of achan when the Israelites surrounded and encompassed Jericho and the walls fell in a can went in and just took a couple things.

remember that those two things you took were strictly forbidden and they brought that act of that single individual brought this favor and horrible consequences on all of Israel That's the same reason why Daniel and Daniel chapter 9 list of his voice to God In Prayer heartfelt Earnest prayer and supplication and confession for his people. He's praying for his people. Cuz he has responsibilities. That's why this man of God who was led by God to restore and rebuild Jerusalem after its destruction 70 years later. That's why he mourned over what was going on with those would return to Jerusalem because they were beginning to act the same way that it resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem anymore this over that and by the way, that's the same where the Paul uses when he talks about the Corinthians and says you ought to be morning church in Corinth. You want to be morning?

As a poet long ago said no man is an island. We are bound closely together you and me. the body of Christ we are responsible for one another you and me. And my actions profoundly affect your actions and yours mine.

Paul pictures this Reality by talking about another imagery and that's that of yeast. He says in verse number 6 and 7 don't you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough get rid of the old yeast so that you may be a new unleavened batch as you really are Paul compares the church to a big lump of dough. And he says that ignore ignoring this sin allowing this offender to remain among them is going to have an impact on you as a lump of dough. It's going to infect it's going to contaminate. It's going to influence the whole thing. Paul says Supposed to clean out the old yeast.

And when he said that he's inviting a church to remember an old story an old story that was really the foundation of the people of Israel Passover commemorated The Liberation of Israel from there slavery in Egypt and God passed over every house that had blood on the doorpost. and struck the Egyptians down and help all uses the same imagery for the church in Corinth when he illustrates the importance of keeping the church pure.

He makes a remarkable statement. In fact inverse number 7 for Christ Our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed. He's really staying here. You are a new Israel You're a new people. God has called you out as a new people the church not just Corinth us here today or a new Israel Christ is our Passover Lamb and he is that lamb that was represented by every lamb that was sacrificed on Passover.

To which that Festival pointed he is our Passover Lamb and as at 4th at Passover ceremony with that lamp with the blood of that lamp painted on the doorpost of the home show to God's people Israel. God's church today we come under the same protection. That's what Paul saying. We come under the same protection being spared of the powerful destruction at work outside. Anyone inside with save anyone outside was not Impala saying that's what's going on here. Jesus Christ his blood shed for you for me. His blood accepted in Salvation for you for me marks. The Believers in Corinth marks us as Believers today in College Place believers who are God's distinct God special Gods released from the power of slavery people. That's what we are. That's what you are in Christ Jesus.

Jesus atonement Wasn't meant to Frias sin, but the free us from sin. There's a big difference there and Paul reminds them that God is already considered them new creatures in Jesus Christ and Christ. He says your new unleavened bunch of what you are friends 11 bunch. He says and therefore let us keep the festival not with the old bread of Leaven with malice and weakness. But with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth and it's against this background that Paul directs the Corinthian Church to deal with this incestuous member that's the context of the whole thing and he suggested they should relate to the world outside that culture outside. It also gives us an idea of how we should we should relate to that culture to today. He said the first timer 9 and 10, I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people not at all. Meaning the people of this world who are immoral or the gredients Winkler is idolatry in that case. You would have had to leave this world Paul knows that you can't remove yourself from everything in the world. You can't it's impossible for the church to wear to to avoid all the world's Riff Raff impossible to do. So. Paul says you have to leave the world altogether. His vision for the church is isolation. His vision for the church is to be Counter Culture. Counter Culture, that's what God calls you and and me to be Counter Culture. He wants us to be an alternate society. He wants us to be a place of good behavior in a bad behavior world. That's what he wants in us for us. He wants us to be spared from the destructive bad behaving and it's a matter of internal discipline personally and Corporal a matter of Integrity not not a matter of separating ourselves from the world but being Being disciplined Allowing God to do that in our midst. So what we take away from these verses impulse and Powerful thoughts in my estimation and you weigh the least of these words for the church in Corinth. Well first of all, We're called to be at a distinct people. We are you and me the church today as a people. We have a a certain character a certain Mission accounter cultural prophetic Community. That's what we are. A countercultural prophetic community and we have a part to play in society. First and foremost we model God's countercultural standards. That's what we do and the world is watching the world is watching us now. We don't impose our standards on others through politics and through politicking. We don't impose them at all. Our job is not to christianize our nation, but neither is our job to separate ourselves rather were called to infuse ourselves into life to be Salt and Light in the world. Counter Culture is doing life contrary to prevailing life and that's what God calls you and me to be. You know, we look nothing like those counterculture protesters of the 1960s. I remember those days well. But we are similar to them and that we're believing different things than what the society calls us. Because Normal We Believe different things we do. Unfortunately has Newsweek magazine wrote a few years ago while we remain a nation decisively shaped by religious Faith or politics and our culture are in the main less influenced by movements and arguments of an explicitly Christian character than they were even five years ago and other words. We are not being the influence that we once were we are removing ourselves, but God calls you and me to be influencers. He calls us to be Salt and Light but it's such a delicate balance is not such a delicate balance is hard to balance that the our influence in the world without falling into things like manipulation or antagonism or separatism or what we could call the relevance Gap. Where are quest to be appealing just copies of culture? It's hard not to do that. And we see those expressions all around us right here in Walla Walla not very far from us our communities of Hutterites good people, but they believe that they are to be separate distinct. They live in colonies almost self-sufficient their faith is Arden. It's personal. It's it's encompassing but their faith is separate. They respond to society by retreating God cut does not call us to do that. He does not call us to do that in our own Church community. We have a bit of that flavor Among Us at times some people in their Zeal for Purity have codified dress. Where we should live? And they regulate face. And they Retreat from cities. Especially cities as big as call this place. That's much too large.

Too worldly. But this separation ignores the truth of God's word and a task that we've been given by his word. Where do we salt where to be flavor where to preserve and they can only do that if we mixed in and Mingo and light is only light if it gets light.

Other Christians have gone a different way instead of separating. They've declared war on culture antagonism is what they do and I just read two articles and Thursdays you be about a state politician who is in some hot water because of this it's called Christian identity politics. It's called dominionism. I never heard of that before dominionism. It's a sliver of extremism that says that Christians alone should control government media institutions until the second coming of Christ. And so they're going to do that and they're trying to do that. They say it's from the Bible Genesis chapter 1 verse 28 God gave Adam and Eve dominion over there. So they're going to take that Dominion. It's bizarre is dangerous. It's Christian antagonism. Another way that some people relate is to Falling what's but we could call the relevant strap with the relevant drop. You know, that's probably the most seductive for us as followers of Christ. We want we want to appeal to the world. So we kind of become like the world in ways that undermine faith. That's not right at all. return to Kip in hopes that we can attract the hip but that's often times. In that way, we merely copy culture rather than being a witness to culture. That's what God wants us to be a witness to the culture. And Paul invites us to do what's right, and that is to be countercultural not separatist not antagonist not relevant. But our community is to be salt and light in this community in this world. We are like God's preserving agents actively working for the restoration of a Ducane culture. Don't just remove yourself from a we try to help it we lean and heavy into Christ's power so that he can do his work in us and through us in our culture. We attach ourselves and caring ways and helpful ways to people and structures that are in danger of rotting.

We are restores not condemners. We don't fight against people we had fight against destructive cultural tides that slow contrary to God's way God's will God's mercy and justice.

We partner with God. and restoring and renewing so God calls us to 2nd and last these last ones are brief. Paul calls us to be a community that cares for and takes responsibility for one another. Yes, even spiritual wholeness of each one of us here in the body.

We are Community that's been rescued by the blood of Jesus Christ Our Passover Lamb. We are people set apart. But we're set apart for service and where to live in a way that exemplifies God's goodness is Grace and love and thoroughly right along with that with that community that God calls us into it also means that we are to be a community where there is discipline and this is probably where it gets hard as for us as a church community. Applying the principles of 1st Corinthians chapter 5 to our church near Christianity Today Christianity in America today is intensely private and individualistic in other words. I do my thing you do your thing. Paul calls us to do something different he calls for us to be

to be accountable to each other a corporate accountability and that disturbs us just a bit. Are most beloved canon in life. It's actually a Canon within a Canon is don't judge or you too will be judged. That's what we like to say. And that gives us reason we say then I won't judge you if you don't judge me.

But what Jesus was really warning was not about judging but rather he was warning against hypocritical self-righteousness. That's what he was warning. But instead we think that he's telling us that we ought to have enlightened tolerance.

We have deluded ourselves into thinking that the caring thing to do the caring thing to do is to be infinitely non-judgemental and inclusive.

That is simply a Darkrai. That's all it is. It allows accounts cancerous abuse has to continue unchecked in the community and that's not what the church is to be. It's actually an excuse for our indifference and it's actually an excuse for a lack of moral courage to step into things fourth but I take away from this is that this community we as a church community that are exercises this caring care for each other being

accountable to each other This caring Community is a community of spiritual power. That's what Paul said. He said when he pronounce judgment there was power. He said the Lord is present with power and you know, if I think I think if we took more seriously the promise that Jesus is actually present with us. Maybe we would approach life a little bit different.

We might be likely to follow his teaching a little bit more closely. We might be likely to relate to send in our midst a little bit differently. and finally believing this reality that Christ is our Passover and he has been sacrificed for us believing that reality. We need to learn to keep the festival know some people are doing that in a bizarre way. There are some people who think that they're to keep the Jewish festivals, but that's not what Paul is saying in this verse at all when he says keep the festival rather. He's saying recognize that Jesus Christ is the Passover Lamb that Passover Lamb that was symbolize in every land that was sacrificed at Passover time and that lamb Jesus Christ gives us the power. To be delivered from slavery for Israel. It was delivered from slavery in Egypt for us. It's deliverance from slavery to sin. That's the power we have in Jesus Christ through him for us. We are new create creatures New Creation with a new reality on New Hope. We're in Christ released from the power of sinful oppression. And we're on a journey friend together you and me the Journey of new promise A New Hope. It begins today in Jesus Christ. So let's claim that truth Christ Our Passover Lamb. Sacrifice Frost let's pray Father in heaven.

We've heard this. Severe Council but important Council that Paul gives to the Church of Corinth in it is still relevant for us today. We I have strayed from the standard that you have for us. Our community is more of just a bunch of us Gathering than it is caring caring for each other and what each one of us are doing but help us O Lord to be transformed into the Community of Faith Community that that exemplifies you and cares for each other and cares for our world and relevant meaningful and impactful ways O Lord. You call us to be your Aroma your influence your salt in your light. I'm so mad happen for us today. As a church family as we go from this place and it happened this week. It happened this year at Village Church as we become your community day after day week after week Sabbath after Sabbath you working with power in our midst is our prayer in Jesus name. Amen.

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