Water in the Ship

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Introduction

There is an old saying that goes, “As long as the ship is in the water, everything is alright. When the water gets in the ship, there is big trouble” In much the same way we can say that the church must be in the world bu when the world gets into the church there is big trouble. In today’s sermon we are going to continue our series through I Corinthians where we come to . Paul points out that water in the ship is certainly what was happening in the church at Corinth. Let’s pray together and ask God to bless the reading and proclamation of His word.

Pray

Read Scripture

1 Corinthians 5 ESV

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 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. 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. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

I Corinthians

I. The Report Paul Received

We know that Paul was writing in response to verbal reports he had recieved as well as a letter. He is shocked by what he hears and the language that he uses in dealing with it, reflects the extremity of the situation.

A. Shocking Sexual Sin

There was a shocking sexual going on. A man had his father’s wife. I don’t know everything about this but I once heard a pastor say that if there’s a gal and you call her mom and then you take her to prom…that’s nasty. This was so shocking infact, that not even the pagans approved of it. Imagine that. If you have sin going on in the church body that even the non-Christians look at and say, “that’s nasty,” you’re in a bad way. So Paul is shocked at this sin. It was a repulsive sin. Incest is forbidden in .

Leviticus 18:8 ESV

You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness.

Leviticus 18

It is strange to see that there is no judgement mentioned for the woman.

It seems like Paul is equally shocked at the sin of the man and the attitude of the church toward this open sin.

B. Our Attitude Toward Sin Is Important

The church was arrogant.

C. Paul says he is with them in this, just as Jesus is with them in their assembly.

II. Paul helps us see the nature of sin.

Sometimes we forget what sin does. It kills. It steals. It destroys.

A. Sin affects the whole church like yeast placed in dough.

B. Yeast seems to be symbolic of sin.

Jewish Passover

III. How We Respond to the sinner.

A. How to hand him over.

B. Another problem (v.9-10)

C. Love will always discipline

Conclusion and Application

For the Good of the Offender.

For the Good of the Church.

For the Good of the World.