4.1.20 6.7.2020 Chaos, Covid, and Crisis 1 Cor 16.13-14

Entice:

Covid-19 led to crisis.

Crisis led to a variety of challenges.

All of those challenges bred chaos.

Chaos which we must not only navigate but seek to redeem. We are not called to redeem everybody....

Cain Asked: "Am I my brother's keeper?"

Implied answer...Yes, yes you are.

A Lawyer once asked Jesus "And who is my neighbor?"

Jesus pretty much answered-the next hurting human you see.

Engage: We are not called to solve the whole crisis, but to bring Christ to a small part of the disordered chaos which is the our fallen world.

Expand: 1 Corinthians is the most chaotic epistle in the NT. Paul was addressing specific issues in all of his epistles. In 1 Corinthian's it wasn't one issue, not one controversy, not a single theological, personal, social, cultural, sexual, ethical, congregational problem but an ongoing series of issues which filled that congregation with chaos. Part of the problem was surely the effectiveness of the congregation in that pagan city. Jew and Gentile. Sophisticate and simpleton. Traditionalist and progressive. The elements of the city were reflected in the congregation. And until the congregation fully submitted to Christ the Chaos would continue. Towards the end of the Epistle, after what must have been an exhausting process Paul sends personal greetings. In the middle of that salutation we find two verses which should focus us on our persona responsibility in the midst of crisis, chaos, Covid-19, and cultural disarray.

1 Corinthians 16:13–14 ESV

13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.

Excite: in these vs. you can hear both an exclamation of fatigued exasperation and faithful excitement.

Maybe our faith needs the chaos.

Maybe being challenged is good.

Maybe…Just maybe this IS the plan!

Maybe our benign vision for the world, our self-centered apathy is a part of the problem that cannot be resolved until our comfort zones are transgressed so that we are left with the option of faith or nothing. Jesus expects us...no He commands us to be our brothers keeper, to extend compassion to our wounded neighbor, to enfold every person of whatever color into the single human race...all sharing the image of our creator.

Explore:

Your faith has to function in the crisis-not just after; it must challenge the chaos not just complain.

Explain: Speaking for the risen Christ Paul commands God's people to..

1. Be Vigilant.

Awake

Alert

2. Be Firm.

Stand...

In the Faith

3. Be Brave.

...a word “play the man"

4. Be Strong.

5. Be Loving.

Chaos need not become Catastrophe...

Chaos is redeemed through faithful submission to the Risen Christ and continual obedience especially when it seems we are overwhelmed.

It is easy for we preachers to give advice. I apologize for that. It is easy to point to any number of Good things and avoid Jesus-the best thing. If I have pointed you to anyone other than Jesus, If I have cited any other authority besides God's Word, If I have pretended that this is all easy and the answers fall into place without blood sweat and tears I apologize.

The answer is not to be better citizens or even better people. The answer is Jesus. Cause without Him our best efforts will continue to fail. I need Jesus. You need Jesus. Our city needs Jesus. Our world needs Jesus. It's time to get out of the way so He can have His way...because ony He is the way.