Sermon Tone Analysis

1)      *The Context*

a)      With verse 10 we have entered into a new part of the letter.

i)        Verse 9 was the conclusion of the introduction and thanksgiving

b)      Verse 10 begins an argument or plea for unity because the church of Corinth is dividing itself into little factions and dividing itself over against Paul.

c)       This argument for unity will extend all the way to the end of chapter 4.

2)      *The Structure*

a)      Make reference to handout

b)      David E. Garland makes a great summary of this entire section on pages 38-39: “In developing his argument in these chapters, Paul takes up a concluding affirmation in one unit and then amplifies it in the next unit.

He concludes the thanksgiving section in 1:9 by asserting that God called them into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

In the next unit (1:10-17) he criticizes them for allowing divisions to arise in the church.

The conclusion in 1:17 that he does not preach with eloquent wisdom so as to empty the cross of Christ of its power becomes the subject of the next unit in 1:18-25 about the foolishness of the cross versus human wisdom.

The theme of the foolishness and weakness of God (1:25) is developed in 1:26-31 in God’s choice of the foolish and weak.

Its conclusion that one can boast only in the Lord (1:31) is developed in 2:1-5, where Paul recalls his first preaching to them in weakness, fear and trembling, and with unadorned speech; yet the power of God created their faith.

The concluding contrast between human wisdom and the power of God (2:5) is developed in 2:6-16 with the contrast between the discernment of the spiritual and unspiritual persons.

In 3:1-4, Paul characterizes the Corinthians as carnal rather than spiritual people, and cites the party slogans (‘I belong to Paul’ and ‘I belong to Apollos’), derided in 1:12, as proof that they are carnal.

This leads into his comparison between himself and Apollos as servants of God, and he uses three metaphors to characterize the church: God’s field (3:5-9a), God’s building (3:9b-15), and God’s temple (3:16-17).

In 3:18-23, he recaps his argument about the foolishness of the wisdom of the world, which leads to foolish boasting about leaders.

This, in turn, leads to his exhortation on how properly to appraise apostles.

They are only servants of Christ.

Paul summarizes his argument in 4:6-13 and concludes in 4:14-21 with an exhortation for them to imitate the cruciform existence of apostles.

The entire section (1:10-4:21) is set off by the phrase ‘I exhort you’ (1:10; 4:16).”

3)      *The Introduction*

a)      We have come to a passage of scripture that urges awesome unity of speech, mind, and thought.

One cannot help but think to himself as he reads and ponders what Paul has written and God has spoken in this verse if it is even possible.

Is it possible?

Is unity in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ like this possible?

b)      Humanly speaking, no.

It is impossible to achieve such unity in our humanness.

Our humanity is by nature selfish, egotistical, and proud.

Those are not exactly key components in a recipe for successful unity are they?

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, however, this unity is quite possible.

It is not just a far out dream but it is a real possibility.

c)       Unfortunately, we have all been touched in one way or another by churches that have failed to heed this encouragement and have splintered, often over some of the most insignificant, inconsequential things.

One can only imagine how deeply it must have been affecting Paul to know that this body of believers was struggling so with unity.

In fact, we get a glimpse into it with his reference to “brothers.”

A word he will use no less than 30x in this book, far more than any NT letter.

d)      God’s desire for unity is nothing new.

It is based upon the unity of God who being three persons, is one God.

Central to the faith of Israel is the confession of the unity of God: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord your God is one Lord” (Deut.

6:4).

So because God is one, we are to be imitators of him in this manner.

We, as fellow believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, are to be one people.

e)      Human history is a story of sin’s disruption of God’s ordained unity.

God’s idea for marriage is unity and yet 50% of most marriages are divorced within 10 years.

God’s ideal for family is unity and yet most families no little about having both a father and mother who deeply love and are committed to each other.

Most kids today are raised by a single parent.

God’s ideal for the people of Israel is unity and look what happened to Israel, a divided monarchy that could not stand, and God’s ideal for all of his people from every tribe, tongue, and nation is unity for we read in Zechariah 14:9, “And the LORD will be king over all the earth.

On that day the LORD will be one and his name one.”

f)       Jesus prayed that his disciples would experience unity modeled on the unity Jesus experienced with the Father, “And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you.

Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one(John 17:11).”

Again we read in that same chapter in vv.

20-23, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”

Such unity verifies the truth of Jesus God sent mission and the Father’s love for his people.

When unity is not achieved, God is dishonored and laughed at and doubted.

g)      Jesus prayer for unity was achieved in the early church.

We read in Acts 2:42-44, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

And all who believed were together and had all things in common.

Again we read in Acts 4:32, “Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.”

h)      Again, just as before, human history is a story of sin’s disruption of God’s ordained unity and the early church was not exempt.

Unity in the earliest church was threatened by the lies and deception by Ananias and Sapphira, the prejudice of those who neglected the widows, and by the rigidness of those who demanded Gentiles must become Jews before becoming disciples.

i)        Will there continue to be strife and dissension in the church?

Yes, until the day of the LORD this will be so, but we are supposed to be living now like we are going to be then.

We are to be working toward perfect unity on earth between all the people of God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

j)        I should say a word here about the kind of unity Scripture talks about and I need to be careful here because this is not an easy subject and there are always a lot of variables that need to be considered.

It is not always a black and white issue.

In what I am about to say I do not want to be portrayed as a militant fundamentalist but I also do not want to sound like I am a Unitarian who seeks unity at any cost.

I hate separation and I am convinced it must always be a last resort, and even then I still don’t like it.

Reconciliation is always to be sought after.

I seek unity in Jesus Christ and the truth of God’s word with all of my strength.

I plea for it and I urge it just as Paul does, but I am not naïve enough to think that we are all going to get along and I know that there are many times when separation is a necessity.

There are times when separation is necessary and even commanded by Paul.

We will get to that in chapter 5 and six.

This is true because truth unites and it also divides.

k)      Unity in Scripture is not a unity at any cost.

We do not seek unity just for unity sake.

l)         There can be union without unity: tie two cats together by their tails and throw them over a clothesline.

m)    We do not sacrifice truth for unity.

Unity in Scripture is unity around the truth of God’s word and the truth of who Jesus Christ is.

It is unity that is found in the fellowship of the Lord Jesus Christ.

n)      A chorus of ecumenical voices keep harping the unity tune.

What they are saying is, "Christians of all doctrinal shades and beliefs must come together in one visible organization, regardless... Unite, unite!"

Such teaching is false, reckless and dangerous.

Truth alone must determine our alignments.

Truth comes before unity.

Unity without truth is hazardous.

Our Lord's prayer in John 17 must be read in its full context.

Look at verse 17: "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth."

Only those sanctified through the Word can be one in Christ.

To teach otherwise is to betray the Gospel.

– Charles Spurgeon

o)      The kind of unity Scripture talks about is the unity in Christ and the unity of the truth of the Scriptures and this kind of unity ought to be sought after with all of our strength, soul, and mind and we must root out all sin and ungodliness that drives us elsewhere.

p)      Let me sum up what I am saying by reading this quote by A.W. Tozer on unity.

Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other?

They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow.

So one hundred worshipers [meeting] together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become 'unity' conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.

A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God.

q)      This is the unity we want, that which is tuned to Jesus Christ and his Scriptures.

This is the unity Scripture talks about.

r)       None of this is to say that there will not be bumps, trials, hardships, disagreements it is to say that we are to do all we can to work out all things in a good and godly manner and so that the church does not result in splintering and fracturing.