A Corinthian Casserole

Background

It’s been a long series, began 4-28-19

Broken up by special messages, C-19 break, vacations

Time to give it a concise ending

A look at a few major themes of the Epistle before we put it to bed

A casserole is a good way to serve a hearty meal in one dish

A good way to put the less-palatable into a more consumable form

Reminders

Corinth at a cross-roads of major transportation routes of land and sea

Seemingly every culture of the world mixed there…and every evil of the world could be found

Church was founded by Paul, tended by other teachers at different times

>Apollos, Peter

Paul answering questions/addressing concerns

>Most likely delivered by letter carried by Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus

>>other information came by way of others—Chloe’s household is named

An “occasional” letter—some very specific matters…only in Corinth

We can’t hit all the points, just the highlights; points of reminder

3 heading: Comfort food, discomfort food, food for thought

Comfort Food

Opening & Closing

vv. 1-4

Sanctified in Christ, called to be saints

Hagiotzo & Hagios

Part of big picture

“…together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours”

The Church universal & local

Grace , Peace, Enrichment in speech, knowledge and gifts; and the Gospel

Paul’s twist on traditional opening and closing

charis v. charein

Grace, not greeting, and peace

...changing 2 letters, enriches the greeting

Grace…always something good in Paul’s writings

…God’s riches at Christ’s expense

Peace as only available when we know Christ

Enrichment in speech, knowledge and special gifts

The Gospel

1 Corinthians 2:2 ESV

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

The good news of salvation made available to all mankind

Followed up with discussion of the resurrection in 15

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 ESV

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

From there he discusses the resurrection of believers and the new body, fit for the new Heave and new Earth

After we’ve layered the casserole with all that tasty stuff we add the

Discomfort Food

Eat your [insert least favorite food here] it’s good for you;

Calvin’s dad: It builds character

Paul calls attention to the flaws—sinful actions within the church

Immaturity

1 Corinthians 3:1 ESV

But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.

So much following is related to immaturity

Wisdom of God or of Man?

1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV

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.

Another of the base problems within the church there

Man’s wisdom was deemed greater than God—we have a better idea

Partisanship

1 Corinthians 3:4 ESV

For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?

Chasing after personal favorites—to a degree that it causes divisions and factions in the church

Immorality

1 Corinthians 5:1 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.

All sexual immorality is in view

From there to a discussion on marriage—getting it right

All relates to the created order and the image of God

Flows into matters of normalcy of sexuality within marriage

…along with the commentary that being single is fine

…and a couple statements about the realities of the burdens within marriage

Cautions on idolatry

…food offered to them

…more commentary on wisdom of man v. wisdom of God

1 Corinthians 8:1–2 ESV

Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.

Warnings against idolatry itself

1 Corinthians 10:7 ESV

Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.”

1 Corinthians 10:14 ESV

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Matters of rebelliousness in corporate worship

1 Corinthians 11:3 ESV

But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.

That matter of occasional nature of the epistle

… long-haired men and women with shaved or uncovered heads were noted to be rebels

… violating the created order

Culture would take note and bring the church into disrepute

A bigger matter chain of subjection—all ultimately submissive to Christ

Some additional discussions on the roles of women in worship

Spiritual gifts

Much of Chapter 12

Not going to re-hash this segment

Concern was for the mis-use of them—for self-edification/gratification

…not for the edification of the church and the unity of the body

Analogy of the body parts; one part suffers, the whole body suffers

They were not acting in love

Wacky Worship

Sprinkled throughout 11, 12, 14

Worship was chaotic, self-centered, often ego-driven

Food for Thought

This Casserole has a mixture of comfort and discomfort food

Grace, peace, the Gospel, salvation, sanctification, resurrection; inclusion in the Church—a universal body of believers all saved by and belonging to one God and Savior

Added some not-so palatable things that are needed for our growth

(Frank’s good-bad-good sandwich)

Now, something to bind it together—to make the package palatable

…think of the cheese topping…maybe add some savory bits on top

This is where we go to

The Love Chapter

Not a gushy, mushy thing; agape

Dutch uncle giving a finger-shaking

YOU’RE GETTING IT ALL WRONG!

Digestion

A selah moment; pause and ponder how these things apply to you