To the Saints of Corinth...

Have any of you ever been in a really toxic or unhealthy environment? whether at work, or at school...

Well one place you think would not be toxic is the church, but this past week I actually found an article about a church that was extreamly toxic.

It was a church of around 12,000 (just a little larger then us).

But the Pastor of this church actually built this huge church by creating an extreamly toxic environment

He would chew out leaders of the church

He would threaten to fire staff constantly

He himself would would actually not do work and get mad at others if somthing would not get done

this article even mentioned the pastor was mismanaging the churches funds to go on expensive trips.

and as you can imagine this behavior began to trickle down to others in the church and overall this church became an extreamly unhealthy place.

But you know if we think of a church, the last place a lot of our minds would go is thinking of the word unhealthy or toxic.

But as a Pastor who knows so many other pastors at other churches its unfortunate to say that that’s not true.

Because so often a place that God has designed to be a light to the world, a compass for the lost, a hospital for the broken, becomes a place where people leave resenting and being more hurt then when they came in.

But you know this is not the first time in history that churches can be unhealthy,

In fact today we are going to be looking at a letter in 1 Corinthians 1:1-17.

And this letter was actually written from Paul and he is writing to a church in Corinth and this church made the church I just told you about look good

Because the Corith church lived in a toxic society and really the reason for the issues they had (that causes issues in so many churches today even) is that they did not live separate from the world they lived in

And because of this the church that God called to be holy and set apart became toxic.

And just to give you a glimpse into how toxic this church was here are just a handful of issues they faced:

The upperclass people in the church would not allow lowerclass members to particapate in communion

And not just that but the upperclass would actually get drunk on the extra communion wine

Some of the members of the church would openly cheat on their spouses

Members were suing eachother

Members of this church were offering sacrafices to false gods

And the church itself was actually about to split into different churches because people were so divided.

I mean those are just some of the issues that this church has.

I mean they are in a really bad place.

And so what we are going to be doing today is we are going to be looking at the very first part of this letter and seeing what are the first things Paul tells this dysfunctional church.

So once again we are in 1 Corinthians 1:1-17 and we are covering a lot of ground today but we will actually just be starting in the first 9 verses. It says this:

1 Corinthians 1:1–9 ESV

1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

You know considering all of the information I just told you about Corinth thats kind of a weird way to talk to the church isn’t it?

Because Paul is writing “to those who are called to be saints”, “I give thanks”, he is saying all these things and if I did not know better I would think this is an awesome church

But you know I think whatr Paul is doing here is before correcting them, before getting on them, Paul starts from a place of recognizing that this toxic church is covered in just as much Grace as Him.

Because if you know Pauls background before he was a Christian he persecuted and killed them, and I can imagine him thinking if God’s grace can cover a person like me, it can reach to them.

Its almost like if you have ever been rear ended while driving it is 100% frustrating, but in my head I always am thinking well I have come close to rear ending someone. I am not perfect.

And I think this is the posture Paul is approaching them with that if God’s grace can reach a person like me it can reach them.

And thats why in verse 4 he thanks God for the grace He extends.

But you know in our lives it is so important for us to recognize the grace that God has extended to us in our life and realize that even when its hard to accept it God has extended His grace to that person who has caused problems or hurt us.

And can I just say that this changes things because instead of approaching these people as these people who need to be punished we can approach them as these are the people Jesus died for.

Well look at the next part of this passage in verses 10-16 because Paul starts to address one of the issues. He says this:

1 Corinthians 1:10–16 ESV

10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)

So now Paul is addressing just one of the issues that the church is starting to have divisions where they are beginning to split into following these local leaders instead of following Christ.

And you know like I mentioned Paul is coming at this with Grace, but he also recognizes that Grace does not just cover but it changes.

Its almost like how the other day I walked into the bathroom to Liam playing in the toilet, and as you can imagine I raised my voice a little telling him no.

and I am assuming most of us would say that was a good move parenting wise. Why?

Because I am not just raising my voice at him because I can, but I am raising my voice because I love him but I also realize that behavior needs to stop, because I do not want Liam being a 17 year old playing in the toilet. Right?

and Paul is saying your covered in Grace, and I love you but this needs to change.

And he tells them these divisions that are forming in the church need to stop because they are destroying the body of Christ.

And instead of this we need to be unified in Christ.

You know God calls us to be unified in Him.

where the disagreements we face are nothing compared to whats holding us together.

Its almost like a family, I am sure some of us have families that when they get together it gets a little fiesty right?

They bring up their political views, they talk about that embarrising story, but guess what at the end of the day they are family and you still love them.

But really that is how we are to be unified, where we might get in disagreements, but we will never get into divisions because we are united in the same mind that we are working together to follow Christ.

Well look at this last verse (verse 17) in the passage because this is one of my favorite verses… It says:

1 Corinthians 1:17 ESV

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

You know I love that verse that because Paul is saying I am going to tell you what to do about this mess you have gotten yourselves into, but my words are just words unless God fill those words with His spirit.

in a way it is almost like Paul is saying the only hope in this church turning around is not in my words and what I can say but in what God can do.

You know this is so cool when you get to see it first hand because the weird thing about being a pastor is I will occassionally preach a sermon and when its over I go wow that was bad, but a lot of times someone will come over to me after the service and go wow that was one of your best sermons.

and I am thinking were you listening?

But you know its really this good reminder that my words mean nothing unless God is in it.

And you know I imagine that today some of us have situations where there is some sort of toxic relationship in your life, maybe it is with someone at church, maybe it is with a spouse, a kid, a neighbor

And you are saying I have tried saying everything to fix this relationship or to try and make something right

but what if its time to stop thinking what can I do or what can I say to fix this and start thinking what can God do.

Because Paul realizes that this church is hopeless unless God intervenes

And this morning it might be time to say what Paul said I am going to do what God has called me to do in fixing this, but ultimately I need God to be the one who mends it.

I need God to fill this situation with His spirit, because if God can fix a situation like this church that was a lost cause then He can fix the brokness of the situation I face this morning.

Are you ready to say that this morning?

Will you pray with me?