Making Much of Christ and His Cross                                                                   I Corinthians 1:10-17

Dan Brooks, Pastor                                                                                             Sunday Morning, July 17

Monday>Carefully read all of I Corinthians 1 to get a context for this week’s passage. Note the attributes or actions of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in verses 10-17.

Tuesday>Review I Corinthians 1:10-17

I.            Believers find agreement in Christ .

A.      The Lord appeals to us through the authority of Christ (1:10).

1.       beseech:  to appeal urgently, to exhort

2.       through the name: (διὰ του ὀνόματος)

a.       “The period of our literature also sees . . . in the name something real, a piece of the very nature of the personality whom it designates, that partakes in his qualities and his powers.”[1]

b.       The appeal is made solely through the authority of our Master, the Anointed Messiah of God.

3.       Point:  For the believer there is no higher authority of appeal.

B.      The Lord appeals to us for agreement (1:10).

1.       speak the same thing:

a.       be in agreement

2.       no divisions:

a.       σχίσματα: non-theological use, “tear in a garment or a crack in a stone.”   Theological, a division

b.       Context: the Corinthians were divided in understanding and consequently purpose.

3.       perfectly joined together in the same mind:

a.       perfectly joined:  (κατηρτισμένοι) made complete

b.       same mind: (νοὶ̈) same way of understanding or thinking

c.        same judgment: (γνώμῃ) purpose or intention

d.       Q:  How do we understand our God-given purpose or the God-established intention of our existence?

e.        A: Paul will answer this later.

Questions: How does today’s portion of the sermon fit with Ephesians 4:1-6? What did Jesus pray for in John 17:22-23?

Wednesday>Read the references in today’s notes and Philippians 4:2-3. The applications are included in today’s notes.

C.      The Lord admonishes us for our quarrels (1:11-12).

1.       The Corinthians were more devoted to a partisan Christianity than to a Christlike unity.

a.       “I follow Paul . . . Apollos . . . Peter . . . Christ.”

b.       Apparently baptism by these personalities had even become some sort of badge.

1)       They must have been saying:  “I was baptized by Apollos . . . Paul . . .”

2)       1 Cor 1:14 (ESV) I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,

c.        Point:  These are good men!  Apostles.  Spirit-filled, Christ-preaching, Church-planting pastors.

1)       But not even 1st Century Apostles deserve this kind of partisan devotion.

2)       One step further:  And not even Christ is to be used as a partisan mascot.

3)       Such is a carnal view of the Savior!

d.       Present examples of partisan devotion:

1)       “I follow C.I. Scofield.”

2)       “I follow John Calvin.”

3)       “I follow Charles Ryrie.”

4)       “I follow Bob Jones.”

5)       “I follow John Piper.”

6)       “I follow Christ.”

e.        Other examples:

1)       “I’m Reformed.”

2)       “I’m Dispensational.”

3)       “I’m Progressive.”

4)       “I’m Covenant.”

5)       “I’m Fundamentalist.”

6)       “I’m a Biblicist.”

2.       Application:

a.       I have long appreciated the diversity in Fundamentalism.

b.       20 years ago, Dr. David Beale, a professor of mine while I attended BJU, wrote in his book In Pursuit of Purity, “The strength of Fundamentalism lies in its diversity. . . . Fundamentalism has never been and never could be limited to the affirmations of any particular denomination.  The Fundamentals of Fellowship transcend denominational distinctives, and they do so without weakening or compromising such distinctives.  While Fundamentalists have differed among themselves on certain interpretations of Scripture, they unite in fellowship for the common purpose of the defense of the faith and the spread of the gospel, accepting the Bible alone, without question, as the divinely and verbally inspired, inerrant, and authoritative Word of God.”[2]

c.        That’s Beale’s way of saying exactly what Paul wrote in 1 Cor 1:10.

d.       But I fear it is not now so.

e.        Well-intentioned, but misinformed or fearful individuals now say things like “This Reformed theology is dangerous to the movement.”

1)       Let the Lord straighten that out with B.B. Warfield.

2)       What about Reformed Theology is so dangerous to the movement?

3)       Would it be better stated that the extremes in Reformed Theology are dangerous?

4)       Is it the movement or the Gospel that we are seeking to preserve?

f.        “Dispensationalism is aberrant theology.”

1)       Let the Lord straighten that out with Scofield and Ryrie and Bock.

2)       What about Modern, Progressive Dispensationalism is aberrant?

3)       Perhaps what we should say is that the extremes of Dispensationalism are aberrant and dangerous.

g.        “Anything other than a pre-tribulation, pre-millenial eschatology is unscriptural.”

1)       The Lord used Martin Luther mightily despite his Post-Millenial views.

2)       I may not agree with the Amillenialist or the Post-Millenialist on several things, but we all agree that the visible, bodily return of Christ is our great hope. We all look for the New Heavens and the New Earth.

h.       Let’s be careful what we consign to the realm of the unscriptural or even heretical.

i.         Point:  Theology matters, but some parts of theology matter more than others.  Our unity in Christ and our unity in Gospel-spreading purpose are infinitely more important than agreement on end-time charts and timelines.  Some of you have been quarreling over partisan devotion and secondary issues.  Beloved, that is not of Christ!

Thursday>Think about Paul’s emphasis in I Corinthians 1:13. You have seen Paul addressing unity with the Philippians, Ephesians, and Corinthians.  The application questions are included in today’s segment of the sermon outline.

D.      The Lord calls us to loyalty (1:13).

1.       Is Christ divided?

a.       Divided:  (μεμέρισται) to divide into separate parts.

b.       Matt 12:25 (ESV) 25 . . . “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.

c.        Christ is not and cannot be divided.

2.       Was Paul crucified for you?

a.       The substitutionary death of Christ on the Cross is the cornerstone of our faith.

b.       If Christ did not live a perfectly obedient life for us and if He was not crucified for us and if He is not risen from the tomb for us, we have no salvation.

c.        The Cross stands central to all that we are and believe.

d.       Here is theology that is non-negotiable!

e.        I cannot have agreement with someone who denies the deity of Christ or His substitutionary death.

f.        Nor can I develop a greater loyalty to an earthly personality than I do to Christ himself.

1)       Was Scofield executed by nailing to a cross for you?

2)       Was Calvin executed by nailing to a cross for you?

3)       Was Ryrie executed by nailing to a cross for you?

4)       Was Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. executed by nailing to a cross for you?

5)       Was Sproul executed by nailing to a cross for you?

6)       Was Piper executed by nailing to a cross for you?

g.        Q:  Then why would your loyalty lie with any one of these to the exclusion of your brothers and sisters here?

3.       Were you baptized in the name of Paul?

a.       Baptism is the one-of-a-kind identification of the people of God.  Baptism signifies our complete cleansing from sin and complete union with Christ.  This is why we are baptized into the name of Christ.

b.       The believer is not first united to the one who leads them to Christ, but to Christ!

c.        That’s why it is absurd to think of someone being baptized in the name of Paul.

d.       Paul is actually glad that he baptized only a few in Corinth (1:14-16).

4.       Q:  But to listen to some people talk, you think that an exclusive spiritual union took place between the personality and the individual.

5.       That, my friends, is aberrant thinking.

Friday>Thoughtfully consider I Corinthians 1:17, 2:2, and 3:1-3. Note the applications to various ages and people in pursuing our mission of preaching Christ.

II.            Believers maintain the Mission of Preaching Christ (1:17).

A.      The Lord has not sent us primarily to baptize (1:17a).

B.      The Lord has sent us primarily to preach the Gospel (1:17b).

1.       How is it to be done?

a.       Not with wisdom of words

b.       Words of eloquent wisdom or skillful speech.

2.       What is the danger?

a.       Lest the cross of Christ be made of none effect.

b.       κενωθῃ: To take away the power or significance of something.

c.        This is something we will take a closer look over the next couple of weeks, but for now, think on this . . .

C.      Application:

1.       Whenever preaching the Gospel becomes secondary, whether to party loyalty or to words of eloquent wisdom, the cross of Christ is emptied of its power!

2.       Do you know the reason that good churches just like this loose their effectiveness?

a.       Their loyalty is diverted away from Christ and His Cross to something of secondary importance.

b.       “Whatever obscures the cross deprives the Gospel of its power.”[3]

c.        Let this sink in:  Not even 1st Century apostles deserve the attention and loyalty that is due Christ alone.  And not even Christ is to be used as a party mascot.

1)       He is to be preached in His unveiled glory.

2)       He is to be worshiped and served in humility and fear.

d.       Point:  The truth is that some of you use these personalities to mask your carnality and immaturity.  You love the safety of your party and the ease of having a well-known mascot, but you are childish and immature.

e.        1 Cor 3:1-3 (ESV) 1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh.

3.       We must repent of our jealousy and strife and humbly stand against the current tide of division, even within independent fundamentalism and say, “Let us cease making much of our mascots and individual distinctions.  And let us make much of Christ and His Cross!”

D.      Applications:

1.       Moms:  you remind your children often that the most wonderful truth in the world is that Jesus lived, died, and rose again for us!

2.       Teens:  You cultivate a heart that loves Christ and His Cross.  You initiate conversations about Christ, sing at your fellowships about the Cross, speak to yourselves as those always living at the foot of the Cross.

3.       Office workers: you remind your fellow believers that finding fellowship in Christ at the foot of His Cross is preeminently important.

4.       Seminary students:  You remind each other that despite your differences, you are one in Christ, and by His grace, you pray that all of you, in the diversity of your interpretations and applications of Scripture, will be found faithful in preaching Christ.

Saturday>Review I Corinthians 1:10-17. Ask God to convict your heart if you have been showing greater loyalty to a servant of Christ than to Christ Himself? Do you need to seek God’s forgiveness or the forgiveness of another for being divisive?

Sunday>Read I Corinthians 1:18-31.32

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[1]Arndt, W., Gingrich, F. W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (1996, c1979). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature, Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 571.

[2]Beale, David O., In Pursuit of Purity, BJU Press, 11.

[3]Hodge, Charles, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, Baker Book House, 19.