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I. Reading of Scripture
This is God’s Word, Amen.
[Title Slide]
1 Corinthians 8:1-13 “Love Builds Up”
II.
Introduction
The title of this message is “Love Builds Up.”
That phrase is lifted from the text in verse 1.
You see it there: “Love builds up.”
But this title is not offered to us as a theme for this chapter in this letter “To the Church.”
Instead, it is offered more as a hint.
A preview of coming attractions.
Perhaps we can think of this “love” like an archeological dig.
There is something there, deposited in the ground, and the apostle tells us what it is - it is “love.”
But for now, it is still covered in soil, disguised from full view.
Love is not going anywhere.
It remains where it is, but it comes into view more and more, as the soil is brushed away carefully and methodically, bit by bit, without fanfare, until finally, love is fully exposed later in this letter.
In keeping with this archeological analogy, some of the “dirt” being brushed away in Chapter 8, that reveals more of “love” is something called “knowledge.”
Knowledge can be dirty.
It is said today, that someone can be “too smart for their own good.”
While “knowledge” is prized as something that reveals, because it is “the content of what is known” (LN), this same “knowledge” may at the same time conceal.
It can blind and restrict our point of view to our detriment, and the detriment of others.
If we know “too much” about one thing, and allow that knowledge to itself become a god to us, an idol, then it will consume us and control us so that we no longer see the big picture or the meaning of that knowledge.
Jesus, said this about the scribes and Pharisees, the religious teachers and leaders.
Jesus said that they “sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you” (Mt 23:2).
This means that the scribes and Pharisees had knowledge of God’s law, God’s instruction, and that was good!
But Jesus then said, “but [do] not the works they do.
For they preach, but do not practice.”
(Mt 23:3).
Something was wrong with their vast knowledge, to the point that Jesus called them “blind guides” (Mt 23:16).
What they “knew” was correct, but they could not deploy what they “knew” for good.
Not only was their “knowledge” useless then, it was even harmful.
To the lawyers, Jesus said in like manner:
What is the “key of knowledge”?
How is “knowledge” a blessing and not a curse?
In the world the Church existed in, in Corinth, “knowledge” was prized.
It fueled, as Preben Vang calls it, a culture of “pride, prominence, and personal rights” (TTC).
“Because of my knowledge — I am best, I am first, and I am owed.”
And may I suggest, that our culture has not departed much from this either.
Pride, prominence, personal rights - these things prevail in the politician and yes, even in the patriot.
Our culture tells us to battle over what we know to show that our knowledge is supreme!
But if we have learned anything about the identity of the Church of God, we have learned that Christ’s Church is not political or patriotic because Christians are not politicians or patriots.
Those words are never used to describe our identity in Christ!
Instead, We are Christians!
We are in Christ.
And hear what the apostle has already said is true of us — being in Christ, “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16).
Not the mind of an elephant.
Not the mind of a donkey.
We, the Church, “have the mind of Christ.”
And pride, prominence, and personal rights are directly opposed to the person of Christ and the work of Christ.
So the question is raised:
How do we think, like Christ?
As Christians, what do we do with “knowledge?”
What do you think?
III.
Exposition
The apostle begins by informing the Church that there is something we ought to know.
A. 8:1-3 | What we ought to know.
The words “now concerning” in verse 1 introduce something new.
Look with me at Chapter 8:1 —
8.1
The church in Corinth must have been a Baptist Church!
For the apostle says “Now concerning food...”
But the apostle is not talking about food in general.
He is answering a question about a specific kind of food.
This is food which has been dedicated to false gods (NIGTC).
This is meat that was associated with the worship of pagan gods - offerings to idols (NIGTC).
The Christians in Corinth needed the apostle to answer for them in the simplest form, whether or not this “food offered to idols” was okay for Christians to eat?
While this question seems foreign to us, several commentators point out that this remains an issue in some parts of the world, among missionaries serving in foreign lands.
Perhaps we come close to this question when we enter into a buffet restaurant and pass by a shrine to Budda or another foreign deity as we enter that place.
Should a Christian eat at such a place, obviously dedicated to an idol?
Does this say anything about our witness?
What becomes of our money when we pay after the meal?
Or are we just there for the good “food”?
Is it just a matter of eating a meal, after all?
Notice that there are two ingredients to the question that was asked of the apostle:
The first concerned the food itself — “Now concerning food offered to idols.”
The second ingredient concerned “knowledge.”
Notice the quotations marks around “all of us possess knowledge.”
This is probably a quote from the letter the Corinthians wrote to the apostle, and likely another slogan promoted by the culture.
It is not just a matter of the food itself - but that we know what kind of food it is, and we know where it has been!
What do we do?
To eat, or not to eat?
The problem is our knowledge.
This issue of knowledge became a problem for the Pharisees as they watched the life and ministry of Jesus.
On one occasion, a Pharisee invited Jesus to eat with him at this Pharisee’s house.
Did Jesus not have knowledge of what kind of woman this was?
Jesus knew.
Or what about the time when the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to Jesus to hear him (Lk 15.1).
Did Jesus not have a knowledge of the kind of people he was receiving and eating with?
Jesus knew.
But Jesus knew something that the Pharisees and scribes did not know.
Jesus had a better knowledge.
Knowledge by itself is dangerous.
Without something to restrain knowledge, it becomes unbalanced and is dangerous.
What restrains knowledge?
What balances it?
The answer is love.
Knowledge by itself, serves SELF.
Knowledge in action, is love.
It serves the OTHER.
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