Don't Start Your Mess
Notes
Transcript
1 Corinthians 1:10
1 Corinthians 1:10
10 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.
10 I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I’ll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common.
Introduction
Introduction
In a Peanuts cartoon Lucy demanded that Linus change TV channels, threatening him with her fist if he didn't. "What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?" asks Linus.
"These five fingers," says Lucy. "Individually they're nothing but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold."
"Which channel do you want?" asks Linus. Turning away, he looks at his fingers and says, "Why can't you guys get organized like that?"
Charles Schultz.
But listen Lucy the only take over that is going to take place is a Holy Ghost take over
Grandma “Don’t start your mess”
Background
Background
Corinth
Major city in Greece
200,000
Place of business and exchange
1 Corinthians 1:10a (CSB)
10 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.
b. pres. act. indic. of παρακαλέω (LN 33.168) (BAGD 2. p. 617): ‘to appeal to’ [BAGD, LN; NIV, NRSV, REB, TEV], ‘to urge’ [BAGD; NJB], ‘to beg’ [He, HNTC; LB, NAB, TNT], ‘to beseech’ [KJV], ‘to entreat’ [EBC, ICC], ‘to ask for (earnestly), to request, to plead for’ [LN], ‘to exhort’ [BAGD; NASB], ‘to admonish’ [Lns]. This verb is also translated with a vocative: ‘Please’ [AB]. It means ‘to implore’ or ‘to entreat’ [EBC]. It is an exhortation that is more than a request and slightly less than a command [AB]. It does not mean to beg, but to summon or admonish [Lns]. It is often used by Paul to mark the beginning of a new paragraph [TH].
Trail, R. (2008). An Exegetical Summary of 1 Corinthians 1–9 (p. 30). Dallas, TX: SIL International.
Paul makes his appeal based on who Christ is [Alf, BAGD, HNTC, Ho, ICC, My, Vn]: I appeal to you because of your regard for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The appeal should be obeyed because of their reverence and love of Christ and their regard for Christ’s authority as Lord [Ho]. Christ’s name is the one confession of all disciples and thus their motive to obey the exhortation [My]. They are united under Christ’s authority [Vn]. They should obey for the sake of Christ, for all that Christ is and means to them [HNTC].
Trail, R. (2008). An Exegetical Summary of 1 Corinthians 1–9 (p. 32). Dallas, TX: SIL International.
Watch Your Mouth
Watch Your Mouth
1 Corinthians 1:10 (CSB)
10 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.
Know
Know
11 For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters, by members of Chloe’s people, that there is rivalry among you.
New Testament 1:10–17—Christ Not Divided
These informants may have been agents of Chloe, a wealthy businesswoman in Corinth or Ephesus (16:8), traveling between the two cities on business. As such, they may have been high-status slaves or freedpersons belonging to her household. Members of a Corinthian church, they brought Paul the news; news and letters were most often carried by people traveling on other business. (Had they been her children rather than servants, they would have been named by their father’s household, even were he deceased.)
Paul is getting this information from passers by
“Word on the street is...”
That Church is Messy
They can’t get right
The church at ancient church of Corinth looked a lot like the current church of today.
Divided
Ineffective
A place where more people are hurt than healed.
This is supposed to be the place where the message of hope is being projected but instead their messiness is speaking volumes.
It wasn’t the outside talk that was tearing up the church it was coming form within it’s own walls.
Feel
Feel
Can we just be honest today? A lot of people have been turned off from the church because of something said by church folks.
GIVE EXAMPLES
The Barna data indicate that 28% of the adult population has not attended any church activities, including services, in the past six months. That translates to nearly 65 million adults. When their children under the age of 18 who live with them are added to the picture, the number swells to more than 100 million people.
Based on past studies of those who avoid Christian churches, one of the driving forces behind such behavior is the painful experiences endured within the local church context. In fact, one Barna study among unchurched adults shows that nearly four out of every ten non-churchgoing Americans (37%) said they avoid churches because of negative past experiences in churches or with church people.
They don’t have a problem with Christ… they just don’t want to deal with your mess.
Some of you here today are saying “this is my last shot at this church thing”
We are tearing up our own churches because we don’t know how to Watch Our Mouth.
You can be:
Godly without being Gossipy
Encouraging without Exposing
Give correction without condemnation
Do
Do
PRAY before you SAY
Know when to SPEAK UP and when to SHUT UP
Use your words wisely
“The wise have something to say while the fool has to say something” - Unknown
Watch Your Motives
Watch Your Motives
1 Corinthians 1:10 (CSB)
10 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.
Know
Know
12 What I am saying is this: One of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in Paul’s name?
1:10. For the first three centuries of its existence, the church met mainly in homes; those belonging to more well-to-do members of the congregation could naturally hold the most people (see comment on 11:17–34). Because the size of these homes limited the size of congregations and forced Christians to meet in different house churches, divisions could easily arise among them. As the letter proceeds, however, it becomes clear that the main basis for division derives from differences of social stratification within the congregations. One type of ancient speech (known as a homonoia speech) lamented divisions and called for unity; Paul’s readers would immediately recognize the nature of his argument.
Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (1 Co 1:10). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
The word σχίσματα, “divisions,” implies in itself merely a neutral statement of the existence of divisions. It does not mean the existence of different systems of doctrine. Paul indeed hopes that unity will be restored as a result of his exhortation. The split into groups has not yet led to the dissolution of the community; they celebrate the Lord’s Supper together (11:17ff.*), and Paul can address his letter to the whole community.
Conzelmann, H. (1975). 1 Corinthians: a commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians (p. 32). Philadelphia: Fortress Press.
They were followers of Christ but they were clique’n up
Segregated by social status
Feel
Feel
σχίσμα, ατος, τό(σχίζω; Aristot. et al.; ‘split, division’)
① the condition resulting from splitting or tearing, tear, crack (Aristot., HA 2, 1; Physiogn. I 372, 6; En 1:7) in a garment Mt 9:16; Mk 2:21; in a stick Hs 8, 5, 1; in a stone 9, 8, 3.
② the condition of being divided because of conflicting aims or objectives, division, dissension, schism fig. ext. of 1 (PLond 2710 recto, 13 [=Sb 7835—I B.C.] the ἡγούμενος of the brotherhood of Zeus Hypsistos forbids σχίσματα most strictly; Cat. Cod. Astr. XI/2 p. 122, 24 πολέμους, φόνους, μάχας, σχίσματα; Hippol., Ref. 6, 35, 5 w. διαφορά; Iren. 4, 33, 7 [Harv. II 261, 1], opp.: ἡ ἕνωσις τῆς ἐκκλησίας) J 7:43; 9:16; 10:19; 1 Cor 1:10; 11:18; 12:25; 1 Cl 46:9; 49:5 (ἔσονται σχίσματα καὶ αἱρέσεις Just., D. 35, 3 [Gospel quot. of unknown origin; s. Unknown Sayings 59–61]). W. στάσις 2:6; w. στάσις, ἔρις 54:2. ἔρεις, θυμοί, διχοστασίαι, σχίσματα, πόλεμος 46:5. ποιεῖν σχίσμα cause a division D 4:3; B 19:12. σχίσματα ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἐποίησαν they brought about divisions (of opinion) in their own minds (or among themselves; s. ἑαυτοῦ 2) Hs 8, 9, 4.—MMeinertz, BZ n.s. 1, ’57, 114–18.—M-M. DELG s.v. σχίζω. TW. Sv.
A lot of our churches have been birthed out of divisions.
Cliques in the church develop when people place their cultural preference over Christ.
Most of y’all cool with the cliques until you’re rejected by one.
The truth is we don’t want His will as much as we want Our Way!
The Tony Evans Study Bible (Chapter 1)
1:11–12 Reports had reached Paul that rivalries existed among the church members based on allegiance to a favorite ministry leader (1:11). Some preferred Paul (probably those who’d been around since the church’s founding) or Apollos (likely those who preferred a more eloquent and sophisticated speaker; see Acts 18:24–28) or Cephas/Peter (probably Jewish believers who lamented the loss of their traditions)—or even Christ (likely the super spiritual ones) (1 Cor 1:12).
Do
Do
Ask yourself:
Is this more about ministry or my motives?
Am I following vision or my feelings?
Is this where Im supposed to be?
Don’t miss your exit and then blame us for feeling lost.
Watch Your Message
Watch Your Message
1 Corinthians 1:10 (CSB)
10 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.
Know
Know
13 I ask you, “Has the Messiah been chopped up in little pieces so we can each have a relic all our own? Was Paul crucified for you? Was a single one of you baptized in Paul’s name?” 14 I was not involved with any of your baptisms—except for Crispus and Gaius—and on getting this report, I’m sure glad I wasn’t. 15 At least no one can go around saying he was baptized in my name. 16 (Come to think of it, I also baptized Stephanas’s family, but as far as I can recall, that’s it.) 17 God didn’t send me out to collect a following for myself, but to preach the Message of what he has done, collecting a following for him. And he didn’t send me to do it with a lot of fancy rhetoric of my own, lest the powerful action at the center—Christ on the Cross—be trivialized into mere words.
We have made church about everything but the message of Christ.
1:13 However one perceives the historical situation and the meaning of 1:12, Paul expresses his displeasure over the situation in a series of three questions that function to show the absurdity of their attachment to human leaders: “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?”
Taylor, M. (2014). 1 Corinthians. (E. R. Clendenen, Ed.) (Vol. 28, p. 57). Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group.
Feel
Feel
Miss me with the mess.... This community needs a message of Hope.
Paul is saying don’t make it about me, cause I didn’t do it for you.
Be careful not to make it about the leadership
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied of its effect.
Be careful of those that will get full of themselves by emptying the cross of it’s power.
Don’t start your mess its not about the Preach but the Power of the Cross
Do
Do
Don’t let your mess effect the message
Don’t point to people point to the Power of the Cross
3. Don’t Major in the Minors