1 Corinthians Introduction Sermon Verse 1 -3

1 Corinthians: Introduction (Verses 1- 3 sermon)

Historical Background of Corinth:

The Apostle Paul and Corinth

Paul would be the founder of this church probably around the AD 50’s likely 53. In Acts chapter 18 we see Aquila and Priscilla (founding members) Paul would preach at Corinth while being a tentmaker. You could say he was a bi-vocational Pastor.

This letter Paul writes is that of a Pastor’s heart.

The Reason of the letter: A Church in need of revitalization

Throughout church history there has been and is faithful, Christ-Centered, living out the great commission churches; these same churches can and at times have fallen into their own sins, losing their lampstand in the community, and being warned of God of their destruction. God does bring in Pastors to speak judgment to the churches who have fallen away or been led astray; this Pastor will shepherd the people by calling out sin and reminding them of their identity in Christ, to return to that which they were saved for. The church in Corinth has many similarities to churches across America, in fact, our nation is very similar to that of the culture of Corinth.

Corinth was the hub of economics, entertainment, lust, hedonistic living, the multitude of religions, and the list goes forward. American churches like the church of Corinth live in a pagan world and do fall to the temptations the pagan world offers. Because the church is filled with redeemed, and not redeemed sinners she is prone to have the pagan culture influence her life. The Corinth church was influenced by the world around her, her leaders blinded by the influence of the world allowed the world into the church. We could very much say this is a church that needs revitalization and God would use the Apostle Paul as the instrument of shepherding a church into being a church that Christ would deem His.

The Apostle Paul is not writing to the church with condemnation or dissolution to the sins at hand, rather he writes Pastorally to a church he has close relations with. Paul writes not to condemn but rather to discipline and call to repentance. This is the work of all Pastors to the care, shepherding, and call of the people of God to be as He imposes in His word. The call of the Shepherd in works of revitalization is like that of the Pastors that have been called to Highland or other village missions churches, it is the call of revitalization. The call to say you are a church, you are in Christ, you are called to be set apart, you are called repentance, you are called to mission. This letter is the call to return to the gospel.

The call of the gospel is the essence, the heart, and the purpose behind the letter.

Lesson 1: Redemption the will of God: Verse 1 and 2

Paul as he wrote this letter, addresses not only himself but a man by the name of Sosthenes. (Acts 18:12) not much is known of this man other than a brief account we get of him in the book of Acts. Sosthenes was a Jewish Leader set on attacking Paul but the attack on Paul did not go as planned, and Sosthenes was left as the one beaten. While not much is known of this man in relation to the Corinth Church, there is the understanding this man now associates with Paul and is proclaimed a brother in Christ. Why would Paul mention his name? To which we could assume there is a relationship between this man and Corinth, but perhaps there is a deeper impact being taught.

Here is a guy that had Paul tried for the purpose of being beaten, but instead his life is redeemed, and becomes a brother to the Apostle. While much of the story is unknown the redemption of a sinner is a similar story for all. There is in each Christian life the understanding I am a sinner against God and need of the Savior.

The Corinth Church needed this reminder they are a redeemed people; purchased with the blood of Christ. He affirms a failing church that their identity in Christ, a redeemed people called to be a sanctified people as a body of saints.

Illustration:

Were going to unpack what a sanctified church and people look like; if you’re a parent or educator you understand a child has key development stages; the first word, walking, running, potty trained, graduation from high school, married, etc. The Christian life has key development stages, but the doctrine is known as sanctification.

Lesson 2: Sanctification

Notice in verse 2 how Paul is pointing them as a sanctified people, a people that are called out for another purpose and a life that is beyond the pagan culture. Paul never says you are not redeemed, you’re not sanctified but reminds them they are redeemed and being sanctified.

The sin in their land can easily impact their church, the church culture (this is a local church) was being impacted by the outside. Paul understood this, but rather than condemning he pastorally reminds them of their calling.

Sanctification like our story of the child is the marking of Christian life and the Christian church that is becoming more and more like Jesus. The life of the Christian, the life of the Church reflects her King. Paul much like Christ was the church in Corinth to be a pure bride in the LORD.

She is not called to a life of sanctification for the sake of salvation, but rather called to the life of sanctification because of her salvation.

The Christian life and the Christian church should naturally be in a state of growth, there will be seasons to which there is sin. This sin or lack of sanctification is the result of a few things happening within the church and the Christian life.

1. Worship of God has become a religious task; one that is recognized in practice but not from the heart. The Christian church often begins its downfall when the people assemble because it’s what we do, not because it’s who we are. The cares of the world or what time is the preacher going to end so we can eat lunch becomes the focus.

I would add this mentality usually takes place because the church has lost her first love, and the worship service is dry, the fellowship is surface level, and the mentality is survival rather than a service and people sanctified unto the LORD for His purpose.

2. The Prayer life of the church and the Christian in the church is lacking. If you don’t worship God which is a product of loving God, this church and her people won’t be praying people.

3. The Great Commission becomes lacking. The church of Corinth was consumed in divisions that they were not a great commission church in an area prime for the great commission. The Christian who does not worship, will not pray, and can’t do the great commission.

4. Unity, when the Christian church ceases to be effective in the great commission together, they lose focus, and divisions begin to take center. Ultimately because the church and Christians have lost their identity. Conflict and fighting are center stages.

The Christian life as an individual and her local church is called to a sanctified life; how does this come about? In the same fashion of the church and Christian is sinning the reversal of that is health.

1. The Christian and the Church worship God in heart, mind, and soul. She has been born again, she has unity, purity in biblical doctrine, not tradition. Her soul is sold out for the LORD and His ways. Worship is the heartbeat of the Christian and the Church.

2. The Christian and the Church is a life filled with prayer; it is never ceasing, and it is not a challenge to do so. It is like blood flowing through the veins.

3. The Great Commission no longer becomes an obligation or a task, but rather is so natural that the Christian is having gospel conversations, the Church is known and impacted by her community. If you were to die if the church died would the community be impacted? The Christian and the Church that is sanctified is living out the great commission.

4. The Christian Church is in unity with all matters regarding the faith and the body.

Illustration

These are marks of a healthy Christian and church, but in a similar fashion when your child is four and not fully potty trained the parent out of love confronts the child, perhaps its defiance, asks medical professionals for a cause with a solution. The parent would do everything in their power to help their child hit key milestones or recover from illness that prevents the milestones.

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In like fashion Jesus appoints elders to the church to either maintain and challenge further growth in the development of the church and her people or to bring awareness of their sickness so through long and often painful procedures can become a healthy church.

Lesson 3: Peace V 3

Paul has not yet begun the hard things of leading a church to revitalization, because what follows in this letter is not only against modern culture but against the traditions and ways the church of Corinth has grown accustomed to; and does not at the time of this letter realize their depravity.

Paul says this is from the grace and peace of God our father and the from the Lord Jesus Christ. He reminds them of his pastoral heart which is from the father. Paul will not write or address from a spirit that does not desire to please God or display true love which is hard love.

It is a letter in peace-filled with gospel intent.

Application:

1. As we begin this letter and are in a season of revitalization, let us take the truth on this letter and examine our own body and Christian life. It will not be easy, and yes will be painful but the result if done in faith through our Lord is one of beauty and life.

A. Examine our worship: Not just the service, but or worship of God as body and you as a person.

B. Examine our prayer life: Thursday Nights at 6:30 in person and I’ll have the online link (for those that can’t make it in person) this church will gather for 30 to 40 minutes in prayer.

C. The Great Commission: Where can we as a church dive together and serve our community with works of love and the gospel message? Beacon has the food drive, we don’t need to step in that area, come alongside of them, yes, but they do a great job there. Where is our fit as a corporate church to serve even if just once a month to do the great commission together? Come Thursday with your ideas and let’s pray over them.

D. Unity in the faith; This unity comes in many fashions for us incomes in three ways.

1. Life Together: Our unity is not just a one-hour Christian, but a life that says hey let me call up my brother in Christ and see if they want to have dinner or just hang out. When was the last time you called up your pew buddy for a cup of coffee?

2. Life in Christ: Our unity is in Christ and the faith they share. We display and do this unity in Christ when we gather around His word (the studies that are offered every week) and times of prayer. Thursday nights, just book it on your calendar because were praying together online or in person. I’ll be in the church streaming, praying you to join me in person or at least online. Most important is that every Lord’s Day we are worshiping together.

3. Life on Mission: God will direct us to where He wants us personally and as a church to serve Him. Again come Thursday night, bring the ideas, the passion, we will pray, and on the 30th of January when we meet were going in that direction. It will take work and you will need to work but together we can do it.

Conclusion:

Paul will the church to repentance and action, and Christ is calling us to the same. Will we answer the call or simply stay in let’s pray and wait compared to praying and acting? The truth is Highland, financially we could make it another three years as a people who gather, but unless we change our DNA, our look, our purpose, and remember our identity as a bride of Christ; we will not be a church but just a gathering of a few saints remembering the days of old instead of the calling of the great commission.

As your Pastor, my prayer is we wake up and really start moving as a healthy, great commission church, advancing the Kingdom of God in our community and one day is a church that plants churches who plant churches.

I do come at your hard because a shepherd must come hard or like sheep, we fall off the cliff. On that note there is some practical things we can do while building a new DNA; our building, our land, it’s a bridge into the community that the LORD gave us; it needs some work and needs to come into the 21st century. Let Pete and I worry about the shepherding care of your souls, but there is work you can do to help this church become visible and a bride into the community.

The challenge for this Thursday prayer meeting is where do you see Highland being called together to live life on mission?

Next Thursday how do you envision our building, what would you like to see? Remember the building while not the most critical element of reaching souls, does matter. You would not invite your mom to a messy and outdated home, why would you invite a soul needing Jesus to something that is outdated and messy?

We have a lot of work to do, and a lot to pray for. It’s time to stop sitting around our potlucks recalling the past, it’s time to start moving to hope in our future for the glory of God.