1 Corinthians: A Gospel Cure for What Ails the Church

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.

Introduction: Problems

Map of Corinth- This is where Paul visited on his 2nd Missionary Journey - It was Just after he preached the sermon on Mars Hill in Athens that he came to Corinth. It was at Corinth that we learn Paul meets Pricillia and Aquilli and stays with them while he was in the city. They were fellow tent makers.

Corinth was place of great oppositon for the gospel - it got so difficult that Christ appeard to Paul in a vision and said - don’t

Acts 18:9–10 ESV

9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”

Corinth was a major city that majored on Sporting events. It was a place Paul knew really well as he spent about 1 1/2 years there.

church -a compound word "to call" + "out of"

The word call or called appears 4 times in the first 5 verses.

verse 1. called by the will of God

Verse 2 Called to be saints

Verse 2 call upon the name of our lord

verse 9 called into the fellowship of his Son

The church is those who are called.

1 Corinthians 1:2 (ESV)

2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints ...

The church is those who call.

1 Corinthians 1:2 (ESV)

2 all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

Remember your position in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:2 (ESV)

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:

If I am in Christ I am a saint.

Being a saint doesn’t mean I don’t sin.

Being a saint means my sins have been dealt with at the cross.

Application:

Praise God for saving grace.

1 Corinthians 1:4 (ESV)

4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,

Grace is always given and never earned.

Praise God for serving grace.

1 Corinthians 1:7–9 ESV

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.

When God calls He gives you a mission.

That mission is wrapped up in the gift he’s given.